The OnePlus One Takes Aim At Today’s Flagships – Here’s How It Compares
After months of hype and speculation, the OnePlus One finally got its official unveiling today. At just $299 for 16GB of storage and $349 for 64GB, it is perfectly priced to compete with affordable smartphones like the Nexus 5 — but its design and internal specifications are very much taking aim at the latest flagships.
In fact, OnePlus calls its debut smartphone the “flagship killer.” So, does the device have what it takes to take on rivals like the HTC One M8, the Sony Xperia Z2, and the already popular Samsung Galaxy S5? We’ve compiled an in-depth comparison between them all to help you decide.
Please scroll the table left and right to see all of its contents
| OnePlus One | Samsung Galaxy S5 | HTC One M8 | Sony Xperia Z2 | iPhone 5s | LG G2 | Samsung Galaxy Note 3 | LG Nexus 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | CyanogenMod 11 (based on Android 4.4 KitKat) | Android 4.4.2 KitKat | Android 4.4.2 KitKat | Android 4.4.2 KitKat | iOS 7.1 | Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean | Android 4.4.2 KitKat | Android 4.4.2 KitKat |
| Display | 5.5-inch IPS display (1920 x 1080) | 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display (1920 x 1080) | 5-inch LCD display (1920 x 1080) | 5.2-inch IPS display (1920 x 1080) | 4-inch Retina display (1136 x 640) | 5.2-inch True HD IPS display (1920 x 1080) | 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display (1920 x 1080) | 5-inch True HD IPS+ display (1920 x 1080) |
| PPI | 401 | 415 | 441 | 424 | 326 | 424 | 386 | 445 |
| Processor | 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 | 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 | 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 | 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 | 64-bit A7 | 2.26GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 | 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 | 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 |
| RAM | 3GB | 2GB | 2GB | 3GB | 1GB | 2GB | 3GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB, 64GB | 16GB, 32GB + microSD card slot (up to 128GB) | 16GB, 32GB + microSD card slot (up to 128GB) | 16GB + microSD card slot (up to 128GB) | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB | 16GB, 32GB | 32GB, 64GB + microSD card slot (up to 64GB) | 16GB, 32GB |
| Camera(s) | 13MP Sony (rear) + 5MP (front) | 16MP (rear) + 2MP (front) | 4MP UltraPixel Duo Camera + 5MP front | 20.7MP (rear) with 4K video recording + 2.2MP (front) | 8MP (rear) with f2.2 aperture + 1.2MP FaceTime HD (front) | 13MP (rear) + 2.1MP | 13MP (rear) + 2MP (front) | 8MP (rear) + 1.3MP (front) |
| Other | SwapStyle changeable back covers, stereo speakers | Fingerprint scanner, heartbeat sensor, IR blaster, dust- and water-resistant | Front-facing BoomSound stereo speakers, IR blaster. | Dust- and water-resistant | Fingerprint scanner | Rear-mounted buttons | IR blaster | Stock Android, wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm | 142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm | 146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35mm | 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2mm | 123.83 x 58.57 x 7.6mm | 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9mm | 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm | 137.9 x 69.2 x 8.6mm |
| Weight | 169g | 145g | 160g | 163g | 112g | 143g | 168g | 130g |
| Battery | 3,100mAh | 2,800mAh | 2,600mAh | 3,200mAh | 1,440mAh | 3,000mAh | 3,200mAh | 2,300mAh |
| Price | $299 | $699.99 | $649.99 | $849 | $649 | $425 | $699.99 | $349 |
As you can see, the OnePlus One is a lot like its high-end rivals. It’s powered by the same Snapdragon 801 processor, has a similar-sized 1080p display, and it offers about the same storage options. There’s no microSD card slot, but the One does has an extra 1GB of RAM.
The OnePlus One shows off its neat internals.
One of the downsides to the One when compared with handsets like the Galaxy S5 and the Xperia Z2 is that it isn’t waterproof — and this is something consumers will become increasingly attracted to in the future; everyone would have a waterproof smartphone given the choice.
The One is also lacking an infrared blaster, which the Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3, and One M8 offer. This won’t be a deal-breaker for most people, but if you’ve already had the pleasure of a TV remote built into your smartphone, you’ll miss it when it’s not there.
Of course, the biggest difference between these handsets is in the price. While most of them weigh in around the $700 mark, the One starts at an incredible $299 for 16GB of storage — increasing to $349 for 64GB of storage. That’s $50 less than the Nexus 5, and you get a whole lot more for your money.
The OnePlus One has bottom-facing stereo speakers.
Not only does the One have a faster, more advanced processor, but it also has a significantly better camera, a bigger battery, more RAM, and a bigger display. These things are going to make it an incredible popular option for a lot of smartphone buyers in 2014.
Personally, unless there’s something about the OnePlus One you fundamentally do not like (what is there not to like?), this has to be the smartphone at the top of your wish-list. The only issue with that right now is that you need an invite to get one, and it’s likely going to be a while before it goes on general sale.
