The OnePlus 5 versus the Samsung Galaxy S8 - if money is not an issue it is the GS8 that is the easy pick. In terms of design, availability and after-sales support Samsung's first 2017 flagship bet will win over the so-called flagship killer and no contest at all. But there are a few good things about the OP5 that are hard to ignore.
And this is especially true for most advanced Android users, according to 9to5Google. The report favored the OnePlus 5 as a daily driver but not before getting it straight that OP5 is the best phone as opposed to the GS8. As mentioned, when the two devices are pitted in a showdown many will pick the Samsung brand and it's understandable.
For starters, the GS8 is certainly the stunner between the two. The OnePlus 5 has been labeled as an iPhone 7 Plus copycat while the Galaxy S8 boasts of the nearly all-screen Infinity Display. When the handsets sit side by side, surely the GS8 will elicit more applause when the contest is all about aesthetics.
Also, the report highlighted the fact that Samsung, being the bigger and more powerful company, has made it easier to obtain the GS8. Buying it is easy as getting to a store and in matter of minutes users can start playing with the handset. 9to5Google also stressed it is the South Korean tech giant that offers better support. When the GS8 requires repair or accessories, it shouldn't be an issue at all.
Not true with the OnePlus 5. In fact, buying the device is already problematic. Only OnePlus sells the devices and most cases getting it means ordering online, which translates to days or weeks of waiting time. And good luck to users when the time comes that the handset will have to be repaired.
So the better and prettier solution it seems is the Galaxy S8. However, there are two things that going big time for the OnePlus 5. One is the price. The OP5 with Snapdragon 835 and 8GB of RAM plus 128GB of basic storage will only demand $500 plus while the GS8 with SD 835, 4GB RAM support and 64GB built-in memory will amount to cash damage of $720 or even more. For the wise buyers, the choice is but automatic and to think that the OP5 is not far from the gorgeous zone.
But really what makes the OnePlus 5 more attractive is the choice of operating system. The OxygenOS that runs the handset is based on CyanogenMod, meaning it is near vanilla form of Google's mobile OS. On the other hand, the GS8 is powered by Android with deep layering by Samsung, which means there will be bloat wares to ditch.
And there lies another of OnePlus 5 advantage - 9to5Google is raving of the fact that for the average and power Android users the device is ready to use right out of the box. Not the case with the Galaxy S8. If the intention is to make the GS8 as close as possible to Pure Android it will require work such as uninstalling redundant apps and the installing launcher that mimics the Stock Android user interface.
In the end, when choosing between the OnePlus 5 and Samsung Galaxy S8 it boils down to preference. If one is okay with Samsung's rendering of Android that lately has been largely restrained then picking the GS8 is not a problem.
But when hassle-free and light Android is of prime importance, it's no brainer to favor the OnePlus 5, which by the way will lead to savings of a couple hundred dollars.
