So, the OnePlus 2 has finally been unveiled. OnePlus thinks that the device is so amazing that it is being touted as the “2016 flagship killer” when (a) we’re still in 2015, and (b) obviously no one has announced a phone for next year yet. So before we look ahead in time, how does it compare to the flagship smartphones we have today?
Despite how OnePlus keeps saying that the OnePlus 2 is “future-proof”, the device clearly does not have the highest-end hardware available today. First up, the display has only a Full HD resolution compared to 2K display from the others like the LG G4, Samsung Galaxy S6, HTC One M9+ and Xiaomi Mi Note Pro.
But this isn’t bad news entirely: Full HD means that the device will consume less battery, which is of course, a bonus. Plus, the less processing power needed could also prevent the processor from overheating. The most future-proof feature on board is without a doubt the USB Type-C port, only the second smartphone in the world to feature this port.
That said, OnePlus made it clear that the company is bestowing the “2016 Flagship Killer” tag on the OnePlus 2 not just because of the hardware on board. Instead, the company claims that its latest flagship offers a greater flagship experience holistically, from a mix of hardware and software – some features on OxygenOS will only be available in Android M, for example.
Oxygen OS on the OnePlus 2
But what makes the OnePlus 2 stands out the most would definitely have to be its price tag. With a retail price of US$329 (RM1,257) and US$389 (RM1,486) for the 16GB/3GB LPDDR4 RAM and 64GB/4GB LPDDR4 RAM, it is the cheapest among all flagship smartphones today. Heck, it’s even cheaper than some mid-range smartphones that are available in the market right now and that is based on the high conversion rate we have now at US$1 to RM3.82. The price for the LG G4, Samsung Galaxy S6, Sony Xperia Z3+, HTC One M9+ and Xiaomi Mi Note Pro are RM2,499, RM2,599, RM2,599, RM2,599 and 2,999 yuan (RM1,845) respectively.
The Xiaomi Mi Note Pro is probably the closest competitor based on hardware and price
Is the OnePlus 2 the true flagship killer for the next one and a half year? We would have to wait to see its real world performance to know for sure. The OnePlus 2 will be available starting 11 August 2015 in U.S., Canada, Europe, India, and China, and will be launched in Southeast Asia in Q4 2015.
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