With 5G, a strong lineup of specs and a good looking, vibrant design, the OnePlus Nord affords a hell of so much for an affordable value. At underneath 500 euros (about $570, £450 or AU$820), it is considerably cheaper than its $999 flagship sibling, the OnePlus Eight Professional.
This telephone packs a potent octacore processor, a vibrant 6.44-inch show, an in-display fingerprint scanner and 5G connectivity for ultrafast information speeds. All of that is wrapped up in a great-looking blue physique that feels something however low cost. Add to that three rear cameras that take respectable pictures and two selfie cameras, and the Nord is as well-stacked as any of at the moment’s elite handsets.
LikeAffordable price5G-enabledAttractive, vibrant design
Do not LikeUnavailable in USNot water resistantFrustrating fingerprint scanner
So what is the catch?
There are a few tiny compromises: There is not any IP score for waterproofing as you will get on the OnePlus 8 ($675 at Amazon) and eight Professional, and the in-display fingerprint scanner could be very hit or miss. Neither of that are deal-breakers. The larger downside for many of you is that this glorious telephone is not out there within the US. It is at the moment due for launch within the UK and wider Europe (in addition to India and China) however OnePlus has but to say if it will ever attain US or Australian cabinets.
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These of you who can purchase it ought to know that it is a very good telephone that gives an amazing expertise for a way more inexpensive value than any of at the moment’s flagship telephones. If you happen to’ve been eyeing up the iPhone SE however do not need to change away from Android, the OnePlus Nord is the telephone for you.
The OnePlus Nord has 5G connectivity.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Oh, and if you happen to’re questioning concerning the identify “Nord” — sadly it has nothing to do with a race of individuals within the Elder Scrolls video games, however as an alternative is as a result of Nord means North in some European languages. OnePlus says that North on a compass “factors in direction of progress and success,” which it would not, it is only a path, however who am I to argue?
A gorgeous design
I really like the daring blue coloration of the Nord. It is vibrant and enjoyable and stands out from some other telephone available on the market. The metallic edging appears nice too and whereas I am fairly positive it is produced from plastic, not metallic, it nonetheless feels good to carry. That is helped by the rear panel, which is Gorilla Glass 5 and provides a premium really feel to the telephone.
The 6.44-inch display stretches all the way in which to the perimeters, which helps the telephone not really feel too cumbersome. I might maintain and use it fairly comfortably in a single hand, whereas the bigger OnePlus Eight Professional may very well be extra of a battle.
The OnePlus Nord doesn’t have an IP score for water resistance.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
There is a fingerprint scanner constructed into the show, which implies there’s been no have to squeeze one right into a button elsewhere. It isn’t that nice although, repeatedly misreading my thumb print and forcing me to enter my PIN as an alternative. Hopefully this may be improved quickly with a easy software program replace.
The Nord would not have any IP score for waterproofing, which implies it is in all probability greatest if you happen to do not deliberately drop your telephone down the bathroom. However then, I am unable to consider a telephone I might need to deliberately drop down the bathroom. It is a disgrace because the OnePlus Eight and eight Professional have IP68 waterproofing, which helps preserve them protected from spilled drinks. That waterproofing is probably going one of many compromises OnePlus needed to make to maintain the associated fee down. Simply be sure you’re further cautious round clumsy associates carrying beers.
The display’s 2,400×1,080-pixel decision is decrease than the Eight Professional’s, but it surely nonetheless appears completely crisp and clear. Textual content and icons are pin-sharp and high-definition movies on YouTube look nice.
OnePlus Nord: a fantastically designed 5G telephone with an inexpensive price ticket
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OnePlus Nord’s processor efficiency
Below the hood is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G processor, which brings 5G connectivity to the Nord and truly makes it among the many extra inexpensive 5G telephones round. After all you will must be on a service plan that helps 5G and you may must be in an space the place 5G is on the market. 5G remains to be considerably in its infancy, so protection remains to be fairly patchy in lots of areas of the US and the UK, but it surely’s undoubtedly good to be shopping for a 5G telephone now so that you simply’re able to benefit from these speeds once they’re extra simply accessible.
The processor itself has eight cores and it is backed up by both Eight or 12GB of RAM, relying on the variant you go for. Our evaluation mannequin got here with the utmost 12GB and efficiency is superb. Navigation across the telephone was swift and freed from any lag, whereas demanding video games like Asphalt 9: Legends performed with none noticeable drop in body charges.
The OnePlus Nord and OnePlus 8.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Its scores on the Geekbench 5 and 3DMark Sling Shot benchmark assessments put it under the iPhone SE and the OnePlus Eight Professional, however above Samsung’s Galaxy A51 ($398 at Amazon). So no, it is not essentially the most highly effective telephone round, however there’s little you are more likely to throw at it every day that it will not comfortably be capable of deal with.
OnePlus’s Oxygen OS relies on the most recent Android 10 and supplies a clear interface that I actually like. It is easy to make use of, swift to navigate and it would not come preloaded with annoying bloatware. OnePlus guarantees the telephone will get software program updates for not less than two years, with vital safety updates for one more 12 months past that.
3DMark Slingshot Limitless
Be aware:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Geekbench v.5.zero single-core
Be aware:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Geekbench v.5.zero multicore
Be aware:
Longer bars point out higher efficiency
Nice huge pictures, poor macro expertise
There are three fundamental lenses on the again — there’s the usual zoom digital camera, which is a 48-megapixel Sony sensor — the identical one discovered on the OnePlus 8. That is joined by a 12-megapixel tremendous wide-angle lens and there is additionally a 2-megapixel macro digital camera that allows you to focus shut up on tiny particulars.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Outcomes from the usual lens look respectable, particularly contemplating the worth tag. Pictures look well-exposed and sharp, with vibrant, correct colours.
The wide-angle lens helps you seize much more of the scene in entrance of you. It additionally produces well-exposed pictures with respectable colours. They do not have the pin-sharp element of the principle sensor, however they’re greater than ok for Instagram or Fb.
Barely confusingly, there’s a “2x” button on the principle digital camera display, which might usually activate the 2x zoom lens on telephones which have them. It is necessary to do not forget that the Nord would not have a 2x zoom lens, in order that mode as an alternative digitally crops into your picture.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
The two-megapixel macro digital camera is disappointing. Colours look drab and lifeless, and I’ve discovered that focus could be hit or miss too. I’ve had higher close-up outcomes from utilizing the usual digital camera and easily cropping in.
There’s additionally a portrait mode that makes use of the 5-megapixel depth sensor to offer some enticing out-of-focus backgrounds to your portrait pictures, in addition to different options like 4K video, gradual movement and an evening mode for capturing brighter pictures in low mild.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
On the entrance is the primary dual-lens selfie digital camera we have seen from OnePlus. The primary entrance lens affords an enormous 32-megapixel decision, to allow you to see each excruciating element in your face. Photographs from the principle lens are sharp and well-exposed, and whereas the decrease 8-megapixel decision of the second lens supplies much less element, the wider-view permits you to seize extra of your surroundings in your selfies.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
There is a night time mode, too to assist take pictures in very low-light conditions. It does a great job of capturing the out there mild whereas sustaining a great degree of total sharpness to the scene.
OnePlus Nord battery life
There is a 4,115-mAh battery contained in the Nord that ought to be capable of present sufficient juice to maintain you going for an entire day. As all the time, that’ll rely upon how you utilize it — if you happen to spend all morning streaming movies then you possibly can in all probability anticipate to wish to offer the Nord a lift within the afternoon.
In my very own time with the telephone I discovered it might comfortably get by means of not less than a full day with what I might describe as delicate use, which included a little bit of net searching, some mild gaming and taking just a few images. Crucially, it wasn’t related to 5G, which may very well be a giant energy drain, so we’ll should see the way it fares in real-world use as soon as we are able to safely get out with it.
Whereas it would not have the wi-fi charging discovered on the OnePlus Eight Professional (one other sacrifice for the cheaper price), it does have 30-watt quick charging, which guarantees to take your telephone from empty to 70% full in a single hour. Quick charging is tremendous helpful for these events if you’re about to go away the house and realized your telephone is sort of lifeless.
OnePlus Nord specs comparability
OnePlus Nord
OnePlus 8
OnePlus Eight Professional
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Show dimension, decision
6.44-inch; 2,400×1,080-pixels
6.55-inch AMOLED; 1,080×2,400 pixels
6.78-inch AMOLED; 1,440×3,168 pixels
4.7-inch Retina HD; 1,334×750 pixels
Pixel density
408ppi
402ppi
513ppi
326ppi
Dimensions (Inches)
6.23×2.88×0.32 in
6.3×2.8×0.31 in
6.51×2.93×0.35 in
5.45×2.65×0.29 in
Dimensions (Millimeters)
158.3×73.3×8.2 mm
160×72.9×8.zero mm
165×74.4×8.5 mm
138.4×67.3×7.three mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)
6.49 oz; 184g
180g
199g
5.22 oz; 148g
Cellular software program
Android 10
Android 10
Android 10
iOS 13
Digital camera
48-megapixel (commonplace), 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 2-megapixel (macro), 5-megapixel (depth-sensing)
48-megapixel fundamental, 2-megapixel macro lens, 16-megapixel ultra-wide
48-megapixel fundamental, 8-megapixel telephoto, 48-megapixel ultra-wide, 5-megapixel ‘coloration filter’
12-megapixel
Entrance-facing digital camera
32-megapixel, 8-megapixel (wide-angle)
16-megapixel
16-megapixel
7-megapixel
Video seize
4K
4K
4K
4K
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
Apple A13 Bionic
Storage
128GB, 256GB
128GB, 256B
128GB, 256B
64GB, 128GB, 256GB
RAM
8GB, 12GB
8GB, 12GB
8GB, 12GB
Not disclosed
Expandable storage
No
None
None
No
Battery
4,115 mAh
4,300 mAh
4,300 mAh
Not disclosed, however Apple claims it has the identical battery life as iPhone 8
Fingerprint sensor
In-screen
In-screen
In-screen
Dwelling button
Connector
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
Lightning
Headphone jack
No
No
No
No
Particular options
5G-enabled, 90Hz refresh fee, 30W fast-charging
5G enabled, Quick-charging, 90Hz show
5G enabled, Quick-charging, quick wi-fi charging, 120Hz show, IP68 water resistance
Water-resistant (IP67); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wi-fi charging
Value off-contract (USD)
$570 (transformed from 500 euros)
$699
$899
$399 (64GB), $449 (128GB), $549 (256GB)
Value (GBP)
£450 (transformed from 500 euros)
£599
£799
£419 (64GB), £469 (128GB), £569 (256GB)
Value (AUD)
AU$820 (transformed from 500 euros)
TBA
TBA
AU$749 (64GB), AU$829 (128GB), AU$999 (256GB)
First printed July 27
