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Has Qualcomm really fixed the Snapdragon 810 for the OnePlus 2?

OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 2 will sport Qualcomm’s ill-fated Snapdragon 810 chip, known to overheat in tests – but don’t despair as the all-new 810 version 2, has apparently been fixed.

Chinese start-up OnePlus is set to launch its second smartphone after the massive OnePlus One won over critics and consumers with its solid specs and impressive value. However, recently we’ve heard strong rumours that Qualcomm’s notorious Snapdragon 810 processor will be used in the OnePlus 2, despite consistent reports of the chip’s tendancy to get toasty.

OnePlus has now formally announced that it is indeed using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 for the OnePlus 2, but it’s also made it very clear that the device will be powered by the Snapdragon 810 v2.1 – which has reportedly been engineered to run “cooler than ever”.

Now, the cynics among you may remember Qualcomm saying that it had “fixed” any issues with the 810, and you may also remember reading about issues with Sony’s Xperia Z4 since then. Which suggests that Qualcomm’s attempts so far to rescue the ill-fated chipset have been less than effective.

OnePlus claims that the new version of the chip will contain thermal gel, while layers of graphite placed across different areas of the phone should allow the heat to dissipate. As such, it certainly sounds like both companies have worked hard on counteracting any potential heat issues (as well as prettying up their PR to put minds at rest), but we can’t help but be a little concerned at the choice – especially as there are decent alternatives on offer.

Of course, the Snapdragon 810 v2.1 could turn out to be cooler than Idris Elba standing in a fridge on a glacier, but early concerns could still impact sales, at least to begin with. Especially given recent question marks over OnePlus customer service, including reported RMA problems and other snafus.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for the OnePlus 2 and we’ve got fingers, toes and other bits all tightly crossed that the new Snapdragon turns out to be a lot les fiery.

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