Featuring a brand new design, nice specs, and aggressive pricing, the OnePlus Nord 2T could become one of the best mid-range phones on the market. Still, the Nord CE 2 Lite is also a great phone at an even cheaper price. Let’s find out more about these two budget beasts.
OnePlus Nord 2T
Design and display
The OnePlus Nord 2T measures 159.1mm x 73.2mm x 8.2 mm, which means it is average in size for an Android smartphone. It weighs 190g, which is almost on par with Samsung’s Galaxy A53 5G.The most interesting part of this phone’s design is on its back. It is the camera module, which looks like a hybrid between the one of the OnePlus 9 series and the new OnePlus 10 Pro. The main camera is rather big, while the other two sensors are housed in a single camera glass covering. There doesn’t seem to be much of a camera bump, and the corners of the module are round. This phone’s back looks good with its matte finish, but it might be pretty slippery. The rails have a metallic look.
As for the display, it is the same as the one of the Nord 2, a 6.43-inch 90Hz AMOLED panel with an FHD+ resolution. 90Hz isn’t as good as 120Hz, but you have to admit it is much better than a regular 60Hz screen refresh rate. The panel is covered by Gorilla Glass 5, and except for the chin, the bezels around it are relatively tiny.
The OnePlus Nord 2T features dual stereo speakers and an in-display fingerprint scanner. Unfortunately, you might be disappointed to hear that this phone lacks a headphone jack and a microSD card slot.
Camera and performance
Camera-wise, the OnePlus Nord 2T relies on a triple-camera system with a 50MP f/1.6 Sony IMX766 main sensor. This camera also has OIS (optical image stabilization). The other two cameras are an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. Video recording maxes out at 4K 30fps. The front camera is a 32MP punch-hole shooter.This phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 processor. While we must admit we don’t know much about this chip, it should offer similar performance to the Snapdragon 778G+. The processor is coupled with 8 or 12GB of RAM and 128 or 256GB of storage. This chip has 5G connectivity, and the phone supports Bluetooth 5.2 too.
Software and battery life
The OnePlus Nord 2 runs Android 12 out of the box with OxygenOS 12.1 on top. We don’t know yet how many updates this phone will receive, but we think you can count on at least one major OS update.
This phone has a 4,500mAh battery, which should last you at least a day on a single charge. The good thing about the OnePlus Nord 2T is that it supports very fast 80W wired charging. What’s even better is the fact that the phone comes with the 80W charging brick in the box. You also get a protective case as part of the package, which is a nice touch.
Price and availability
The OnePlus Nord 2T is already available to pre-order across Europe. Shipping will start on May 24. The starting price of the device is €399.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite
Design and display
An interesting design touch is a rectangular accent that runs behind the camera module horizontally from side to side. It even looks like it might be textured, which should add some grip to the device.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite measures 164.3mm x 75.6mm x 8.5mm. This means it is bigger than the Nord 2T. It is also slightly heavier, with a weight of 195g. Two color options will be available: Blue Tide and Black Dusk.
The difference in size compared to the Nord 2T is due to the phone’s larger 6.59-inch 120Hz LCD screen. This display has an FHD+ resolution. While AMOLED is always better than LCD, you do get a higher refresh rate on the Nord CE 2 Lite, which might be more important to some.
OnePlus’ Nord CE 2 Lite features a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD card slot. The fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button.
Camera, performance, and battery
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite has a triple camera system. The main camera is a 64MP f/1.7 sensor, while the other two are a 2MP macro shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. Video recording is limited to 1080p 30fps. The front camera is a 16MP punch-hole sensor.
A Snapdragon 695 powers the Nord CE 2 Lite. The chip is coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. The device has 5G support and comes with Android 12 out of the box.
The battery of the Nord CE 2 Lite is 5,000mAh. This means it should last up to two days on a single charge. Speaking of charging, this budget OnePlus is capable of 33W fast-wired charging, and the good news is the charger is in the box. As part of the package, you also get a protective case and a pre-applied screen protector.
Price and availability
Pre-orders for the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite have already started, and shipping is expected to begin on May 24. The phone will be available across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and also Mexico, and Chile. The price of the Nord CE 2 Lite is €299.
