OnePlus launched a new addition to its budget lineup: the OnePlus Nord CE 5G. Is it the Midrange Killer or is it just a cheaper 2021 refresh of the original Nord?
The original OnePlus Nord was a great success in India, which is known to be a very price sensitive and competitive market. With big shoes to fill, the Nord CE tries to trim down the non-essentials to pass on some of the cost advantage to the users. If you go through the spec sheet for both the original Nord and the Nord CE side by side the theme sinks in; Nord CE is a “everyday core essentials only” phone living up to its name “Core Edition”.
Here are some highlights:
- Oxygen OS – Nord CE 5G will feature Oxygen OS 11 based on Android 11 with all its latest and greatest features. The cherry on top of having a silky smooth OS is the 2 years of guaranteed software updates and the 3 years of security updates.
- 90Hz Display – Although not uncommon in phones under this price range, OnePlus’s 90 Hz display just feels unlike any other due to the super fluid UI thanks to Oxygen OS. No matter the specs, OnePlus phones always boast displays that are top notch.
- 30T Warp Charging – One of the best things about OnePlus phones is how fast they charge up from 0% battery to a moderate amount that will last you a day. 30 minutes of being plugged will bring a dead OnePlus phone to 70% charged. However, it is not uncommon to expect fast charging from phones in this price range from brands like Xiaomi and RealMe (same parent company as OnePlus)
- Headphone Jack – Users in the budget segment want the option of being able to plug in a wired headphone as not everyone wants to own a pair of expensive bluetooth earphones, especially people who are on a budget. This is definitely an improvement over the original Nord.
For the geek in you, here are the specs –
Overall, these are specs that are nothing revolutionary for the price, especially in markets like India. However, OnePlus Nord CE should provide an overall pleasant and well-rounded experience for the everyday user. The OnePlus Nord CE would be available in India for 23,000 INR (300 EUR).
