OnePlus is a smartphone brand that is known for pushing the limits when it comes to performance. Every year, the company has launched new flagship smartphones with the latest Snapdragon 800 series processor, large amounts of RAM, and new optimizations in its OxygenOS software. Each year brings new hardware advancements, OnePlus smartphones have become increasingly expensive. However, OnePlus started its journey with more affordable smartphones. They were the ones who coined the term “iconic killer”, which is now used to describe any high-performance smartphone with a potentially disruptive market price. OnePlus has now apparently gone back to its roots with OnePlus Nord, the brand’s first affordable mid-range smartphone in years.
The Nord is not OnePlus’ first foray with mid-range smartphones. The company previously toyed with the idea 5 years ago with the OnePlus X, which was released shortly after the OnePlus 2. Unfortunately, the company’s mantra “Never Settle” came back to bite them with how much they had to commit to delivering the OnePlus X. With With major hardware advancements in the 5 years since then, OnePlus is now comfortable returning to the midrange smartphone space with a device that doesn’t compromise as much on paper. Is OnePlus Nord the true successor to OnePlus X? I’ve had the device for almost a week, and while our full review will come later, for now, I can give you my first hands-on impressions of the device.
Note: I received the Blue Marble OnePlus Nord (12GB RAM + 256GB storage) from OnePlus on July 15, 2020. Since receiving it, I have used the device as my daily controller.
OnePlus Nord: Specifications
| Specification | OnePlus Nord |
|---|---|
| Dimensions and weight |
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| Monitor |
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| SoC |
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| RAM and storage |
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| Battery charging |
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| Fingerprint sensor | Onscreen |
| Rear camera | Photo:
Video:
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| Frontal camera |
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| Other features |
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| Android version | Android 10 with OxygenOS 10.5 |
OnePlus Nord design
While OnePlus Nord marks a new path for the company to follow, the design is reminiscent of the company’s previous devices. A OnePlus logo printed on the back of a glass, an alert slider on the side, and minimal bezels are generally features of the OnePlus design language. When the OnePlus Nord was just a OnePlus 8 Lite or OnePlus Z, it had a completely different design. This fact was corroborated by Carl Pei when he recently stated in an interview with MKBHD that the design of the OnePlus Nord was modified at the last minute, and some other prototypes that were not familiar with existing OnePlus smartphones were also shown.
The OnePlus Nord features a dual camera cutout on the 1080p AMOLED panel, which pushes the notification icons around a quarter of the screen. It’s pretty much a completely bezel-less experience, and like other OnePlus devices, no headphone jack is seen here. The phone does not attract any fingerprints and the weight distribution feels the same from top to bottom. It has a smooth glass feel to the back, and I’ve chosen to use mine in a case most of the time because it’s kind of slippery. The screen doesn’t light up much either, making it a little more difficult to use in direct sunlight.
Similarly, there are no other bells and whistles here either. The only port you get is a USB-C port, and the only buttons you get are a power button and a volume control. There’s also the coveted OnePlus alert slider on the right side of the device.
The arrangement of the quad camera on the back of the device creates a rather noticeable camera bump, which the clear case provided in the box helps to alleviate. The clear case has a kind of arrow on the back which means it points north. However, that clear case also comes with a charging port cap that I’ll soon rip off.
Our editor-in-chief, Mishaal Rahman, received the device in Onyx Black.
OnePlus Nord Cases
Along with OnePlus Nord, the company also released three different cases that you can buy for its new device. There is also a clear gel silicone sleeve included in the box. The cases on offer are a blue sandstone case, a clear gel case, and a black sandstone case. The blue sandstone box debuted with the OnePlus 8 series earlier this year, while the other two have been part of the OnePlus brand for years.
Blue sandstone
The original OnePlus One had a return sandstone, and ever since, people have been vying for a return. While OnePlus doesn’t appear to intend to launch a sandstone smartphone anytime soon, the company has been rolling out sandstone cases for years. The OnePlus 8 series debuted with a blue sandstone casing, which has also come to the OnePlus Nord.
Clear gel
OnePlus includes a pretty neat case in the box, but there’s also a clear gel case that adds even more protection that you can pick up too. It is also entirely of course, while the one included in the box is not.
Black sandstone
It is exactly like blue sandstone, except it is black.
Gel case included
I personally love the case included in the box, except for one thing … that really annoying charging flap. It can be difficult to extract once it’s inside, and it feels completely unnecessary. I will probably cut mine in the future.
OnePlus Nord pricing and availability
The OnePlus Nord can be purchased in Europe, the UK and India at a starting price of € 399 / £ 379 / ₹ 27,999 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage variant. Paying € 499 / £ 469 / ₹ 29,999 you will get 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, although it is up to you whether it is worth it or not. You can order Nord at Blue Marble or Gray Onyx at nord.oneplus.com starting August 4 in Europe, India and Asia. Although this time it will not be released in the United States, OnePlus invites 50 people to participate in a beta program to experience the device.
What do you think about OnePlus Nord? Let us know in the comments below!
