First Impressions: OnePlus X Looks Like an Afterthought

The latest OnePlus device comes in a smaller size but adding storage is now possible.

OnePlus unveiled the much publicised OnePlus X smartphone across multiple countries, including India. The phone was touted as a small and cheaper alternative to the OnePlus 2, and to some extent the OnePlus One as well.

OnePlus X comes in two variants – Onyx and Ceramic which are steeply priced at Rs 16,999 and Rs 22,999 respectively. Is OnePlus X truly a cheaper alternative as it was claimed to be? And to what other smartphone?

Key Highlights: OnePlus X

• Display: 5-inch FHD AMOLED with Corning Glass 3
  
• Operating System: Oxygen OS
• Processor: Quad-core Snapdragon 810
• RAM: 3GB
• Storage: 16GB expandable up to 128GB
• Rear Camera: 13MP
• Front Camera: 8MP
• Battery: 2525mAh
• Price: Rs 16,999 (Onyx), Rs 22,999 (Ceramic)

OnePlus One was regarded as a flagship killer with respect to its hardware-to-price equation. We loved the breath of fresh air that the Sandstone finish offered that brought over worldwide fanfare. The verdict is out with regards to OnePlus 2. Though there was no other OnePlus phones expected this year, it seems they had other plans.

Which is why launching the OnePlus X at the fag end of 2015 feels like an afterthought that came into the process by studying the market’s response to previous devices. The company highlighted the debut of OnePlus X being part of a bigger plan, but wasn’t the OnePlus One as well as the OnePlus2 all about design and precision as well? So what does the X offer?

Sizing It Down

While both the OnePlus One and OnePlus 2 were given the 5.5-inch form size, OnePlus X has been trimmed, as well as sized down to 5-inch. This 0.5-inch difference helps in better handling and the 1080p resolution display fits more appropriately as well. However, you get a smaller size battery which can never be a good thing.

During our brief time with the phone, we found it easy to use with one-hand, but the glass body finishing makes it undesirably slippery.

Let’s Talk Display

It was interesting to note that OnePlus has opted for the Samsung-made AMOLED display that is notoriously known for being a power hogger. It doesn’t help matters when you have a 2525mAh battery on board with full-HD display, and Snapdragon 801 SoC as the protagonists.

On the other hand, colours look lively, and content is sharp. But you might have to sacrifice battery life for all those features. Additionally you have to contend with Corning Glass 3 protection, which is outdated.

Finally, Some Storage Joy

OnePlus made another big change in its philosophy by adding the microSD slot for storage expansion on the OnePlus X. Even though 64GB suffices most of time, we have been crying for the option to add more space and finally our wishes have come true. But owing to this, OnePlus ends up pricing the X much higher than it should be.

Would you pay an additional Rs 4,000 to get the power of storage expansion? That’s something we’ll know pretty soon.

What About the Camera?

OnePlus X also gets a 13MP camera at the back, but with a difference. Instead of Sony IMX214 sensor you get the Samsung-made ISOCELL technology which was first seen with the Galaxy S5, which turned out to be pretty decent.

Without getting to spend much time with the snapper, we tried out few shots and saw the improvement in image processing which wasn’t the case with OnePlus One. Hopefully, things are much better now and that will become clear in the coming weeks.

Size Matters for the Battery

We understand that a 5-inch design means using a small battery, but with OnePlus X the change is drastic. From having a 3100mAh for the 5.5-inch OnePlus (One and 2), you end up with 2525mAh on the X.

Brands like Xiaomi have proven that size does not matter when it comes to putting a bigger battery unit (3120 mAh on the 5-inch Mi4i). OnePlus better hope the battery cut-down doesn’t end up ruining the chances of the OnePlus X’s success.

Should You Go for the OnePlus X?

There is very little going in favour of this phone. We do like that the size has come down, but prolonging use of Snapdragon 801 (non-64-bit SoC) does not add up right now. We’d like to see how the camera and battery fares before commenting, but at 17K, OnePlus One might still catch most people’s fancy.

OnePlus X, with its smaller display, storage expansion, and other changes, feels like an afterthought product which was made just to give consumers an option and probably to compete fair-and-square with likes of Xiaomi.