OnePlus 2 review: Bounty Hunter

24 August, 2015
So, another flagship killer means a) the original left some unfinished business or b) OnePlus ran out of smart taglines. It would’ve made little sense to OnePlus to revise the job description but, while the OnePlus 2 is clearly superior it lacks one thing the original had, the benefit of surprise...

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  • D
  • AnonD-352570
  • rbs
  • 25 Aug 2015

2016 flagship killer!! Think twice!

    • D
    • AnonD-1544
    • yL8
    • 25 Aug 2015

    No matter how attractive this phone is oneplus killed it with the stupid invite system.

    Yes it was fun the first time around but no more, I actually want a product that I can pay for and get immediately rather than waiting in line as if I have nothing else better to do.

    Bad move oneplus.

      • n
      • nobody
      • mTn
      • 25 Aug 2015

      hmmmm... performance-wise it's not a big big step up from a... let's say Galaxy S5. Sure the new adreno is significantly faster but many tests including browsing place that "old" S5 higher. This doesn't give much incentive to actually upgrade from 2014-flagship devices.

      Like I wrote before and keep telling. I'll be waiting for the Cortex-A72 devices. They will be a much more significant update in performance then the SD801 vs SD810 devices.

      And knowing that the SD801 is merely an overclocked SD800. I think that even a Sony Z1 (compact) can still stands its own in 2015. It seems that for now the big performance surprises are gone. The FUgly Lolipop (and it's associated memory problems) coupled with the overheating SD810 gives a 2015 and early 2016 a nasty taste.

      What beg questions is that even end 2015 manufacturers stubbornly keep churning out SD810 devices. Are you surprised that they are all in trouble? I'm not.

        • A
        • Asus ZenFone user
        • tue
        • 25 Aug 2015

        AnonD-416089, 25 Aug 2015Why is there no mention of Asus zenfone2?? In fact in most... moreAsus ZenFone 2 is the best cheap flagship phone...but it's underrated which is the problem i guess

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • tue
          • 25 Aug 2015

          Sectorian, 25 Aug 2015OK the phone is good but expencive for flagship killer. Th... moreAre you kidding me...the ZUK 2 is the next flagship killer..what a joke..

            • D
            • AnonD-416089
            • HsJ
            • 25 Aug 2015

            Why is there no mention of Asus zenfone2??
            In fact in most of the score comparisons there is no mention of zenfone 2.... Any specific reason...gsmarena??

              • M
              • Mick
              • fsT
              • 25 Aug 2015

              Even if it is not the topic here I want to post my personal experience with the latest flagship.I buy my devices used and don't care about warranty cos I can fix them on my own. All running on latest android Lp.some rooted and removed bloatware .stockandroid.about 50 third party apps.WiFi only on if accessible. Mobile data always on.location on.autosync off.no battery saver or inbuilt savers used.at least they are doing nothing else than turn off some features. With my using profile this is my experience with On screen time.
              Lgg3 can't reach even 4h screen always the biggest consumer
              Honor 6 around 5h some lags cos of inferior gpu
              HTC m8 up to 6h best loudspeakers
              S6 up to 5,5 h probably the fastest but nogo without memory card.
              Note 4 up to 6,5 h
              Z3c up to 8 h
              It's my personal favorite cos of power and size. I have big hands but not big pockets and I love it not to disturb me while I'm sitting.
              In my opinion every device which runs better than 40000 on antutu is fast enough for every task you through on it.
              That's why I don't see improvement in 2015 yet.a S6 active might be interesting with it's big battery but without SD card nogo. I don't care about design but functionality. Anyhow most people admire their phone for design and put it in a ugly case to protect it from damages. What is the high quality touching experience if it's in a case. I don't get it. So finally sorry again if I'm out of topic but the oneplus two is not even a flagship hunter for me.cheers

                AnonD-126844, 25 Aug 2015what oneplus two should have done: give it a 2k screen, ... moreAnd that battery life would've been even worse for no perceivable increase in visual quality...

                  • p
                  • pp06
                  • dQk
                  • 25 Aug 2015

                  Sectorian, 25 Aug 2015OK the phone is good but expencive for flagship killer. Th... moreThere is no such thing as a flagship killer, they are electronics. The only thing that is a killer at present seems to be 2k /4k screen and bloatware. A battery killer.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • dQk
                    • 25 Aug 2015

                    puremind, 25 Aug 2015Flagship killer doesnt mean cheap. Zuk Z1, Asus Zenfone 2, ... moreFlagship killer is a meaningless term designed to first make existing handsets look good whilst simultaneously popping the hype of the newly launched handset in question. It means nothing because everything is the same, churned out every 6 months and performance is now at a level where the upgrades are incremental.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • dQk
                      • 25 Aug 2015

                      AnonD-126844, 25 Aug 2015what oneplus two should have done: give it a 2k screen, ... moreNFC - not important for vast majority.
                      2k - is the hit on battery worth it? Nope.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • dQk
                        • 25 Aug 2015

                        Flagship killer was a nonsensical term to actually kill the hype of the phone in question by building it up. In fact, the best way to kill a competing handset is to call it a flagship killer. Also the term is meaningless in a world where there is a new handset every 6 months and also they all look and feel the same. It is a sea of sameness no matter which one you pick up. Thank stock Android for that. Where 5" becomes 5.1".

                          • D
                          • AnonD-126844
                          • IVM
                          • 25 Aug 2015

                          what oneplus two should have done:

                          give it a 2k screen,
                          nfc for android m's smartpay
                          snapdragon 808 instead of 810 to offset the increased price for the 2k screen
                          2d sim slot for option microsd support

                            • S
                            • Sectorian
                            • s3x
                            • 25 Aug 2015

                            OK the phone is good but expencive for flagship killer.
                            The new Snapdragon 808 and 810 are not energy efficient. That proof in the LG4 Soc, Sony Z3+ and LG Flex 2 and HTC M9 they all show videoplayback and webrowsing around from 7-9 for avarage in the GSM Arenata tests.
                            The desiosion for CM to yse Oxygen OS and that Soc was a bad idea for time bean.
                            For 50 more buck they can use Exynos 7420.
                            I know that camera is good and this picture quality are bad becouse the bad Softwear optimiziation. Clear shot is a fail for now.
                            The choose for non SD card extention is verry bad dessicion. The new android 6.0 will support SD Card some new options.
                            A little more brightness for the display will be nice. Like a color pallety for the saturation two. I kand understand why they use this chinies display. LG sell they new quantum display. Bad decision two.
                            Good to se that deep sleep battery. The problem whit the new phones is the 3G battery live. A few phones surviver aroud 30hour in Deep Sleep. Kombine this whit the new Android 6.0 the results coult be even better.
                            For me a flagship killer have to come whit QuckCharge 2.0 in package atleast or some new charging technology.
                            Really like so see that now need to weake up the phone to use fingerspint to unlock the devices.
                            There are a many softwear options that the CM brint to the users. But all this futures are in the Cyanogen OS. Verry poor theme engine.

                            I dont know but i must say that the next flagshipp killer will be the New Zuk 2 i think.
                            All this could be end for One Plus flagshipp killers and rise for the Zuk series.
                            We will se in the futures. Im w8t for the Zuk Z1 review. Hope to see good display, fast CM OS, Battery friendly, Great design and camera quality.

                              • S
                              • Sectorian
                              • s3x
                              • 25 Aug 2015

                              OK the phone is good but expencive for flagship killer.
                              The new Snapdragon 808 and 810 are not energy efficient. That proof in the LG4 Soc, Sony Z3+ and LG Flex 2 and HTC M9 they all show videoplayback and webrowsing around from 7-9 for avarage in the GSM Arenata tests.
                              The desiosion for CM to yse Oxygen OS and that Soc was a bad idea for time bean.
                              For 50 more buck they can use Exynos 7420.
                              I know that camera is good and this picture quality are bad becouse the bad Softwear optimiziation. Clear shot is a fail for now.
                              The choose for non SD card extention is verry bad dessicion. The new android 6.0 will support SD Card some new options.
                              A little more brightness for the display will be nice. Like a color pallety for the saturation two. I kand understand why they use this chinies display. LG sell they new quantum display. Bad decision two.
                              Good to se that deep sleep battery. The problem whit the new phones is the 3G battery live. A few phones surviver aroud 30hour in Deep Sleep. Kombine this whit the new Android 6.0 the results coult be even better.
                              For me a flagship killer have to come whit QuckCharge 2.0 in package atleast or some new charging technology.
                              Really like so see that now need to weake up the phone to use fingerspint to unlock the devices.
                              There are a many softwear options that the CM brint to the users. But all this futures are in the Cyanogen OS. Verry poor theme engine.

                              I dont know but i must say that the next flagshipp killer will be the New Zuk 2 i think.
                              All this could be end for One Plus flagshipp killers and rise for the Zuk series.
                              We will se in the futures. Im w8t for the Zuk Z1 review. Hope to see good display, fast CM OS, Battery friendly, Great design and camera quality.

                                • M
                                • Mick
                                • fsT
                                • 25 Aug 2015

                                BTW.I'm using a z3c too. And I'm happy with it on 5.1.1 Lp. I don't need a faster device I even don't see a compared advantage in speed of a s6 or note 4, but I have a selftested 50% better battery life. But it's only my experience. Up to 7,5 hours screen on time on heavy day use is a real deal.so I'm only curious on the successor. Hopefully they will keep the performance and improve the material quality. Else I will keep my z3c reading reviews and wondering about a simply lost year of engineering better devices. Just my fifty cents.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • uEy
                                  • 25 Aug 2015

                                  Dear GSM Arena,

                                  I'm more interested in how long does one need to charge this phone with
                                  1. original charger
                                  2. 2A/5V charger
                                  3. Qualcom 2.0 QuickCharge charger
                                  4. Samsung Adaptive Fast Charger
                                  5. Asus Quick Boost Charger

                                  Thank you.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • MgH
                                    • 25 Aug 2015

                                    Honor 7 is my next phone.

                                      • d
                                      • dre
                                      • tue
                                      • 25 Aug 2015

                                      Anonymous, 25 Aug 2015LOL, flagship killer is more or less a marketing term to m... moreGood one!! Lot of people blindly go for cheap flagship phones like this

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-99764
                                        • Sa2
                                        • 25 Aug 2015

                                        meh "2016 flagship killer"

                                        more like "2015(4) midranger killer", but a prey to 2014 flagships. Thx for calling back Sony Z3 (compact), with way better battery life, design, expandable storage, IP58 rating and similar pricing

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