- OnePlus 3’s 16-step volume control has too coarse steps – 5 dB in the middle volume range.
- Maximum output level is -1.5 dBV (around 95 dB THD+N ratio), providing over 20 mW into a typical 32-ohm headphones – more than enough for any portable headphones.
I’ve had my OnePlus 3 phone since last October. Generally I have been very happy with it, excellent value for money. I’ve had some battery drain issues, especially after upgrading to Android Nougat but it hasn’t been really an issue since factory reset – although battery life is still not the strongest point of this handset. Anyway, I can highly recommend the phone.
However, one annoying feature is the way the volume control works. The steps are simply too large. I don’t listen to music horribly loud with headphones so with a sensitive pair of travel headphones, such as my AKG Y50, I find searching for the ideal level between two steps. At lower step the volume is too low, at next step it gets slightly too high. I am quite sure I was able to fine-adjust the volume by sliding the slider with my finger in my old Nexus 5 but in OnePlus 3 the level is forced into those pre-defined steps.