Gadget Review: Is the One Plus X a good buy?

The Chinese company unveiled its smallest handset yet, the OnePlus X for just Rs 17K on Thursday. Here’s what works and doesn't

By now, most of you would have combed the Internet in search of more details about One Plus’ latest handset, X launched on Thursday afternoon, at the price of Rs 16,999.

As the pricing reveals, OnePlus is using a different strategy with the X, one that includes experimenting with new features as well as, sadly, giving up the tag of a flagship killer. In short, the X is different from the OnePlus’ that you have known so far — the good and the bad.

For starters, it’s the first OnePlus to feature a smaller, 5-inch display. But unlike previous handsets, it has an AMOLED screen that offers richer blacks. The X also supports external SD cards (up to 128GB). The difference is also visible in terms of design, which seems to be inspired by the boxy design of the iPhone 4.

Other features include a 3GB RAM, 13MP (rear) and 8MP (front) cameras, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, and support for Bluetooth, GPS as well as 2G, 3G and 4G LTE networks. The device also has a notification slider like the OnePlus 2.

The X also features the 32-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, which we experienced in the OnePlus One. Now, one may think that perhaps the X is the One with a smaller screen. But that’s not true entirely, as it lacks several features that the One had including NFC, dual band Wi-Fi (X supports only b/g/n), and packs a weaker 2,525 mAh battery. We are also not happy with the presence of a 32-bit processor, when Android seems to be moving towards a 64-bit environment.

But we shouldn’t be complaining, especially since the OnePlus X might still be able to give a tough competition to all devices in this price range. We will be in a position to reveal more after the review unit arrives. However, if you don’t need any convincing, you can sign up on Oneplus.net to receive an invite for the sales that begin on November 5, or wait for the open sales that starts a month later.

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