OnePlus 6 vs Asus ZenFone 5Z: Battle of the affordable flagships

Asus recently launched their affordable flagship smartphone in India, the Asus ZenFone 5Z. At a starting price of Rs. 29,999, the 5Z gives direct competition to the OnePlus 6. Both the smartphones are powered by the Snapdragon 845 SoC and come with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. So, here is what sets these smartphones apart.

Display

The OnePlus 6 sports a 6.28-inch Super AMOLED display while the Asus ZenFone 5Z features a slightly smaller 6.2-inch IPS LCD display. Both the displays feature FullHD+ resolutions and 19:9 aspect ratio with a notch up front. The AMOLED display on the OnePlus 6 delivers better viewing angles and punchier blacks. This does not mean the ZenFone 5Z's display is bad. The IPS LCD display on the 5Z is bright enough and has a great colour reproduction.

Design & Build

Both the OnePlus 6 and the Asus ZenFone 5Z feature a glass sandwich design. Though the design looks intriguing and gives a premium feel to the phone, it is equally fragile. So no matter which phone you pick, we highly recommend using a case with it. Speaking of cases, both the smartphones also come with a free case bundled right into the box.

Software & UI

The smartphones run on Google's Android Oreo operating system out of the box. However, the difference here is the UI. Asus chose to go in with their ZenUI which brings in a ton of features while OnePlus took the suttle route and opted in for OxygenOS which is quite close to stock Android with minor tweaks here and there. Also, it is worth noting that OnePlus 6 runs on Android 8.1 Oreo while the ZenFone is still running on Android 8.0.0.

Features

The Asus ZenFone 5Z comes with a ton of features including AI Charging, AI Ringtone, Fast Charging and much more. OnePlus 6, on the other hands, has fewer extra features like Dash Charge and the Ring mode slider. In case you are curious to know which is faster in terms of charging, the OnePlus 6 takes the lead while the ZenFone 5Z does not remain far behind. The 5Z recently got an update where Asus brought gesture-based navigation. However, the gesture navigations feel much faster and natural on the OnePlus.

Price

Both the smartphone fall under the affordable flagship category which is why the companies have priced them very aggressively. The OnePlus 6 was unveiled back in June at a starting price of Rs. 34,999. The ZenFone 5Z was launched in India last month at a starting price of just Rs. 29,999.

Verdict

The Asus ZenFone 5Z and the OnePlus 6, both go neck in neck in terms of specifications and features. Where the ZenFone 5Z offers a ton of extra features, OnePlus believes in simplicity and offers a way cleaner UI. At the end of the day, the call is yours. If you prefer stock Android and AMOLED display then you should opt in for the OnePlus 6. However, if you are on a tight budget and prefer better speakers on your smartphone, you can never go wrong with the Asus ZenFone 5Z.