When OnePlus initially announced they were launching one more phone to add to their product portfolio, we were a bit confused.
OnePlus One was a flagship killer when it launched in 2014 and this year the OnePlus 2 made many big companies nervous.
And now OnePlus has launched the OnePlus X, a phone that is placed between the OnePlus One and the OnePlus 2. Like their previous phones, the OnePlus X will also be sold by the company through an invite-only system, which they have perfected over the years.
Let’s see whether it’s worth your money or not.
Key Specifications: OnePlus X
- Display: 5-inch Full HD AMOLED
- Processor: 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
- RAM: 3GB
- Operating System: Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) based Oxygen OS 2.1
- Rear Camera: 13MP rear camera with LED Flash
- Front Camea: 8MP front-facing camera
- Battery: 2525 mAh
- Price: Rs 16,999 (Onyx) and Rs 22,999 (Ceramic)
What’s Good?
The OnePlus X that we have with us is the Onyx version. There are two OnePlus X versions: one is called Onyx, which has a glass finish, and the other one is Ceramic version, which is expensive as well.
Apart form the build quality, both the phones are similar. The OnePlus X Onyx has a fantastic build quality to it. It breaks our heart to say this but it’s better than what you get even on the OnePlus 2 and the Xiaomis.
The phone has a premium finish to it, and purely in terms of it’s all black look you are likely to fall in love with this beauty at first sight.
The screen is the right size, and though many would argue that bigger the display the better, we would say take a look at this one. The 5-inch display is apt for single hand usage, and the 1920 X 1080 Full HD AMOLED display is stunning, bright and non-reflective. It’s an Active Matrix OLED screen that gives out 441 ppi of pixel resolution.
It’s by far the best display we have seen this year on a sub-Rs 20,000 smartphone. It’s even better that what you get on a Motorola Moto X Play.
The phone runs on Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) based Oxygen OS 2.1 that offers minimal bloatware making the user experience seamless on this phone.
The 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801processor backed by 3GB RAM and Adreno 330 GPU makes using this phone seamless. The best part is that it does not heat up like its older brother, the OnePlus 2.
The phone handles multitasking with ease and heavy graphic games run smoothly on this one.
The primary camera on the OnePlus X is a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED Flash, which has an ISOCELL 32M sensor, Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF), a f/2.2 aperture and 1080p video recording capabilities. That’s a lot for a smartphone to have with this size and proportion. The images are crisp and sharp every time.
For selfies there is an 8-megapixel front-facing camera with an OV8858 sensor and a wide-angle lens with f/2.4 aperture. It’s one of the better selfie cameras that we have seen in some time on a phone.
There is also an alert slider, similar to the one you get on OnePlus 2, and it’s quite handy.
And the Hybrid Dual-SIM technology is quite practical in modern times to have on a smartphone.
What’s Bad?
The OnePlus X is an Android device, and like any other phone it has the capacitive home, back and toggle key. But on the OnePlus X they are not backlit. This can be a problem while navigating with the phone in low light or at night.
The speakers on the OnePlus X are feeble and not the best-suited to listening to music without your headphones on.
The phone is small in comparison to its competition and weighs just 138 grams, so there was no space left to fit it with a massive battery. The 2525 mAh battery on this one won’t last you like the one on a Moto X Play but surely will give you company for a day.
There is no NFC support on the OnePlus X, but that’s not a deal breaker at all.
Why Buy It?
The OnePlus X is a phone that has a stealth-like appeal and all the class coupled with performance. If you are able to get an invite to buy one from the company, you should get the OnePlus X.
The Onyx has all the swag and style but you want a little more exclusivity go for the Ceramic one.
It’s a no brainer to go for this phone.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)