OnePlus created a lot of hype for their new Mid range smartphone series, OnePlus Nord and alot of people are really eager to get their hands on this one because the specs it offers for the price are really good and obviously, it is One plus.
So, here is the list of things you must know, which will help you decide whether you should buy OnePlus Nord or not.
1. Availablity
OnePlus Nord comes at the price tag of ₹24,999 for 6/64Gb variant but that will not be available before September, so your only option left is 8/128GB and 12/256GB, that will be available for ₹27,999 and ₹29,999.
2. Build
OnePlus Nord has a premium gorilla glass back and dual punch hole at the front. But the frame is made up of plastic which is more over shiny. So, expect that the blue version to get scratches very easily. Also the in hand feel may not be very premium and sturdy. YouTuber JerryRigsEverything’s durability test showed that the phones frame can be broken easily with some pressure. Though you may not apply that much pressure to your phone but keeping your phone in your back pocket might.
3. I/O
OnePlus Nord has USB C port in the bottom but it is USB 2.0, meaning that the data transfer speeds between your computer and phone will be very slow. Also the storage technology used is UFS 2.1 which isnt the fastest standard available.
4. Cameras
The camera setup is the same you find in OnePlus 8 and moreover you get OIS on the main camera which means the camera quality will be really good for the price and expect stable videos. Ultra wide angle lens is good but nothing great, gets the job done but the images are bit softer. Rest 2 cameras are pretty useless. The main camera shoots better Macro images than the macro lens itself and depth sensor does no good to the images. If you shoot portrait images by just covering the depth sensor, the images will still have the bokeh effect which means that is software based blur and it also means the depth sensor is pretty much useless.
You can read our OnePlus 8 review here.
5. Videos
Strangely enough, OnePlus Nord’s back camera can’t shoot at 4K 60FPS as of now but the front camera can. You will get the best stabilisation, thanks to the OIS which makes it great for video shooters. Also, the wide angle lens on the front is perfect for vlogging.
6. Gaming
Though the SD765G is a very capable chip, better than SD845(arguably) but it only supports PUBG at HD/High settings or smooth / Ultra settings. Though you can use GFX tools to get Smooth/extreme setttings but you could get your account banned. Which means, if you play PUBG alot, avoid this one. Though Oneplus has said they are working with Tencent to unlock the higher graphics option.
7. Display
The display is definitely the highlight of this phone. You won’t find any other 90hz Amoled panel under 30K as of now and thus makes it stand out of the competition but on the down side, this phone suffers from the same screen tinting issues which are present in the Oneplus 8 Pro as well.
8. Updates
OnePlus has confirmed that this phone will get 2 android updates and 3 years of security updates. Also since it is a Oneplus device, it will get a huge developer support from the custom ROM community.
9. Snapdragon 765G
It is still the cheapest 5G phone available in india. We might not get 5G for another year or 2 but it’s always better to be future proof.
Also this chip supports Indian navigation system Navic and Updatable GPU drivers.
10. Value for money ?
Though many may feel that at ₹25K price, 6/64 is little bit overpriced because the competition is giving 6/128Gb and 12/256Gb at ₹30K is a solid deal. It feels like Oneplus has played a very clever move with Nord by just giving the 6/64 GB variant at ₹25K and giving the extra 2GB RAM and 128GB option at ₹28K, making people to shed another 3K just for that extra storage because lets accept this, 64 GB storage isn’t enough for everyday use. Also they priced the 12/256 GB variant at ₹30K, giving 4/128GB more for just ₹2K more and hence luring people to shed more money.
