OnePlus Nord 2 review

Flagship killer or unsuccessful assassin?

                                                                                                 Price: £399

Our old OnePlus phones gave you 95% of the flagship features but for hundreds of pounds less than their super-expensive competitors.

Unfortunately, OnePlus' 9-series models are no longer that affordable. As a result, the Nord 2 represents an ideal opportunity for OnePlus to create a phone similar to the ones we used to recommend on a regular basis during its early Android glory days.

OnePlus has, for the most part, nailed everything with the Nord 2. It makes Android sing by dancing through games that catch rivals off guard, and its camera takes great photos day or night.

Aside from battery life, it's a top performer in almost every category. If you're looking for a smartphone for two days, the OnePlus Nord 2 isn't it. But if you don't mind a quick 5pm top-up on busy days, this one could be a winner - and a classier pocket companion than the Nord CE 5G.

OnePlus Nord 2: price

OnePlus offers the Nord 2 in two configurations, both of which promise a lot for their respective price tags.

The OnePlus Nord 2 with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage costs £399. You can also pay an extra £70 for the Nord 2, which comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.

Because neither version has a MicroSD slot, internal storage is critical. You can also choose from three different colors. It has a turquoise hue similar to the original Nord. There's also a green version, as well as Grey Sierra for those who prefer the Pantone pool's shallow end.

Regardless of the configuration, you'll save £230 over a OnePlus 9. And, given how close the Nord 2 comes in many ways, that makes it a bargain.

OnePlus Nord 2: design & display

The Nord 2 was always going to be a winner because it emulated the OnePlus 9. And it accomplishes this in a variety of ways.

First and foremost, the build quality. The OnePlus Nord 2 has Gorilla Glass on the front and back, as well as 'fiberglass reinforced polymer' on the sides. To the uninitiated, that's plastic - and it's exactly the same as on the OnePlus 9. The Nord 2 appears to be a delight.

You also get the OnePlus's classy and understated design, with a much higher-end feel than the all-plastic Nord CE 5G.

The display is a Full HD 6.43-inch OLED, which is a mid-range size for Android smartphones in 2021. It's slightly smaller than the OnePlus 9's display, but it's plenty bright for use on a sunny day. In fact, it appears brighter when fully charged than the screen on its flagship sibling.

The colors are vibrant, the contrast is excellent, and it supports HDR video. Even if you don't get the 120Hz refresh rate found in some cheaper Androids, 90Hz is still enough to provide a smoother experience than standard 60Hz.

OnePlus Nord 2: cameras

The camera is up next. As with most mid-range phones, only one of the Nord 2's lenses stands out: the main 50-megapixel stunner with optical image stabilization. Oppo's top-tier Find X3 Pro has similar hardware.

The Nord 2 camera is a joy to use in every way. It's quick, with almost no shutter lag, and the HDR processing is so good that it's nearly impossible to take a bad picture. Unless you get grease on the lens, which is difficult to clean thanks to the cartoon camera setting.

While the OnePlus 9 comes close in daylight, the Nord 2 actually outperforms it at night. It's not as color-purist as the Pixel 4a 5G, but nearly every shot felt ready to share.

However, the OnePlus 9 twins don't have everything. The Nord 2's 8MP wide lens is adequate in comparison to their ultra-wide cameras. It utilizes low-cost hardware, which is visible in how it handles color and contrast. And, while the main camera's night photos are excellent, the ultra-wide's dreadful, despite clever software processing.

There's no optical zoom here, either, and the 5x digital zoom preset results in images that look like they're covered in iron filings. The results aren't quite as bad at 2x, and this is the mode to use for macro shots because the main lens simply won't get you close enough.

So there are indications that the Nord 2's rear camera array isn't of the highest caliber. However, when shooting everyday photos, the experience is comparable to that of a flagship camera. The 32-megapixel selfie camera is also a standout feature. Surprisingly, it outperforms the OnePlus 9's 16-megapixel equivalents. Do you want to celebrate your independence by taking questionable nightclub selfies? No worries.

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OnePlus Nord 2: performance

The Nord 2's display is slightly smaller than that of the OnePlus 9, but it is still an excellent gaming phone. We put it through a series of Fortnite matches, and it handled every graphic setting with ease. Epic at 30fps and full resolution? It's not a problem. 60 frames per second? There were some drops to 50fps, but this was also seen with the Samsung Galaxy S21.

This level of performance was never guaranteed: the Nord 2 is the first OnePlus device that does not use a Qualcomm processor. Instead, it is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI processor. It's fantastic, folks.

Android is as smooth and responsive on the Nord 2 as it is almost anywhere else. It's well-suited for gaming, handles photos quickly, and does the job in general.

The Nord 2 also has a decent set of pipes, with stereo speakers that have a good maximum volume and a hint of lower-frequency punch.

OnePlus Nord 2: battery life

So, what's the snag? There's always a snag. Here, it's the battery life: the OnePlus Nord 2 has a short lifespan. By the end of the day, you won't have much charge left. In fact, the Nord 2 frequently needed to be recharged in the late afternoon or early evening.

We're not talking about testing days that begin with extremely early mornings and end with late-night revelry. No, this is the average performance on days when activity includes a trip to ALDI, a run in the park, and going to bed before midnight.

So the Nord 2 isn't a trooper when it comes to battery life. In certain situations, side-by-side video and stress tests indicate that it drains at up to 1.5x the rate of the OnePlus 9. Shame.

But we'll hang on to the Nord 2 team banner because we like so much else about this phone. In addition, the 65W Warp Charger comes to the rescue: according to our tests, it gets you from 0% to 50% in just 13 minutes. And it will reach 100% in 32 minutes.

It's the pressure washer equivalent of a power adapter. The real question is whether you can accept the necessity of using it on a regular basis.

OnePlus Nord 2: comparisons

Should you get the OnePlus Nord 2 or the OnePlus Nord CE 5G? In a nutshell, no. We believe that the Nord 2 is well worth the extra money over the Nord CE. It has a better camera, runs games more smoothly, and the glass back adds a touch of class that the CE lacks. A Nord 2 brings you much closer to the flagship experience.

What about spending a little more money on the OnePlus 9? Despite their higher prices, the OnePlus Nord 2 and OnePlus 9 feel more similar in use. They have a similar appearance and perform similarly in real-world situations. However, the OnePlus 9 has a longer battery life and a far superior ultra-wide camera. As with so many other aspects of technology, the last 10% improvement ends up costing more.

What else can you get for the same money? The Sony Xperia 10 III is a smaller phone with a good 2x zoom camera. Its camera, on the other hand, is a laggy mess that produces far less consistent images than the OnePlus. The phone's performance is noticeably slower than that of the Nord 2, making it less enjoyable to use. The battery life is better, but it does not compensate for the phone's shortcomings.

The Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, on the other hand, is water-resistant and may last longer between charges. The plastic-back design, on the other hand, will not get your pulse racing, and it does not run games as well. The primary camera is also not in the same league.

You could also think about the Pixel 4a 5G. It's another plastic phone, but it has a great camera and runs Google's completely pure version of Android. However, charging is slower, and it does not have the same gaming pep.

Are you still dissatisfied? The Xiaomi Poco F3 might be a good fit. It's one of the few phones that, at £300, is arguably better value than the Nord 2. It is powered by a superior Snapdragon 870 CPU, which should provide longer battery life. The screen is larger and has a faster refresh rate of 120Hz. However, the main camera's hardware isn't on an equal level with the Nord 2.

OnePlus Nord 2: conclusion

With the Nord 2, OnePlus achieved an excellent balance. High-end games are playable with stereo sound. Day or night, photos are excellent. You can avoid Samsung and Google's all-plastic construction by switching to a Gorilla Glass back.

All of this just adds to the dissatisfaction with its rather little battery life. The OnePlus Nord 2 delivers exceptional value if you can accept that using the bathroom is a required duty of smartphone ownership. This isn't the flagship killer for you, though, if two-day battery life is a deal-breaker.

Tech specs

Screen:  6.43-inch 90Hz OLED display.

CPU:  processor MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI.

Battery:  4500mAh

RAM:  8/12GB 

Front Camera:  32MP

Rear cameras:  50/8/2MP

Storage:  128/256GB

TechliciousOfficial Says...

Score: 4/5                                                                                                 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰ 

  This flagship killer is only here for a short while.

• Good Stuff

+ Good value

+ A superb gaming phone

+ Primary camera with high contrast

+ Rapid charging

+ Elegant design

• Bad Stuff

− The battery backup is poor.