Consumers and critics alike have rated OnePlus as an incredible smartphone brand so far, in that its models offer almost the same features as that of other popular smartphone brands. Perhaps the OnePlus 4 - touted as the brand's next flagship, may not compete against the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, in that it may have lower specs. Nonetheless, a face-off between the two smartphones would provide interesting insights on how the closely-watched smartphone competition would fare in 2017.

Of course, many expect the OnePlus 4 to have stronger specs than the current OnePlus 3 flagship. While both smartphones may have substantially the same design, the OnePlus 4 may come in two RAM variants: 6GB and 8GB, and two processor options: Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 and Snapdragon 835.

According to an iTech Post report, the OnePlus 4 handset could come with a sharp dual lens camera, an impressive glass body, a long-lasting 4000 mAh battery, and a spacious 128 GB internal storage. Moreover, the OnePlus 4 may feature a 2K resolution on a 5.3-inch AMOLED display. The OnePlus 4 - as far as rumors are concerned, may be released next summer and may have a price tag that's at the same range as that of the Samsung Galaxy S8.

The International Business Times claim that the OnePlus 4 may emerge as the smartphone to beat in 2017, although the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 - the successor to the highly-controversial Galaxy Note 7, certainly won't make the competition easy. Several reports indicate that the Galaxy Note 8 may come in a flexible "flip" format.

Powerful features would most likely characterize the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. With a 4500 mAh battery, the Galaxy Note 8 will have a longer battery life (although Samsung should avoid the Galaxy Note 7's battery woes from ever happening again). What's more, the Galaxy Note 8 will have a 6.2-inch display with 4K resolution, as is customary to Samsung's emphasis on display quality for smartphones.

Indeed, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 may come out as a stronger competitor to the OnePlus 4, but no one should underestimate the latter's potential to rock the smartphone world. After all, Samsung is still reeling from the destructive effects of its battery fiasco, which is why it's looking to the Galaxy Note 8 as their key to redemption.

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