In this article we compare the specifications of the OnePlus X and OnePlus 2 to see what’s the difference between OnePlus’ 2015 line-up. For more in-depth information you can also read our full OnePlus 2 review, and keep your eyes peeled for our OnePlus X hands-on review, coming later today. And don’t forget the other OnePlus smartphone – the OnePlus One – which is still on sale. Also see our OnePlus One review and OnePlus One vs OnePlus 2 comparison.
What’s the difference between OnePlus X and OnePlus 2? Price and UK availability
Both OnePlus X and OnePlus 2 are available by invitation only (unless you go down the grey-market route). You can get an invite through OnePlus’ social media channels, through online competitions, by getting an invite off a friend who has previously purchased the device, or by joining the reservation list. The OnePlus 2 is available now, and the OnePlus X will go on sale in the EU and India on 5 November for the Onyx version and 24 November for the Ceramic version. The OnePlus X is significantly cheaper than the £239 (16GB) or £289 (64GB) OnePlus 2, at £199 for the Onyx model and £269 for the Ceramic model. However, note that only 10,000 Ceramic OnePlus X phones will be made. Also see: Best phones 2015 & Best Android phones 2015.
What’s the difference between OnePlus X and OnePlus 2? Design
Although it was rumoured to be the OnePlus 2 Mini, and in terms of weight and measurements it is, the OnePlus X appears to be quite a departure for the company. In place of the sandpaper-like rear cover you now find Onyx black glass on an etched metal bezel. OnePlus is also producing 10,000 ceramic models, each said to be 25 days in the making. The Onyx OnePlus X is the thinnest and lightest OnePlus phone to date, at 140x69x6.9mm and 138g. The Ceramic model is the same size, but a little heavier at 160g. By comparison, the OnePlus 2 is significantly larger, 151.8×74.9×9.85mm, and heavier, at 175g. This difference in size and weight is primarily down to the differing displays, as we’ll explain next, although with the OnePlus X the company has also fitted a smaller battery – 2250mAh against the 2’s 3300mAh. Both phones feature the new Alert Slider, which lets you set the priority for notifications without taking the phone out of your pocket, but only the OnePlus 2 features a fingerprint scanner. And where the OnePlus 2 features futureproof USB-C for charging and data transfer, the OnePlus X has reverted to Micro-USB.
What’s the difference between OnePlus X and OnePlus 2? Screen
Whereas the OnePlus 2 is fitted with a 5.5in IPS panel, the OnePlus X has a smaller 5in AMOLED panel. Both are full-HD (1080p) screens, but the OnePlus X will appear clearer due to those pixels being stretched over a smaller area. New to the OnePlus X, and thanks to the AMOLED screen tech, is its ability to act as an ambient display, waking in duochrome mode to alert you to notifications. The screen will also wake when the phone is removed from a pocket or bag. Also see: Best new phones coming in 2015/2016.
What’s the difference between OnePlus X and OnePlus 2? Core hardware
Although we have yet to run the OnePlus X through our benchmarks, it’s clear that the OnePlus 2 will win on performance, fitted with a 1.8GHz octa-core second-gen Snapdragon 810 processor and 4GB of DDR4 RAM in place of the OnePlus X’s 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 and 3GB of DDR3 RAM. With the OnePlus 2 you get a choice of 16GB (with 3GB RAM) or 64GB (with 4GB RAM) of built-in storage; with the OnePlus X it’s simply 16GB or 16GB. But you do get support for microSD up to 128GB (provided you don’t wish to use the second Nano-SIM slot.) We’ll update this comparison once we’ve been able to benchmark the new phone and check out real-world performance. Also see: What’s the fastest smartphone 2015?
What’s the difference between OnePlus X and OnePlus 2? Connectivity
We had hoped the OnePlus X would reinstate the connectivity features missing from the OnePlus 2, notably NFC. We also hoped it might include support for Qualcomm Quick Charge and wireless charging. It doesn’t do any of these things. In fact, the OnePlus X takes away more than it adds. As we’ve mentioned, gone are the fingerprint scanner and USB-C port. The OnePlus X adds support for microSD, but at the expense of being a dual-SIM 4G phone – it’s either/or here. Both phones support Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and GLONASS, and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. Also see: Best dual-SIM phones.
What’s the difference between OnePlus X and OnePlus 2? Cameras
The OnePlus X is fitted with a new 13Mp rear camera with f/2.2 aperture, optimised white balance and saturation, and a fast 0.2-second autofocus with phase detection. It can capture full-HD video, or 720p in slow-mo (120fps) mode. There’s also an 8Mp selfie camera at the front. The OnePlus 2 also features a 13Mp rear camera, with a six-element lens that’s capable of shooting 4K, time-lapse and slow-motion video. It has all the features you would expect for a flagship camera, including optical image stabilisation, a laser autofocus (which can focus in under 0.3 seconds), a dual-LED flash, an f/2.0 aperture and 1.3μm pixels that should work more effectively in low-light environments. The selfie camera is rated at 5Mp. It’s difficult to tell which is the better camera from the specs alone, so we’ll reserve judgement until we get to properly test the OnePlus X. Also see: Best phone camera 2015.
What’s the difference between OnePlus X and OnePlus 2? Software
Both phones are running OxygenOS based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Aside from the Ambient Display feature mentioned above, you should get the same experience on OnePlus X and OnePlus 2. Also see: OnePlus 2 vs Samsung Galaxy S6. Read next: OnePlus Power Bank review and Best OnePlus phones Marie is Editor in Chief of Tech Advisor and Macworld. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our English language, French and Spanish consumer editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
