If you spend time in reading Android Tech blogs, rooting your device, flashing custom ROMs on your device then there is a good chance that you have heard of the word ‘kernel.’ In fact, a kernel is not something that is unique to Android. All top level operating systems has a kernel – MacOS, Windows, iOS. While this post gives you a list of the 4 best custom kernels for OnePlus 3T, below is a short explanation of what a kernel is.
What is a Kernel?
When the software needs the hardware to anything, it sends a request to the kernel. Kernel interprets the request to the hardware in a way in which it can understand. For example, let us say, there is a Google search widget on your home screen. When you tap on the widget, Google search opens up. What actually happens, is that you touched a certain point on the digitizer, which tells the software that you’ve touched the screen at those coordinates. The software knows that when that particular spot is touched, the search dialog is supposed to open. The kernel is what tells the digitizer to look (or listen, events are “listened” for) for touches, helps figure out where you touched, and tells the system you touched it. In turn, when the system receives a touch event at a specific point from the kernel (through the driver) it knows what to draw on your screen. Both the hardware and software communicate simultaneously with the kernel, and that is how the phone knows when to do what, when the user wants to do something.
With that said, please find below a list of 5 best custom kernel to supercharge your OnePlus 3T:
Note: All the downloads below are redirected to the Kernel Developer’s official web page or app so that irrespective of the time when a user reads this, they will always get to download the latest version of the kernel. Please look for and download the appropriate version of the Kernel according to your current OS version. Flashing incompatible version of a Kernel may brick your device.
4 Best Custom Kernels for OnePlus 3T
Don’t miss: Top 7 Custom ROMs for OnePlus 3T
1. Franco Kernel
Franco Kernel is one of the oldest and most famous kernels available for Android devices. It is so famous that many users consider it an honor when Francisco Franco releases Franko Kernel for their device.
What the Kernel Offers:
- Insanely good battery life.
- Typical interfaces like display adjustments, sound control, vibration control.
- Idle power consumption reduced to the absolute minimum.
- Background apps limit raised to 60 from stock 32 (Yay!)
- And much more!
Compatibility:
- Builds (from r1 up to r13) are only for Android Nougat 7.0 OxygenOS 4.0.x.
- Builds starting with r14 are only for Android Nougat 7.1.1 OxygenOS 4.1.
Downloads:
You can either download the kernel from the developers own servers or through an app (again, from the developer) from Google Play Store.
Web Download: Download FrancoKernel for OnePlus 3T
Also read: Enjoy Dual Boot on OnePlus 3T
You can get the developer app ‘Franco Kernel Updater Free’ from Google Play Store by clicking below:
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.franco.kernel”/]2. ElementalX Kernel:
Features:
- Easy installation and setup with Aroma installer
- Wake Gestures support (sweep2wake & doubletap2wake)
- Overclock or underclock the CPU
- Notification LED control
- Vibration, Sound, Backlight control.
- USB OTG support
- Compatible with systemless root
- Much more!
Downloads:
You can download the Kernel from developers website by visiting the below link:
[googleplay url = “https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=flar2.exkernelmanager”]Or you can simply download the developer’s app from Google Play Store and flash the kernel from inside the app:
[googleplay url=”https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=flar2.exkernelmanager”/]3. Boeffla Kernel:
Features:
- The two CPU clusters (big and little CPU) can be configured completely separate in terms of min/max frequencies, governors and CPU core profiles
- Additional governors: Impulse, zzmoove, elementalx, conservative, ondemand
- Additional schedulers: fiops, bfq, sio, sioplus, fifo, vr, tripndroid and zen
- Boeffla-Sound engine: Headphone volume and speaker volume (only lowering volumes for speaker)
- Notification LED control (effect + speed for blinking/fading, brightness for continuous notification like battery charging etc.)
- Dash charging fully supported
- Much more!
Downloads:
You can download the kernel by visiting the developer’s official website:
Must read: Download and Install OnePlus 3/3T Control Center
4. Flash Kernel:
Features:
- Enhanced performance and battery patches
- Idle power Consumption reduced
- USB Fast Charge rate up to 900mA
- Sound, Notification & Vibration Control
- Disable some Wakelocks of Kernel side
- DASH Charge Support
- Much more!
Downloads:
You can download the latest version of the kernel by visiting the below link:
Download Flash Kernel for OnePlus 3T
- 8.1.0 Oreo Custom Unified: flashkernel-r45-custom-unified-op3-op3t.zip
- 8.0.x Oreo OxygenOS Unified: flashkernel-r42-oos5.0-unified-op3-op3t.zip
- 7.1.x Nougat OxygenOS: flashkernel-r32-oos4.5-op3t-.zip
Installation:
IMPORTANT: Any kernel mentioned above needs you to be on Stock Kernel before flashing them. So, if you have any custom kernel installed, go back to stock before proceeding.
- Copy the downloaded file to your phone.
- Reboot your phone into TWRP.
- Power Down the OnePlus 3.
- When the phone is completely switched off, press and hold the Power and Volume down buttons at the same time.
- Continue holding these two buttons past the OnePlus/Android splash screen that appears.
- When the phone boots into Recovery mode, release the power and volume down buttons.
- Assuming you have successfully booted into TWRP recovery, tap on ‘Install’ from the available options. You will be asked to choose a file to flash/install. Browse and select the downloaded file and swipe to install.
- Reboot your device.
- Done.
While flashing a custom kernel sounds super cool, do note that it is equally critical. Be cautious and play safe. If you need any help, drop a comment below, we’ll look into it!
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