The OnePlus Nord has arguably endured one of the most laboured unveilings in recent smartphone memory, with leaks and teases spanning the entirety of 2020 and beyond; culminating in the launch of OnePlus’ second-ever mid-range device and what looks to be one of the most competitive smartphones of the year.
Thanks to a number of confirmed details ahead of the phone’s augmented reality launch event, we already had a pretty clear picture of what to expect but the phone’s official launch has brought everything into sharp focus.
Here’s the spec sheet for the OnePlus Nord:
6.44in Full HD+ (2400×1080, 408ppi) 20:9 FluidAMOLED 90Hz display
In-display fingerprint sensor
Face unlock
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor
6GB/8GB/12GB RAM
64GB/128GB/256GB storage
Front hole-punch cameras:
Sony IMX616 32Mp wide sensor w/ f/2.5 aperture, 80.4° FoV
8Mp ultra-wide sensor w/ f/2.2 aperture, 105° FoV
Main cameras:
Sony IMX586 48Mp wide sensor w/ f/1.75 aperture, OIS, EIS
8Mp ultra-wide sensor w/ 119° FoV
5Mp depth sensor w/ f/2.4 aperture
2Mp macro sensor w/ f/2.4 aperture
Dual-LED flash
5G support (Indian band: N78, European bands: N1,3,7,28,78)
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
NFC
Bluetooth 5.1
WiFi 2×2 MIMO
Physical alert slider
Linear vibration motor
4115mAh battery
‘Warp Charge 30T’ 30W fast charging
184 grams
OxygenOS 10.5 (atop Android 10)
Colours: Marble Blue, Gray Onyx
Aside from a few small tweaks to the speculated setup – namely the use of Gorilla Glass 5 and the version number aside its Oxygen OS user experience – the Nord as we imagined it is pretty much the Nord we’re getting.
The phone makes similar moves to the likes of the LG Velvet, Motorola Edge, Oppo Find X2 Neo and Realme X50 5G, centred around its 5G-capable chipset – the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G.
Related: Best cheap 5G phone 2020
In typical OnePlus fashion, the Nord can be had with a lot of RAM (8GB) or a ton of RAM (12GB), while non-expandable storage is available in two generous capacities: 128GB or 256GB.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Nord isn’t its 90Hz ‘FluidAMOLED’ display or the inclusion of 5G but rather its camera setup.
Despite its mid-range standing, the phone leverages the same tried-and-true 48Mp Sony IMX586 sensor that the company has been using on its flagships since the OnePlus 7 line and that means its engineers have had more time to tune imaging software to get the best out of the hardware at play.
The Nord also boasts more cameras outright (six in total) than any other OnePlus phone before; suggesting a more versatile shooting experience than what’s possible from the likes of even the OnePlus 8 Pro.
The OnePlus Nord is available via limited-time pre-order windows but goes on sale on 4 August, in 27 regions across Asia and Europe, priced from £379/€399/₹27,999 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB SKU, while the 12GB RAM + 256GB model retails for £469/€499/₹29,999 – making it an impressively competitive mid-range 5G phone.
A third 6GB RAM + 64GB storage SKU is scheduled to launch in India in September, costing ₹24,999 (approximately £260/€290).
We’ve already unboxed the OnePlus Nord (which you can watch at the top of this article) but you can also read our full impressions piece for more detail.
Read next: How to pre-order the OnePlus Nord
