OnePlus X Smartphone Review with Design and Performance

The OnePlus X is a sleek and compact smartphone that's designed to impress. It's built with a premium feel in mind, featuring a 2.5D curved glass back and a durable aluminum frame.

One of the standout features of the OnePlus X is its compact size, measuring in at just 140.8 x 69.8 x 6.9mm. This makes it easy to slip into a pocket or purse, perfect for those who want a phone that's easy to carry around.

The phone's design is also notable for its attention to detail, with a subtle curve to the glass back that adds a touch of elegance to the overall look.

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The OnePlus X has a build quality that's hard to beat, feeling like a high-quality, solid object worth way more than its $250 asking price. The glass front and back make it more fragile than average, so be careful not to drop it often.

The extra glass panel does have a tendency to "creep" off of a table due to its smooth, slippery surface. If your table isn't perfectly flat, the OnePlus X will start sliding away.

A flat, aluminum band wraps around the perimeter, giving it a familiar feel reminiscent of an iPhone 4 or 4S. The band's dark gunmetal color and engraved ridges are attempts to separate the X from its ancestry, but it's still a distinctive feature.

The power and volume buttons are metal and have firm, clicky mechanisms that feel durable. The single speaker is surprisingly loud and works well for everyday use, despite only being one of two speaker ports.

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The OnePlus X has a build quality that's truly impressive, with a finely crafted glass and metal sandwich that feels like a high-quality device worth way more than its $250 price tag.

The glass front and back are a highlight, but they also make the device more fragile, so be careful not to drop it often.

A flat, aluminum band wraps around the perimeter, giving it a familiar feel reminiscent of an iPhone 4 or 4S.

The power and volume buttons are metal and have firm, clicky mechanisms that feel like they'll last a while.

The device has a notification priority switch on the side that changes Android's do-not-disturb mode between "No Interruptions", "Priority Interruptions Only", and "All Notifications."

You can also use dual SIM cards or a single SIM card and a MicroSD slot, which is a great feature for travelers or those who need extra storage.

The SIM tray has a clever design that lets the second card slot fit either a second nano SIM or an SD card.

The OnePlus X's build quality is so good that it's hard to believe it's only $250.

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The OnePlus X lets you take control with custom buttons. You can personalize the functions of your device's navigation buttons to suit your style.

This means you can tailor the smartphone experience to your preferences. By customizing the buttons, you can make your device work exactly how you want it to.

The OnePlus X gives you the freedom to choose how you interact with your phone. Whether you're a fan of shortcuts or prefer a more traditional layout, the custom buttons feature has got you covered.

The OnePlus X is a powerhouse in a compact package.

It features a 5-inch 1080p display, perfect for watching videos or browsing the web on the go.

The phone's performance is driven by a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, making it a great choice for heavy users.

With 3GB of RAM, you can have multiple apps open at the same time without any issues.

The OnePlus X camera is a standout feature, with a 13MP f/2.2 rear camera that's blazingly fast and designed for high-quality photos.

The rear camera is equipped with ISOCELL technology, which increases light sensitivity for sharper images and less noise. With autofocus powered by Phase Detection AF, focusing on subjects in 0.2 seconds is a breeze.

The front-facing shooter is just as impressive, with an 8MP camera and f/2.4 aperture, making it perfect for effortless, flawless photos every time.

You can choose from three optimized shooting modes: Auto, HDR, or Clear Image, and shoot crisp, 1080p HD video with added options for time-lapse and slow motion.

The camera's performance is truly remarkable, with amazingly fast photo-taking speeds that blow the competition out of the water.

The OnePlus X's performance is a mixed bag. It uses a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 801 SoC with 3GB of RAM, which may not win any benchmark wars but is still plenty fast for everyday tasks.

You can load Web pages and browse around Android with ease. The older SoC isn't a big deal, and it's a testament to the device's capabilities that it still feels fast today.

The device's processor and RAM combination make it a capable smartphone that feels like it's worth more than its $249 price tag.

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The OnePlus X comes preloaded with Oxygen OS version 2.1.2, based on Android 5.1.1 "Lollipop". This is OnePlus's custom build of the operating system.

OnePlus has rolled out updates for the OnePlus X, including version 2.2.2, which brought bug fixes, changes to the camera UI, and the July security patch. Version 2.2.3 added the September security patch and necessary dependencies for upgrading to Android Marshmallow. Version 3.1.3, released on October 1, 2016, finally brought the Android Marshmallow upgrade.

Despite the updates, the OnePlus X's update schedule has been criticized for being slow. OnePlus took five months to bring Android 5.1 to the original OnePlus One, and it's likely the OnePlus X will follow a similar timeline for future updates.

The OnePlus X comes preloaded with Oxygen OS version 2.1.2, which is based on Android 5.1.1 "Lollipop". This operating system is a custom build by OnePlus, offering a unique experience.

OnePlus began rolling out version 2.2.2 of Oxygen OS on August 4, 2016, which included bug fixes and changes to the camera UI, as well as the July security patch. This update was a significant improvement for the device.

The OnePlus X also received a September security patch with version 2.2.3 of Oxygen OS, which was released on September 28, 2016. This update was a necessary step towards the Android Marshmallow upgrade.

OnePlus started rolling out version 3.1.3 of Oxygen OS on October 1, 2016, which finally brought the Android Marshmallow upgrade to the device. This update was a long time coming, but it was worth the wait.

The Oxygen OS is based on stock Android, with some extra features and customizability. It's a great option for those who want a close-to-stock experience with some added benefits.

The OnePlus X is not another flagship killer, we have the OnePlus 2 for that.

OnePlus decided to take a break from the high profile smartphone game and brings us a stunning mid-ranger.

The OnePlus X is a mid-range smartphone that offers a unique design and impressive performance.

It's worth noting that the OnePlus X is not a flagship phone, it's a more affordable option.

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Users are still rocking their OnePlus X devices, with some even using them as their daily drivers.

One user has been using their OnePlus X since January 2016 and is still going strong.

The device is running LineageOS 18.1, which provides a faster response time compared to LineageOS 20.

Aurora store and magisk are also part of the setup, with lsposed modules used to enhance the device's functionality.

MicroG is used instead of Google services, showing that the device can still be used effectively without the full suite of Google apps.

The one thing users miss from the hardware is the lack of Wi-Fi 5GHz support.

The OnePlus X was officially unveiled on 29 October 2015, after months of speculation by the media.

The phone was praised by reviewers and critics alike for its elegant looking design and high quality build.

The Ceramic version of the phone features a ceramic back baked over a 25-day manufacturing process, which was a first of its kind for a smartphone material.

Four days after the release of the phone, OnePlus also launched an extended warranty programme called On-Guard for users in Europe and India.