The first lite from OnePlus
OnePlus X has become official for some time now. It is, as every time, shipped with Oxygen OS, a custom made version of Android, which is still unknown to many, but the delivery process should be already underway. Previously known as OnePlus Mini, the X version is rightfully called a lite version of OnePlus 2, the second device released by the flagship-killer-potential company. Also, it’s released the same year as the predecessor, so we can admit there are some links between the two of them, even if it might not seem so.
First of all, in terms of design, the sandpaper-effect of the back cover is gone now, making room for metal and ceramic. The first one is the Onyx version, featuring micro grooves for better handling, while the second one, the ceramic, is limited to 10,000 pieces. I personally enjoyed the touch of the earliest of handsets, but it could be in the best interest to just let it go. Also, it’s definitely slimmer and lighter than OnePlus 2.
Downgrading or redefining ?
Regarding to functionality and features, we still find the Smart Alert, a better camera and support for microSD all present. Good thing. NFC, still not present, USB-C port, fingerprint scanner – dropped. In my opinion, not so good. The screen dimension was cut to only 5 inches, and here we can’t pronounce about whether it’s a good choice of marketing or not. Clearly, it’s the way some people prefer it, so this is purely subjective. The device also enjoys Ambient Display, a feature allowing notifications to be present on the lock screen in monochrome, basically saving some battery life, a great addition. Talking about CPU, this latest model freshly released packs the 18-month old Snapdragon 801. Not a drawback and I’m totally honest here, because even if it’s an older generation, it doesn’t cause any overheating issues nor does create any instabilities, like the Snapdragon 810. RAM is also lowered from 4 GB to only 3 GB, but guys, so far, 4 GB hasn’t proved to be a missing link to any path to perfection.
Should we take a glance at the things mentioned above, I’d say it’s a clear redefining, not a downgrading and the community generally agrees. The company is on damage control module and is doing great. We just need to hope the latest version of Android (the M) will cope just fine with all of it. Also, remember, it is available only through the invite system, so blamed by many.
