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OnePlus 2 review: A flagship smartphone for half the price, but will it kill all others?

Overview

Last year, OnePlus made a name for itself with its high performance, low price OnePlus One smartphone, a flagship-level device sold at mid-range level prices. Unfortunately, thanks to OnePlus' 'invite only' buying system, it was incredibly frustrating actually getting your hands on one.

A year on, and OnePlus is back and more confident than ever, proclaiming its latest smartphone as the "2016 Flagship Killer". That's not a typo by the way, OnePlus really is that enthusiastic.

Priced at S$538 for the 64GB model (a 16GB model will also be available after the initial launch but pricing is currently unknown), and scheduled for release in Q4 this year, the OnePlus 2 boasts a new premium design, a fingerprint scanner, Qualcomm's latest flagship octa-core processor, and an improved rear camera with OIS.

Can the OnePlus 2 improve on the solid start made by the OnePlus One? Will it really be the killer of next year's flagship phones? And more importantly, can you actually buy one this time round? Let's find out.

  • From S$538

  • Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with Oxygen OS 2.0

  • Cyanogenmod 11S, based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core (quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 2GHz Cortex-A57) processor

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.5GHz

  • 3GB (16GB) / 4GB (64GB)

  • 3GB RAM

  • 5.5-inch / 1920 x 1080 pixels (403 ppi) / IPS LCD

  • 5.5-inch / 1,920 x 1,080 pixels / LTPS

  • Rear: 13-megapixel, f/2.0, laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, dual LED flash

  • Front: 5-megapixel

  • Rear: 13 Megapixel Sony Exmor IMX214, f/2.0 aperture, RAW (DNG format) support

  • Front: 5-megapixel, f/2.0 aperture, 80-degrees wide angle lens

  • Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Micro-USB Type-C, 4G LTE

  • LTE Cat4, Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), NFC, Micro-USB 2.0

  • 16 GB / 64 GB Internal Storage

  • 64GB Internal Storage

  • 3,300mAh

  • 3,100mAh

  • 151.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm

  • 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm

  • 175g

  • 162g

Design

Unlike the mostly-plastic OnePlus One, the 2 boasts a new frame made from a magnesium/aluminum alloy. It looks and feels a lot more premium than last year's model, although it is about 1mm thicker, and at 175g, it's also a bit heavier. The default finish for the rear of the phone is Sandstone Black, a gritty, textured finish with a surface that could almost double as a skin exfoliator. The high friction finish is quite understated, but it's grippy and easy to hold on to. If you're after something a little flashier, OnePlus is also selling alternate covers at US$27 (~S$38) a pop. You have your choice of Rosewood, Bamboo, Black Apricot and Kevlar, each one designed to express your inner charisma (or something).

OnePlus 2's StyleSwap covers. Sandstone Black (left), Black Apricot, Kevlar, Bamboo. Rosewood is not pictured.
OnePlus 2's StyleSwap covers. Sandstone Black (left), Black Apricot, Kevlar, Bamboo. Rosewood is not pictured.
On each rear cover, the OnePlus logo is visible yet discrete.
On each rear cover, the OnePlus logo is visible yet discrete.

On the right side of the phone, you'll find both the power button and volume rocker.

The volume rocker has moved from the left to the right.
The volume rocker has moved from the left to the right.

On the left, you'll find the Alert Slider, a little 3-way switch that works like the iPhone's hard-silence button. It toggles between three modes - all alerts, only important notifications, and no notifications. The switch feels really solid, so reassuringly, there's almost no chance you'll accidentally flick it to the wrong position and end up missing an important call, or having a surprise full-volume ringtone blast in the middle of a meeting or movie.

The Alert Slider is a unique feature...at least among Android phones.
The Alert Slider is a unique feature...at least among Android phones.

Just below the display, the home button doubles up as a fingerprint scanner. Like the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S6, you just press your finger over the button - no swiping required. Setting it up is a simple process of letting the phone scan the same finger multiple times. You can have five prints on record. Just one thing – you’ll need to remember to enable fingerprint unlocking by going into your Security settings found within the Settings app after saving those fingerprints.

Setting up the OnePlus 2's fingerprint sensor.
Setting up the OnePlus 2's fingerprint sensor.

Located at the bottom of the phone is a USB Type-C port. The successor to micro-USB, this port's main benefit is that its reversible. It's worth noting that it's only really the socket that's changed, the port itself follows the USB 2.0 spec in terms of transfer rate, so don't expect USB 3.1 speeds. There's also the downside that you won't be able to use any of those old USB cables you've got lying around, and if you lose the cable, replacing it could be a pain right now as it's a fairly new standard.

One of the first to feature the new reversible USB Type-C port.
One of the first to feature the new reversible USB Type-C port.

Like many China-made phones, the OnePlus 2 is dual-SIM, with two nano-SIM cards neatly fitting into one tray. Both SIM slots are 4G LTE compatible. Unfortunately, unlike some dual-SIM phones, you can't switch out one of the SIM cards for a microSD card. In fact, you won't find a microSD slot anywhere on the phone, so you're stuck with internal storage only.

Two 4G LTE nano-SIM slots in one tray, but no microSD card functionality.
Two 4G LTE nano-SIM slots in one tray, but no microSD card functionality.

Display

The OnePlus 2 uses a 5.5-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels resolution) IPS LCD display, giving it a screen pixel density of 401ppi. That's not as good as as the QHD displays found on the LG G4 and Samsung Galaxy Note 5, but it's still plenty sharp. Up close - and at this size - you can just about make out a difference, but its minor and for the most part, you'll be hard-pressed to see any difference in clarity between the devices. The screen is protected by scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass 4.

Color reproduction is vibrant and bright, although as expected with an LCD display, contrast isn't as good as an AMOLED display.

Audio

Audio on the OnePlus 2 comes from a single mono-speaker located on the bottom edge, although slightly misleadingly, two rows of sound holes flank the USB port. Audio quality is decent enough, but pales in comparison to front-facing stereo speaker setups like the HTC One M9. Like the iPhone and all other phones with bottom edge speakers, you'll also run into a problem if you're holding the phone in landscape orientation, as it's very easy to block the speaker with your hand.

If you're not satisfied with the default audio, the OnePlus 2 comes with built-in Waves MaxxAudio Soundaudio enhancement software, which automatically pops up when you adjust the volume while listening to music, watching a movie or playing a game. Turning this enhancement on gives a little more character to the audio, but at the cost of battery life.

Waves MaxxAudio enhancement is easy to access - simply press the volume button during a video,song, or game to bring up the menu.
Waves MaxxAudio enhancement is easy to access - simply press the volume button during a video,song, or game to bring up the menu.

Software Features

OxygenOS on the OnePlus 2.
OxygenOS on the OnePlus 2.
Home button customizing for OnePlus 2, among other tweak-ready options.
Home button customizing for OnePlus 2, among other tweak-ready options.

Unlike the OnePlus One, which ran on CyanogenMod, the 2 runs on OnePlus' own OxygenOS, which is a skin of Android Lollipop 5.1. Despite being a custom skin, OxygenOS is actually very close to stock Android, and takes almost no time to get used to. Having said that, you do get a few custom additions that you won't find on stock Android such as double-tap to wake up, customizable app icons and gesture drawing on the screen to quick launch the camera or flashlight when the phone is asleep.

Shelf

Shelf is a feature unique to OxygenOS that is essentially OnePlus' version of Google Now. Currently in Beta, you can access Shelf by swiping right on the OnePlus 2 from the main display. It features an interchangeable image at the top, along with your location and the local weather, and a list of your most frequent contacts and most frequent apps. The most frequent list will refresh every six hours, but you can also populate the list manually to suit your liking.

Shelf is like OxygenOS' version of Google Now.
Shelf is like OxygenOS' version of Google Now.

App Permission Settings

App-by-app permission settings grants us control to a pretty detailed level of customization.
App-by-app permission settings grants us control to a pretty detailed level of customization.

Manipulating your privacy app by app is not a new concept, but the way the OnePlus 2 does it makes the process feel more controllable than stock Android OS. You can access all permission tweaks for each individual app within Settings, and simply flick the node to enable or disable certain features that affects how your information is shared and your phone’s physical state. Of course, knowing what to flick is different issue, since some apps are built around information gathering and you may accidentally knock an app out of practical use.

Dark Mode

Dark mode for the OnePlus 2.
Dark mode for the OnePlus 2.

If you’re not a fan of the bright interface, the OnePlus 2 has an option for you to switch your phone entirely over to the dark side. What it does is flips the black text to white, and the background to a darker tone for contrast and text visibility. Could be useful if you like to use your phone in the dark without running the risk of blinding yourself with a bright display.

Benchmark Performance

The 64GB version of the OnePlus 2 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor (Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & Quad-core 2 GHz Cortex-A57) and 4GB RAM (note that the 16GB version only has 3GB RAM). On paper, this makes it slightly more powerful than other 810-equipped smartphones like the LG G Flex 2, HTC One M9, and Sony Xperia Z3+, all of which have just 3GB RAM.

  • From S$538

  • From S$1188

  • From S$1088

  • From S$998

  • From S$480

  • From S$538

  • Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with Oxygen OS 2.0

  • Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

  • Android 5.1.1 Lollipop

  • Android 5.0 Lollipop

  • Android 4.4.2 Jelly Bean with MIUI 6

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core (quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 2GHz Cortex-A57) processor

  • Samsung Exynos 7420 octa-core (quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 2.1GHz Cortex-A57)

  • Samsung Exynos 7420 octa-core (quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 2.1GHz Cortex-A57)

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core (quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 2GHz Cortex-A57) processor

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.5GHz

  • 3GB (16GB) / 4GB (64GB)

  • 4GB LPDDR4 RAM

  • 4GB LPDDR4 RAM

  • 2GB

  • 3GB RAM

  • 5.5-inch / 1920 x 1080 pixels (403 ppi) / IPS LCD

  • 5.7-inch curved / 2,560 x 1,440 pixels (518 ppi) / Super AMOLED

  • 5.7-inch / 2,560 x 1,440 pixels (518 ppi) / Super AMOLED

  • 5.5-inch / 1920 x 1080 pixels (403 ppi) / P-OLED

  • 5.7-inch / 1920 x 1080 pixels (386 ppi) / 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3

  • Rear: 13-megapixel, f/2.0, laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, dual LED flash

  • Front: 5-megapixel

  • Rear: 16-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture and smart OIS

  • Front: 5-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture

  • Rear: 16-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture and smart OIS

  • Front: 5-megapixel with f/1.9 aperture

  • Rear: 13-megapixel, laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, dual-LED flash

  • Front: 2.1-megapixel

  • Rear: 13MP w/ Sony sensor / F2.0 aperture / dual-LED flash / optical image stabilization

  • Front: 4MP / F2.0 aperture / 2μm pixel size

  • Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), Micro-USB Type-C, 4G LTE

  • Bluetooth 4.2, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4+5GHz), VHT80, MIMO (2x2), Download Booster8, Wi-Fi Direct, GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, SideSync 4.0, Smart SwitchMobile, PC Sync with Smart Switch PC, Quick Connect9 (Screen Mirroring), MirrorLink, NFC, Android Beam, Mobile hotspot and tethering, Gear Manager

  • Bluetooth 4.2, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4+5GHz), VHT80, MIMO (2x2), Download Booster8, Wi-Fi Direct, GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, SideSync 4.0, Smart SwitchMobile, PC Sync with Smart Switch PC, Quick Connect9 (Screen Mirroring), MirrorLink, NFC, Android Beam, Mobile hotspot and tethering, Gear Manager

  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth Smart Ready (Apt-X), NFC, A-GPS/Glonass, 4G LTE

  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, dual 4G LTE

  • 16 GB / 64 GB Internal Storage

  • 32 / 64GB internal storage

  • 32 / 64GB internal storage

  • 32GB internal storage

  • microSD expansion up to 2TB

  • 16GB / 64GB

  • 3,300mAh

  • 3,000mAh

  • 3,000mAh

  • 3,000mAh

  • 3,000mAh

  • 151.8 x 74.9 x 9.9 mm

  • 154.4 x 75.8 x 6.9mm

  • 153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6mm

  • 149.1 x 75.3 x 7.1-9.4 mm

  • 155.1 x 77.6 x 6.95mm

  • 175g

  • 153g

  • 171g

  • 152g

  • 161g

SunSpider Javascript

SunSpider Javascript helps measure the browsing performance of a device when processing Javascript. It not only takes into consideration the underlying hardware performance, but also assesses how optimized a particular platform is at delivering a high-speed web browsing experience. The OnePlus 2 performed fairly well here, although it was no match for Samsung's Exynos 7420-powered devices.

Experience-wise, the phone was pleasant to use for browsing and, with a smooth Internet connection, it’s an enjoyable experience with fast load times.

Quadrant

The Quadrant benchmark evaluates a device’s CPU, memory, I/O, and 2D/3D graphics performance. The OnePlus 2 chugs along fluidly in everyday use – between games, videos, and apps – with no signs of lag. The extra RAM here definitely helped, but it still couldn't catch up to the Samsung devices.

3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited

This benchmark was originally made for PC gaming, and now we can use it for Android smartphones to stress test their GPU performance. Based on our other benchmarks we expected the OnePlus 2 to perform a bit better here. Surprisingly, it wasn't able to beat the G Flex 2, despite having more RAM.

Numbers aside, it’s always about how it the phones run in real-world usage and setting. The skinned Android operating system on the OnePlus 2 seems to play nicely with the phone’s available resources.

Camera Performance

As a disclaimer, OnePlus has informed us that the camera on our pre-production review unit has a few kinks. Currently, our unit has an issue with autofocus when multiple subjects are in the shot. Images shown here may be affected by the autofocus quirk. There is also no RAW image support, and these camera-related issues will be fixed in an over-the-air update, which will be available when the phone is released.

The OnePlus 2 uses a PureCel-S Omnivision OV13860 camera module with an f/2.0 aperture and a 13-megapixel sensor with a 1.3-micron pixel size. The sensor is 1/2.6-inch – effectively 35% larger than typical 13-megapixel sensors which sit at around 1/3.06-inch. The camera relies on a laser autofocus system in under 0.2 seconds – just like the LG G3 and G4. It also comes with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).

Illustration of the OnePlus 2's camera module - the 13-megapixel, 1/3.06-inch PureCel-S Omnivision OV13860 sensor, against traditional 13-megapixel sensor sizes.
Illustration of the OnePlus 2's camera module - the 13-megapixel, 1/3.06-inch PureCel-S Omnivision OV13860 sensor, against traditional 13-megapixel sensor sizes.

The camera app itself has a few new features including Panorama, Slow Motion, and Time Lapse video. There’s also an option for shooting video in 4K. Unfortunately, there's no manual mode, so you can't adjust things like shutter speed and ISO.

We feel that the camera is acceptable in terms of quality. The images are clear for something that came out of a 13-megapixel camera, and most colors are pretty accurate except for an issue where the OnePlus 2 seems to struggle around brightly-lit subjects, and mostly white objects.

Normal lighting conditions.
Normal lighting conditions.

In the test photo above, the details on all the figurines are clean and accentuated accurately, and the general color profile had a natural feel to it. It’s not as sharp or vibrant as other flagship phone models, but then again, this phone is not using a Sony or Samsung camera module.

Forced flash on.
Forced flash on.

In this example we forced the flash to work under sufficient lighting, you could see that the OnePlus 2 had no problems getting the creases and curves found on some figurines’ surfaces, and colors are accurate except for the whites on the color chart. Each different type of off-white did not have a clear distinction from the next. In turn, the contrast on the OnePlus 2 camera takes a blow. On the upside, grain is quite nicely controlled.

Low light performance, no flash.
Low light performance, no flash.
Low-light performance, auto flash.
Low-light performance, auto flash.

These two shots are done in simulated low-light conditions, with the latter using forced flash from the phone. Again, the photo without flash results in a natural profile, but the phone automatically ramps it up to ISO 2947 and, as a result, it's pretty grainy, removing detail from some of the figurines too. The shot with forced flash did lower the ISO to 477, and true enough, the creases and details are back – but the first problem where whites are overly-exposed is back. We can conclude that even with a bigger-than-average sensor, the OnePlus 2 has problems dealing with contrast in general. Perhaps the an OTA firmware update in the future might help it some? We'll have to re-test the phone in the near future to ascertain this.

Sample Images

The following sample photos were taken using the OnePlus 2. The photos have not been post-processed and are copyright to SPH Magazines. They are provided for your reference only and we ask that you do not reproduce them elsewhere. Click for the full-resolution images.

Battery Life

Our standard battery test for mobile phones includes the following parameters:

  • Looping a 800 x 480-pixel video with screen brightness and volume at 100%

  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity turned on

  • Constant data streaming through email and Twitter

The OnePlus 2 is powered by a non-removable 3,300mAh battery, giving it a pretty respectable run time of eleven hours, just slightly more than the LG G Flex 2 and Xiaomi Mi Note, although still far short of both Samsung devices that use AMOLED displays.

Availability

First the bad news, the OnePlus 2 will once again only be available with an invite code from OnePlus. However, the good news is that it should be much easier to get an invite this time round. According to OnePlus, there will be up to 50 times the amount compared to last year.

There are a number of ways you can get an invite, but most of them involve keeping a close watch on OnePlus' various social media platforms and then entering some kind of contest. By far the easiest way is to get on the invite reservation list, which you can find here. This is basically a queue that will inform you of when an invite is available. All you need to do is enter your email. When you do get an invite, you'll need to use it within 24 hours before it gets sent to the next person. You could be waiting for a while though; right now, the queue has over 4.5 million people.

Another option for securing an invite is to make friends with people who already have invites. You see, anyone who successfully buys a OnePlus 2 will receive invites they can give out (or unscrupulously sell) to other people.

Finally, if you ever see a OnePlus event happening in your area, be sure to show up. You'll probably get a physical invite (like the one above) just for attending.

Conclusion

At S$538, the OnePlus 2 can't be beaten on value. At nearly half the price of most flagship smartphones, OnePlus is certain to make some enemies for 'spoiling the market'. It should be noted though that, for all of OnePlus' bluster about being the '2016 flagship killer', its only killer feature is its price point. Other than that, it's just another high-powered smartphone, and there's really nothing else that sets it apart. Realistically speaking, it will be lucky to be competitive with, let alone kill, next year's batch of flagship smartphones.

Still, OnePlus has shown tremendous growth from last year's model, and the OnePlus 2 is certainly a worthy successor. If you can get your hands on an invite, you're not likely to be disappointed.