OnePlus X launches in November with expandable storage and $249 price tag (hands-on)
Already known for its inexpensive but high-performing handsets, OnePlus launches its $249, 5-inch X smartphone.
Just two months after OnePlus released its highly anticipated and competitively priced OnePlus 2 flagship, the Chinese-based mobile manufacturer launched another device today at a London press event.
Known as the OnePlus X, it's a smaller, even cheaper unlocked handset. It's the company's mid-tier option in its family of smartphones, which now has three members including the original OnePlus One .
As with its other product launches, OnePlus will make the X available by invite only. It will be sold first in the UK on November 5 for £199 (€269 in Europe) and then in the US on November 19 for $249. A special Ceramic edition (more on that later) will be available in Europe and India on November 24 with its own invitation for £269 in the UK or €369. Australian pricing hasn't been announced, but £199 converts to around AU$430.
Design
- 5.5 by 2.7 by 0.27 inches (140 by 69 by 6.9mm)
- Onyx: 4.86 ounces (138 grams); Ceramic: 5.64 ounces (160 grams)
- 5-inch display with 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution and 441 ppi pixel density
The X sports an elegant design with glass panels on the front and back and a metal trim. It reminds me of a bigger, updated version of the Apple iPhone 4 . While I liked the chic aesthetic, it also felt fragile and slippery. Maybe it's all my past experiences with glass-clad devices -- like the aforementioned iPhone 4 and that time my Google Nexus 4 cracked from a two-inch fall -- but during my brief time with the X, I was nervous it'd slip out my fingers and break.
The handset comes in Onyx, which has glass that smoothly curves down the edges of the phone, and the more expensive Ceramic version, which has angled edges. The two versions are hardly discernible, but the latter does catch and reflect light in interesting ways. OnePlus also decided to manufacturer only 10,000 units of the Ceramic version.
The Ceramic variant (left) with its angled edges and the smooth Onyx version.
Personally, however, I prefer the Onyx. The smoothness of the glass is more comfortable in the hand and I just think it looks better up close.
Like its flagship counterpart, the X has a physical button you can toggle to turn on and off notifications and sounds. OnePlus is also selling rear covers that come in several colors and materials including wood, bamboo and kevlar.
For the first time, OnePlus is using an Active Matrix OLED panel for its display. The screen looked sharp and bright and having an AMOLED screen means having very deep black hues. This is because individual pixels can turn off (as opposed to an LCD display, which includes an entire backlit layer underneath), and allows features like ambient display (more on that below) to not soak up too much battery power.
Hardware and key components
Underneath the device's hood is a non-removable 2,525mAh battery and a quad-core 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor. Though it isn't as advanced as the OnePlus 2's Snapdragon 810 processing unit, the handset was zippy nonetheless when I launched apps, opened the camera and browsed the web on the Chrome browser. The 801 is also the same chipset used in other respectable flagships that launched a year ago like OnePlus' own One , the Motorola Moto X and the LG G3 .
On the front is a 7.6-megapixel shooter.
The phone has the same dual-SIM capabilities as the OnePlus 2, which is useful if you have more than one number or travel abroad often. However, one added bonus with the X is that it has expandable memory (a feature missing from its predecessors) up to 128GB with a microSD card, on top of 16GB of built-in storage.
Other features include 3GB of RAM and a Micro-USB port for charging and transferring files. Note that this is different from the USB Type-C port on the OnePlus 2.
For your casual photography needs, the device has a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera that can record up to 1080p HD video and has a f/2.2 aperture. I snapped a few photos and images looked sharp with accurate colors. The camera also operated quickly, with touch focus that adjusted smoothly. Its interface is kept to a minimum with few on-screen editing options. The front houses a 7.6-megapixel camera. For a glance at the photo quality, check out the photos below (and be sure to click on the images to see them at their full resolution).
An amply-lit indoor photo taken by the OnePlus X.
Taking a close-up image of some desserts.
Another image taken with the device's 13-megapixel camera.
Software
- OxygenOS, based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- FM radio app and ambient display
The handset runs OnePlus' custom OxygenOS, which is based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. It includes user interface themes, on-screen gestures and an ambient display. Ambient display shows you the time and missed notifications in white text without having to wake up or unlock your phone entirely.
OnePlus also touted the device's pre-loaded FM radio app. Though a radio in your phone isn't anything new, the app looks nice from a design perspective. It has a minimalistic interface, with bright monochrome colors and simple, geometric shapes.
Outlook
Given that the OnePlus 2 is already priced at $330 (about £215 or AU$450) for the 16GB version, it's easy to imagine forgoing the $249 X altogether and forking over the extra dough for a larger display and a more powerful processor.
But OnePlus phones are notoriously difficult to get ahold of and the 16GB version of the OnePlus 2 quickly ran out of stock. In some ways, this has worked in the company's favor by building up hype among its fans, but it also means there are less products available for those who actually want to buy it.
The OnePlus X (left) and the OnePlus 2 flagship.
While the X is available by the same invite-only routine, the company is revisiting the open-sale method as well, with hopes of making the X slightly easier to purchase. The invite-only process will last for one month after its launch and then weekly open sales will begin in the second month. By adding the X to its family of devices, OnePlus can get its products into more hands without having to wait around for the next flagship cycle. And from the looks of it so far, the X offers solid specs packaged in a sleek design for even better value.
Of course, we'll know more about the OnePlus X's performance and reliability when our unit comes in. Until then, check back here for the full review.