OnePlus Nord 2: 4 reasons to buy and 3 reasons to skip this sub-Rs 30,000 phone

OnePlus made a comeback into the mid-range smartphone segment with the launch of the OnePlus Nord. It was an affordable smartphone from a premium brand that also offered decent specifications. Therefore, the phone quickly gained traction in the market. Well, the company has now launched the OnePlus Nord 2. Similar to its predecessor, the new mid-range smartphone from the brand offers a decent set of features for its price. We got the chance to review the OnePlus Nord 2, and here are the four reasons that we think you should buy the smartphone and three reasons why you should skip it entirely.

4 reasons to buy the OnePlus Nord 2

Decent performance

The OnePlus Nord 2 packs the flagship chipset from MediaTek, the Dimensity 1200. The brand has opted for this SoC instead of the Snapdragon 870 to keep the manufacturing costs in check. If you are thinking that the cost-cutting might have affected the performance of the phone, you’d be wrong.

According to our in-house reviewer, Kshitij Pujari, the OnePlus Nord 2 is an “extremely capable device whether it’s running heavy applications or intensive Battlegrounds India (BGMI) gaming.” In our review, we found that the phone offers fast and smooth performance in day-to-day tasks as well as gaming.

So, if you are looking for a smartphone under Rs 30,000 that is great at performance, the OnePlus Nord 2 should definitely be on top of your shortlist. The phone is also available in 12GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration, which will allow it to run multiple apps at once with ease.

Excellent photography

While most mid-range smartphones offer a typical 64MP or 108MP camera, the OnePlus Nord 2 packs a more premium sensor, the 50MP Sony IMX766. Now, the camera performance is nothing groundbreaking. However, the OnePlus Nord 2 offers much better image quality than most of its competitors. According to Kshitij, the imaging on the OnePlus Nord 2 is “far more superior with respect to its cost.”

We have found in our review that the OnePlus Nord 2 offers great image quality in daylight. “With saturation kept at a minimum, the Nord 2 clicks realistic shots with a pronounced white balance that combines with excellent dynamic range capabilities,” says Kshitij. According to him, the details in the images also turn out to be quite sharp.

As for the 32MP selfie camera, “it makes use of much more refined face detection and detailing than previous OnePlus devices,” says Kshitij. According to him, the facial features in selfies look much more pronounced and the skin tones match perfectly. All in all, you can say that the OnePlus Nord 2 is quite a capable device for photography, for its price.

Software experience is still the best

The one thing that sets the OnePlus Nord 2 (and OnePlus devices in general) apart from the crowd is the software experience. Unlike the UI customizations from other brands, the Android 11-based OxygenOS 11.3 from OnePlus offers a minimalistic look, which is appreciated by many. Plus, there is very little bloatware on board, which is another reason why people like OxygenOS.

If you are someone who likes to have a smartphone that offers a quality software experience, the OnePlus Nord 2 is the go-to device in the sub Rs 30,000 price segment. It offers a premium user experience that other smartphones in the price range lack.

Superfast 65W charging

The OnePlus Nord 2 packs a 4,500mAh battery, and according to Kshitij, it sufficed his daily needs with about 20% to 25% of the juice left by the end of the day. What makes things even better is the phone’s 65W charging speed. It fills the battery from zero to 100 percent in under 30 minutes. So, if you are in a hurry, the Warp Charge 65T should offer the phone enough juice in a few minutes to last your needs.

3 reasons not to buy the OnePlus Nord 2

Low-light photography needs improvement

The lowlight photography on the OnePlus Nord 2 isn’t as impressive as its daylight imaging. We found that the shots taken in lowlight conditions suffer from noise and poor highlights. Don’t get us wrong though. The OnePlus Nord 2 offers decent image quality in lowlight conditions, especially for the price of the smartphone. However, we think that OnePlus could have done better.

Mono sensor not very useful

Along with the 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultrawide lens, the OnePlus Nord 2 also has a 2MP monochrome unit at the rear. It is tailored to offer a monochrome effect to the images. However, we have found that applying a B&W filter over an image from the primary sensor yields better results than taking images with a 2MP monochrome sensor.

We think that OnePlus should’ve skipped the 2MP monochrome camera and use that money to offer other useful features.

Screen brightness could be better

The OnePlus Nord 2 has a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with full-HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The AMOLED panel offers deep black levels, whereas, the full-HD resolution makes the content on the screen look sharp. The 90Hz refresh rate further enhances the experience by offering a fluid feel.

However, the one thing that disappointed us about the display is its brightness level, which, according to Kshitij, is “slightly less than acceptable.” Although the display should offer decent visibility under direct sunlight, we wish that its brightness levels were higher, especially for the price of the device.

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