Design, display and specs

OnePlus has finally announced the long-anticipated OnePlus 2, offering vastly improved specs over the OnePlus One, a device that many considered to be the ultimate Android phone.

With it being a little over a year since the original OnePlus One was released, there's been plenty of time for mobile tech to develop and improve.

But just how has the company taken advantage of these improvements in the OnePlus 2? And is the this new Android really that much of a better device?

OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus One: Design

While companies such as Samsung and even Apple have radically changed the design of their flagship phones over the past year, OnePlus has taken a more subtle approach. The OnePlus 2 keeps the classic sandstone black finish found on the OnePlus One and the overall shape of the device is the same. For those who don't like the sandstone black look, however, OnePlus is offering a number of other backings through its StyleSwap service, like it did with the OnePlus One.

The design is similar, yet it isn't exactly the same. The camera module on the back of the device has been moved down a little, and the Cyanogen logo has been removed without replacement, making for a slightly more minimalistic look.

Another change is the new metal frame found on all edges of the device, as well as the use of a reversible USB-C port. The OnePlus 2 is one of the first devices to use the new USB-C standard, allowing for faster data transfer for wired connections.

The metal frame may have been included to give the device a sleeker look despite its thickness. Unfortunately the OnePlus 2 is slightly thicker than the OnePlus One, coming in at 9.85mm thick, compared to the One's 8.9mm.

OnePlus has also included a new slider on the side of the device, offering more control over notifications. Called the "Alert Slider," the switch basically allows users to either disable notifications altogether, only show priority notifications, which can be customized, or to show all notifications.

Last but not least is the fingerprint scanner, included in the home button of the device. This should offer users another layer of security and allow them to save time on having to use passcodes every time they want to access their phone.

OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus One: Display

Another point of similarity between the two devices is the display. While it's important to note that the OnePlus One was always about the specs under the hood for the price rather than making things look pretty, it would have been nice to see OnePlus up the ante a little. Still, the display isn't bad, coming in at 1920 x 1080 pixels, with a pixel density of 401 pixels per inch. The 5.5-inch LCD display is also protected with Corning's Gorilla Glass, which should protect against most accidental drops.

OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus One: Processing and RAM

OnePlus may not have gone all out with the display of the OnePlus 2, however the processor included in the device is a substantial upgrade over the OnePlus One. While the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 featured in last year's device was great for a 2014 flagship, this year Qualcomm's flagship processor is the Snapdragon 810, featured in the OnePlus 2.

The octa-core Snapdragon 810 is 64-bit ready and is runs with four cores at 2Ghz and the other four at 1.5Ghz. Coupled with a massive 4GB of RAM, the OnePlus 2 is an absolute powerhouse, even more so than the OnePlus One, which "only" had 3GB of RAM. Any power users out there that regularly have multiple high-power apps running at the same time should take a serious look at the OnePlus 2.

Coupled with the Snapdragon 810 processor is the Adreno 430 graphics processor, which is a great graphics card, and is touted by Qualcomm as being able to handle "rich 2D and 3D experiences."

Camera, battery, software

OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus One: Camera

Like the OnePlus One, the OnePlus 2 includes a 13MP rear-facing camera with the ability to capture video at 4K and a dual-LED flash. Unlike the One, however, OnePlus has included optical image stabilization, or OIS, to help those with shaky hands. The inclusion of OIS has been a trend in the smartphone industry over the past year and it's nice to see that OnePlus hasn't ignored that. Users can also capture slo-mo video at up to 120 frames per second with a resolution of 720p.

Another improvement is the new low-light sensor found under the camera, which should help the sensor adjust to those low-light situations.

Last but not least when it comes to the rear-facing camera is the fact that OnePlus will be offering an update in the near future offering RAW image support. While the average user won't need access to such high quality camera data, the photographers among us will certainly appreciate it.

Selfie lovers will be happy to hear that the OnePlus 2 includes a 5MP front-facing camera, and while that is the same camera as its predecessor, that's not necessarily a bad thing, and should certainly be enough for Snapchat.

OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus One: Battery

OnePlus has included a slightly improved battery in the OnePlus 2, and with a display that's the same as its predecessor, a larger battery should directly translate to a longer battery life rather than simply the ability to power a higher resolution display.

While the OnePlus One included a 3,100 mAh lithium polymer battery, the OnePlus 2 includes a battery with a capacity of 3,300 mAh. This is a fairly large battery, and should last at least all day, even for the more active users among us.

OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus One: Operating System

OnePlus was rather famously known as one of the few device manufacturers to offer CyanogenMod out of the box, however, for the OnePlus 2 the company took things in a different direction, having developed its own operating system, dubbed OxygenOS.

Like CyanogenMod, OxygenOS is based on Android, and this version of OxygenOS is based on Android 5.1. OxygenOS is a little closer to stock Android than CyanogenMod, and offers a little less customization, however relative to CyanogenMod that probably won't affect most users.

Price, availability and verdict

OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus One: Pricing and Availability

The real draw for the OnePlus One was not necessarily its specs alone, but rather those specs for the price. The OnePlus 2 is slightly more expensive than the OnePlus One, however it is still an absolute steal compared to other Android devices on the market with such good specs. The flagship model, with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, is available starting on August 11 for $389 (£289, about AU$535). Another model will be available for $329 (£239, about AU$452), featuring 16GB of storage and 3GB of RAM at a later date.

Like the OnePlus One, however, the device is only available by invite. Those interested in getting an invitation can head to the OnePlus website for more information on how to get an invitation.

OnePlus 2 vs OnePlus One: Verdict

The OnePlus 2 is certainly a worthy successor to the "flagship killer" that was the OnePlus One. While there are some drawbacks such as the thicker chassis and the same display, these are far outweighed by things like a better processor, battery, camera, and so on.

Those among us who use a lot of different apps, need a device that will last through the day without a problem, and who enjoy being able to whip out their phone to take quality photos should seriously think about at least trying to get a OnePlus 2.

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