OnePlus Nord 2 5G is a mid-range smartphone from one of the most famous smartphone brands, OnePlus. Since the OnePlus 9 series is competing for premium supremacy, it needs something more to prove the “flagship killer” title it was originally known for; Nord 2 5G is just the one to compete for that title.
OnePlus has always been known to provide flagship-level performance at an affordable price range. Accordingly, the newest model, OnePlus Nord 2 5G has come up with some promising features along with some problems in comparison with its competitors. Hence, it is not sure if it can retain the brand’s standard in the Nepali market.
Here, we are providing the detailed features of the OnePlus Nord 2 5G and giving our verdict of the review.
Specifications
| Dimension | Height: 158.9mm Width: 73.2mm Thickness: 8.3mm Weight: 189 grams |
| Display | 6.43-inch Fluid AMOLED, 90HZ, HDR10+ |
| SIM | Dual SIM |
| Resolution | 1,080*2,400 pixels |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| OS | Android 11, OxygenOS 11.3 |
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G(6nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB |
| Card slot | Not available |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB/12GB |
| Camera | Front: 32MP, f/2.5 Rear: 50MP, f/1.9 8MP, f/2.3, 119 (ultrawide) 2MP, f/24 (monochrome) |
| Sound | Loudspeakers with stereo speakers |
| Battery | 4500mAh, Li-Po Fast charging 65W 100% in 30 minutes |
| Sensors | Under-display fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Colours | Gray sierra, blue haze, green-wood |
| Price | Rs 59,999 (8/128GB) Rs 69,999 (12/256GB) |
Design and display
The design of the OnePlus Nord 2 5G is identical to its predecessor, OnePlus Nord. Only the camera setup on the back of the phone differs. The Nord 2 is of a pretty solid build, it has a Gorilla Glass 5 back and front and a plastic frame whereas the internal chassis is made of aluminium. It has a thickness of about 8.3mm and weighs around 189 grams. It has an under-display fingerprint sensor to lock and unlock the phone and is pretty fast. There is no IP certification on the phone.
There is a 6.43-inch fluid AMOED single punch-hole display on the phone that has a refresh rate of 90Hz and supports HDR10+. It has a maximum resolution of 1,080*2,400 pixels while the screen-to-body ratio of this phone is 85.8%.
Cameras
OnePlus Nord 2 5G has a triple camera setup on its back whereas there is a single camera on the front. At the back, it gets a 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor as the main camera accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP monochrome sensor. Surprisingly, there is no macro sensor on this phone. The rear camera can record videos in 4K at 30fps and 1080p up to 240fps and has a gyro-EIS for stabilisation.
The 32MP upfront camera can record videos in 1080p at 30fps and has a gyro-EIS as well. It has a dual video mode as well, with which you can record videos from both the back and front cameras simultaneously.
Performance and battery life
OnePlus Nord 2 5G runs on Android 11 based OxygenOS 11.3, which is a unified code with Oppo’s ColorOS 11.3. This time, OnePlus has collaborated with Mediatek to include AI features to Dimensity 1200 and it has brought improvements in camera, display and performance. This is also the best Mediatek chipset to date and can be compared to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 chipset in terms of performance.
Giving life to the phone is a 4500mAh non-removable Li-Po battery that supports 65W fast charging. This incredible feature allows the phone to get fully charged in just 30 minutes. This is probably the fastest charging phone in Nepal at the moment.
Storage, connectivity and others
OnePlus Nord 2 5G comes in two variants in Nepal: 8/128GB and 12/256GB. There is also no slot for a microSD card for memory expansion.
The phone supports a 5G network as the name suggests, and there is a slot for 2 nano sim cards. Other connectivity options include Wifi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, USB Type-C 2.0 and also is NFC enabled. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack on the phone, but there are also stereo speakers for audio.
The price of the OnePlus Nord 2 5G is Rs 59,999 for the 8/128GB variant and Rs 69,999 for the 12/256 GB variant. The company also has recently launched the Pac-Man edition of the phone.
Verdict
OnePlus Nord 2 5G is a well-built smartphone backed up by a solid processor. It has good-quality cameras as well. The build of the phone is incredible with Gorilla Glass 5 protection on both back and front. This provides a premium feeling on the phone. OnePlus has tried everything to make this phone a proper flagship killer, but unfortunately for OnePlus, this is a packed division now and is no longer untouchable.
The 90Hz display, surely, is impressive, but there are phones like Poco F3, Poco F3 GT, Realme GT Neo 2 and Samsung phones that offer a higher refresh rate of 120Hz and higher touch sampling rate. OnePlus Nord 2 5G also does not have an IP certification like Poco F3 and the latter comes cheaper and has a faster processor. The Oxygen OS, however, is the best OS in the segment and provides a smooth experience for the users. The battery backup is almost the same as in other phones in this price category, but it holds a great advantage in charging time as it gets fully charged only in 30 minutes.
The price is also a deciding factor here; OnePlus Nord 2 5G costs more than its competitors. But, overall, in features and specifications, OnePlus Nord 2 5G goes back and forth against its competitors in this category. It has superior build quality and camera while the performance may be inferior compared to some. This is a packed division and the buyer may find it difficult to choose one. The choice on purchase may depend on what their priorities are. But, nonetheless, OnePlus is definitely one of the best.
