OnePlus Nord 2T 5G review: More of the (super) same

Can the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G maintain the trend of best mid-range phones, or is this an average update?

Price: £369

Once upon a time, OnePlus was famous for its flagship-level phones at a reasonable price, but the good part, like the bad part in all fairy tales, did not last. The company needed to come up with new ideas. The result was the original OnePlus Nord, which was followed by the OnePlus Nord 2 last year.

This is an upgraded 'T' version of the latter. There are numerous upgrades, including the cutting-edge MediaTek Dimensity 1300 hardware that powers the whole thing.

Over the last few years, Nord has provided some much-needed mid-range refreshment, competing with an ever-growing slew of rivals in the sub-£400 range.

It's also launched a low-cost Nord 2 series, the latest of which is the £299 OnePlus Nord CE 2, though we think OnePlus' marketing strategists could have done a better job of distinguishing it from a Nord 2 or 2T.

Design and display

The design is fairly standard for a mid-range Android, but your friends would be hard-pressed to guess that you didn't pay £500 more for it. To conceal the triple camera setup on the back, OnePlus has used two large black circles. It's unappealing but not as bad as the unsubtle regulatory text splattered across the bottom of the back.

The OnePlus alert slider, a physical control for setting the phone to silent, vibrate, or both, is back. When you're in a meeting, it beats software controls every time because you don't have to take your phone out of your pocket to tell it to be quiet.

One of the 2T's best features is undoubtedly its 6.43-inch OLED display, which is of excellent quality and has HDR10+ support. Few people will be able to tell the difference between it and a flagship display. The difference is insignificant.

Although it lacks the 120hz refresh rates of flagships (it's 90hz), the only real issue is fast-scrolling. Unlike many other devices in this price range, the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Under the screen is an optical fingerprint reader.

The Nord 2T comes in two colors: grey shadow (so grey) and our review unit's turquoise jade fog. There are two variants available, each costing £369 or £469 for 8GB RAM and 128GB storage and 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. There is no headphone jack, but there is one on the cheaper Nord CE 2 if you need one.

Performance

OnePlus takes pride in its fast operating systems, and thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 and OxygenOS 12.1 based on Android 12, things move quickly - there's no lag and, while there is some shutter lag, it's minor.

The Supervooc 80W fast charging is very welcome, and there is a fast charger in the box - it's straight from the flagship OnePlus 10 Pro and is unquestionably a selling point over competitors. The disadvantage of a phone at this price is that there is no wireless charging, but it would be foolish to expect it.

Cameras

Among the three cameras, only the 50MP-capable Sony IMX766 is truly worthwhile, remaining thoroughly decent but thoroughly standard. The ultrawide (8MP) sensor, as with most phones we test, is of limited use, while the 2MP mono sensor simply adds extra information. The front camera, on the other hand, has been significantly improved; it is now a 32MP HDR unit.

samples

The photography results are generally quite good thanks to the main Sony sensor, and things only really fall apart a little in low light, despite the new Dimensity chip supposedly being more capable in that regard. The new selfie camera also takes some excellent photos.

Conclusion

It's tempting to say that OnePlus' Nord refresh could have done more - for example, there's no upgrade to the camera system. While the drop from OnePlus' flagship models is noticeable, there's no denying that this is a formidable choice for those looking for a sub-flagship phone - though we're eager to see how the upcoming Google Pixel 6a compares.

TechliciousOfficial says...

Score: 5/5                                                                                                   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

There are numerous reasons to pick this up, including its competitive pricing and features, as well as its super-fast charge speeds.

• Good Stuff

+ Everything moves at breakneck speed.

+ The charging speed is fantastic.

• Bad Stuff

− Photo samples are mixed together.

− I'm not certain about the camera housing.

Tech specs

Screen: 6.43in 24001080 90Hz AMOLED Screen.

Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 1300

RAM: 8/12GB

Storage: 128/256GB 

Software: Android 12 with OxygenOS 12  

Cameras: 50+8+2MP rear, 32MP front

Battery: 4500mAh

Dimensions: 159x73x8.2mm, 190g