Priya SinghJul 24, 2020 03:21:30 IST
In an event on Tuesday, the OnePlus Nord debuted in India at a starting price of Rs 24,999. With the Nord, the company has announced its re-entry into the mid-range smartphone space. Or, as the company CEO said in an interview with Fast Company, it is “returning to its roots”.
Despite the hype, the OnePlus Nord does not break new ground, but instead manages to strike the right balance with reasonable specifications. To be fair, in many cases, that’s what a consumer really wants.
The OnePlus Nord is also the first OnePlus smartphone to come with 6 cameras! A dual selfie camera and quad rear camera setup make up the number. The company has managed to pack flagship features such as a 90Hz display, 30T Warp fast charging support, up to 12 GB RAM and 5G connectivity in this smartphone, while keeping the price under Rs 30,000. And this is where the Nord has an edge over its competitors in the market.
OnePlus Nord
OnePlus Nord pricing
6 GB RAM+ 64 GB storage variant: Rs 24,999
8 GB RAM+ 128 storage variant: Rs 27,999
12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variant: Rs 29,999
OnePlus Nord and its competition
But how does the Nord fare against other popular smartphones in the segment? Let’s brak down the specs against smartphones like the Galaxy A51, Realme X3, Vivo X50 Pro, OnePlus 7, and Redmi K20 Pro:
| OnePlus Nord | Galaxy A51 | Realme X3 | Vivo X50 Pro | OnePlus 7 | Redmi K20 Pro | |
| Display Size (inch) | 6.44 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.56 | 6.41 | 6.39 |
| Resolution (pixels) | 2,400×1,080 | 2,400 x 1,080 | 2,400×1,080 | 2,376 × 1,080 | 2,376 x 1,080 | 2,340×1,080 |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 408 | 405 | 399 | 398 | 402 | 403 |
| Display Type | Fluid AMOLED | Super AMOLED | IPS LCD | Super AMOLED | Optic AMOLED | Super AMOLED |
| Dimensions(mm) | 158.3 x 73.3 x 8.2 | 158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9 | 163.8 x 75.8 x 8.9 | 158.46 × 72.80 × 8.04 | 157.7×74.8×8.2 | 156.7 x 74.3 x 8.8 |
| Weight (gm) | 184 | 172 | 202 | 181.5 | 182 | 191 |
| Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SIM Type | Nano | Nano | Nano | Nano | Nano | Nano |
| Connectivity Types | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Processor | Snapdragon 765G | Exynos 9611 | Snapdragon 855+ | Snapdragon 765G | Snapdragon 855 | Snapdragon 855 |
| CPU Cores | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| GPU | Adreno 620 | Mali-G72 MP3 | Adreno 640 | Adreno 620 | Adreno 640 | Adreno 640 |
| RAM | 6, 8, 12 GB | 4,6, 8 GB | 6, 8 GB | 8 GB | 6,8 GB | 6, 8 GB |
| On-Board Memory | 64, 128, 256 GB | 128 GB | 128 GB | 256 GB | 128, 256 GB | 128, 256 GB |
| Expandable Memory | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Sensors | In-display fingerprint sensor, Accelerometer, Electronic compass, Gyroscope, Ambient light | In-display fingerprint sensor, Accelerometer, Gyro sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Hall sensor, Light sensor, |
Fingerprint sensor, Magnetic induction sensor, Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Gyro-meter, Acceleration sensor |
In-display fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
In-display fingerprint senor, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
|
| Primary Camera | 48 MP Sony IMX586 + 8 MP ultra wide angle lens + 5 MP depth lens + 2 MP macro lens | 48 MP primary sensor + 12 MP secondary sensor+ 5 MP macro lens + 5 MP depth sensor | 64MP Samsung GW1 sensor + 12 MP tele lens+ 8 MP ultra wide angle lens + 2 MP macro lens | 48MP Gimbal stabilization + 13MP portrait lens + 8MP periscope lens +8MP ultra wide angle lens | 48 MP Sony IMX 586 + 5 MP depth sensor |
48 MP primary sensor + 13 MP ultra-wide sensor + 8 MP telephoto lens |
| Optical Image Stabilization | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Camera Array | Quad camera | Quad camera | Quad camera | Quad camera | Dual camera | Triple camera |
| Secondary Camera | 32 MP Sony IMX616 + 8 MP ultra-wide-angle lens | 32MP | 16 MP + 8 MP ultra wide angle lens | 32 MP | 16 MP | 20 MP |
| Video Capture | 1080p@30/60/240fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30/120fps; gyro-EIS | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@960fps; gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30/60/240fps, 720p@480fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
1080p@30/120/240fps, 1080p@960fps |
| Flash | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OS Version | Android 10 | Android 10 | Android 10 | Android 10 | Android 10 | Android 10 |
| AI (Smart Assistant) | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant | Google Assistant |
| GPS | Yes, (L1+L5 Dual Band), GLONASS, Galileo (E1+E5a Dual Band), Beidou, A-GPS, NavIC | Yes, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo | Yes, GLONASS, BEIDOU, GALILEO, QZSS | GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | Yes, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, SBAS |
GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Wi-Fi | 2×2 MIMO, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4G/5G | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4G+5GHz, | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4/5 GHz | 2.4G + 5G Wi-Fi MIMO | 2×2 MIMO, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4G/5G |
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 | 5 | 5 | 5.1 | 5 | 5 |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fingerprint Scanner | Yes, In-display | Yes, In-display | Yes, Side-mounted | Yes, In-display | Yes, In-display | Yes, In-display |
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| USB Type | Type-C | Type-C | Type-C | Type-C | Type-C | Type-C |
| USB Standard | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 3.1 | USB 2.0 |
| Battery (mAh) | 4,115 | 4,000 | 4,200 | 4,315 | 3,700 | 4,000 |
| Fast charging | Yes, Warp Charge 30T | 15W | 30W | 33W vivo FlashCharge 2.0 | 20W | 27W |
| Colors | Blue Marble, Gray Onyx | Prism Crush Blue, Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush White | Arctic White, Arctic Blue | Alpha Grey | Mirror Gray, Red, Mirror Blue |
Carbon black, Flame red, Glacier blue, Summer Honey, Pearl White |
| Prices in India | Starts at Rs 24,999 | Starts at Rs 25,250 | Starts at Rs 24,999 | Priced at Rs 49,999 | Starts at Rs 29,999 | Starts at Rs 24,999 |
Conclusion
With up to 12 GB RAM, 5G connectivity, and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset, the OnePlus Nord offers premium features without cutting corners. But when you look at the overall offering and price tag, the OnePlus Nord is a close call with the Redmi K20 Pro and Realme X3.
If the notional future-proofing of 5G is important to you, with a modern, upper-midrange chipset and refined aesthetics, the OnePlus Nord is a good choice. OnePlus’ OxygenOS also attracts a lot of buyers since it does not come with bloatware like its competitors. The company made special mention of the various optimisations to the software they made, to ensure a fluid user experience.
For gamers who prioritise speed, the better choice is Redmi Note K20 Pro or the Realme X3, both of which have superior chipsets and GPUs. Battery and fast charging are similar across the OnePlus Nord, Realme X3, and Redmi K20 Pro.
If you use your phone to consume a lot of content or binge-watch shows, then Nord impresses with a 90hz AMOLED display, 408 ppi and light weight (181gm). The 4,115 mAh battery and 30T fast charging is a bonus.
In terms of camera, the Vivo X50 Pro offers a good deal with its newly-introduced gimbal camera, that helps in capturing stable videos and images. But at 50k, it is a pricey choice. The Nord, on the other hand, features a better selfie camera (on paper) and a quad-rear camera setup — borrowed from the OnePlus 8 — at a reasonable price. There are no party tricks in the imaging department, however.
Clearly, the Nord is intended to be more than the sum of its parts. The aesthetic is pleasing, the software promises a great experience and the price is right. We hope our final verdict bears out our initial impressions. Stay tuned for a detailed review.
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