OnePlus Nord N20 SE Review

In this review, I’ll be focusing on the OnePlus Nord N20 SE, the company’s most recent budget phone. This is the cheapest OnePlus phone available for purchase right now. And what has recently happened with OnePlus is that they are expanding their smartphone portfolio. If you’re into technology, you’re probably already aware of this.

They’ve progressed from making decorations to mid-range and even budget bias. And, in the midst of this elaboration, OnePlus is becoming more like OPPO, and this phone is a prime example of how the company is shifting its strategy. We knew OnePlus was a brand that only sold flagship phones at extremely low prices. However, with the Nord series, they will enter the mid-range market in 2020. That genuine Nord series has also begun to feed the budget members. And, to be honest, I’m not thrilled with this change.

OnePlus’ brand identity is starting to fade

We’ve previously seen a slew of mid-range immolations in the Nord lineup, such as the OnePlus Nord CE 2 and Nord CE 2 Lite this time, which weren’t exactly best-in-class. But they were still biased, so I didn’t hesitate to recommend them.

However, the OnePlus Nord N20 SE has uninspiring specs and is also ridiculously priced. It has the three-year-old MediaTek Helio G35 chipset, an HD display, and a binary camera setup that lacks an ultra-wide lens.

Specifications

Table

Rebranding OPPO

This is a phone designed specifically for offline requests. And the irony is that it is an exact replica of the OPPO A77 4G, which was recently launched in Nepal, India, and other parts of the world. Because it is a rebranded OPPO phone, the design is excellent, which is exactly what OPPO is known for. So, it appears that OnePlus’ new strategy for budget phones is not to sell them at competitive specs and prices, as they are known for. They’re only dealing with their brand name at this point.

Yes, we as tech pundits have been blaming OnePlus a lot lately because of the OnePlus-OPPO saga. But, as I’ve established, OnePlus still has a positive brand image in the eyes of the general public. And I’m sure OnePlus is capitalising on that with this phone.

Actually, this does not appear to be a low-cost phone at all! The design is truly ultramodern, with a matte finish, and these camera modules round out the overall aesthetics. So, if someone goes to an offline mobile store as well as the shopkeeper shows him this phone, he will undoubtedly be impressed. I would as well.

Above-average performance

However, for the price, this phone has poor internal specifications. Take a look at the display; it has an HD resolution but isn’t AMOLED. And it only refreshes at 60Hz. When compared to the competition, they still offer a smooth 90Hz refresh rate, and AMOLED screen. In some cases, an in-display point detector is provided! However, the display quality is simply NOT up to par. Then there’s the out-of-date water drop notch! As a result, the Nord N20 SE feels like a budget phone from 2018.

Performance sluggish

Now, I’ve only had this phone for a few days, and I’ve already installed many of my favorite apps. And it used to be sluggish. So, no, it doesn’t feel like you’re using a OnePlus phone. I also attempted to play PUBG on this device, and guess what? It’s completely unplayable! I believe this is the worst value for money for a plutocrat-performing phone right now.

Cameras are of poor quality

I also shot some filmland with the OnePlus Nord N20 SE, and as you can see, they aren’t exactly inspiring. And, instead of an ultra-wide lens, its binary camera setup is completed by a depth detector! You do get a 50MP primary lens, but the Helio G35’s subpar image processor undoubtedly contributes to the average results.

In terms of selfies and videography, it isn’t exactly emotional. At this price point, I believe that phones like the Redmi Note 11, Galaxy F23, or Realme 9 will provide a significant, considerably better camera than the OnePlus Nord N20 SE.

The battery is one silver lining

In terms of battery, you get a standard 5000mAh battery with 33W charging, which is also provided by other brands. With such a low-powered processor and HD screen, you can expect this phone to have a very long battery life.

Verdict

As I mentioned in the morning, the OnePlus Nord N20 SE is sufficient bad immolation for the price. I’ve only had this phone for a day or two, and I simply cannot recommend it. It’s similar to my verdict on OPPO’s budget A-series phones, which has always been “don’t ever buy the OPPO A-series.” In reality, this is yet another OPPO A series phone. And the unfortunate thing is that people may be duped into purchasing the Nord N20 SE based on its aesthetics and OnePlus’ brand value.

The reality is that there are much better products available at comparable prices with superior specs in nearly every aspect. So, share this review with your musketeers and family to prevent them from making a costly mistake when purchasing this phone.

Warranty Plan