Well, it's finally here and even before you see the smartphone, there are two things to be happy about.
You're Not Invited
First: no invites needed to buy. Just head on over to Amazon or OnePlus.net and pick it up. OnePlus and others have been using an invite system to sell limited stocks out quickly and create a "buzz" at the same time as everyone scrambles to find out how to get one of these elusive invites. Although many customers thought it a clever strategy and liked the feeling of being part of an exclusive club it gave, few are sorry that they don't have to work hard to get the device should they choose to.
A Happy Medium
The original OnePlus One had launched for Rs 21,999 and the OnePlus 2 for Rs 22,999. Now with the price of the third generation of this device having been stepped up to Rs 27,999, you would have thought there would be some vociferous protests. While there are a few who think the device should have cost Rs 5,000 less than it does, there are no strong distress calls on the price front. The feeling that one is in fact getting a flagship phone for a mid-range price, is quite widespread.
It Looks Like...
The earlier OnePluses had a sandpapery back which was quite distinctive. With the OnePlus 3, this has been done away with and we now have a phone that some say looks like an HTC and others say looks like an iPhone. One is so accustomed to phones looking like either the iPhone or an HTC that it's hardly remarkable any more. Whatever it looks like, I found the OnePlus 3 very light and slim and easy to grip because it isn't overly broad.The rounded sides add to a great in-hand feel. The device also has that look and feel we like to call "Premium," in India. It feels worth the price and though it doesn't push the "Flagship Killer" line now, it could well be. Depending, of course, on a more extended view of its performance.
6GB RAM and Other Specs
How amazing that the RAM on something that fits in your hand should shoot so far ahead of what one is accustomed to on laptops -- except for a few lucky ones. Just initially, the performance is smoother than smooth. Everything moves before you realise it so yes, watch out for accidental touches, specially because of its thin side bezels.
Why would you need 6 whole GB of RAM? I suppose it's like a fast car. You can never have enough speed. But that apart, avid gamers will be pleased and with VR around (there's a VR headset launched by OnePlus and their global launch was on virtual reality) the RAM won't hurt. I didn't find the device heating up either though it got a shade warm on the top half.
The 5.5-inch Full-HD 1080p display (with 401ppi density) is really rather good and looks somehow refined. It's sunlight friendly enough and very easy on the eye. Looking at it, it's obvious that there are 1080p screens and there are 1080p screens. It's not a vivid screen, full of contrasts, but it superbly comfortable.
Other specs include, in no small measure, the 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad core processor and Adreno 530. It's performance on benchmarks shoots through the roof. There's 64GB of storage with no expandable option, a USB Type-C port with lovely red cables, a 3,000mAh battery with fast charging -- you can top it up very quickly any time because of the "Dash Charge" which lets you go form near zero to 60% in 30 minutes.
Oxygen OS Breathes Easy
The one strong reason OnePLus devices are a bit with the tech savvy is because of the interface and operating system on top of Android -- in this case Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It's a clean useful interface with full customisability -- for those who can -- and none of the nonsense other phone manufacturers heap on. It's so close to pure Android that the system is one of the biggest draws those who want to control their own phones in their own way. Other than putting in useful tweaks, OnePlus has left Android well alone and that's a relief. There are a few features like drawing an O on the screen to open up the camera or swiping on the Home screen to get to a Shelf where your frequent apps and contacts appear.
Worth a Shot
The OnePlus 3's 16MP camera with an f2.0 lens does well for itself. My initial shots were indoors with some daylight trickling in and on superficial examination, these were just great. A significantly dark room wasn't so good and had nothing but murky noise but then the flash did a good job and lit up the image without making it look like a flash artefact. Outdoors, colours were accurate -- on-screen -- and images overall balanced and pleasing. The 8MP front camera was also pretty good though somewhat over saturated. You can save RAW images, shoot in slow motion.
Overall, the OnePlus, at first glance, gives smartphone's twice the price a run for their money. It's light, easy to hold, has an unencumbered operating system, and is supersonically fast with its Snapdragon 820 processor and 6GB RAM. On top of that, it's a Dual SIM with 4G VoLTE support, fingerprint scanner and a nice metal body. There's little not to like.
BW Reporters
Mala Bhargava has been writing on technology well before the advent of internet in Indians and before CDs made their way into computers. Mala writes on technology, social media, startups and fitness. A trained psychologist, she claims that her understanding of psychology helps her understand the human side of technology.
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