OnePlus launched its premium range of Android TVs in India last week, and the company managed to surprise everyone with its high-end pricing strategy. The OnePlus Q1 series is available in two versions, priced up to Rs 99,900 and is available online as well as offline.
However, these prices have given us a strong reason to decipher the value-for-money factor of these TVs, especially when compared with the Xiaomi Mi TV range that costs Rs 55,000 for a 65-inch 4K model. Also, compared to smartphones, people are not expected to upgrade TVs before 7 to 8 years at least.
We decided to scroll through the feature set of the OnePlus TV and put that into context with Xiaomi’s most expensive model available.
What the TVs Look Like
Both these TVs look premium, without costing as much as Samsung or a Sony TV. You get a 55-inch and 65-inch 4K screen with the OnePlus Q1 and Xiaomi Mi TV 4K respectively. The OnePlus overshadows the Xiaomi with marginally thinner bezels on offer.
However, in terms of refresh rates both the brands have chosen 60Hz, which is the standard rate for TVs in this segment.
The major difference you’ll notice with the OnePlus TV is the QLED panel (from Samsung) used by the company. Because of this, the screen offers better colours and deeper blacks, which is essential for optimum use of the 4K screen quality deployed.
This will probably compensate for the extra money you’re paying over the Mi TV 4X. The contrast in quality won’t be staggering, but to the naked eye, you’ll see where OnePlus scores over Xiaomi.
Xiaomi has gone for the traditional two-sided hooks, which help the TV to stand on a table. OnePlus has engineered its version of a dock that keeps the Q1 TV planted on a flat surface. You can mount both these TVs on a wall as well.
However, it’s worth pointing out that OnePlus is asking the Q1 TV (non-Pro version) buyers to get the dock separately, which adds to the total cost.
Power Under the Hood
It has come to a point where talking about a TV without mentioning its hardware feels like an incomplete story. And both these smartphone makers are pushing the best possible hardware set to keep their respective Android TVs powered up for heavy usage.
OnePlus has chosen to go with a quad-core A53 processor, paired with 2.5GB RAM and is offering onboard storage of 16GB. Xiaomi has picked the quad-core A55 processor, coupled with 2GB RAM and offering 16GB space to store apps and other stuff.
Special mention for the OnePlus TV remote that houses the volume rockers on the side (like a phone) and all the buttons have been pushed to the top, leaving a lot of unused space at the bottom. Not sure about its design whatsoever.
For the Indian market, it’s important that TVs have good speakers and both these brands have done their bit, albeit at different price points. OnePlus has partnered with Dolby for Atmos tech and loaded the Q1 TV with a 50W speaker, while the Pro version gets a built-in subwoofer which slides down.
As for Xiaomi, to keep the costs down, the Mi TV 4X is loaded with a 20W speaker unit, which won’t satisfy most people, compelling them to invest in a soundbar separately.
Software Matters
We’ve already mentioned that OnePlus and Xiaomi have opted to go with Android TV as the underlying software on their TVs, but the visual interface differs. Xiaomi has worked on PatchWall 2.0 interface, which ensures users can rely on its ecosystem to stream content, as well as watch live TV from their Connect set-top box.
This interface has also been the reason why Xiaomi has taken a while to support streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. But with the 65-inch model and a slew of existing ones, both of these will work and will be available on the main screen.
In fact, Xiaomi has managed to add buttons for both the platforms on its remote, offering one-click access to the content on either of them.
With support for Google Play Store, you can download from thousands of apps, depending on your preference.
With OnePlus, you’re getting the Oxygen Play interface, which has been customised to seamlessly work with a OnePlus smartphone. One can speak to a person on the phone, without having to lower the volume, or change channels through the Connect interface.
If you’re into the fancy stuff, OnePlus TV has loads to offer. OnePlus Q1 also supports Google Assistant for voice-enabled features, helping you check the weather for instance while watching your favourite TV show.
Which is Worth Picking?
After going through all this, one thing is fairly clear. Xiaomi turns out to be the value-for-money choice for most buyers solely on its price. Having said that, OnePlus manages to better the scales with the use of a QLED screen, which has played a big role in the steep pricing of the Q1 series.
The software of Oxygen Play needs to be thoroughly tested to talk about its capability, but with PatchWall UI, users get a cohesive ecosystem that supports OTT apps and TV content as well. Xiaomi has proved itself in the TV market in India, with a slew of models doing well in the affordable segment.
Now with the entry of OnePlus into the segment, it’ll be interesting to see if people, buying TVs consider going for a newbie when they can always bank on established names like Samsung and Sony.
If the price is really the deciding factor, Xiaomi will fit your budget with ease. For aspirational buyers, who’re willing to try OnePlus (after its smartphone success), you’re taking a punt, which may or may not work.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)