OnePlus makes our job easy. We look at hundreds of phones each year, and the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G sticks out from the pack, bringing flagship features right down to the pleasingly low price of just £299.
It has the classic OnePlus combination of high-end features matched with a price most people will be able to afford when the time to upgrade arrives. Let’s take a quick look at a few of those features.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G marks a major upgrade in charging speed for the CE series, more than doubling the maximum charge rate from 30W to 65W, using SuperVOOC tech.
This takes the phone from flat to full in just 32 minutes. Charging this fast demands smart design, and the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G actually uses two internal batteries, charged in parallel, so neither gets too hot in the process.
OnePlus says a 15-minute charge is enough to see you through a full day’s use: not to be sniffed at.
An eye for design
Next on the list is the first thing you’ll notice after power-up, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G’s screen. It’s a Full HD 6.43-inch Fluid OLED panel with five characteristics that provide the fundamentals of a true world-class display experience.
These are high resolution, high refresh rate, superlative contrast, deep colour and great protection courtesy of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5. Having a screen that looks good is one thing, but it’s not so hot if you scratch it within 24 hours — something high-end toughened glass can help you avoid.
Just like OnePlus’s top-end 10 Pro, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G’s front camera punch-hole sits in one corner to avoid becoming a distraction while you watch a movie. And the 6.43-inch size represents a great balance between display canvas and the size of the phone itself.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is a trim and pretty thing, not a palm-stretcher, whether you choose to use the bundled case or not. At 7.8mm thick it is one of OnePlus’s slimmest phones to date, regardless of cost, and it’s a looker too.
Its rear panel curves up smoothly to meet the camera housing, while maintaining the tasteful style that marks out a OnePlus mobile. Pick the Gray Mirror OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G for a true minimalist look, but our eyes are drawn to the Bahama Blue version. It’s a blue-yellow gradient effect that takes the Blue Haze we loved so much in the original OnePlus Nord 2 5G and gives it a new dynamic slant.
All the right decisions
At each turn, OnePlus seems to have made the right choices to ensure the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is the best phone it can possibly be. And the processor is one of the best examples of this in action.
For years you’d only find Qualcomm chipsets in OnePlus phones. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G has a MediaTek Dimensity 900 processor. OnePlus jumped on board with MediaTek at just the right moment, because these latest Dimensity CPUs provide excellent general and gaming performance, stellar value and 5G mobile internet.
It’s a crucial part of getting the flagship experience for less money, to make Android fly rather than shuffle and provide enough power to play demanding games.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G’s triple cameras also use AI-assisted software to make sure your shots come out looking right, first time. Elements like this and a processor powerful enough to zap slow-down, and do everything you need it to, are key building blocks of a great phone. Add to that the expandable storage MicroSD slot and 3.5mm headphone jack and you’ve got a fully fleshed-out phone at a fantastic price.
It’s also great to see OnePlus’s commitment to its community has not waned. OnePlus has always been known as a company that interacts with and listens to audience. So, naturally, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G runs the OxygenOS software the fanbase knows and loves.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is available to buy today for £299.
