OnePlus Nord 2 buyer's guide: Everything you need to know

OnePlus started as the “flagship killer” company. However, over the years, the brand has put less emphasis on the “killer” aspect and instead just delivered premium flagships — complete with premium prices. In particular, the Nord line — and the 2021 OnePlus Nord 2 — see the company wading into once-familiar waters.

To be clear, the Nord 2 will definitely not be an adequate replacement for a OnePlus 9 Pro or 10 Pro. However, the specs, design, and features should satiate budget-conscious buyers who don’t want to make too many spec sacrifices.

Below, you’ll find everything we know about the OnePlus Nord 2! Be sure to bookmark this page, as we will update it with new information as it comes.

See also: A history of every OnePlus phone so far

OnePlus Nord 2 at a glance

OnePlus officially revealed the OnePlus Nord 2 on July 22, 2021. It became the third Nord-branded phone of 2021, behind the OnePlus Nord N200 and OnePlus Nord CE.

This is the first-ever OnePlus phone without a Qualcomm chipset. Instead, the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 is the powerhouse behind the curtain. This will give it higher processing power than some mid-range Qualcomm SoCs without necessitating a considerable price increase.

See also: The Android Authority review of the OnePlus Nord 2

Like the original Nord, the Nord 2 will not land in all of OnePlus’ usual markets. Instead, the phone will only be available in the United Kingdom, Europe, and India. OnePlus fans in the United States will be left without a premium mid-ranger for the time being. Buyers in that market will need to make a tough choice between the flagship OnePlus 9 or the budget Nord N200.

The Nord 2 launched on OnePlus.com on July 28 and starts at £399 (~$543) in the UK and €419 ($494) in Europe. That price gets you the model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. There’s also a premium 12/256GB version for £469 (~$639) or €519 (~$611). In India, the phone starts at Rs. 27,999 (~$375) for an India-exclusive model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Stepping up to the 8/128GB variant will cost you Rs. 29,999 (~$402), while the top-of-the-line 12/256GB version will be available for Rs. 34,999 (~$470). 

Is the OnePlus Nord 2 worth buying?

The standout feature of the Nord 2 is the processor. The MediaTek Dimensity 1200 is a powerful chip, on par with something like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870. It has AI smarts, powerful imaging capabilities, and will be good for gaming. However, when put into performance mode, the chip tends to run pretty hot.

See also: Is it still worth buying the OnePlus Nord one year later?

The rest of the specs are all pretty good for a phone in this price range. It has a decent camera system, plenty of RAM and internal storage, Wi-Fi 6 support, a large battery, and a crisp 90Hz AMOLED display. It also has the usual OnePlus design elements and its popular Oxygen OS 11 skin.

However, the Nord 2 will face a lot of competition in its price bracket. Buyers who aren’t already locked to OnePlus will have plenty of options to deliver great specs at equal or even lower pricing. See our “Alternatives” section further down for more.

OnePlus Nord 2 specs

Raw specs aren’t everything when it comes to a great phone. However, they are an essential piece of the puzzle. Check out the OnePlus Nord 2 specs below.

Is the OnePlus Nord 2 camera any good?

The primary imaging sensor is a 50MP Sony IMX766. That’s the same sensor you’ll find underneath the wide-angle lens of the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. That results in some decent imagery, although not as good as what we’ve seen in those more premium phones.

Flanking that camera, you’ll find an ultrawide and a monochrome sensor. The former will help you capture more scenery without you needing to physically move backward, while the latter will bring more detail into your photos.

See also: From OnePlus One to OnePlus 9 Pro, how much have cameras improved?

On the front, you’ll find a 32MP Sony IMX615 sensor. The original Nord had two cameras up front, so this might seem like a downgrade, but this one sensor is much better than either of those in the original Nord. Interestingly, this is the largest-ever selfie sensor in a OnePlus device. Here are just a few sample images from our testing:

Outside of hardware, there are some highlights to note. The rear and front cameras support Nightscape, allowing some decent low-light performance. The rear main sensor also supports optical image stabilization, a boon to folks who like to shoot video.

How is the battery life and what are the power options?

There’s a 4,500mAh battery inside the OnePlus Nord 2. That’s the same capacity battery in the more expensive OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro.

During our time with the Nord 2, we saw good battery life. However, we only saw it when we didn’t have the high-performance mode active. The Dimensity 1200 chewed through the battery with little abandon with that turned on. If you want even somewhat decent battery life, you should avoid turning the performance mode on.

See also: OnePlus’ Warp Charge 65 is how to do proprietary charging in 2022

Thankfully, you’ll find a 65W charging brick in the box with the OnePlus Nord 2. That’s a fast enough charger to bring your phone from empty to full in just over 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, there is no wireless charging support with the Nord 2. You’ll need to bump up to at least the OnePlus 9 for that feature. In India, however, the OnePlus 9 Pro is the only model equipped with wireless charging support.

How is the performance?

The MediaTek Dimensity 1200 inside the Nord 2 is not an off-the-shelf model. Instead, OnePlus and MediaTek worked together to incorporate additional AI technology into the chipset. That means it should do all the things you expect from a D1200, but also more.

In our benchmark tests, we found the Nord 2 handily beat out the original Nord when it comes to raw processing power:

Keep in mind, though, that processing power isn’t the be-all-end-all for smartphones. For example, the D1200 is great at power efficiency, but battery life suffers considerably when you turn on the phone’s high-performance mode. In other words, the processor is capable of great feats, but it won’t last you very long if you push it.

Additionally, we found the OnePlus Nord 2 gets quite hot when performing processor-intensive tasks. Once again, this was incredibly apparent with high-performance mode active. With that on, the phone gets hot enough that it’s uncomfortable to hold.

The bottom line here is that the phone can be a performance beast, but its power is unsustainable in real-world applications.

OnePlus Nord 2 software and updates

When you take the OnePlus Nord 2 out of the box, you’ll find Android 11 powering the phone. That OS is, of course, skinned with Oxygen OS, OnePlus’ proprietary Android platform.

See also: Everything you need to know about Oxygen OS 11

Although OnePlus never confirmed as much, its past statements heavily suggested that this phone would be the first to incorporate OPPO’s Color OS as a codebase. This was scheduled to come to all current OnePlus phones when Android 12 launches. After concerns and failed Android 12 updates on the OnePlus 10 Pro, the company has walked back the majority of these plans. Of course, we don’t know if that will change again in the future.

The OnePlus Nord 2 will get the standard two years of Android upgrades (Android 12 and Android 13) and three years of security patches. This fails to match Samsung’s promise for its mid-rangers. So far, the Android 12 update has begun to roll out in parts of India, with Europe slated to follow close behind.

Nord 2 vs the original Nord: What’s new?

There are some notable differences between the original OnePlus Nord and the OnePlus Nord 2. However, the phones are still quite similar in a lot of ways. With that in mind, OnePlus Nord owners might want to think a while before upgrading.

Here are the significant differences between the two phones. Do note that these aren’t all the differences, but just the highlights:

• Processor: The MediaTek Dimensity 1200 is superior to the original Nord’s Snapdragon 765G. However, that’s only when it comes to raw performance. The D1200 is more powerful, but the SD765G is more stable and better at controlling heat and battery consumption.
• Cameras: The original Nord had a quad camera on the rear and a dual-cam selfie system. The Nord 2 drops lenses on both ends, with three on the back and one up front. However, the quality of those lenses/sensors goes up, which may allow it to deliver superior performance.
• Power: The battery in the OnePlus Nord 2 is 385mAh larger than the one in the Nord. It also charges at 65W, which is more than twice as fast as the 30W of the original Nord.

Other than those items, last year’s Nord is very similar to this year’s. The phones are almost the same size, have very similar displays, and have similar RAM/storage configurations. Even the Blue Marble color seen above is very close to the Blue Haze you see on this year’s Nord 2.

What are some good alternatives to the Nord 2?

Check out a few OnePlus Nord 2 alternatives you should consider below.

• Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (£399): Samsung’s 2022 mid-range offering is pretty great. It starts at the same price as the Nord 2 and surpasses it in a few areas, including a faster display refresh rate (120Hz), a superior primary camera sensor, and a far better update promise. However, you’ll lose out on 65W charging, and the chipset performance will undoubtedly be weaker.
• POCO F3 (£339): If raw processing power is your core concern, the POCO F3 should be on your radar. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 inside could handily go up against the Nord 2’s Dimensity 1200. There are even a couple of other perks, including a 120Hz display refresh rate and a slightly bigger battery — not to mention a lower price. You’ll need to sacrifice some other perks, though, such as 65W charging, the Nord 2’s superior camera system, and the in-display fingerprint sensor.
• Google Pixel 6a 5G ($449): The Pixel 6a stands in a prime position to take over the midrange market. It already packs Google’s powerful image processing, and now it’s getting a premium Tensor chip to boot. It’s the perfect successor to the Pixel 6, right down to the camera bar. The Pixel 6a is also far more available than its predecessor, the Pixel 5a.
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 (£299): OnePlus just keeps expanding its Nord lineup, and the CE 2 is your latest option. It packs speedy 60W charging and great build quality with a capable main camera. However, the software is lagging behind, and there are no stereo speakers.

Where to buy the OnePlus Nord 2

• (India Only) OnePlus Nord 2 (6GB/128GB): Rs. 27,999
• OnePlus Nord 2 (8GB/128GB):  £399 / €419 / Rs. 29,999
• OnePlus Nord 2 (12GB/256GB): £469 / €519 / Rs. 34,999

As mentioned earlier, the OnePlus Nord 2 is only available in the United Kingdom, Europe, and India. The models in each country can be slightly different as far as supported bands, colorways, and in-box contents. See the specs sheet earlier in this article for more info on that.

In the United Kingdom, you’ll be able to buy the Nord 2 from OnePlus, Amazon, and John Lewis. UK carriers Three and O2 will carry the phone, but only in its 8/128GB configuration.

European customers will be best served by going to your regional version of OnePlus.com.

The India-exclusive model with just 6GB of RAM arrived in August 2021. It only comes in one colorway, which is Blue Haze. The Blue Haze and Gray Sierra models for the 8GB and 12GB variants landed on July 28, but the Green Woods model (an India-exclusive color) arrived in August exclusively in the 12GB configuration.

OnePlus also introduced a special Nord 2 Pac-Man edition in early November 2021. Your best chance to get one was through a OnePlus contest, though it’s also available unlocked for £499 directly from OnePlus. While the overall package is the same, the Pac-Man Nord 2 comes with a glow-in-the-dark finish to show off.

It is very unlikely the OnePlus Nord 2 will land in other countries, including the US.

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