OnePlus 3 review

True to its 'Never Settle' mantra, OnePlus is pushing forward with its 'flagship specs for half the price' game plan, and with the new OnePlus 3 the signs are positive.

After the initial breakout success of theOnePlus One in 2014, the follow up from the Chinese outfit was a little lackluster, with the OnePlus 2 failing to reach the same heights as its predecessor.

If anything, OnePlus was a victim of its own success, as expectations for its second installment went above and beyond what the still-small firm was capable of.

OnePlus founder Carl Pei told me during a briefing for the OnePlus 3 that "people have very, very high expectations. We got very lucky with the first device, and people wanted more. We have to balance expectations with what we're capable of".

As you may expect then, from a flagship handset costing just US$399 (£329, around AU$450), OnePlus has indeed had to balance features against expectation, but with the OnePlus 3 the compromises are more acceptable.

There's no QHD resolution (you'll have to make do with full HD), nor is there a microSD slot, and users have just one internal storage option: 64GB. But if you can look past those minor shortcomings, and embrace the power, premium design and performance the OnePlus 3 is offering, this is the firm's best ever device.

With a Snapdragon 820 processor, 6GB of RAM, 16MP rear camera, 8MP front snapper, fingerprint scanner and 3,000mAh fast-charging battery, the OnePlus 3 has the tools – on paper at least – to take on the big names.

The OnePlus 2 claimed to be the 2016 Flagship Killer, and while it fell way short of living up to that boast, the OnePlus 3 may just be able to claim the title.

OnePlus 3 price and release date

• Released in June 2016
• US$399 or £329
• Only available SIM-free from OnePlus
• Not out in Australia

The OnePlus 3 launched at $399 in the US and hasn't changed in price, but it's not the same for those in the UK. Since July 11 the OnePlus 3 has cost £329, instead of the £309 launch price, due to the Pound weakening after the Brexit campaign.

Those in Australia have to continue waiting for the OnePlus 3 and there's no word of an official release yet.