Last year, OnePlus implemented a radical change in its strategy of creating and presenting mobile phones. The first to emerge from the new system was the OnePlus Nord, a terminal that we analyzed and that was a resounding success for the company, bringing its idea of fluidity and speed to the mid-range. Later the Nord N10 and N100 would arrive, which were not so well received.
The company has already presented two new models, including the OnePlus nine and the OnePlus 9 Pro. We are referring to the OnePlus Nord N200 (which is only sold in the United States) and the OnePlus Nord CE, a terminal that seeks to be similar to the Nord in essence but with a lower price.
Now it’s time to test the successor to the Nord, the OnePlus Nord 2 that the company has recently presented but that we have been using for a week.
We are facing the first mobile that we can analyze with what, for now, is the best Mediatek processor, the Density 1200. This chipset promises performance comparable to the Snapdragon 870, and we have had that feeling of what is good and evil daily.
As for the positive, the performance of the terminal is outstanding, the fluidity is appreciated, and it has only been blocked once, although in a game that is not precisely very stable.
The negative part is that, like the Snapdragon 870 and 888, the Density 1200 gets quite hot, especially when playing demanding titles in cooperative mode. Even so, it does not reach the levels of models such as the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra that burned.
One small detail needs to be mentioned. The processor used by the Nord 2 is not precisely the Density 1200 that Mediatek announced a few months ago. Still, a slightly modified variant can perform specific actions on the device, such as improving color on the screen using artificial intelligence or some camera options. . This also helps heat dissipation from the terminal.
The connectivity is up to what is expected in a mobile that starts at 399 euros. We have 5G, NFC, and wifi 6.
No big screen changes
One of the problems with having an increasingly comprehensive catalog of mobiles is that you cannot distinguish them all in each of the fundamental aspects. This is perfectly seen in Nord 2 when we talk about its screen.
We are facing a panel without curves of 6.43 inches and FHD resolution with OLED technology and a fingerprint sensor under the screen. The refresh rate is high, at 90 Hz, but it is somewhat far from the 120 Hz of the Redmi Note 10 Pro.
The point is that OnePlus has not raised the rate to 120 Hz so as not to compete with the OnePlus nine, which costs much more than this Nord (although it has better specifications).
There are improvements over the Nord CE, such as support for HDR10+ and AI color enhancement. The processor also enables AI upscaling in three apps: YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram, as well as real-time HDR10, to HDR10+ videos.
Beyond that, we are facing a high-quality panel with good colors, many customization options, and decent brightness. This is not something that is always seen, although, in this price range, it is something that is required.
Three cameras, with one shining on the others
The photographic section has been a one-star feature this year for OnePlus, given the company’s agreement with Hasselblad.
However, the Nord 2 does not have these improvements, although it has changed from what we saw last year.
The primary sensor is the Sony IMX 766 (the same one used in the wide angle of the OnePlus 9) and has a resolution of 50 Mpx. It is optically stabilized and can record 4K video at 30 fps, in addition to doing it in HDR.
The quality of the images has been astounding, even at night, getting some shots worthy of the high range.
The wide angle does suffer a significant drop in quality and resolution as it only has 8 Mpx. This is especially appreciated when we want to enlarge a photo or in night photography.
Finally, we have a 2 Mpx monochrome sensor that we can use with the B/W filter of the camera app, the last one in the list that appears in the Filters button of the app. Again, this type of sensor is not as helpful as using them in mobiles. Better save on components and put a software black and white mode.
The front camera is 32 Mpx and uses an IMX 615. We can take group photos with better quality at night, and it can improve the processor of up to five faces simultaneously, with an emphasis on the eyes.
The quality has been a bit desired due to the dynamic range and sometimes the video stabilization, although OnePlus does not usually falter here.
The video now includes a function that we usually see in the high range, the ability to record simultaneously with the primary rear camera and the front camera.
The stabilization of the primary sensor helps us so that the videos do not shake, even though at night, you can still see the blur produced in the lights by the movement when walking. If we record without moving them, the quality goes up completely.
Significant autonomy and better fast charging
OnePlus has not brought the wireless charging of its older brothers to this model, which is understandable, although it has put the 65W fast cable charge that allows the battery to be filled in half an hour.
We have used little in the first battery test, although quite wholly. We have taken photos and some videos and used social apps, Instagram, Twitter, etc. We talked on the phone and played. All this is mostly over wifi but also under mobile coverage. We have reached three and a half hours on the screen with almost two days of total autonomy—about 45 hours.
In the second battery test, we also used the screen at 90 Hz, as in the previous test. We’ve played, talked a little less, and listened to more podcasts. We have reached five and a half hours on the screen with 36 hours of autonomy.
We have not taken photos in the third battery test; we have been talking on the phone and using the mobile a little more indoors. We have reached 6 hours of the screen with 24 hours of autonomy.
