Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Which smartphone takes the crown in the affordable race?

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 has been one of the most impressive price/performance smartphones that we have seen till now. It comes close to the performance of Xiaomi Mi4c, and today, we will be looking at how well the handset fares against OnePlus X in both price, performance, features and aesthetics. Let us see which smartphone is a much better purchase out of the two.

Table of Contents

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Purely aesthetics

Say what you will about smartphones, but a lot of manufacturers put a lot of attention to detail when it comes to the cosmetic quality of their products. On this occasion, OnePlus X is clearly the winner because apart from sporting a beautiful exterior, the smartphone is available to purchase in two color variants:

Ceramic
Onyx

Naturally, thanks to low price tag of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, the company was forced to cut corners and one of the most obvious reductions came from the chassis type that was used for it. Although the first impressions award will definitely go to OnePlus for paying an extra amount of detail to the body, there are a lot of things to cover before we can finally reach a solid verdict.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Display quality and resolution

For the previous two handsets, OnePlus was adamant on using an LTPS LCD display for both its OnePlus One and OnePlus Two. The biggest change came with OnePlus X, when the company used an AMOLED display. Sure, AMOLED displays are inferior to Super AMOLED displays present on Samsung’s high-end smartphones and tablets in both quality and efficiency, but the display present on OnePlus X is definitely better compared to the IPS LCD present on Xiaomi Redmi Note 2. Given below are the differences between AMOLED and IPS LCD displays.

IPS LCD

Pros:

Better response time compared to regular LCDs
Better color reproduction
Better viewing angles
Sharper Images

Cons:

Requires a stronger backlight
Less efficient that AMOLED
Smartphones using such displays are usually much more thicker due to the backlight source

AMOLED

Pros:

No Backlight Required
Screen is slimmer, less bulky phone
No backlight, less battery usage, greater battery life
Great contrast

Cons:

Much more expensive compared to IPS LCD type displays
Images not as sharp IPS
Less bright compared to IPS, and its colors degrade over time

This is primarily the reason why OnePlus X costs more than Xiaomi Redmi Note 2, among other reasons which we will get to later. Despite the fact that both smartphones have a resolution of 1080p, OnePlus X has a better overall display. Naturally, most consumers will not pay this much attention to such details, except those who are picky about which display type effects their visual experience. Additionally, individuals who do experience a slight discomfort while staring at sharp images will obviously settle for OnePlus X thanks to its obvious advantages.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Screen size

OnePlus X has a 5.0 inch screen size, and is half an inch smaller than the screen size of Xiaomi Redmi Note 2. In spite that some people are opposed to using phablet sized handsets due to their sheer size, you have to admit that they are highly beneficial when you want to watch a flurry of movies on a larger screen. There are other benefits too, ranging from increasing viewing size when you are browsing the internet, looking at maps or any other activity that you want to carry out. Half an inch might not seem like a whole lot of difference, but it is only because you have not gotten the chance to experience the difference yourself.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Chipset and processor differences

We are not quite sure what OnePlus was thinking when it decided to pick Snapdragon 801 to power on its latest handset, but we believe that it was a terrible decision, since there are much better and efficient options to choose from. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is powered by a Helio X10, or MT6795, and if an MT6752 can easily beat a Snapdragon 801 in benchmarking tests, you can bet your life that even a Helio X10 is capable of replicating those results, and by a much longer margin.

Additionally, the processor in Helio X10 (Octa-core Cortex-A53) is compatible with the 64-bit architecture while Krait 400 present in Snapdragon 801 is only 32-bit compatible. The obvious advantages of having a 64-bit capable processor is that more applications will start to run fluidly, assuming their support starts to expand in the near future. While we will not see these results overnight, the presence of a 64-bit capable processor has its long list of advantages.

Before we forget, Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 comes in two processor versions, and both of them have been detailed below:

Octa-core Cortex-A53 running at 2.0GHz
Octa-core Cortex-A53 running at 2.2GHz

The 2.2GHz model will give you a slight advantage while you play intensive gaming applications or partake in additional multitasking, but keep in mind that you will have to play slightly more for it. In the end, if you want to experience more performance, it is highly recommend that you go for Xiaomi Redmi Note 2.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: RAM count differences

Here is where you will notice that OnePlus X gets back immediately into the game thanks to its 3GB RAM count. Having additional RAM is always better and for Android powered smartphones, more RAM is definitely a bonus. If you are looking for more RAM in a smartphone, then OnePlus X is definitely the better of the two. However, before making your purchase, you will also have to consider that this smartphone is going to be much slower than Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 in terms of processing, so you will have to make your decision wisely.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Wireless connectivity options

Since there are quite a few differences between both smartphones in this category, we decided to form a table in order to provide the best possible comparison between the two devices.

Attention: The internal data of table “17” is corrupted!

Our one major grip from OnePlus X is that it does not have an 802.11ac Wi-Fi chip, unlike its competitor. When you are moving into 2016, 802.11ac should become a mainstream addition in mobile devices by now. In short, if you want to experience better wireless connectivity (this will also mean that you are equipped with an 802.11ac capable router), then Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is definitely the answer.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Internal and external storage options

OnePlus X is the first smartphone belonging to the Chinese manufacturer to provide support for a microSD slot. Sure, Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 also offers you the same flexibility, but you can only expand your storage up to 32GB and this particular feature is only available in the Chinese variant. OnePlus X on the other hand has a storage expansion limit of 128GB, giving you a multitude of options of what to store, and what not to store.

However, OnePlus X only comes with 16GB of on-board storage, while Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 offers you two smartphone models; one coming in the 16 and the other coming in the 32GB capacity models. Once again, you will have to make your purchase wisely because additional amounts of internal storage gives you more freedom, and to top it all, you will still have to spend quite a lot of money on a fast, durable and reliable 128GB storage card for your OnePlus X.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Camera sensor differences and other details

Given that there are several differences separating the camera sensor of both smartphones, we have decided to form yet another table.

Attention: The internal data of table “18” is corrupted!

There is not much difference between the two devices, other than the fact that OnePlus X has a much better front camera in terms of maximum image capturing and the fact that the rear camera can record slow motion videos at 720p at a maximum frame rate of 120FPS means that you are definitely going to be investing a lot of time editing your slow-mo videos.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Battery

One crucial specification that continues being overlooked over and over again is the battery. Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is the clear winner in this category thanks to its 3,060 Li-Po, or lithium polymer. OnePlus X might also have the same battery type, but its capacity of 2,525mAh and that too being non-removable might not play too nice with consumers. To top it all, OnePlus X might have a more efficient display than Redmi Note 2, but thanks to its smaller screen size, it has a higher pixel per inch density, which will put even more strain on the processor, resulting in more strain on the battery life.

If you require battery life as your primary reasons to purchase a price/performance smartphone, then Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 is the clear winner here.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: Hardware specification differences

Going through all the comparisons is a tricky business, which is why we have decided to compare all the hardware specifications of both smartphones.

Attention: The internal data of table “19” is corrupted!

Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 vs OnePlus X: In the end, which smartphone should I choose?

It is not a question of which smartphone should you choose because each of them excel in one particular category over the other. To make your purchase a tad bit simpler, we have outlined which smartphone is better to purchase over which particular feature.