Oneplus Y and U series TV, cheaper than Q series, but…

Oneplus has been working on its new line up of TV models for quite some time. Typical of Oneplus they have been systematically planting leaks about the new models and have kept everyone excited for months. They have finally announced it at an online event yesterday and here are my thoughts.

Oneplus Q series was launched as a premium segment TV. The premium segment is dominated by Sony, Samsung, LG, and Panasonic. These brands have been around for ages and people trust them. Oneplus being a new entrant in the industry for TVs, it is not easy to convince anyone to part with a huge sum to trade in for their TVs. The Oneplus Q series models were good but did not make any dent in the market share for Oneplus. Oneplus finally came to their senses and launched TVs in the entry and mid-level where it is easy to convince customers.

In my opinion, Oneplus must have started by proving themselves in the entry level and then moved on to the premium segment, which would have been a much more successful strategy. But it is what it is and lets talk about the new TVs launched by Oneplus, the Y and U series.

U Series – 55 inch 4K TV

The 55-inch model is priced at Rs 49999. In the market today, 55 inch 4K TVs are available for a starting price for 30-32k. There is a Mi TV model similar to the 55U1 which was launched in Feb 2018 and is now selling at Rs 47999. But Oneplus claims that their panel is superior with support for 93% of DCI-P3 color gamut. The 4K panel supports Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10, and HDR10+. A Gamma Engine built-in works for optimizing the picture viewing experience by offering Advanced Motion Estimation Motion Compensation, Noise reduction, Dynamic Contrast, anti-aliasing, and all of them done with an AI picture quality algorithm. The panel design is slim and has a nice looking back design. While most TV doesn’t care about how it looks from the back, Oneplus has taken care of the back as well. With a scoreless design and a carbon-fiber pattern on the usual plastic material makes it look better. The ports are also hidden with a magnetic cover.

The 55 inch model 55U1 runds on MediaTek MT5887 processor with 3 GB or RAM and 16 Gigs of internal storage. The TV has 30 W backfiring speaker and the output supports Dolby Atmos, provided you have a Atmos support external sound system. The TV runs on Android TV 9 with an additional software from Oneplus called the Oxygen Play, which is a OTT content aggregator and manager.

The remote has also been redesigned to have more buttons along with the much criticized mute button. But the navigation buttons is at the top, which I feels would be difficult to reach and handle as it is the most used button in a smart remote.

Do these features justify the extra premium cost? At Rs 50k, we can get a 65 inch 4K model from Mi or VU. But Oneplus believes that they bring more value to the living room with their premium display and additional features. India is a price-sensitive market and in my opinion, there is not much balance with the price to value ratio in their 55-inch model. But we will have to test if to come to a conclusion. I would suggest you to personally try it out and then decide if planning to buy it as it is a huge investment.

Y Series – Now we are talking

The Y series has 2 models. The 43 inch 43Y1 and the 32 inch 32Y1. These TV don’t have all the bells and whistles like the U1 model, but are priced competitively. 32Y1 is priced at Rs 12,999 and 43Y1 is Rs 22,999 which is quite similar to other options in the market. The 43 inch model is a FHD model and the 32 inch is just a HD ready. While Sony and Samsung have FHD models in 32 inch, the budget brands have only HD ready. Oneplus could have filled that gap. A missed opportunity, but maybe for their next gen model.

Both these models have Gamma Engine for anti-aliasing and noise reduction, but no MEMC or HDR support. They have 1 GB RAM and 8 GB storage with 20W speakers supporting Dolby. They also get Oxygen play support. With the Y Series, it feels that Oneplus has finally understood the Indian market and they will make a lasting impression in the TV segment. But they have a long way to go and prove themselves in the TV market in India and earn the trust and finally crush the competition. Looks like a good start!

…from the Press Note…

After-sales services

• On purchase, users can now avail the new Unified Delivery Service (UDS) offering, which allows for installation and demo at the time of delivery across 20 cities in India. Also, upon buying the new OnePlus TV, users can schedule their delivery, installation and demo services at their convenience
• Users can also download the OnePlus Care app to avail any other services at their convenience
• Customers who pre-book the OnePlus TV U Series or Y Series on Amazon can also enjoy two years of extended warranty on their purchase

Pricing and Availability

The OnePlus TV Y Series 32 inch will be available starting 5 July 2020 on Amazon.in. The OnePlus TV Y series 43 inch and OnePlus TV U Series 55 inch will be available to customers soon.

Users can avail the following launch offers on the new OnePlus TVs:

• Up to 12 months no-cost EMI on purchase through all major bank Debit and Credit cards 
• On purchase of the OnePlus TV 55U1 and 43Y1 on Amazon.in, customers can get an Amazon Echo Dot free. For more details, head over to Amazon.in
• On purchase of the OnePlus TV 32Y1 on Amazon.in, customers can get the Amazon Echo Dot for just INR 1999. For more details, head over to Amazon.in