Over the last few months, OnePlus re-entered multiple new price segments, starting with the Nord in July, followed by the Nord N10 and N100 in October. While the announcements were generally well-received, some were concerned that OnePlus did a U-turn on the promise of high refresh rate displays.
Back in September 2019, the company audaciously announced that all of its upcoming smartphones will have a “Fluid display”, which is OnePlus’s chosen nomenclature for screens with a high refresh rate. All subsequent launches stayed true to this claim, offering 90Hz or 120Hz on its devices. However, things changed when the Nord N100 was unveiled last month — there was no mention of a high refresh rate display. At a price of just £179, it did bring the “OnePlus experience” to a never-before-seen price point, with just that one major omission.
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Did OnePlus lie? Not really...
In an interesting turn of events, it looks like the OnePlus Nord N100 does, in fact, have a 90Hz display. This was first spotted by Android Authority on a retail unit purchased for review purposes. This is especially odd as the company initially did say that it was just a 60Hz panel. Upon enquiry, OnePlus clarified “The N100 is equipped with a 90Hz display. Actual refresh rate depends on settings, applications used, and processing limitations.”
Expectedly, OnePlus did not explain why the higher refresh rate was not highlighted on the Nord N100. Based on the reasoning provided, it could be a step taken to avoid creating unnecessary expectations. Being an entry-level smartphone powered by the Snapdragon 460 chipset, a 90Hz display would technically be supported but is unlikely to be as consistent as its flagships. If you’d like, the option exists under the display settings.
When the OnePlus Nord N100 was launched, it was clear that it shared most of its DNA with the Oppo A53 — a company it shares close ties with. The design and specifications were also nearly identical with the Snapdragon 460 chipset, stereo speakers, triple cameras, a 5,000mAh battery and 18W fast charging, etc. With the 90Hz screen now confirmed, there’s barely anything separating the two phones.
