- OnePlus has launched the Nord CE, which stands for “Core Edition.”
- The mid-range phone resurrects the headphone jack, albeit with a few trimmed features.
- It’ll be available in much of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East at first, but there are no US plans so far.
You didn’t need to wait long to see OnePlus’ next Nord phone. OnePlus has unveiled the Nord CE (aka “Core Edition”), a counterpart to the original mid-range model that adds a more premium camera sensor and tackles some complaints — while also trimming a few features.
The OnePlus Nord CE still centers around a 6.4-inch, 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. However, it also resurrects the 3.5mm headphone jack even as it slims down to a 7.9mm (0.31in) thickness — it’s proof that you don’t always need to use Bluetooth earbuds or a dongle on a slim phone. This is OnePlus’ slimmest design since the 6T, according to the company.
OnePlus Nord CE specs: Some upgrades, some downgrades
You’ll also find a higher-resolution 64MP ƒ/1.8 main rear camera along with the familiar 8MP ƒ/2.3 ultra-wide cam and a 2MP ƒ/2.4 monochrome lens. OnePlus also delivers a larger 4,500mAh battery in the Nord CE (up by 385mAh) and Warp Charge 30T tech that still lets you reach 70% battery in half an hour. There’s even a new color, Blue Void, that’s billed as fingerprint-resistant.
Don’t call this a full-on follow-up to the Nord, however. The OnePlus Nord CE uses a Snapdragon 750G chip rather than the first model’s 765G. There are only three cameras on the back, so you won’t find the first Nord’s separate macro and depth sensors. You’ll also get just one 16MP ƒ/2.5 front camera instead of the earlier phone’s 32MP main and 8MP ultra-wide shooters.
See also: OnePlus buyer’s guide: Everything you need to know about the brand
The phone will start at €299 (~$365) in Europe and £299 (~$423) in the UK. In India, it will start at Rs 22,999 (~$315). Those prices are for the 8GB/128GB version, with the notable exception of the Indian price, which is for an exclusive 6GB/128GB variant. There will also be a 12GB/256GB version starting at €369 / £369. It will go on sale on June 21, 2021, and will be available in 47 countries at launch. It will not likely come to the United States, though.
OnePlus is effectively refocusing with the Nord CE. As the Core Edition name implies, this is a back-to-basics handset meant to deliver the features people are more likely to care about while cutting what many people didn’t use. Again, though, this isn’t a true sequel — you might be annoyed if you were hoping that the first big Nord launch in a while is a remix for the cost-conscious.
