The OnePlus Nord was a bombastic return to the mid-range market for OnePlus in mid-2020 and it didn’t take long for the company to expand on the original’s formula. Now, it seems, the first 2021 member of the family already has a name: the ‘OnePlus Nord N1 5G’.
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The original Nord proved to be a formidable mid-range offering from OnePlus, cementing itself as our ‘Mid-range Phone of the Year’ by 2020’s end. The company then proceeded to expand on the line in an effort to appeal to a broader range of consumers, as well as entering into new markets; with the more affordable Nord N10 5G and the budget Nord N100.
Now, thanks to tipster Max Jambor, we have a name for the next entry into the Nord family – the OnePlus Nord N1 5G – said to be the successor to 2020’s Nord N10 5G.
On the one hand, it’s exciting to hear about a new Nord device so soon into 2021, on the other, the use of the ‘N1′ naming convention, paired with the phone’s intended position as the N10’s follow-on raises some questions about how easy consumers are going to find following OnePlus’ brand strategy with the Nord name.
If the original Nord currently stands as the best if the bunch and the four-character Nord N100 operates at the other end, does the N1 slip in between the OG Nord and the N10 5G? It’s too early to say in terms of features and performance but we can at least make some assumptions about what it’ll likely bring to the table.
How much will the OnePlus Nord N1 5G cost?
The Nord N10 5G touched down in late 2020 with an opening price of £329 in the UK and €349 in Europe (and later $299.99 in the US). OnePlus has since dropped the price of the N10 in the UK and Europe but if the Nord N1 5G is set to be the N10’s direct successor than there’s every chance it’ll cost around the same.
If, however, the N1 is intended to slot in between the price points established by the N10 and the original Nord – which cost (from) £379 at launch – then the N1 could fall between £339 and £369 (approximately $470 and $510).
When does the OnePlus Nord N1 5G launch?
The original Nord made its debut on 21 July 2020 and became available for purchase in Europe on 4 August 2020, while the Nord N10 wasn’t unveiled until late October 2020 and went on sale in Europe on 27 November 2020.
As we’re already hearing rumours about the N1 5G this early into 2021 and reports that OnePlus is also bringing the launch of its flagship phone series – the OnePlus 9 line – earlier into the year, there’s every chance that the Nord N1 could make its debut around the same time as the original Nord did last year, in June or July; although no leaks have corroborated this theory yet.
What feature will the OnePlus Nord N1 5G have?
As Jambor describes the Nord N1 5G as a “direct successor of the Nord N10 5G” we can assume that it’ll be designed to sit somewhere in the mid-range to lower-mid-range smartphone segment.
The name confirms that 5G is part of the equation, which may narrow down the potential chipsets it could leverage, likely from Qualcomm – OnePlus’ long-term chip maker of choice.
As for everything, beyond running the company’s skinned take on Android – Oxygen OS – there’s little else that we can say with certainty until more details emerge from the woodwork.
For reference, here’s the OnePlus Nord N10 5G’s spec sheet:
6.49in 20:9 Full HD+ 90Hz IPS LCD w/ Gorilla Glass 3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 processor
6GB RAM
128GB storage
microSD expandability up to 512GB
Rear cameras:
64Mp main sensor
8Mp ultrawide w/ 119° FoV
2Mp macro sensor
2Mp monochrome sensor
16Mp front-facing hole-punch camera
Android 10 w/ OxygenOS 10.5
Rear fingerprint sensor
Dual stereo speakers
4300mAh battery
Warp Charge 30T (30W fast charging)
5G
Bluetooth 5.1
NFC
USB-C
3.5mm headphone jack
163 x 74.7 x 8.95mm
190 grams
Colours: Midnight Ice
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