OnePlus One is a very high-end smartphone (phablet category) with midrange price of $299 for 16GB and $349 for 64GB models. Major manufacturers will start to sweat when this smartphone gets released. This OnePlus company is a maker of smartphones and smart devices from China begin on December 17, 2013. One comes with a very high-end specifications including a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core Krait 400 processor, Adreno 330 high-end graphics, a 5.5 – inch full HD IPS LCD display with 401ppi protected by Gorilla Glass 3 ad it has 3GB of RAM! This smartphone will be compatible with every network platform, namely 4G LTE, HSDPA, GSM, and CDMA, making it a “world-phone”. Another great feature about this phone is that it comes loaded with CyanogenMod 11S, which means endless customisation and cool features like SMS encryption, themes, audio equaliser, etc. Its 13MP Sony Exmor IMX214 with 6-lens module and duel LED with 4k video recording and 720p slow-motion video recording at 120fps will make any camera enthusiasts drool. It also has a 5MP wide-angle front camera. But OnePlus has cut some corners by not including a microSD slot, USB 3.0 and QuickCharge 2.0. Before we go in-depth with this fantastic smartphone, let’s compare its specs with other high-end flagships from major manufacturers. The table below shows it all.
OnePlus One Review & Specs
Hardware:It’s arched back, polycarbonate build, elegant chassis and top-of-the line spec makes it look like a $600+ phone. OnePlus used the same business strategy that Google used with the Nexus. i.e. they don’t plan on making money for a while, this resulted in low cost high-end smartphone. It sports a 5.5 inch display and has 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm body. It weighs 162g which is roughly 6g lighter than Samsung GS5. With the resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, everything is crisp and bright. Unlike most of today’s smartphone, its front isn’t entirely screen. The glass ends slightly before the edges at the top and bottom. One has a soft plastic rear which increases its grip while holding. The three touch sensitive buttons located below the screen lights up when touched and is can only be seen under bright sunlight when they are turned off. The 3100mAh battery One sports is not removable and there’s no microSD slot. 2.5GHz quad core Snapdragon 801, Adreno 330 graphics and 3GB RAM is more than enough for most of the power-hungry apps.
Software: OnePlus One runs CyanogenMod 11S, which is based on Android Kit-Kat 4.4. This OS is similar to stock Android but has high customization ability such as gesture input, themes, voice input, etc. You can double tap the screen to wake you the One. Unlike most phones from China, the One comes with Google Play and you’ll find GApps pre-installed.
Camera: The 13MP Sony Exmor IMX 214 shooter is really fast but the image quality is average. You may end up with very noisy image if the lighting isn’t good. The One comes with its own camera app with various modes to suit your needs. Performance: With such a high-end hardware, impressive performance is expected and the One delivers it. CM 11S also has a part in the One’s impressive performance because it is bloatware free.
Battery: The 3100mAh battery will last a day of moderate use with some percentage of juice left when you return home from work. But if you are a heavy user, you may want to keep a charger close.
Conclusion: The OnePlus One is said to be launched in 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK, and the US. With its impressive spec-sheet and low price margin, the Ones is a phenomenal deal as long as you are happy to compromise on after-sales services. Nevertheless it’s still quite a deal.
“OnePlus One : Nexus – Killer!” , sounds brutal. But will this low priced android smart phone survive amongst its rivals? Time will tell.
Also see: Comparison between HTC One M8 and Galaxy S5
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