The OnePlus Nord launched nearly a year ago, confirming the company’s intent to break into the mid-range market. Since then, we’ve seen several devices launch under the Nord banner, with at least two more on the way.
Now, news of the OnePlus Nord 2 has arrived, and rumors suggest it could be the firm’s most impressive mid-range model to date.
Below, you’ll find a detailed list of all the credible leaks and rumors relating to the OnePlus Nord 2. We’ve also compiled a wishlist of features we’d like to see. Be sure to bookmark this article and check back regularly for the latest news.
See also: Everything you need to know about OnePlus’ devices in 2021
Name and release date
Credit: Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android Authority
Rumors of a OnePlus Nord 2 first gained steam in November 2020. News of a new OnePlus device with the codename Denniz suggested the company was working on a Nord sequel.
Official mention of the Nord 2 finally arrived in May, albeit through an apparent accidental listing on OnePlus’ own website as a qualifying phone for a Stadia Premiere Edition deal. This listing, published on May 25, also suggests a launch date isn’t too far off. The original Nord made its debut in late July, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine a similar launch window for the Nord 2.
OnePlus Nord 2: Design
Although we’ve heard plenty of rumors relating to its chipset, we’ve not yet seen a render of the OnePlus Nord 2 from a reliable source. Renders of another Nord phone codenamed Ebba arrived in March. But while some believed this to be the Nord 2, it’s more likely to be the successor of a cheaper Nord phone.
It remains unclear if the Nord 2 will adopt the OnePlus 9 series‘ design characteristics, stick more closely to the original Nord, or become more Oppo-like in its aesthetics.
OnePlus’ design philosophy with the Nord focused on cutting excess, so it packed a less durable shell and frame than other OnePlus models. And although the Nord had elements to resist dust and water, it lacked an official IP rating. We expect the Nord 2 to improve these two aspects.
Specs and features
OnePlus has solely relied on Qualcomm silicon for its devices, but the OnePlus Nord 2 could mark a turning point. Early rumors pointed to a OnePlus device offering a MediaTek chipset, namely the Dimensity 1200. While the OnePlus Nord 2 was initially believed to be the target, newer leaks have put this in doubt. Still, flagship-level silicon in the Nord 2 would make it an attractive and more powerful mid-range offering.
Beyond the silicon, details of the OnePlus Nord 2’s core specs remain a mystery. If it’s anything like the original Nord, we can expect the company to bring at least a 90Hz display, 5G connectivity, a battery larger than 4000mAh, and fast charging. If the phone does pack the Dimensity 1200, it does give OnePlus more room to work with in terms of display refresh rate and camera hardware limits.
Price and availability
The OnePlus Nord debuted at €399 (~$486) as a direct challenger to Google, Apple, and Samsung’s mid-rangers. We don’t expect OnePlus will increase the price of the Nord 2 by too much, though. With the OnePlus 9 starting at €719 in Europe and $729 in the US, the company does have some wiggle room.
If the Dimensity 1200 rumor is indeed true, OnePlus may target the more premium mid-range market. MediaTek silicon generally tends to be a little more affordable than its Qualcomm counterparts, so it’s possible the Nord 2 could be a cheap flagship killer. Again, we’ll have to wait and see and revisit this section once more is known about the phone.
Related: The best alternatives to the OnePlus Nord
As for availability, the Nord went on sale a few weeks after its launch date. It debuted even later in India, too. If this is any indication, expect the Nord 2’s availability to be staggered across global regions, too.
It’s also too early to say if OnePlus will bring the Nord 2 to the US, unlike the original Nord. OnePlus decided to debut the Nord in markets it knew it would stand the greatest chance of succeeding.
OnePlus Nord 2: What we want to see
Better cameras (not more)
One of the biggest complaints leveled against the OnePlus Nord was that it was definitely a case of quantity over quality. The phone packed a grand total of six cameras, featuring dual selfie shooters (normal and wide) and a quad rear setup.
We lamented the fact that two of the four rear cameras were 2MP lenses mainly there to inflate the numbers. However, even the main and ultra-wide sensors didn’t deliver great results. Our own reviewers felt that the dual selfie shooters were disappointing too.
Reminder: More phone cameras does not equal better photo quality
We’d love to see the OnePlus Nord 2 focus on improved image quality in general. We’d also like to see the firm ditch those crappy 2MP sensors in favor of improving hardware elsewhere (e.g. better main or wide sensors, better selfie cameras).
Three years of Android version updates
OnePlus confirmed that the Nord would be getting two years of Android version updates and three years of security updates. This is in line with many major OEMs, but Samsung has recently raised the bar. The South Korean manufacturer announced three years of Android version updates for a variety of devices, giving Android fans more incentive to buy Samsung phones.
OnePlus has offered a similar commitment for its flagships, but it definitely needs to step up and offer a three-year pledge for the OnePlus Nord 2 (and the original Nord). Hopefully, the controversy over the Nord N10 and N100 only getting one Android version update forces OnePlus to pull up its socks.
More consistent pricing
It’s not uncommon to see smartphone pricing vary in different markets, with manufacturers taking numerous regional factors into account. However, there was a huge price difference between the Nord’s RRP in India and its pricing in the likes of Europe. It didn’t help that the brand only offered the 64GB model in India. Hopefully this gulf in pricing is narrowed with the OnePlus Nord 2.
More reading: The best budget phones you can currently buy
It would be great if pricing in general is closer to the Indian price point than the European one. For example, the original 128GB Nord launched at €399 (~$456 at the time) in Europe while the same variant had an Indian launch price of Rs 27,999 (~$375/€316 at the time). That’s a difference of just over €80.
US availability
Another major pain point with the original Nord was that it wasn’t available in the US for some reason. You’d think it would be a no-brainer for the Nord to come to the market, especially with the lack of mid-range competition compared to the likes of EMEA markets and India.
OnePlus brought the Nord N10 to the US, but the phone arguably represents less bang for your buck than the standard Nord (lacking an OLED screen and the Snapdragon 765G chipset). That disparity increased further with the entry-level Nord N100. So, here’s to the manufacturer making things right with the Nord 2 by bringing it to North America.
MicroSD support
OnePlus has traditionally steered clear of offering microSD card support on its phones, which means that you can only rely on internal storage or the cloud. This isn’t necessarily a big problem if you’ve got a ton of internal storage to begin with.
However, the OnePlus Nord launched in India with a 64GB option, and the lack of storage expansion will be felt more keenly at this point. If OnePlus insists on a 64GB option for the Nord 2, we’d like to see microSD support thrown into the mix as well.
