After a mere two months from the launch of OnePlus’s competitively priced OnePlus 2, the manufacturer has now launched another device. At a London press event, the China-based manufacturer introduced OnePlus X which is an even cheaper, smaller unlocked handset. The company now has three members in its family of smart phones which includes the original OnePlus One, OnePlus Two and now, OnePlus X. Within the company’s family of smart phones, this latest device falls mid–tier.
OnePlus X will be made available by invite only, which follows the pattern of availability OnePlus has set with its previous launches. At first, it will be sold in the UK for £199 on November 5. After that, on November 19, it will be made available in the US for $249. On November 24, a special Ceramic edition will be made available in India and Europe. This too will be by invitation. In UK, it will be priced at £269 or €369. In Australia, pricing has not been announced as yet. However, to give an idea of what this pricing could look like, £199 converts to approximately AU$430.
OnePlus X is available in an elegant design. It sports glass panels on the front and back and also comes with a metal trim. It is similar in its look to that of a larger, more modern Apple iPhone 4. While aesthetically pleasing, it is does seem fragile.
The handset is available in Onyx. It has glass that curves around the edges of the phone. The more, upscale, expensive Ceramic version has angled edges. There are barely discernible differences between the two versions. Of the Ceramic version though, only 10,000 units will be manufactured.
The X, much like its flagship counterpart, has a physical button that can be toggled to switch notifications and sounds on and off. OnePlus is also has rear covers available for sale in several materials and colors which include bamboo, wood and kevlar.
For the very first time, on its display, OnePlus will be using an Active Matrix OLED panel. This translates to having very deep black shades. This is due to the ability of individual pixels to turn off. It also keeps features such as ambient display from absorbing too much battery power.
The OnePlus X model contains a non-removable 2,525mAh battery as well as a quad-core 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor. It is not as modernized as the OnePlus 2’s Snapdragon 810 processing unit. However, it is substantially fast when launching apps, browsing the Web on the Chrome browser or opening the camera. The 801 is the same chipset used in other well-known products such as OnePlus One, the LG G3 and the Motorola Moto X.
OnePlus X also has the same dual–SIM capabilities as the OnePlus 2. For frequent travelers or those who have more than one number this is an added benefit. The X also has an expandable memory which is an added bonus. This is a feature which was missing from its predecessors. It has up to 128GB with a microSD card, above 16GB of built-in storage.
The device’s other features include 3GB of RAM as well as a Micro–USB port for charging and transferring files. This is significantly different from the USB Type-C port which is on the OnePlus 2.
It also has a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera that can record up to 1080p HD video as well as having a f/2.2 aperture. Images from this camera are sharp and the colors are accurate. Few on-screen editing options are available which keeps its interface to a minimum. The front has a 7.6-megapixel camera.
OnePlus X runs OnePlus’ standard OxygenOS, which is based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. It includes on-screen gestures, user interface themes and an ambient display. This allows a user to view the time and any missed notifications in white text without having to unlock the phone fully or to wake up.
OnePlus X also has a well-designed pre-loaded FM radio app. Though this is nothing new as such, the radio has an aesthetically pleasing, minimalist interface.
Unfortunately, the OnePlus phones are not readily available and even the 16GB version of the OnePlus 2 ran out of stock quickly. While this lack of availability creates substantial hype around the product, many actual potential customers are left empty-handed and dissatisfied.
The X, like its predecessors, is available through an invite-only policy. The company is looking into the open-sale method however, in order to make purchases easier. In this way, the invite-only process will last for one month following the launch. After this, in the second month, weekly open sales will begin. Through the launch of the X, more of the company’s products will be available and in the hands of customers without the company having to wait for the next flagship cycle. On the whole, the X seems to offer better value with a sleek design.
Source: CNET
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