The OnePlus Nord smartphone is finally official, along with confirmation on where it can be purchased and how much it will cost. While Nord adopts many of the OnePlus smartphone principles, including a more affordable price tag in general, it is a device that’s aimed at the mid-range sector. Furthermore, it's not a smartphone that's going to be available everywhere.
OnePlus has tried its hand at the mid-range market before, with the launch of the OnePlus X in 2015. However, since then, the company has yet to release another mid-range phone, preferring to stick with its approach to premium devices at less than the average premium price. As a result, the OnePlus Nord not only marks a return to this sector, but an attempt to offer a lot of smartphone for less than $500.
OnePlus is positioning its new Nord as a device that covers “pretty much everything you could ask for” with a smartphone. For example, the main rear camera setup has been directly ported over from the company’s more expensive OnePlus 8 series, and is arguably, one of Nord's major selling points. In addition, Nord also comes equipped with a 90 Hz AMOLED display, a dual selfie camera setup, fast charging, and 5G support, thanks to the inclusion of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G 5G chip. All in all, Nord has a lot going for it, but the problem is many consumers won't have the opportunity to buy it.
OnePlus Nord Pricing & Availability
The OnePlus Nord is not currently due to go on sale everywhere with availability beginning in Europe and India. While there are currently no plans for a proper US launch at this time, the company has announced a beta program that will let 50 people based in the United States and Canada get their hands on the new phone. In terms of the price, Nord is launching in India starting at 24,999 Indian Rupees (INR) and this equates to a little under $350 in US terms. Likewise, Nord will go on sale in the UK starting at £379 and in Europe, starting at €399.
There’s no doubting that for the prices quoted, the OnePlus Nord does offer good value to consumers. However, in keeping that price low the device does compromise in certain respects. The processor is a notable one as while the Snapdragon 765 line is a capable chip series, it is not the company’s most premium solution that's found in most flagship smartphones on the market today. Again, while capable, that does mean there will be ripple performance effects throughout the experience, compared to devices running the latest and greatest from Qualcomm. Instead, the 765 is purposely built to offer a premium-like experience, along with 5G support, to devices that are not typically premium in nature - as is the case with Nord.
Then there’s the whole availability issue. While there is the possibility that Nord will launch in other countries in the future, those launches are unlikely to be on the scale as those now taking place in Europe and India. For consumers in those other countries, they may find that the OnePlus Nord is not really an option for them. Instead, those phone-buyers are likely going to need to look elsewhere for a premium-like experience from a mid-range smartphone.
Source: OnePlus