The OnePlus Nord line of phones has always provided excellent value for money. Two years ago, the original Nord set and increased the bar for its category. Since then, we’ve seen the OnePlus Nord 2 and the OnePlus Nord CE, or Core Edition, that has become the new entry point into the overall OnePlus smartphone experience.
OnePlus has unveiled the Nord CE 2, the successor to the Nord CE. While the entry cost remains modest, it also contains a number of minor improvements that should result in a better user experience. The competition in this market, but at the other side, has never been fiercer. The Realme 9 is the latest in a long line of aggressive products from big companies.
Price
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 has a starting price of Rs. 23,999 for 6GB of RAM and a maximum price of Rs. 24,999 for 8GB of RAM. There is no 12GB version of this phone. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is available in two storage capacities: 128GB and 256GB. Unlike the Nord CE, this phone’s storage is expanded via the specialised microSD card slot in the SIM tray. The phone is available in two colour options: Bahama Blue as well as Grey Mirror.
Design
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 has a somewhat more luxurious appearance than the Nord CE.In fact, it looks similar to the Oppo Reno 7. The frame is plastic, but the back panel, like the display, is now made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. This gleaming coating has the unintended consequence of becoming a gigantic fingerprint magnet.
The OnePlus alert slider is still absent on the CE models, however OnePlus has kept the headphone jack. At the bottom, there’s also a USB Type-C socket and a solitary speaker. The 6.43-inch AMOLED display of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 keeps its highest refresh rate of 90Hz, but it also supports HDR10+. The display has a prominent chin, and the bezels that run the length of the screen are also visible. The phone feels fantastic in the hand and looks to be well-made and sturdy. It’s tiny (7.8mm) as well as light (173g), making it extremely handy.
Specifications
The OnePlus Nord CE 2’s specifications have improved, and you’ll notice that it has a lot of similarities with the Oppo Reno 7.It has a more powerful MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC. More than the enhanced performance, It is thrilling to see India support eight 5G bands, as opposed to just one with the Nord CE.
Other improvements include expandable storage with a dedicated microSD slot on the OnePlus Nord CE 2. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and 65W fast charging are all supported, up from 30W on the previous iteration. This phone lacks stereo speakers and an IP certification, but given its pricing and other features, we can overlook these flaws.
Table
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 900 MT6877 |
| No of cores | 8 (octa core) |
| RAM | 6 GB |
| RAM Type | LPDDR4X |
| Height-Width | 6.32in-2.88in |
| Weight | 173 grams |
| Colours | Grey Mirror, Bahama Blue |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Display Type | Fluid AMOLED, HDR 10+ |
| Brightness | 750 nits |
| TouchScreen | Yes, Capacitive, Multi-Touch |
| Rear camera setup | Triple |
| Rear Camera | 64MP(Primary), 8MP(Secondary), 2 MP (Tertiary) |
| Front camera | 16 MP Resolution |
| Flash | LED Rear flash, Screen Front Flash |
| Video Resolution | 1920×1080 @ 30 fps3840x2160 @30fps |
| Camera Features | Auto FlashAuto FocusFace detectionTouch to focus |
| Battery Type and capacity | Li-ion, 4500 mAh |
| Fast Charging | Yes, Super VOOC, 65W |
| Internal memory type | 128 GB, UFS 2.2 |
| Operating System | Android v11 |
| Custom UI | Oxygen OS |
| SIM Configuration | Dual SIM |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.2 |
| GPS | Yes with A-GPS, Glonass |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes, On Screen |
| Face Unlock | Yes |
| Other Sensor | Light SensorProximity SensorAccelerometerCompassGyroscope |
Performance and Battery Life
Performance was never an issue with the OnePlus Nord CE, and it isn’t any better with the CE 2. You get OxygenOS 11.3 out of the box, unlike 12, which was included with the OnePlus 9RT. There are various shortcuts and motions to try, and the whole experience is clean and speedy. As promised by OnePlus, the Nord CE 2 will receive two years of Android upgrades and three years of security patches. You also receive Google’s default dialer and messaging applications, as well as the ability to record calls while on the phone.
The in-display fingerprint sensor performed admirably, and facial recognition was lightning quick. In general, movies appeared good on the OnePlus Nord CE 2’s display. The colours were rich and saturated, as well as the brightness was enough.
Camera
The cameras of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 are the same as those found in the previous model. A 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, as well as a 2-megapixel macro camera are located on the back, while a 16-megapixel selfie camera is located on the front. The camera app has been redesigned to appear more like that of Oppo phones.There’s an AI scene enchantment toggle that’s better kept turned off because it tends to oversaturate colours.The Oppo Reno 7 series’ Bokeh Flare Portrait filter is also available for stills as well as video on the Nord CE 2, however the latter is restricted to 720p only.
The video capturing capabilities of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 are limited, comparable to those of the Oppo Reno 7. It isn’t surprising given how similar the two phones are. The Nord CE 2 can capture 4K video at 30 frames per second, even without stabilisation. It should be alright if you’re going to stay still while shooting.
Warranty Plan
| Warranty | 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty |
| Extended Warranty | 2 years Extended Warranty from the GoWarranty for the One Plus Nord CE2 |
Verdict
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is an excellent improvement to the original. Also, if you haven’t already purchased the prior model, I’d recommend the new one. It’s essentially a cheaper Oppo Reno 7 with fewer bloatware applications, which isn’t a terrible offer. The Nord CE 2 features a quality design, strong performance, long battery life, quick charging, and decent still photography cameras. Its video recording capabilities are lacking, but other than that, it’s difficult to find fault. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is far from ideal, and there are a few things that rival phones in this price range have. These aren’t deal breakers, but they’d be good to have.
