OnePlus has just launched the OnePlus Nord, the first product under its new, more affordable smartphone line. Unveiled in the world’s first AR smartphone launch, OnePlus Nord features all the essential elements of the ultimate everyday smartphone: a diverse camera system, a smooth user experience, and the trusted OnePlus quality. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G 5G mobile platform, OnePlus Nord also continues to help usher in the 5G era by allowing more users to enjoy the unprecedented speeds of 5G technology.

“The OnePlus Nord is an important milestone for OnePlus, as we always look for new ways to share the best technology with more people around the world. We are excited to finally bring a more accessible OnePlus smartphone that confidently stands alongside other products in the OnePlus family,” said Pete Lau, Founder and CEO of OnePlus. “The OnePlus Nord combines a flagship camera along with our signature features such as the 90 Hz Fluid Display, OxygenOS, and Warp Charge 30T to deliver a best-in-class smartphone experience.”

Flagship Camera

OnePlus Nord features the same 48 MP Sony IMX586 sensor as the flagship OnePlus 8, complete with a large f/1.75 aperture to let in a generous amount of light and optical image stabilization (OIS) to reduce blur and shakiness in both photos and videos. In addition, Nord comes with an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a macro camera, and a depth sensor to provide a versatile and diverse photography experience.

Nightscape, available on both the rear main lens and ultra-wide angle, enables stunning night shots through advanced computational photography. With Nightscape, the OnePlus Nord will take up to nine different pictures at varying exposures and weave them together in seconds to produce clearer, brighter, and more dramatic photos in low light.

Nord is the first OnePlus device to come with the dual front camera setup, with advanced image processing algorithms to ensure exceptional clarity and enhanced details. Featuring a 32 MP main camera, the highest resolution front camera on any OnePlus phone, the OnePlus Nord captures great selfies at day and night. The main front camera also supports high-quality video capture at 4K up to 60 fps. The 8 MP ultra-wide-angle front camera offers a 105-degree field of view, allowing users to take great group selfies with ease.

Smooth Experience

OnePlus Nord’s 6.44″ Fluid AMOLED Display with a 90 Hz refresh rate delivers an immersive viewing experience and an improved response time for snappy touch feedback. Whether you’re browsing the web or scrolling through photos, every touch is smoother and more seamless. Nord’s display also has 2,048 levels of automatic brightness for smoother brightness transitions and greater eye comfort.

Nord is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G 5G mobile platform, which totes improved CPU speeds, 30% faster graphics rendering than its predecessor, and a dedicated AI engine that helps to deliver peak gaming performance. With up to 12 GB of boosted RAM, Nord users will be able to experience more powerful gaming and seamless multitasking.

Like the flagship OnePlus 8 Series, Nord comes pre-installed with OxygenOS 10.5, OnePlus’s latest and fastest software yet. OxygenOS 10.5 comes complete with features such as Dark Mode, Zen Mode, and a full set of customization options that let users tweak everything from icon shapes to fingerprint animations. Designed to be ultra-fast and smooth, OxygenOS has nearly 300 powerful software optimizations that help deliver the ultimate smartphone experience.

Ben Wood, chief of research, CCS Insight

“The OnePlus Nord sees the company returning to its roots of offering a great product at a great price however it arrives at a time of intense competition in the mid-tier segment.”

“OnePlus should be applauded for creating such a buzz around a mid-tier smartphone. With the exception of Apple’s iPhone SE, it is hard to remember a mid-range device getting so much publicity ahead of its launch.”

“There is little doubt the specifications of the OnePlus Nord are attractive and at €399 (£379) it is cheaper than many people expected. However, it arrives at a time when rivals such as Motorola, RealMe and TCL have all announced mid-range 5G smartphones using the same Qualcomm 765G chipset with prices as low as £349 (£299). OnePlus will be hoping its slick marketing, brand and loyal base of fans helps its standout from the crowd.”

“Like other phone makers, OnePlus faces the challenge of a depressed market as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. CCS Insight currently estimates mobile phone sales will be down approximately 13% year on year. Apple and Samsung continue to dominate the market so there is going to be a battle royale between the smaller players to grab a share of what’s left.”

“When the OnePlus 8 Pro nudged the $1000 price point it felt like the company was out of touch with its core values of delivering a phone with decent specifications at an affordable price. The OnePlus Nord takes it back to that heartland, but at a time when the mid-tier market has never been more competitive.”

“Although the OnePlus Nord ticks all the boxes on specs, the company still faces the challenge of differentiating itself in a market where all devices look the same. Getting ranged across a wide range of channels is going to be a key factor in beating its rivals.”

Everything Else Users Love About OnePlus

OnePlus Nord supports OnePlus’ signature Warp Charge 30T, which is also featured on OnePlus flagship products. Warp Charge 30T will take Nord’s 4,115 mAh battery from empty to 70% in just half an hour, and charging speeds won’t be throttled when scrolling through social media or playing intensive games. Using machine learning, Nord intelligently changes the way your phone charges overnight to reduce the amount of time it spends at 100% to enhance battery health.

Nord guarantees the same industry-leading quality that users expect from OnePlus, and has been subject to the same meticulous and rigorous laboratory tests as all other OnePlus devices.

Similar to OnePlus flagship devices, OnePlus Nord will receive two years of software updates and three years of security updates.

Set Your Music Free with OnePlus Buds

Alongside the OnePlus Nord, OnePlus also launched its first true wireless earphones, the OnePlus Buds, which are designed to deliver high-quality audio playback and wireless freedom for a more immersive on-the-go sound experience. Balancing aesthetic simplicity and robust functionality, the OnePlus Buds give users a better choice for a refined and seamless experience, at an affordable price.

With Warp Charge technology, a brief 10-minute charge of the OnePlus Buds in the case delivers 10 hours of audio experience, while a full charge along with the charging case offers up to 30 hours of high-quality music playback.

With three active microphones built into each bud to reduce ambient noise, the OnePlus Buds pick up vocal frequencies easily and produce clear and crisp voice recordings and calls. In addition to enhanced 13.4mm dynamic drivers, the OnePlus Buds also come with Bass Boost and Dolby Atmos support, which produce cleaner vocals, deeper bass and richer tones for a breathtaking stereo soundstage.

Low latency pairing technology allows the buds to quickly and easily pair with smartphones, especially OnePlus devices, and seamlessly switch between speakers and earphones.

Aside from the robust performance, the OnePlus Buds feature a sleek and ergonomic half in-ear design for all-day comfort over extended periods of wearing. The OnePlus Buds also come with an IPX4 water resistance rating to handle splashes of water from any direction, making it a powerful companion to have during workouts or a regular jog.

Pricing and Availability

OnePlus Nord is available in two beautiful colours – Blue Marble and Gray Onyx, and two memory variants.

OnePlus Nord will first be available from an online pop-up event starting July 21, 3.30 pm UK time. This virtual event will give users a chance to purchase Nord ahead of general sales – there will also be a selection of merchandise for those who successfully purchase an OnePlus Nord Pop-Up Box. For more details, please visit https://www.oneplus.com/uk/nord/popups.

Customers who miss out on the OnePlus Pop Up then have one final chance of purchasing Nord early, by visiting John Lewis on 31st July for an exclusive 24-hour popup. After this, beginning 4th August OnePlus Nord will be available on https://www.oneplus.com/uk/nord-series and at Three and John Lewis. Customers visiting Amazon can pre-book OnePlus Nord starting 21st July you can save £30 if you are an Amazon Prime member as well, and easy financing option which allows them to purchase the phone in equal monthly installment with 0% interest.

OnePlus Buds will also be available to pre-order from http://onepl.us/UK for £79 from 21st July.