OnePlus 2 Review

Performance and Benchmarks

Powering the OnePlus 2 is a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz, 4GB RAM (64GB model), and Adreno 430 GPU. As expected of a smartphone with this kind of configuration, it was able to handle almost everything we throw at it including graphic intensive games. Oxygen OS 2.0.1 also feels stable as all the features work well and so far we haven’t noticed any bugs worth mentioning.

The main concern now is how OnePlus 2 manages the temperature during heavy tasks. We played Mortal Kombat X for an hour and the temperature topped at a toasty 43.5C which is uncomfortable on the hands.

As for benchmarks, the OnePlus 2 produced some of the highest scores we’ve seen in a smartphone.

• AnTuTu – 52,686
• Quadrant Standard – 31,198
• Vellamo – 3,059 (Chrome), 2,401 (Multicore), 2,335 (Metal)
• 3DMark Sling Shot ES 3.1 – 914

Connectivity and Call Quality

Aside from the usual WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS connectivity, the OnePlus 2 gets an upgrade with support for dual-nano SIM. Call quality and LTE connectivity is good as long as you’re in an area with healthy coverage. The only downgrade we see in this department is the removal of NFC which its predecessor has.

Battery Life

OnePlus equipped the OnePlus 2 with a beefier non-removable 3,300mAh battery compared to the 3,100mAh found on the One. With normal use consisting of constant WiFi connectivity, heavy social media browsing, light calls and texts, and an hour of gaming, we were able to get a good 14 to 15 hours of battery life. We ran PCMark’s battery test and the result is 9 hours and 45 minutes which is also good.

Conclusion

The OnePlus 2 is a beast of a smartphone that features a good build and design and powerful hardware. The Snapdragon 810 CPU, 4GB RAM, beefier battery, dual-SIM connectivity, Fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C, and Laser-guided autofocus, are great improvements from the OnePlus One. It’s a solid flagship device but I doubt it will dominate 2016 flagships. There’s the uncomfortable warming when using the camera and playing games, and Oxygen OS could still use more features and stability.

One of the reasons why the OnePlus smartphones are so popular is because the company is offering high-end devices at a not so expensive price. At $389 (~Php18,200) for the top-of-the-line model it’s a bargain, but that is if you live in countries where OnePlus officially ships. For us here in the Philippines, we have to rely on imported units with no warranty and bumped up prices. Despite the disadvantages it’s still one of the best phones to have, that is if you get your hands on one.

OnePlus 2 specs:
5.5-inch In-Cell full HD Display @ 1920×1080 pixels, 401ppi
1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 v2.1 64-bit octa-core processor
4GB LPDDR4 RAM
64GB internal storage
13MP rear camera w/ OIS, 1.3 micron pixels, Laser AF, dual-tone flash
Slow-mo video at 120fps, 4K video recording
5MP front camera
Dual-SIM, Dual-LTE (nano-SIM)
4G LTE, 3G HSPA+
WiFi 802.11 a/c
Bluetooth 4.1
GPS, A-GPS
Fingerprint sensor (up to 5 unique fingerprints)
USB Type-C
Alert Slider (hardware switch for notifications settings)
3,300mAh Li-Po non-removable battery
OxygenOS 2.0.1 (Android 5.1.1 Lollipop)
151.8 x 74.9 x 9.85mm (dimensions)
175 grams (weight)

What we liked about it:
* Good design and build
* Great display
* Great performance
* Good battery life
* Fast autofocus
* USB Type-C
* Cheaper compared to other flagship smartphones

What we didn’t like:
* Gets really warm when using the camera and playing games
* Not officially available in the Philippines
* Review unit’s ROM came with lots of bloatware (had to flash a stock ROM)
* Camera app is slow with few features, poor low-light performance

The OnePlus 2 was provided by Widget City and is selling for Php20,990. See listing here.