OnePlus has officially confirmed that its next budget-centric phone will be called the Nord 2 and that it will make its debut soon with the MediaTek Helio 1200 AI processor. Over the past couple of months, the company launched two value-for-money phones, the Nord CE 5G and the Nord N200 5G, both of which offer compelling hardware at a fairly competitive asking price.
OnePlus originally made its name with its flagship smartphone lineup that looked to offer similar specs to other premium phones, but at a cheaper price point. Besides also branching out into other device categories since then, the company launched the Nord line, allowing OnePlus to more specifically focus on the affordable phone sector. The OnePlus Nord 2 had previously leaked in all its design glory, along with some of its key specifications. Based on the leaks alone, it looked like it could be another winner phone for OnePlus.
OnePlus has now confirmed its new phone will be the Nord 2, and as the official teaser states, it is due to make its debut soon. The more attention-grabbing revelation here, however, is that the upcoming phone will be equipped with the MediaTek Helio 1200 AI SoC. That's important as it marks the first time that a OnePlus-branded phone has switched away from long-time partner Qualcomm.
OnePlus Nord 2 Arrives Soon & It Looks Promising
OnePlus revealed that it participated in the MediaTek Dimensity Open Resource Architecture program to create a custom version of the Dimensity 1200 SoC with some AI enhancements. The result is what OnePlus calls the Dimensity 1200 AI. This custom-tuned flagship MediaTek chip inside the Nord 2 offers AI-assisted imaging for better photography and display enhancements. For example, the AI Video Enhancement trick enables live HDR effects during video capture, automatic resolution upscaling while using social media apps, and high-refresh-rate optimization for a handful of mobile games. Notably, the chipset will also enable the DOL-HDR feature from the OnePlus 9 series that takes HDR video capture output to the next level.
Coming to the internals, the OnePlus Nord 2 is expected to feature a triple rear camera setup that includes a 50-megapixel main snapper with a Sony IMX766 sensor — the same sensor which also made its way to the more expensive OnePlus 9 Pro. It will reportedly be accompanied by an 8-megapixel camera for wide-angle photography and a 2-megapixel depth sensor, while selfies will be handled by a 32-megapixel camera on the front. The phone comes equipped with a 6.53-inch FHD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, while a 4,500 mAh capacity battery will keep the lights on. The MediaTek Dimensity 1200 AI chipset will be backed by up to 8GB RAM, which is plenty for a mid-range phone. The Nord 2’s design is heavily inspired by the OnePlus 9, down to the flat display with a hole-punch output and the rear camera layout.
Source: OnePlus India/Twitter, OnePlus Forum