OnePlus One Launches Officially, Gives Xiaomi a Run for Its Money

The trend of the affordable smartphone with high-end specifications is rising quickly, and OnePlus has hopped onto the bandwagon. Yesterday in Beijing, OnePlus launched its flagship device, the OnePlus One, which boasts excellent hardware and design at a mere USD$299, giving the Xiaomi Mi3 a run for its money.

The OnePlus One, weighs a mere 162g and measures only 8.9mm thick with a tapered edge of just 4.6mm, making the device ergonomic and a pleasure to hold. The smartphone also packs a 5.5-inch 1080p full-HD screen. The OnePlus team decided to do away with logos on the front of the One, instead choosing to engrave the OnePlus logo at the back of the phone, giving the device an elegant, classy look.

Teaming up with CyanogenMod, the phone runs on the CyanogenMod 11S and Android 4.4, allowing for freedom in customizing the One with thousands of available themes.

Powered by the quad-core 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, the OnePlus One has integrated 4G LTE connectivity and 3GB RAM, promising a quick and fluid user experience.

“By paying attention to the smallest details, taking a holistic approach to product design, and working with the best partners such as Cyanogen Inc. and Qualcomm Technologies, we have been able to create the greatest day to day user experience in a smartphone without compromise,” said Pete Lau, CEO of OnePlus.

Users who snap photos frequently on their smartphones will not be disappointed with the smartphone’s 13-MP back camera (loaded with 6 lenses) with f/2.0 aperture and dual LED flash. The 5-MP front-facing camera is not too shabby either. In fact, Lau boldly claimed at the launch yesterday that the One camera is only second to the iPhone.

The removable 3100mAh battery in the OnePlus One allows for “more than a full day of use”, according to OnePlus. The device is offered in two colours, in a sleek white version (16GB) or an elegant black one (64GB).

For China, the phone will officially go on sale on May 28 on JD.com and Yixun, at RMB 1999 (USD$330) for the 16GB version and RMB 2299 (US$368) for the 64GB version.

For the rest of the world, the OnePlus One will initially be available via an invite system in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the United States in 16GB Silk White for $299/€269 and in 64GB Sandstone Black for $349/€299.