OnePlus has just revealed their flagship smartphone and termed it as the ‘Flagship Killer’ for 2016. The device sports almost identical specifications of the previous flagship, but with high-end hardware of the present season. The OnePlus 2 sports a Snapdragon 810 v2.1 chipset with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. A 5.5-inch full HD display, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, a laser focusing system and a fingerprint sensor are the other highlights of the OnePlus 2.
Compared to the OnePlus One, the 2 only slightly differs in hardware—a better current-generation chipset, slightly larger display and better RAM, but keeps most of the other details and looks intact. A fingerprint sensor and a laser focus for the camera are added advantages that the OnePlus 2 will have. While most newly launched handsets from today will sport a Snapdragon 810 chipset, the OnePlus 2 will have an added advantage of 4GB RAM and a lower price with add-on features such as the laser focus and a fingerprint sensor. What could keep the OnePlus 2 wide apart from its rivals will be basically the price. We are yet to see a similar high-end smartphone with prices as low as the OnePlus 2. Xiaomi will possibly be the only competitor in the segment when they launch their flagship handset this year.
Another factor where the OnePlus 2 could compete (apart from the low price point) is probably the laser focus, camera performance and the fingerprint sensor. Xiaomi, Huawei and Meizu are the potential rivals that can compete with the OnePlus 2 in the same segment.
But the OnePlus 2 is termed as the 2016 Flagship Killer. With specs like what were revealed and the awesome price tag on the device, the title could be true. However, with upcoming smartphones and higher-end hardware such as the Snapdragon 820 chipset and 2K displays already featured, the OnePlus 2 could be overshadowed in terms of specifications. But do you really need a display that is more than 1080p? On a small screen size as that of a smartphone, one really does not need a display with more pixels than 1920 x 1080. A recent survey carried out with many users and enthusiasts revealed that many are happy with a full HD display and a 2K or 4K screen on a smartphone is not really worth it. On the other hand, a higher resolution display demands for more power, thus straining the battery for life.
Moving ahead, 4GB of RAM is a viable option since the operating system demands more room for expanding its backend work. This creates a smoother UI experience. Lastly, a powerful second-generation SD810 chipset and full HD display which puts a lot less stress on the GPU can help tap additional performance from the smartphone.
Rival brands that release handsets with high-end hardware such as 2K displays could have their smartphones suffer in the long time as heating issues could cause problems and also put its battery life to question.
On a final note, OnePlus has preferred to stay with a 13MP camera. This is one area that is questionable, since the camera is now soon becoming a primary zone for high-end smartphone hunters. With Samsung already sporting a 16MP camera on its flagship’s rear-ends, the demand for a DSLR-like camera performance will only rise. However, OnePlus claims that the 13MP camera on the OnePlus 2 outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S6’s 16Mp camera.
To sum up the whole, OnePlus has intelligently built the flagship smartphone, ready to rake on the heat for 2016. With 4GB of RAM, a SD810 second-generation powerhouse, and additional features such as a fingerprint scanner and laser focus onboard, the OnePlus 2 could turn out to be an ultimate Flagship Killer for 2016, purely, with superb price tag.
Specifications in detail:
- Display: 5.5-inch, 1080p Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 401 PPI, LCD In-cell, Corning Gorilla Glass
- CPU: 64-bit Qualcomm© Snapdragon™ 810 processor with 1.8GHz Octa-core CPUs
- GPU: Adreno 430
- RAM: 4GB / 3GB LPDDR4
- Storage: 16GB/64GB eMMC v5.0
- Camera: 13 Megapixel (1.3um) + 5MP, dual LED flash
- Dimensions: 151.8 x 74.9 x 9.85 mm
- Weight: 175g,
- Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity and Ambient Light
- Operating system: OxygenOS based on Android 5.1
- Connectivity:
- DUAL SIM GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900MHz
- WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/8,
- FDD-LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/7/8/12/17
- Wi-Fi: Dual-band Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n and 5GHz 802.11a/n/ac
- Bluetooth: v4.1
- GPS: GPS, GLONASS, Compass
- USB: Type-C
- Battery: 3,300 mAh LiPo battery
- Price: Rs 22,999 (16GB/3GB RAM) / Rs 25,999 (64GB/4GB RAM)
