Pixel XL vs 6T or 3a XL? (fingerprint, fast charging)

[YaSo]

On Friday I am planning on going to the T-Mobile store to get two phones. I will trade my 128gb Pixel XL in for a Pixel 3a for my aunt, and then get something for myself.

(I know the 7 Pro is coming out on Friday, and while it looks cool as heck I think it will be a bit too bulky for me with a case to use one-handed all the time.)

I was going to get 3a XL for the battery and rear fingerprint sensor, but am now thinking about the 6T since it is very close to the same size as a 3a XL, is known for good battery performance and has higher specs (8gb vs 4gb ram, 845 vs 670 cpu, 64 vs 128gb storage) for only $3/month more.

I don't game or take many photos on my phone, but I do play a lot of mp3s, podcasts and audiobooks on it (which is killing my old phone's battery). I also use my rear fingerprint reader a lot for clocking in at job sites and for LastPass web and app sign-ins.

- How is the 6T's fingerprint sensor after a few months of sensor updates? Does it work with LastPass and other fingerprint authentication apps (like ADP Payroll that I use for work). Will the fingerprint sensor drive me nuts coming from a Pixel's rear sensor or is it good enough.

-How much longer does it take to charge on 'normal' USB-C chargers? I have a bunch for my PixXL and while they don't charge as fast as the stock charger, I still get decent charging speeds on good Anker chargers.

Thanks in advance for your opinions and experiences on using the 6T.

 

[Rukbat]

I can only address 2 of those points:

Fingerprint use on an app depends on the app, not the phone. If the phone has a fingerprint sensor (with at least 1 fingerprint recorded, of course) and the app works on one phone, it will work on any phone with a fingerprint sensor. It calls the same Android API in all phones.

If you don't use a fast charger of the type the phone uses, it will take longer to charge. And OnePlus uses a different method of fast charging (5 Volts, but allowing the phone to draw more current - VOOP), so you have to carry a Dash Charge or Warp Charge charger with you. Almost all other phones use one level of Qualcom's Quick Charge or another (INOV), so one QC 3.0 charger will work for almost all fast charging phones (other than OnePlus) on the market. (Samsung calls it Power Delivery, but it's just a different name for Quick Charge.)

See https://www.androidcentral.com/warp-charge for more.

 

[Golurk]

I would say that if you love the Google experience then the 3a XL would be a decent upgrade from your Pixel XL.

 

[muzzy996]

I’m not a fan of the fingerprint sensor on my 6T. It works but it’s temperamental. Most likely because I have a tempered glass screen protector on it. I have both thumbs and index fingers registered and I swear that the index fingers work better for me for some reason. It does work, its just no where near as convenient as the rear fingerprint reader on my Pixel XL it replaced.

Other than that I love my 6T. Battery life is amazing on it.

 

[Theot]

For me the 6T fingerprint sensor works well with my thumbs most of the time but still struggles with my index fingers. More often than not if I'm holding the phone I just use the face unlock. No it isn't as secure but it's fast and I avoid the frustration of the FP sensor.

As for charging I use the dash charger that came with it in the morning while getting ready for work on my nightstand. If I need a charge during the day at work I use my USB-PD 18W charger from my pixel 2 which isn't as fast but still does well. In the car I have a QC 3.0 charger that just defaults to standard charging and I can get 10% of more in a 20 minute drive if I need it.

Coming from a pixel 2 to the 6T I can also say that I don't miss the Google experience on the pixel. The extra RAM and the refinement of Oxygen OS is on another level in my opinion. They take what google gives them and really make it shine in my opinion. The customization options are well thought out and useful.

As for the camera, yes the pixel is better but I can get really good shots with my 6T, usually better than my wife's iPhone 8.

 

[YaSo]

I was worried that OnePlus would nerf standard charging in favor of their own to sell more accessories. While QC and other standards don't charge as fast as PD on my PixXL, they do charge 'quickly' enough. Good to know that a good charger shouldn't 'slow' charge it.

Thx for the fingerprint info @Rukbat. I wasn't sure if apps had a way to differentiate between the different sensor types. Good to know that what works on the PixXL's rear sensor will work on others. I love the placement, the speed and the accuracy of the rear sensor on my phone so I know even moving to a Galaxy S8 or S9 would be a downgrade. But as long as the front sensor works in the apps I use, I can live with it. Thx @MUXxy996 for your feedback on this too.

@Theot and others, have you used face unlock to authenticate apps like LastPass or other apps instead of a fingerprint read or a pin?

@Golurk, I use Action Launcher and Swiftkey instead of the Google launcher and keyboard, and have reverted back to 3 button navigation instead of gesture nav. I 'hope' the 6T with similar tweaks will be as good or closer to what I have now on my PixXL vs. the 3a XL. (Fingers crossed)

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

 

[Theot]

I don't think you can use face unlock to authenticate to apps. At least I haven't seen that as an option but I don't think I would anyway. The FP sensor is good enough to use for that, it just takes some practice.

As for the launcher, I was a die-hard Nova launcher user and I've never felt the need to install it because the OP launcher is pretty good.

Also, I love the gesture navigation that OP has come up with it's very intuitive and light years ahead of the mess that Google has going. I tried to use that off and on for months last year on my pixel 2 when I was trying the betas and after the official release and I just couldn't use it. But three buttons is an option as well and frankly, a solid one.

 

[Golurk]

@YaSo

Completely agree with the gesture/3 button navigation thing. While I do like gestures and find them handy for shortcuts, I’d much prefer the 3 button tab at the bottom of the display for simple actions like home, back and tab/split screen.

 

[deacon33]

T-Mobile also carries the Pixel 3 and 3XL, are those worth considering?

 

[YaSo]

@Deacon, as much as I like Pixel / Nexus, I am not spending $900 for a 3XL from T-Mo (size equivalent to mu Pixel 1 XL) when I can get a 6T for $550 with the same processor, more ram and US / security updates for about the same number of years.

edit: If the 3XL was $600 i Might consider it... purely for the rear fingerprint over the in-screen one in the 6T.

 

[jchapman01]

@Deacon, as much as I like Pixel / Nexus, I am not spending $900 for a 3XL from T-Mo (size equivalent to mu Pixel 1 XL) when I can get a 6T for $550 with the same processor, more ram and US / security updates for about the same number of years.

edit: If the 3XL was $600 i Might consider it... purely for the rear fingerprint over the in-screen one in the 6T.

I completely agree. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The OP6T is the spiritual successor to the Nexus phones.

 

[Golurk]

I completely agree. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The OP6T is the spiritual successor to the Nexus phones.

I have to disagree, but I see where you’re coming from. I do think that the Pixel ‘a’ series is and will be the de facto successor to the Nexus, as they share a similar look and experience (Google)