OnePlus 6T Now On Sale At T-Mobile, But There Are Key Differences From Unlocked SKU
T-Mobile is offering to slash the price of the OnePlus 6T in half when trading in a qualifying phone, with the discount being applied over 24 monthly bill credits (essentially locking you into a two-year commitment). That's a tantalizing offer, though before you take the plunge, there are some things you should know about the model T-Mobile is selling.
There are two ways to buy the OnePlus 6T. One is to order it direct from OnePlus, and if you go that route, you can choose between four different SKUs:
- OnePlus 6T (Mirror Black) w/ 6GB RAM + 128GB storage: $549
- OnePlus 6T (Mirror Black) w/ 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: $579
- OnePlus 6T (Midnight Black) w/ 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: $579
- OnePlus 6T (Midnight Black) w/ 8GB RAM + 256GB stroage: $629
The other way is to go through T-Mobile, either online or in one of its physical retail locations. However, T-Mobile is only carrying one model, that being the Mirror Black variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $579. It becomes the cheapest version if you're able to trade in a qualifying device and factor in the 24 monthly credits, it's just too bad there aren't more options.
Having access to only a single model is not the only caveat. Out of the gate, the OnePlus 6T is locked and stays that way while you're finish making payments on it. Once you've paid off the balance, you can request that T-Mobile unlock the device to use domestically (at T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon) or internationally. If you want a fully unlocked device from the get-go, you have to purchase a model from OnePlus.
In a forum post, OnePlus also clarified that software updates will not come as quickly to the special version being offered at T-Mobile, as additional testing and qualification is required.
"OnePlus and T-Mobile are partnering to bring all the great future feature enhancements and fixes to both sets of devices in a timely manner as possible. Due to the additional level of certification required by T-Mobile on all software releases, there may be a slight offset but we are working diligently to minimize this period in all instances," OnePlus said.
Finally, users who buy the OnePlus 6T through T-Mobile will not be eligible for the beta program, in case that is something you are interested in participating in.
Are any of these deal killers? That's up to each individual consumer to decide. While there are a few caveats, ultimately saving half off the handset when trading in an eligible phone is a nice deal for what is being lauded as a great smartphone.
