The OnePlus Nord is OnePlus’ newest smartphone, marking the company’s return to its roots as a manufacturer of low-cost phones that still have the kind of features you’d find in a flagship. But OnePlus Nord is more than a phone: Nord is actually a line of affordable device products that include premium capabilities.
OnePlus has yet to reveal the Nord phone or other devices that will make up the Nord family, but its recent short documentary “New Beginnings” was a statement of intent by the company that it has not forgotten its origin story.
OnePlus Nord: leaked specs
Release date: July 2020
Price: Less than $ 500
Screen size: 6.4 inches (90Hz)
CPU: Snapdragon 765G chipset
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB
Cameras: Three rear, two front
Battery: 4,000 mAh
Load: 30W
Recent releases, like the OnePlus 8 Pro, certainly offer great specs and performance, but they’re expensive at $ 899. Even the $ 699 OnePlus 8 is more expensive than many other OnePlus models.
So how does a company continue to add premium features without completely ignoring the segment of smartphone buyers that was first attracted to OnePlus in the first place? Based on what we’ve seen so far from the OnePlus Nord, which had once been rumored to be OnePlus Z, OnePlus plans to keep the line on price, even if it means fewer more sophisticated features than some of its recent flagship devices.
The OnePlus Nord will be unveiled in full on July 7, but plenty of information is already available. Here’s everything you need to know about OnePlus Nord, including the release date, price, and expected specs.
Latest news from OnePlus Nord (updated July 5)
OnePlus Nord launch date and pre-orders
The OnePlus Nord phone is likely to be revealed on July 7, as that is when the documentary (see below) suggested OnePlus fans check back with the OnePlusLiteZThing Instagram account where the Nord images were released.
We’ll be hoping to get a proper look at the OnePlus Nord phone and how it will deliver an affordable phone that still retains some of the features that made the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro phones desirable.
In addition to hearing more about the phone’s features, we hope OnePlus will tell us when OnePlus Nord will be available. We are also eager to see which countries will be able to buy the new phone. In addition, we also look forward to hearing more about the potential products that will build the Nord family.
Despite the Nord not yet shipping, OnePlus has started pre-ordering. The first occurred on July 1, was limited to 100 units and was sold out immediately. The second expires on July 8 and can be equally exclusive. Hopefully by then we’ll have a clearer idea of when interested buyers can reserve their unit without rushing the raffle.
OnePlus Nord Price
According to OnePlus Nord’s reveal of OnePlus on their ‘onepluszlitething’ Instagram account, OnePlus Nord will be priced under $ 500 (£ 410, AU $ 730). The company also confirmed a price under $ 500 in an interview with TechRadar.
Earlier this year, a leak of OnePlus 8 Lite from an online retailer called GizTop showed specs and pricing for upcoming OnePlus phones. The OnePlus 8 Lite was listed at $ 499, which would certainly fit the price range OnePlus has talked about. If true, that would put the OnePlus Nord at $ 200 less than the OnePlus 8.
OnePlus Nord: Are you coming to the United States?
After hinting at a new phone in early June, OnePlus and CEO Pete Lau have had much more to say about OnePlus Nord. Lau posted a message on the OnePlus forums, explaining how the company came up with the idea of going back to its roots and building a new affordable phone.
“I am very excited to announce that we are bringing the premium and iconic experience you expect from OnePlus to a new, more affordable line of smartphone products,” says Lau’s post.
Lau went on to say that he will start “relatively small” with this new device, launching it first in Europe and India. However, Lau also said that over time, affordable OnePlus phones will also come to North America. We don’t know if that means OnePlus Nord will be the phone to launch in the US after its debut in Europe and India, or if OnePlus has a different low-cost phone in mind for this country.
However, OnePlus said that when the Nord phone arrives in the United States, it will only be available through a “very limited” beta program that will be available after launch. As such, it can be very difficult to obtain a Nord phone in North America.
OnePlus Nord design and display
Hopefully the OnePlus Nord looks a lot like the OnePlus 8 line debuted, but it won’t be quite as premium. Rumors suggest that the OnePlus 8 Lite sports a 6.4-inch panel. While it’s smaller than the 6.55-inch screen on the OnePlus 8, it is still quite large for most people. You can also expect a 90Hz refresh rate for the display.
The latest OnePlus Nord teaser video on Instagram briefly shows the front and back of the phone. The back houses a vertical camera array in a narrow stripe and a gray / blue color with the OnePlus logo on the bottom of the phone.
The front seems to show a cutout for two selfie cameras, as has been rumored. And the right side of the OnePlus Nord houses the power button, volume control, and alert switch.
TrueTech has released a photo which reportedly shows the OnePlus Z as it was called at the time, and if necessary gives us an idea of how this budget phone can differ from the OnePlus 8 line. To start with, the screen is flat, not curved like in OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. The front camera cutout is now in the upper center of the screen instead of in the left corner, and the bezels look a little more noticeable.
The OnePlus Nord launch video contains a hint of what the phone would look like. Halfway through the video, we see a OnePlus employee holding a phone that fits the Nord’s description as it has dual front cameras rumored for the phone. This could be an early prototype, and the final design might differ, but it does suggest the direction OnePlus might be headed with this phone.
OnePlus Nord Specifications
OnePlus Nord is confirmed to have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G chip system. It’s a mid-range chip located underneath the Snapdragon 865, but it still promises solid performance for most smartphone tasks, as well as 5G connectivity.
Opting for this chip would allow OnePlus Nord to join the ranks of 5G phones that cost less than $ 600, which is expected to grow as 2020 progresses.
If you want more evidence on which processor the OnePlus Nord will use, the leaked benchmarks show that the phone is powered by Snapdragon 765G and 12GB of RAM. Unsurprisingly, the 1,995 multi-core result for the rumored OnePlus Nord can’t keep up with Snapdragon 865 phones, but it beats other mid-range Android devices.
A new spec list, provided by a poll on the Indian shopping forum DesiDime, lends further credence to the claim that OnePlus Z will feature a Snapdragon 765 chipset. However, the RAM and storage allocation listed is 6GB. and 128GB, respectively, which seems more realistic for an entry-level model than the previous 12GB figure. It is also suggested that the device will feature a 90Hz display and a 4,300 mAh battery with 30 watt Warp charging, which is in line with the OnePlus 8.
OnePlus Nord cameras
Persistent rumors of OnePlus 8 Nord make the phone get multiple rear cameras. Some rumors have suggested that OnePlus Nord might have a camera setup similar to the OnePlus 8, which combines a 48MP main camera with a 16MP ultra-wide-angle shooter and a 2MP macro lens.
While the recently leaked OnePlus Nord specs point to a triple-lens setup with 64MP, 16MP, and 2MP cameras, the Max J. leak seems to be causing a quad camera setup for OnePlus Nord. We are skeptical of that claim, given that it’s supposed to be a budget phone, but don’t discount OnePlus’s ability to squeeze more of its hardware.
pic.twitter.com/nvQBMV1pry June 15, 2020
We have more specific details on the front cameras of the OnePlus Nord, and yes, we refer to “cameras”. Based on an internal source, Android Central reports that OnePlus Nord will feature two front-facing cameras: a 32MP main sensor and an 8MP wide-angle lens.
OnePlus Nord battery and charging
OnePlus has been increasing the size of the batteries that power its smartphones in recent times, in part due to the extra power that 5G connectivity requires. The OnePlus Nord could see a 4,000 mAh battery, which wouldn’t be as big as the 4,300 mAh power supply in the OnePlus 8, while giving it enough charge to get through the day in theory.
We would expect OnePlus’ budget phone to still include the company’s Warp Charge 30T technology for faster charging. However, we would not expect wireless charging, which for now is limited to the OnePlus 8 Pro premium.
OnePlus Nord perspective
We now know quite a bit about OnePlus Nord, from its front cameras to the processor that is likely to power the device. Still, there are a few details that need to be completed. And we can’t wait to see if the US is part of OnePlus’ long-term plans for the North.
Still, it looks like the focus this time will be on the price, and that’s a good thing. We know that OnePlus can include many functions in a phone. OnePlus Nord should remind us of the company’s ability to do so without increasing the cost of the phone.
