Meet the OnePlus X; a small phone with big ambitions. Following in the wake of two impressive self-proclaimed ‘flagship killers’, the OnePlus One and 2, the X marks a strategic deviation for the Chinese company. With internals very similar to the now aging but value-for-money OnePlus One, the X is targeting a demographic that does not need a ginormous handheld device, but a premium-looking phone. And premium is available in plenty.
The front and back of the OnePlus X are covered in Gorilla Glass 3, with a metal strip covering the side of the phone. The strip itself has precision ‘micro-cuts’ etched into it to add some texture and aid grip. However, OnePlus does include a rubberised translucent case within the well put-together retail package, though this does take away from the look of the phone somewhat. The rest of the package includes a charging cable and adapter, and a SIM removal tool. The X does not get USB Type-C like the OnePlus 2, and settles for plain Jane microUSB 2.0. The box does not come with earphones.
With a reassuring heft and cool glass and metal framing it, the X is easily the most premium device in its price bracket, and the internals (a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 with 3 GB of RAM, the same as the One) are not too dated for a midrange smartphone. The alert slider, a toggle switch that lets users mute notifications or restrict non-priority ones, has been handed down to the X from the OnePlus 2. The notable hardware changes include the addition of a microSD card slot (note that the SD card uses one of the X’s SIM slots, so users must pick between a second SIM and expandable storage), FM radio (a welcome addition in this category) and AMOLED technology for the five-inch 1080p display.
OxygenOS (which got updated to version 2.1.2 shortly after unboxing) on this phone runs on Android 5.1.1 and keeps things simple, and fast. Additional features include gestures such as double-tap to wake the device, and preset patterns to open the camera and control music playback, as well as an ambient display mode that displays notifications when you pull the phone out of the pocket.
On the performance front, the phone keeps up with pretty much anything thrown at it, with the exception of the occasional app crash and some dropped frames during gaming, which is to be expected from a two year old chipset. Daily use and multitasking were handled comfortably.
The phone packs a 13MP rear camera and upgrades the front camera to 8MP from the 5MP found on the OnePlus One. The software features slow-motion and time lapse modes in addition to HDR, Beauty Shot and Clear Image modes for a little self-indulgence. The well-lit shots come out pretty nicely but low light does cause a little noise to seep into the images.
At the end of the day, the OnePlus X is not a perfect phone, but unlike its flagship killer brothers, it isn’t trying to be. At Rs. 16,999 for the Onyx variant used for this review, it is priced dangerously close to the still competent and larger OnePlus One. But the X, with its super crisp display, fantastic build, good performance and upgrades like expandable storage, a better front camera and FM radio, does just enough to appeal to a different audience.
The phone currently requires an invite for purchase and is also available in a limited-edition ceramic version for Rs.22,999.
Pros | Cons |
Premium Build | No NFC, fast charging or USB-C |
Great screen | Capacitive keys not backlit |
Good customisation options | Invite system |
Attractive Price | Slippery construction |
