OnePlus, a Shenzen tech startup with an interesting company mantra, “never settle”, is debuting its very first smartphone, the OnePlus One. Interesting name. Should it not be called the “Two”? Not to be confused with its HTC One rival, the One is roughly similar to many of the most popular (and expensive) smartphones on the market right now. Some really powerful specifications, as well as a customizable appearance are gaining the interests of the masses. But, should we be cautiously optimistic when a “powerful and sleek” smartphone such as this is starting at only $299 unlocked?

For a good five months, the company had remained quiet about the pricing, but willingly bragged about its impressive specs to gain attention. Much of the buzz first revolved around its CynaogenMod 11s Android OS, and its LTE availability on some of the nation’s major networks, including AT&T, and T-Mobile. Two versions are available. First, a 16GB model for $299, and a 64GB model for $349. We cannot help but notice the assertive competition to the Nexus 5’s 16GB, $349 model, and its 32GB, $399 model.

What else does the One have that the others don’t (within similar price range and storage size)? For starters, it has a quad-core 2.5Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU with an Adreno 330 GPU, and 3GB of RAM. All of this is tucked under a 5.5-inch, full 1080p LCD HD screen layered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The front-facing camera has 5-megapixels. The back camera supports 13-megapixels, shoots with a f/2.0 aperture with a Sony Exmor sensor, and dual-LED flash. Don’t forget that it can record 4K video! Additionally, it includes built-in, powerful stereo speakers, NFC, LTE, GPS, Bluetooth 4.1, and a large 3,100 mAh battery; weighing in at only 162 grams. Speaking software, the OnePlus One runs on CyanogenMod 11S, a custom ROM based on Android 4.4. This software is highly customizable, and many goodies come along with it; including app privacy guard, SMS encryption, a file manager, a “Google Now” type command voice, and interface themes.

On paper, everything this phone has is enough to hold its own against any other rival flagship on the market. Obviously, for a phone with zero track record, so far, so good. OnePlus even calls the One the “2013 flagship killer”. Bold words. But, there are other selling points that still need to be made. The external magnesium-based casing comes with interchangeable covers such as bamboo, wooden hues, denim, black, and white; along with corresponding textures. The external design may appear similar to the Oppo because former Oppo CEO, Pete Lau, built it with familiar build quality, and ergonomics. Oppo is known for quality electronics, and the One’s subtle curves along the sleek, lengthy phone make it appear very slim, yet sturdy. OnePlus surely has the product, now all it needs to do is “built sufficient units, keep quality up, and squash all the bugs”. If it’s successful in that, it could change the game once it comes to market, starting April 25.