The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G, a successor to the popular Nord 2, promises a potent mid-range experience with a powerful processor, a blazing fast charging system, and a high-quality display. While it might seem like the perfect mid-ranger at first glance, the reality is that there are other compelling alternatives in the market offering similar hardware at even lower prices. This begs the question: Is the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G truly worth its asking price? To answer that, we’ll delve deep into its performance, camera capabilities, design, and software, comparing it to other top contenders in the mid-range segment.
OnePlus Nord 2T 5G: A Detailed Review
The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G is available in two configurations: 8GB RAM + 128GB storage for Rs. 28,999 and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage for Rs. 33,999. You can choose between a greenish Jade Fog and the matte black Gray Shadow finish.
Design: Refinements, Not Revolution
The Nord 2T 5G, being a ‘T’ version, doesn’t radically change the design language. However, there are subtle refinements. The rear camera module now sports two prominent circular cutouts, one housing the primary camera and the other accommodating the ultra-wide and monochrome cameras. This layout is neat and unique, but the module protrudes quite a bit, causing the phone to wobble when placed on a flat surface.
The rear panel is crafted from anti-glare glass and features a soft matte finish. This not only lends a premium feel but does an excellent job of resisting fingerprints. The mid-frame, made of polycarbonate with a chrome-like finish, while attracting fingerprints and smudges, makes the device easier to grip. The Nord 2T 5G feels solid and premium in hand, and thankfully, OnePlus has retained the Alert slider on this model, which was sadly absent in the more expensive OnePlus 10R 5G.
The display, with slightly curved edges, doesn’t feel flat. This makes swiping inwards from the edges a pleasant experience. It features a hole-punch cavity for the selfie camera in the top-right corner and an embedded optical fingerprint scanner, which works reliably. The display is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5, but unfortunately, fingerprint smudges are quite visible. However, they are easily wiped off. One noticeable drawback is the thick bottom bezel of the display, which feels bulky compared to the other three sides.
Specifications and Software: Familiar Ground with a Subtle Twist
The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G uses a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, an upgrade from the Dimensity 1200-AI SoC found in its predecessor. This is the sole core hardware upgrade in the ‘T’ model this year. The phone houses LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. It also features a dual-SIM tray that supports two 5G nano-SIM cards with dual-standby functionality.
Connectivity features include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and support for all standard satellite navigation systems. Powering the device is a 4,500mAh battery that can be charged using the included 80W charger, a significant upgrade from the 65W fast charging in the Nord 2. However, the Nord 2T 5G lacks an IP rating for dust and water resistance, something becoming increasingly common in the mid-range segment.
The phone runs OxygenOS 12.1, based on Android 12. The software experience, while typically OnePlus, has a curious omission. The Nord 2T 5G lacks any live wallpapers, offering only six static ones. While you can download a collection of static wallpapers from the Themes store, this requires signing up for a OnePlus Account. OnePlus guarantees two major Android updates and three years of security updates, which is commendable for a mid-range device.
OnePlus continues its philosophy of minimal bloatware with only Netflix pre-installed. This means no annoying notifications cluttering the interface. The software offers extensive customisation options, with the theme engine automatically picking colours from the wallpaper and applying them to the widgets and keyboard. However, the system accent color needs to be manually selected, which is a minor inconvenience.
Performance: A Solid Performer, But Not a Leader
The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G delivers solid performance for a mid-range smartphone as observed in benchmark tests. It scored 6,15,487 points in AnTuTu and 672 and 2,614 in Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests respectively. While these scores are commendable for a mid-range device, they are noticeably lower than the similarly priced iQoo Neo 6, which scored 7,29,331 points in AnTuTu and 983 and 3,074 in Geekbench.
The gaming performance was impressive. The phone didn’t overheat during taxing games. Titles like Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9: Legends, ran smoothly at their default settings. Even maxing out the graphics settings in these games didn’t lead to any significant performance drop. The display’s 180Hz touch sampling rate proved more than adequate for fast-paced FPS titles.
The 6.43-inch AMOLED panel on the Nord 2T 5G boasts a 90Hz refresh rate and is claimed to be HDR10+ certified. The display produces saturated colors at the default Vivid colour profile. Switching to the Natural mode results in more accurate color representation. While the display seemed sufficiently bright outdoors, the phone’s ambient light sensor consistently dimmed the display a bit too much indoors. This often forced users to manually adjust the brightness bar after unlocking the phone.
The advertised HDR10+ certification wasn’t as useful as expected. Streaming apps like Netflix did not detect the display as HDR-ready. HDR content on the YouTube app exhibited colour banding. Standard definition content, however, looked sharp and showcased deep blacks. The stereo speakers made for an immersive audio experience but sounded a bit distorted at higher volumes.
The battery life on the Nord 2T 5G is quite good. The phone easily lasted two days with casual usage, including some gaming. With heavy usage, involving around two hours of gaming and an hour of camera usage, the phone lasted a day and a half, which is impressive. Our HD video loop test lasted an impressive 22 hours and 55 minutes, showcasing its impressive battery endurance. The bundled charger managed to charge the phone from zero to 55 percent in 15 minutes and fully charged it in 30 minutes.
Cameras: A Mixed Bag of Strengths and Weaknesses
The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G sports a triple rear camera system. It houses a 50-megapixel primary camera with OIS (Sony IMX766 sensor), an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2-megapixel monochrome camera that mainly assists with Portrait mode by gathering depth data. Selfies are handled by a 32-megapixel front-facing camera.
The camera interface is similar to what we’ve seen on recent OnePlus phones, with some features hidden inside a mini slide-out menu under the ellipsis button. It bears striking similarities to the interfaces on recently launched Oppo and Realme devices.
Photos captured in daylight were sharp and clear, showcasing decent dynamic range, but lacking detail in the darker areas. Colors were accurate, but their appearance varied depending on the display’s color profile. If set to Vivid, photos appeared oversaturated when viewed on the phone. The 2X digital zoom surprised with its ability to capture clear photos in sufficient lighting conditions. The ultra-wide-angle camera, on the other hand, produced photos with less detail and limited dynamic range. Photos also showed noticeable purple fringing in brighter areas.
The primary camera, while not a replacement for a dedicated macro camera, managed to capture sharp close-ups of flowers from a distance.
Selfies appeared a bit oversharpened but remained decent overall, featuring good dynamic range. Selfie portraits also appeared sharp with accurate edge detection, but the dynamic range was limited, often resulting in overexposed backgrounds with blown-out highlights.
In low light, the ultra-wide-angle camera produced mostly unusable photos. The primary camera, on the other hand, managed to capture sharp photos with good detail and dynamic range. The dedicated night mode was only truly needed in exceptionally dim lighting. However, I encountered scenarios where the dynamic range fell short, resulting in clipped highlights near artificial light sources. In short, low-light performance was inconsistent. Night mode did produce images with improved dynamic range and reduced noise, but appeared a bit oversharpened. Overall, the low-light camera performance was not as consistent as that of the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G.
Videos shot at 1080p 30fps from the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G looked a bit soft but showcased excellent stabilisation. 1080p 60fps footage, however, had noticeably less detail. 4K video, capped at 30fps, offered the best detail, a steady bitrate, and good stabilisation. Low-light 4K videos showed the best quality, with 1080p footage looking a bit soft with visible shimmering when moving.
Verdict: A Solid Mid-Ranger, But Not a Standout
The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G at Rs 28,999 delivers everything most users would expect from a mid-range smartphone, and that’s pretty much it. It doesn’t go above and beyond to offer anything exceptional or add any significant value. Everything is within reasonable limits – the processor is strictly mid-range, the camera selection lacks a macro feature, and the display is limited to 90Hz.
However, it performs admirably within these limitations, making it a decent all-rounder at this price point. The high-end 12GB RAM variant (priced at Rs. 33,999), however, offers little value for money, especially when competing devices like the Nothing Phone 1 provide better features such as wireless charging and an IP53 rating for a similar price.
If you’re seeking alternatives to the Nord 2T 5G, brands like iQoo and Realme offer products with better value propositions. The iQoo Neo 6 provides a more powerful Snapdragon 870 SoC, a 120Hz AMOLED display, a larger 4,700mAh battery, and a dedicated macro camera all for a starting price of Rs. 29,999. Realme’s 9 Pro+ 5G boasts a capable Dimensity 920 SoC, the same primary camera, a macro camera, and a similar 90Hz AMOLED panel as the Nord 2T, all for a more affordable starting price of Rs. 24,999 for the 6GB variant.
In conclusion, the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G is a competent mid-range smartphone that delivers on its promise, but ultimately falls short of offering standout features or exceptional value compared to its competitors. If you’re looking for a well-rounded device without breaking the bank, the Nord 2T 5G is a viable option. However, if you’re looking for the best value proposition in the mid-range segment, other options might be more appealing.
