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Tech Review: One Plus one = X

OnePlus does it again, with its almost flagship-level new device, the OnePlus X

Reputed for its great devices at reasonable prices, OnePlus decided to try and - paradoxically enough - up the ante by providing an even lower-priced phone this time around.
As with its previous offerings, the OnePlus X is here to entice you with flagship-level specs at a considerably lower cost - not bad if you're a frugal tech nut!
With the new X, we've got a simply-designed, yet clean-looking smartphone with a 5" display. OnePlus is known for its good screens, and there's no difference here - it's bright and does very decently, even in sunlight. This is also the first time OnePlus is using an AMOLED screen on its device- a bright decision! The screen is full-HD as well.
It runs on the Shenzhen-based company's Oxygen-OS platform, going hand-in-hand with Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. OnePlus' own rendition of Google's operating system is simple, and you won't have any trouble familiarising yourself with its ins and outs.
Surprisingly, the main camera was bestowed with a 13MP sensor, while the front is at 8MP. Snappers are often the first to suffer when it comes to cheaper mobiles, but OnePlus made sure this isn't the case with the X. It does render very good shots, although it tends to struggle at night, unless it is bright enought to light up your subject. And you can shoot all you want, because aside from 16GB internal storage, you now have - unlike the OnePlus One and OnePlus 2 - a microSD slot that can handle up to 128GB of
extra space. Problem: the microSD card goes into the SIM 2 slot, meaning you'll have to decide whether you want a dual-SIM or SIM-microSD combo. Also, this phone reverts to the stand-ard micro-USB slot, a deviation from the USB Type C in the OnePlus 2.
Despite 3GB RAM, there are issues with its perform-ance, especially when firing up and madly swiping away at stuff; I also noticed a bit of stuttering when playing some videos as well. In part, this may be because they decided to put an older Snapdragon 801 chipset into it (the OnePlus 2 had a Snapdragon 810). That's
a downgrade indeed, but understandable, given this is a budget phone. I have some beef with battery life too, as, even with just moderate use, it barely limps to the 24-hour finish line.
AND SO.
The OnePlus X is an inviting proposition - pun intended, since you used to need an exclusive invite to get one, on its website. Although now you can just con-veniently grab it from Souq.com. If you're a user who puts general usage over hardcore stuff such as gaming and certain media, then this is the right phone for you; just think of the hundreds of dirhams you'll be able to save.
alvin@khaleejtimes.com
 EXTRA BYTE

Huawei G8
Continuing with affordable devices - this one is ideal for the younger lot. The Huawei G8's "hero" feature is the 13MP sapphire-lens camera that gives "exceptional clarity", while smart functions, fingerprint technology and long battery life are some of the specs that can lure you to it. (Dh1,349)

Asus Zen All-in-One Pro series
The first in Asus' new range, a 23.8" beast, "fuses art with industry-leading technology". And just how much is Asus flaunting this? They say it "deserves to be the computing centrepiece of any home or creative workspace", and its full connectivity allows it to be the "ultimate digital hub for work or play". (Dh6,499)