OnePlus has announced its second 2017 flagship, the OnePlus 5T, which will be available to pre-order from 16 November and on sale from 21 November.

The new handset offers the same hardware as its predecessor, the OnePlus 5, but it brings an 18:9 aspect ratio display, putting it more on par with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the LG G6.

Here is how the OnePlus 5T stands up against the mighty Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+.

OnePlus 5T vs Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S8+: Design

  • Aluminium body for OnePlus 5T, glass and metal for Samsung
  • Samsung devices are waterproof
  • All have USB Type-C and headphone jack

The OnePlus 5T features an anodised aluminium body, rounded corners and chamfered hard edge. It measures 156.1 x 75 x 7.3mm, weighs 162g and it offers a dual camera in a horizontal array on the rear, along with a centralised circular fingerprint sensor.

The front is almost all display, with super slim bezels at the top and bottom but no buttons anywhere, as there is on the OnePlus 5. There is USB Type-C at the bottom and a 3.5mm headphone jack, but there is no IP waterproofing rating offered on the OnePlus 5T.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ both feature a metal and glass sandwich design, a curved display and a fingerprint sensor positioned at the rear next to the single camera lens, putting it in a slightly less ergonomic position compared to the OnePlus 5T.

USB Type-C is on board both, as is a 3.5mm headphone jack and there is a button on one side of the devices for launching personal assistant, Bixby, though it can now be selected to open nothing, making it a redundant button if you don't want to use Bixby.

The Galaxy S8 measures 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm and weighs 155g, while the Galaxy S8+ measures 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1mm and weighs 173g, meaning the OnePlus 5T sits roughly in the middle of the two in terms of size, though it is wider than both. The two Samsung devices are are IP68 waterproof however.

OnePlus 5T vs Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S8+: Display

  • Galaxy S8 and S8+ have higher resolution displays
  • Galaxy S8 and S8+ have Mobile HDR
  • Both AMOLED panels

The OnePlus 5T has a 6.01-inch flat AMOLED display with a 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution that puts its pixel density at 401ppi, which is the same as its predecessor, the OnePlus 5.

The screen is protected by 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and unlike the OnePlus 5, its aspect ratio is 18:9 rather than the standard 16:9. There is no support for Mobile HDR though, something that many of the flagship smartphones of 2017 offer. 

The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a curved 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9, offering a Quad HD+ resolution (2960 x 1440) for a pixel density of 570ppi.

The S8+ meanwhile, has a slightly larger 6.2-inch display, meaning it has a slightly lower pixel density to the S8 at 529ppi, though still sharper than the OnePlus 5T.

The Galaxy S8 and S8+ both offer Mobile HDR, meaning they are both compatible with HDR content, available through Amazon Video and Netflix.

OnePlus 5T vs Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S8+: Camera

  • Dual-rear camera on OnePlus 5T
  • Galaxy S8 and S8+ have iris scanner on front, OnePlus 5T has facial recognition
  • Higher resolution for front and rear of OnePlus 5T

The OnePlus 5T features dual cameras on the rear, consisting of one 16-megapixel main sensor with a f/1.7 aperture and one secondary 20-megapixel lens with a f/1.7 aperture. It is capable of 4K video recording and there is a Portrait Mode that allows for bokeh images, as well as Pro Mode for manual control over settings such as shutter speed and ISO.

The front camera of the OnePlus 5 has a 16-megapixel resolution and it is capable of up to 1080p video recording.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ have a 12-megapixel Dual Pixel single rear camera with an f/1.7 aperture, OIS and autofocus. The front snapper has an 8-megapixel sensor, also with an f/1.7 aperture and autofocus. Results from both are excellent.

There is also an iris scanner on the front of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, while the OnePlus 5T has facial recognition.

OnePlus 5T vs Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S8+: Hardware

  • More RAM and storage on OnePlus 5T
  • Larger battery capacity within OnePlus 5T compared to S8
  • Galaxy S8 ad S8+ offer microSD 

The OnePlus 5T features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and it is available in two models, one of which has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, while the other has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Neither offer microSD for storage expansion.

The battery capacity on board the OnePlus 5 is 3300mAh and it features the company's fast charging technology, Dash Charge. As we mentioned previously, it is charged via USB Type-C.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ feature either the Exynos 8895 chip, or the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, depending on the region. Both models come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, with microSD for further expansion. 

There is a 3000mAh battery capacity under the hood of the S8, and a 3500mAh capacity within the S8+, and both are also charged via USB Type-C. Samsung also offers 32-bit audio support.

OnePlus 5T vs Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S8+: Software

  • Different software experiences, though Android at heart
  • All three Android Nougat at core

The OnePlus 5T launches on OxygenOS, which is a modified version of Android Nougat 7.1.1, while the Galaxy S8 runs on Android Nougat with Samsung's TouchWiz software over the top.

The software experience of these two devices will therefore be quite different, though both have Android at the heart so there will be familiar features, they will just be packaged in a slightly different way.

All three devices are in line to get the Android Oreo update, though it is not yet clear exactly what date the update will eventually land.

OnePlus 5T vs Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S8+: Price

  • OnePlus 5T cheaper by £240 for same storage 

The OnePlus 5T costs £449 for 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, or £499 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 on the other hand costs £689, while the S8+ costs £779, making them both quite a bit more expensive.

OnePlus 5T vs Samsung Galaxy S8 vs Galaxy S8+: Conclusion

The OnePlus 5T offers more RAM and a dual-rear camera setup compared to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+. It also has a larger battery capacity to the S8+, a higher resolution front camera and a more ergonomically-placed fingerprint sensor than both Galaxy models.

Samsung's devices however, offer curved displays with higher resolutions, waterproofing, an excellent camera experience and microSD support for further storage expansion. Their starting price is at least £200 more expensive though.

All three devices are excellent based on our experience with them so far though so your decision will likely come down to your budget and which design you prefer.