What should a flagship smartphone experience entail, and how much should it cost? OnePlus brings this debate up with the launch of its Nord 2 5G – the true sequel to last year’s highly anticipated original Nord. The term flagship killer is mentioned here again, and North 2 certainly brings some advanced specs while still keeping prices in the mid-range range.
Nord 2 packs a 6.43-inch AMOLED with a 90Hz refresh rate and FHD + resolution for the table. There’s a single 32MP selfie cam instead of the dual-cam setup on last year’s model, which is great for content consumption, even if you miss the ultra-wide action. On the other hand, the Nord brings 2 dual speakers compared to the single firing grille on its predecessor.
OnePlus Nord 2 screen
There are three rear cameras, which is one less than the original Nord, although the main shooter here is certainly more impressive with a 50MP Sony IMX 766 sensor just like on the flagship OnePlus 9 Pro. You get optical image stabilization for shake-free images and videos, and Digital Overlap HDR (DOL-HDR), which helps synthesize exposure data from two images into a single shot. There is also an 8MP ultra-wide snapper and a 2MP monochrome sensor for the company.
Since its inception, OnePlus has always relied on Qualcomm chipsets for its phones, but it now shows a new page in its history with the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 AI SoC. The chipset offers close to flagship performance and is paired with 6 GB, 8 GB or 12 GB RAM and 128/256 GB storage space.
MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC and 65 Warp Charge
There is a 4500mAh dual cell battery with fast 65W Warp Charge to ensure two days of use. When you need to top up, you can expect a full charge from 0 to 100% in just 30 minutes. The software front is covered by Oxygen OS 11.3 with Android 11, and OnePlus promises two major Android updates and three years of security updates.
North 2 comes in three colors – the signature Blue Haze, Gray Sierra with a textured sparkling finish and the India-exclusive Green Woods, which has a vegan leather back.
The Baseline 6 / 128GB model starts at € 399 / INR 27,999, although prices will vary depending on the region. First sales in Europe and India start on July 28th.
OnePlus Nord 2 in Blue Haze, Gray Sierra and Green Woods
We have already had the chance to use Nord 2 extensively, so you can go this way to our full Nord 2 review to see where the phone impressed and where it fell short.