OnePlus Nord 2 5G debuts with Dimensity 1200 AI SoC, 50MP OIS main cam and 65W Warp Charge

2021-09-14

What should a flagship smartphone experience entail and how much should it cost? OnePlus is bringing up this debate with the launch of its Nord 2 5G - the true successor to last year’s highly anticipated original Nord. The term flagship killer is being mentioned here again and Nord 2 certainly brings some high-end specs while still keeping pricing in midrange territory.

Nord 2 packs a 6.43-inch AMOLED with a 90Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution to 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 though you do miss out on the ultrawide action. On the other hand, Nord 2 brings dual speakers compared to the single firing grille on its predecessor.

There are three rear cameras which is one fewer than the original Nord though the main shooter here is certainly more impressive having a 50MP Sony IMX 766 sensor just like on the flagship OnePlus 9 Pro. You get optical image stabilization for shake-free shots and videos and Digital Overlap HDR (DOL-HDR) helping synthesize exposure data from two images into one end shot. There’s also an 8MP ultrawide snapper and a 2MP monochrome sensor for company.

Since its inception, OnePlus has always relied on Qualcomm chipsets for its phones but it’s now turning a new page in its history with the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 AI SoC. The chipset offers close to flagship performance and is paired with 6GB, 8GB or 12GB RAM and 128/256GB storage.

There’s a 4500mAh dual-cell battery with speedy 65W Warp Charge which should ensure two days of usage. When you do need to top up, 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 is promising two major Android updates and three years of security updates.

Nord 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 though pricing will vary depending on the region. First sales in Europe and India start on July 28.

We already got the chance to use the Nord 2 extensively so you can head this way for our full Nord 2 review to see where the phone impressed and where it fell short.