July 26, 2014 at 22:13OnePlus One - the first among the best
For about 3 months, the Chinese company OnePlus, whose roots grow from Oppo, announced on April 23 in Beijing the Android communicator One, which relied on a combination of first-class equipment, high-quality software and more than affordable price. Probably almost everyone who is interested in new products in the mobile industry is aware of the new device. Frantic excitement, a huge number of thoughts and impressions immediately appeared on the Web after the release of the gadget. Many were even ready to break their smartphone for a cool new product!
But why is OnePlus One so interesting? Why is he called the flagship killer? And where is this miracle to get in general? Let's figure it out together!
OnePlus One is equipped with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor (8974AC) with a clock frequency of 2.5 GHz, 3 GB of RAM and a high-quality 5.5-inch JDI full HD display, protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The new Android 4.4 KitKat with special modified shell CyanogenMod 11S.
Other OnePlus One features include NFC, Wi-Fi (2.4G / 5G) 802.11 b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, support for 4G networks (LTE), and JBL stereo speakers.
Screen: 5.5 ", 1920 × 1080 px, FHD, LTPS IPS
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (Krait 400, 2.5 GHz, 4 cores) Video accelerator
: Adreno 330 578MHz
Operating system: CyanogenMod 11S based on Android 4.4
RAM: 3 GB
User memory: 16 GB / 64 GB eMMC 5.0
Camera: front - 5 MP, rear - 13 MP
Communication: 1 SIM card (GSM / GPRS / EDGE + UMTS / HSPA + LTE)
Optional: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, OTG, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, indicator, light and distance sensor
Battery: 3100 mAh
Dimensions: 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm
Weight: 162 gram
Price: 357 $ - 16 GB (~ 12 500 rubles ) | $ 425 - 64 GB (~ 14,900 rubles)
The company thought everything through to the smallest detail. And even the messenger box has its own design. The box was still packed in a gray bag, inside a layer of bumps.
To open it you just need to pull the thread. Although I did not know about it and just cut the adhesive tape with a knife, which covered the box.
Two more boxes are neatly laid out in it, one with the device and accessories, and the other with the charger. To ensure that the remaining space is not empty, they also put a foam plug.
Let's start not with the most interesting - a box with a power supply. It also looks quite stylish in the company's corporate colors and has a charger silhouette.
On the back are specifications.
The case of the power adapter is made of high-quality plastic, the surface is smooth to the touch.
The power supply produces 2A output, the smartphone charges in about 2 and a half hours.
And here we have the right box with something interesting inside. The smartphone comes in a chic white box, inside of which there is a second box of red color, one “drives” into the other.
The device itself lies in a thin red box, which has a thickness of about 2 centimeters, like the main complete accessories.
The box opens like a book. Inside, the device neatly lies on the upper level.
At the lower level, accessories are very effectively laid out. There is a red microUSB cable and an iron clip for removing the SIM card tray in an individual plastic case with a metal loop for attaching to a bunch of keys, there are no headphones in the kit. There is also an instruction manual that you can throw away, since it is completely in Chinese, and leave the envelope, it is beautiful.
The guys from OnePlus really tried to do everything at the highest level, with special attention paid to packaging and accessories. Each element of the box, each accessory inside literally screams about how high-quality a product you hold in your hands.
The appearance of OnePlus One is simple and concise. On the front panel you will not find either the company logo, or mechanical buttons, or speakers at the edges. There is, perhaps, a small indentation between the protective glass of the screen and the metal frame around it. I am glad that the company did not follow the path of copying design, as many Chinese manufacturers do.
On the front panel is a 5 megapixel front camera, motion sensor and brightness. Nearby is an indicator that lights in different colors. Moreover, for example, when charging, the green color changes its hue from dull to bright with increasing charge level, it also has many more chips related to the settings for each application. In the middle is the earpiece, which is closed by a fine mesh
Below are slightly noticeable hardware buttons, which also have a backlight, but only one color - blue. The company apparently did not pay special attention to these controls, because in the settings you can choose which buttons to use - screen or touch.
So it is immediately recommended to learn the functions of the buttons by heart, since in daylight they are not visible at all. On the other hand - in the twilight and darkness they are read quite comfortably.
On the left side there is a volume rocker and a tray for microSIM cards. The SIM card tray is plastic, it is easily removed with the help of a complete clip and is also easily snapped back.
On the right is the power and lock button. You rarely use it, because the screen can be woken up by double tapping anywhere in the panel, and also make you fall asleep back. The buttons are thin, small and tight. They are easy to find in your pocket and quite difficult to press by negligence.
The back cover is adorned with the black OnePlus logo. The material of the back panel is called “silk white”, it is really very pleasant to the touch. It reminds the effect of soft-touch plastic, but without the obvious presence of rubber. If all manufacturers made their smartphones out of the same pleasant plastic, then the ranks of aluminum fans would have thinned significantly. Sony's 13MP camera with dual LED flash is also located on the back cover. A microphone is used to capture sound and suppress noise when recording video.
In the lower part, the Chinese inscriptions spoil the whole impression. But they can only be found if you order a smartphone from a Chinese store. If you take the device on the official website on invite, then the stylish Cyanogen inscription will decorate the back cover! The lid of the device is removable, but the battery itself is not. On the official website, you can order different options for finishing the back cover, like the Moto X - under the tree, under the fabric and others.
By the way, the black OnePlus One is made of rough and velvet plastic to the touch, but otherwise the material is also practical, so choosing between colors is thoughtful, the texture of the cover will be different.
On the upper edge are a 3.5 mm jack for connecting a headset and an additional microphone hole. It is worth noting that OnePlus One is one of the few smartphones equipped with three microphones at once for surround sound capture from all sides. If you look in profile, it is noticeable that the body has a curved shape, making it more comfortable in the hand.
And at the bottom, the user will see stereo music speakers developed by JBL, a microUSB interface and a talking microphone. The sound quality can be called high, it should be recognized that the volume level of the speakers is very good and its owner will easily hear the call even in a busy area.
Whether someone likes it or not, already today a smartphone with a 5.5-inch screen is a completely normal trend. OnePlus One is one of the largest smartphones on the market. When you pick it up, it feels pretty huge, especially considering the frame around the entire perimeter of the device. If you have never used smartphones with large displays before, I advise you to definitely hold similar models in your hands before buying - Samsung Galaxy Note 3 or LG G3. Nevertheless, the device fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, although it’s more convenient to use and print with two hands. There are no complaints about the build quality itself, everything is done at a high level, it does not creak or play, there are no gaps between the elements.
The smartphone screen has a diagonal of 5.5 inches and FullHD resolution, pixel density is 401 PPI. It uses high-quality LTPS IPS matrix, which provides a wide color gamut and close to maximum viewing angles. Of course, the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The
display is made taking into account the TOL (touch on lens, “sensor on the glass”) approach, which reduces the number of layers of the screen by combining them: images become closer to the user, their brightness increases, the effect is eliminated parallax.
The thickness of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the case is approximately 3 mm - the frames are narrow, and against the background of the overall considerable dimensions of the device, they seem even thinner.
The brightness of the display can be adjusted manually, or you can use the automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology here allows you to handle up to 10 simultaneous touches. The touch panel only responds to fingers; work with gloves is not provided.
OnePlus One is equipped with two digital camera modules with a resolution of 13 megapixels and 5 megapixels. The front camera takes pictures with a maximum resolution of 1944 × 2592, the video shoots at a resolution of 720p. For shooting self-portraits, the capabilities of the front camera are more than enough.
The main, rear camera has a 13 megapixel sensor with the new Sony Exmor IMX214 CMOS sensor with backlight (BSI). The camera is equipped with autofocus, a two-section LED flash, and there is also a new-fangled ability to shoot video in UHD (4k) resolution. Below is a snapshot in Auto mode.
When shooting in automatic mode, which is set by default, photographs are taken in the size of 4160 × 3120. Below is a picture in HDR mode.
The camera can shoot video in 1080p and DCI (4K) resolution, there is also the standard for top-end smartphones the ability to shoot videos in slow motion (at a speed of 60 and 120 frames per second). Unfortunately, in this mode, the rollers are severely lacking in bitrate, which is why they look muddy, with a low amount of detail.
Pleased with properly working autofocus. The camera correctly switches between a nearby and far away object in less than a second. The camera shoots very quickly, it takes less than a second to create a normal picture, and no more than three on HDR.
OnePlus One is offered in two versions: with CyanogenMod firmware (version 11S) or with the proprietary ColorOS. In China, it is the second version that is being sold, with ColorOS, and the device arrived with it. The firmware of course has its own characteristics and interesting features, but the lack of the Russian language upsets. Therefore, after receiving the device, I immediately upgraded it to CyanogenMod 11S, which is available on the official website of cyngn.com .
"Cyanogen mod" does not need a special presentation. But for those who are not familiar with CyanogenMod, I’ll briefly say that this is the same Android (most often the latest version) with all its functionality, but in addition, the development team provides the user with many additional features. And the 11S version, created specifically for OnePlus, has a number of changes and improvements. By the way, for those who are not a fan of the new CyanogenMod 11S user interface (the theme is called Hexo), you can replace it with the standard Android Holo interface.
The first thing that catches your eye is the changed lock screen. Here, at the bottom of the minimalistic panel, the time, the last message received, the battery charge and the weather forecast are displayed. Swipe left can still start the camera. At the top, the background image of the desktop is beautifully blurred. A very nice dynamic equalizer is displayed on the lock screen when playing music. Most system application icons are tiled in a minimalist style. In terms of color scheme, no changes have occurred, all the same dark Android.
Going into the settings, you can immediately see that there are more points. Indeed, CyanogenMod offers quite wide possibilities for customization of software. Rummaging through the settings, you can significantly improve the experience of using a smartphone.
The gallery’s own application has three photo viewing modes, including Moments, Albums and Media. In the Moments mode, pictures are sorted by date; in the Albums mode, thumbnails stored in the photo folders are displayed. Media mode just shows all the photos from your smartphone in a bunch. Noteworthy is a more thoughtful display of thumbnails of photos taken, as well as easy navigation between them.
The pre-installed software in CM11S is minimal, the following applications can be distinguished: the default music player is Apollo, a flashlight, a functional file manager, and also a cLock widget (clock / weather / calendar). The built-in AudioFX utility is an equalizer with preset settings, various profiles and reverb control. Undoubtedly, this utility will be useful not only for audiophiles, but also for ordinary users. There is also Screencast - an application for capturing images from the screen.
The system interface can be completely changed by selecting a theme in the special theme store app. Some of them are available for free, but for many they ask for money in the region of 2-3 dollars. Each topic is just a separate application on Google Play, so there should not be a problem with the purchase and installation.
The camera application in OnePlus One uses a unique one written by the Cyanogen Mod team special for this smartphone. This is not to say that it has become much more convenient, just the settings are arranged and grouped somewhat differently, and the interface is more stylish and concise.
The system provides the ability to turn off the touch buttons and use the on-screen, quite a useful function, given that these buttons can be changed as you like. OnePlus One also has support for gestures on a locked screen: you can activate a flashlight, camera or music player.
Separately, it is worth noting the availability of the ability to change the basic parameters of the processor, including frequency limitations and the choice of an algorithm for controlling them. However, keep in mind that here is not just a list for switching profiles, and it can be difficult for an untrained user to understand the options. That is why, by default, this add-in is hidden and you can enable it only by activating the developer mode.
The device with CyanogenMod 11S is becoming more attractive and interesting. The firmware has a huge number of built-in functions, a decent set for developers and support for a complete change in the interface, all this greatly increases the convenience of working with a smartphone. CM11S is stable in operation, supports all the hardware capabilities of the smartphone, differs little from the original ColorOS version in speed and battery life.
The smartphone works in GSM, HSDPA and LTE (4G) networks. The international standard 4G is supported, so in Russia OnePlus One also works in fourth-generation networks. And it doesn’t matter if you have a European version (Cyanogen inscription on the back cover) or a Chinese one. For the Russian user there is no difference.
Of the additional network features, support for the second range of Wi-Fi (5 GHz) and NFC technology is available. The external device connection mode (USB Host, OTG) is supported here, so any flash drives connected to the microUSB port, as well as mice with keyboards, are perfectly recognized.
The navigation module works with both GPS and the domestic GLONASS system, and also finds satellites of the Chinese Beidou system.
All the necessary and modern modules are present, there is nothing to complain about. Except for the lack of wireless charging technology, but this is nitpicking.
OnePlus One is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC performance system. At the disposal of the buyer comes a quad-core processor, made using 28 nm technology, with an operating frequency of each core of 2.5 GHz. Adreno 330, operating at a frequency of 578 MHz, was used as a video subsystem. Complementing all of this is the fast 3-GB LP-DDR3 memory. What can I say, the solution at the moment is one of the top. In benchmarks, the first places occupied by the smartphone are pleasing, thanks to the filling and the CyanogenMod 11S operating system.
I don’t even know if it’s worth saying that both the OS itself and any heavy games work on it without the slightest hint of brakes.
However, the smartphone in games and tests noticeably heats up under heavy load and it is very unpleasant to hold it in your hands (the hottest place is behind the camera). Hands, of course, does not burn, but I would like the device to be a little colder.
The OnePlus One has a non-removable 3100 mAh battery. The figure is quite typical for smartphones of this size. On average, with active use, the battery lasts for the whole day.
As you can see, OnePlus One does not have enough stars from the sky, but it’s worth considering that the filling is very powerful and overall the test results can be considered satisfactory.
Let's immediately pay attention to the price. Yes, it’s for a low price. And already it is necessary to build on it when summing up the results. What are we getting for it? A high-quality and powerful smartphone at the level of popular flagships, and even with fast firmware (which will be updated faster than others). Somewhere, OnePlus One loses to some models in terms of camera quality and the absence of a slot for a memory card with wireless charging, but otherwise everything is at the same level (and in some places even better), especially iron. And even if there are some shortcomings in this smartphone, they can be forgiven for such a price and you need to consider that One is the first product of OnePlus, and it came out successful!
If you have a small budget of up to 15,000 rubles, then it is very worth paying attention to this smartphone. Yes, I agree that the purchase procedure and the absence of a guarantee can scare off, but these are all little things and are easily solved. But the dimensions are somewhat overestimated, not everyone will like this screen size, this is one of the important parameters when choosing a device. Personally, they suit me, I hope you will get used to it!
Nice and pleasant design
High-quality display
Excellent assembly and materials
Top iron and excellent performance
Loud speaker
Presence of all kinds of communications (NFC, OTG, LTE)
Firmware CyanogenMod 11S
Camera with 4K recording
Long battery
life Low price
No microSD slot
Device dimensions
Lack of support for wireless charging
The official cost of OnePlus One is $ 300 for the 16 GB version and $ 350 for the 64 GB version. The device is not sent to Russia, so you can order it only at some address in the USA and it costs $ 15. But it’s quite difficult to buy a smartphone for this money, you need to get an invite (invitation to purchase), and only after that you can purchase a device. Invites are still spreading slowly, but you can get it. Think it all? No, you still have to go through the quest with the purchase on the official website, and this is a IP substitution, a bank card that is not tied to a Russian PayPal account, sending through an intermediary and other subtleties. If you take, for example, OnePlus One 16 GB, then together with delivery to Russia through an intermediary you get ~ $ 349.
But there is another way - buying in a Chinese online store. The price comes out a little more expensive ($ 8), but there will be no torture with invites, addresses in the USA, etc. It's simple - put in the basket, enter the delivery address, pay and wait for the parcel. According to the delivery time comes out as well. I got a smartphone from the CooliCool online store in 15 days.
The absence of the Cyanogen inscription on the back cover - this is only a small nuance that distinguishes the Chinese version from the international market. At the request of the user, he can change the ColorOS firmware preinstalled in China to CyanogenMod 11S in a few minutes.
In general, you can buy the OnePlus One 16 GB at the CooliCool store . Price along with delivery will be $ 357 .
VersionThe OnePlus One 64GB is available for $ 425 shipping .
If you have any questions about the purchase, then write in a personal message or in the comments, I will definitely help! Good luck shopping!
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But why is OnePlus One so interesting? Why is he called the flagship killer? And where is this miracle to get in general? Let's figure it out together!
▌ TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
OnePlus One is equipped with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor (8974AC) with a clock frequency of 2.5 GHz, 3 GB of RAM and a high-quality 5.5-inch JDI full HD display, protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The new Android 4.4 KitKat with special modified shell CyanogenMod 11S.
Other OnePlus One features include NFC, Wi-Fi (2.4G / 5G) 802.11 b / g / n / ac, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, support for 4G networks (LTE), and JBL stereo speakers.
Screen: 5.5 ", 1920 × 1080 px, FHD, LTPS IPS Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (Krait 400, 2.5 GHz, 4 cores) Video accelerator : Adreno 330 578MHz Operating system: CyanogenMod 11S based on Android 4.4 RAM: 3 GBUser memory: 16 GB / 64 GB eMMC 5.0 Camera: front - 5 MP, rear - 13 MP Communication: 1 SIM card (GSM / GPRS / EDGE + UMTS / HSPA + LTE) Optional: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, OTG, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, indicator, light and distance sensor Battery: 3100 mAh Dimensions: 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm Weight: 162 gram Price: 357 $ - 16 GB (~ 12 500 rubles ) | $ 425 - 64 GB (~ 14,900 rubles)▌PACKING AND PACKAGING
The company thought everything through to the smallest detail. And even the messenger box has its own design. The box was still packed in a gray bag, inside a layer of bumps.
To open it you just need to pull the thread. Although I did not know about it and just cut the adhesive tape with a knife, which covered the box.
Two more boxes are neatly laid out in it, one with the device and accessories, and the other with the charger. To ensure that the remaining space is not empty, they also put a foam plug.
Let's start not with the most interesting - a box with a power supply. It also looks quite stylish in the company's corporate colors and has a charger silhouette.
On the back are specifications.
The case of the power adapter is made of high-quality plastic, the surface is smooth to the touch.
The power supply produces 2A output, the smartphone charges in about 2 and a half hours.
And here we have the right box with something interesting inside. The smartphone comes in a chic white box, inside of which there is a second box of red color, one “drives” into the other.
The device itself lies in a thin red box, which has a thickness of about 2 centimeters, like the main complete accessories.
The box opens like a book. Inside, the device neatly lies on the upper level.
At the lower level, accessories are very effectively laid out. There is a red microUSB cable and an iron clip for removing the SIM card tray in an individual plastic case with a metal loop for attaching to a bunch of keys, there are no headphones in the kit. There is also an instruction manual that you can throw away, since it is completely in Chinese, and leave the envelope, it is beautiful.
The guys from OnePlus really tried to do everything at the highest level, with special attention paid to packaging and accessories. Each element of the box, each accessory inside literally screams about how high-quality a product you hold in your hands.
▌ DESIGN, DIMENSIONS, CONTROL ELEMENTS
The appearance of OnePlus One is simple and concise. On the front panel you will not find either the company logo, or mechanical buttons, or speakers at the edges. There is, perhaps, a small indentation between the protective glass of the screen and the metal frame around it. I am glad that the company did not follow the path of copying design, as many Chinese manufacturers do.
On the front panel is a 5 megapixel front camera, motion sensor and brightness. Nearby is an indicator that lights in different colors. Moreover, for example, when charging, the green color changes its hue from dull to bright with increasing charge level, it also has many more chips related to the settings for each application. In the middle is the earpiece, which is closed by a fine mesh
Below are slightly noticeable hardware buttons, which also have a backlight, but only one color - blue. The company apparently did not pay special attention to these controls, because in the settings you can choose which buttons to use - screen or touch.
So it is immediately recommended to learn the functions of the buttons by heart, since in daylight they are not visible at all. On the other hand - in the twilight and darkness they are read quite comfortably.
On the left side there is a volume rocker and a tray for microSIM cards. The SIM card tray is plastic, it is easily removed with the help of a complete clip and is also easily snapped back.
On the right is the power and lock button. You rarely use it, because the screen can be woken up by double tapping anywhere in the panel, and also make you fall asleep back. The buttons are thin, small and tight. They are easy to find in your pocket and quite difficult to press by negligence.
The back cover is adorned with the black OnePlus logo. The material of the back panel is called “silk white”, it is really very pleasant to the touch. It reminds the effect of soft-touch plastic, but without the obvious presence of rubber. If all manufacturers made their smartphones out of the same pleasant plastic, then the ranks of aluminum fans would have thinned significantly. Sony's 13MP camera with dual LED flash is also located on the back cover. A microphone is used to capture sound and suppress noise when recording video.
In the lower part, the Chinese inscriptions spoil the whole impression. But they can only be found if you order a smartphone from a Chinese store. If you take the device on the official website on invite, then the stylish Cyanogen inscription will decorate the back cover! The lid of the device is removable, but the battery itself is not. On the official website, you can order different options for finishing the back cover, like the Moto X - under the tree, under the fabric and others.
By the way, the black OnePlus One is made of rough and velvet plastic to the touch, but otherwise the material is also practical, so choosing between colors is thoughtful, the texture of the cover will be different.
On the upper edge are a 3.5 mm jack for connecting a headset and an additional microphone hole. It is worth noting that OnePlus One is one of the few smartphones equipped with three microphones at once for surround sound capture from all sides. If you look in profile, it is noticeable that the body has a curved shape, making it more comfortable in the hand.
And at the bottom, the user will see stereo music speakers developed by JBL, a microUSB interface and a talking microphone. The sound quality can be called high, it should be recognized that the volume level of the speakers is very good and its owner will easily hear the call even in a busy area.
Whether someone likes it or not, already today a smartphone with a 5.5-inch screen is a completely normal trend. OnePlus One is one of the largest smartphones on the market. When you pick it up, it feels pretty huge, especially considering the frame around the entire perimeter of the device. If you have never used smartphones with large displays before, I advise you to definitely hold similar models in your hands before buying - Samsung Galaxy Note 3 or LG G3. Nevertheless, the device fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, although it’s more convenient to use and print with two hands. There are no complaints about the build quality itself, everything is done at a high level, it does not creak or play, there are no gaps between the elements.
▌ DISPLAY
The smartphone screen has a diagonal of 5.5 inches and FullHD resolution, pixel density is 401 PPI. It uses high-quality LTPS IPS matrix, which provides a wide color gamut and close to maximum viewing angles. Of course, the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The
display is made taking into account the TOL (touch on lens, “sensor on the glass”) approach, which reduces the number of layers of the screen by combining them: images become closer to the user, their brightness increases, the effect is eliminated parallax.
The thickness of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the case is approximately 3 mm - the frames are narrow, and against the background of the overall considerable dimensions of the device, they seem even thinner.
The brightness of the display can be adjusted manually, or you can use the automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology here allows you to handle up to 10 simultaneous touches. The touch panel only responds to fingers; work with gloves is not provided.
▌CAMERAS
OnePlus One is equipped with two digital camera modules with a resolution of 13 megapixels and 5 megapixels. The front camera takes pictures with a maximum resolution of 1944 × 2592, the video shoots at a resolution of 720p. For shooting self-portraits, the capabilities of the front camera are more than enough.
The main, rear camera has a 13 megapixel sensor with the new Sony Exmor IMX214 CMOS sensor with backlight (BSI). The camera is equipped with autofocus, a two-section LED flash, and there is also a new-fangled ability to shoot video in UHD (4k) resolution. Below is a snapshot in Auto mode.
When shooting in automatic mode, which is set by default, photographs are taken in the size of 4160 × 3120. Below is a picture in HDR mode.
The camera can shoot video in 1080p and DCI (4K) resolution, there is also the standard for top-end smartphones the ability to shoot videos in slow motion (at a speed of 60 and 120 frames per second). Unfortunately, in this mode, the rollers are severely lacking in bitrate, which is why they look muddy, with a low amount of detail.
Pleased with properly working autofocus. The camera correctly switches between a nearby and far away object in less than a second. The camera shoots very quickly, it takes less than a second to create a normal picture, and no more than three on HDR.
▌ SOFTWARE PLATFORM
OnePlus One is offered in two versions: with CyanogenMod firmware (version 11S) or with the proprietary ColorOS. In China, it is the second version that is being sold, with ColorOS, and the device arrived with it. The firmware of course has its own characteristics and interesting features, but the lack of the Russian language upsets. Therefore, after receiving the device, I immediately upgraded it to CyanogenMod 11S, which is available on the official website of cyngn.com .
"Cyanogen mod" does not need a special presentation. But for those who are not familiar with CyanogenMod, I’ll briefly say that this is the same Android (most often the latest version) with all its functionality, but in addition, the development team provides the user with many additional features. And the 11S version, created specifically for OnePlus, has a number of changes and improvements. By the way, for those who are not a fan of the new CyanogenMod 11S user interface (the theme is called Hexo), you can replace it with the standard Android Holo interface.
The first thing that catches your eye is the changed lock screen. Here, at the bottom of the minimalistic panel, the time, the last message received, the battery charge and the weather forecast are displayed. Swipe left can still start the camera. At the top, the background image of the desktop is beautifully blurred. A very nice dynamic equalizer is displayed on the lock screen when playing music. Most system application icons are tiled in a minimalist style. In terms of color scheme, no changes have occurred, all the same dark Android.
Going into the settings, you can immediately see that there are more points. Indeed, CyanogenMod offers quite wide possibilities for customization of software. Rummaging through the settings, you can significantly improve the experience of using a smartphone.
The gallery’s own application has three photo viewing modes, including Moments, Albums and Media. In the Moments mode, pictures are sorted by date; in the Albums mode, thumbnails stored in the photo folders are displayed. Media mode just shows all the photos from your smartphone in a bunch. Noteworthy is a more thoughtful display of thumbnails of photos taken, as well as easy navigation between them.
The pre-installed software in CM11S is minimal, the following applications can be distinguished: the default music player is Apollo, a flashlight, a functional file manager, and also a cLock widget (clock / weather / calendar). The built-in AudioFX utility is an equalizer with preset settings, various profiles and reverb control. Undoubtedly, this utility will be useful not only for audiophiles, but also for ordinary users. There is also Screencast - an application for capturing images from the screen.
The system interface can be completely changed by selecting a theme in the special theme store app. Some of them are available for free, but for many they ask for money in the region of 2-3 dollars. Each topic is just a separate application on Google Play, so there should not be a problem with the purchase and installation.
The camera application in OnePlus One uses a unique one written by the Cyanogen Mod team special for this smartphone. This is not to say that it has become much more convenient, just the settings are arranged and grouped somewhat differently, and the interface is more stylish and concise.
The system provides the ability to turn off the touch buttons and use the on-screen, quite a useful function, given that these buttons can be changed as you like. OnePlus One also has support for gestures on a locked screen: you can activate a flashlight, camera or music player.
Separately, it is worth noting the availability of the ability to change the basic parameters of the processor, including frequency limitations and the choice of an algorithm for controlling them. However, keep in mind that here is not just a list for switching profiles, and it can be difficult for an untrained user to understand the options. That is why, by default, this add-in is hidden and you can enable it only by activating the developer mode.
The device with CyanogenMod 11S is becoming more attractive and interesting. The firmware has a huge number of built-in functions, a decent set for developers and support for a complete change in the interface, all this greatly increases the convenience of working with a smartphone. CM11S is stable in operation, supports all the hardware capabilities of the smartphone, differs little from the original ColorOS version in speed and battery life.
▌ WIRELESS NETWORKS
The smartphone works in GSM, HSDPA and LTE (4G) networks. The international standard 4G is supported, so in Russia OnePlus One also works in fourth-generation networks. And it doesn’t matter if you have a European version (Cyanogen inscription on the back cover) or a Chinese one. For the Russian user there is no difference.
Of the additional network features, support for the second range of Wi-Fi (5 GHz) and NFC technology is available. The external device connection mode (USB Host, OTG) is supported here, so any flash drives connected to the microUSB port, as well as mice with keyboards, are perfectly recognized.
The navigation module works with both GPS and the domestic GLONASS system, and also finds satellites of the Chinese Beidou system.
All the necessary and modern modules are present, there is nothing to complain about. Except for the lack of wireless charging technology, but this is nitpicking.
▌ PRODUCTIVITY
OnePlus One is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC performance system. At the disposal of the buyer comes a quad-core processor, made using 28 nm technology, with an operating frequency of each core of 2.5 GHz. Adreno 330, operating at a frequency of 578 MHz, was used as a video subsystem. Complementing all of this is the fast 3-GB LP-DDR3 memory. What can I say, the solution at the moment is one of the top. In benchmarks, the first places occupied by the smartphone are pleasing, thanks to the filling and the CyanogenMod 11S operating system.
I don’t even know if it’s worth saying that both the OS itself and any heavy games work on it without the slightest hint of brakes.
However, the smartphone in games and tests noticeably heats up under heavy load and it is very unpleasant to hold it in your hands (the hottest place is behind the camera). Hands, of course, does not burn, but I would like the device to be a little colder.
▌BATTERY, CHARGING, OPERATION TIME
The OnePlus One has a non-removable 3100 mAh battery. The figure is quite typical for smartphones of this size. On average, with active use, the battery lasts for the whole day.
As you can see, OnePlus One does not have enough stars from the sky, but it’s worth considering that the filling is very powerful and overall the test results can be considered satisfactory.
▌ CONCLUSION
Let's immediately pay attention to the price. Yes, it’s for a low price. And already it is necessary to build on it when summing up the results. What are we getting for it? A high-quality and powerful smartphone at the level of popular flagships, and even with fast firmware (which will be updated faster than others). Somewhere, OnePlus One loses to some models in terms of camera quality and the absence of a slot for a memory card with wireless charging, but otherwise everything is at the same level (and in some places even better), especially iron. And even if there are some shortcomings in this smartphone, they can be forgiven for such a price and you need to consider that One is the first product of OnePlus, and it came out successful!
If you have a small budget of up to 15,000 rubles, then it is very worth paying attention to this smartphone. Yes, I agree that the purchase procedure and the absence of a guarantee can scare off, but these are all little things and are easily solved. But the dimensions are somewhat overestimated, not everyone will like this screen size, this is one of the important parameters when choosing a device. Personally, they suit me, I hope you will get used to it!
▌ ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Nice and pleasant design High-quality display Excellent assembly and materials Top iron and excellent performance Loud speaker Presence of all kinds of communications (NFC, OTG, LTE) Firmware CyanogenMod 11S Camera with 4K recording Long battery life Low price No microSD slot Device dimensions Lack of support for wireless charging▌ PRICE AND PURCHASE
The official cost of OnePlus One is $ 300 for the 16 GB version and $ 350 for the 64 GB version. The device is not sent to Russia, so you can order it only at some address in the USA and it costs $ 15. But it’s quite difficult to buy a smartphone for this money, you need to get an invite (invitation to purchase), and only after that you can purchase a device. Invites are still spreading slowly, but you can get it. Think it all? No, you still have to go through the quest with the purchase on the official website, and this is a IP substitution, a bank card that is not tied to a Russian PayPal account, sending through an intermediary and other subtleties. If you take, for example, OnePlus One 16 GB, then together with delivery to Russia through an intermediary you get ~ $ 349.
But there is another way - buying in a Chinese online store. The price comes out a little more expensive ($ 8), but there will be no torture with invites, addresses in the USA, etc. It's simple - put in the basket, enter the delivery address, pay and wait for the parcel. According to the delivery time comes out as well. I got a smartphone from the CooliCool online store in 15 days.
The absence of the Cyanogen inscription on the back cover - this is only a small nuance that distinguishes the Chinese version from the international market. At the request of the user, he can change the ColorOS firmware preinstalled in China to CyanogenMod 11S in a few minutes.
In general, you can buy the OnePlus One 16 GB at the CooliCool store . Price along with delivery will be $ 357 .
VersionThe OnePlus One 64GB is available for $ 425 shipping .
If you have any questions about the purchase, then write in a personal message or in the comments, I will definitely help! Good luck shopping!
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Did you like the OnePlus One?
- 75.2% Yes 2295
- 9.9% No 303
- 14.8% Not yet decided 453