OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 appears to be a step up from the Nord CE, and by step up, I mean a little more premium. In fact, it appears to be very similar to the Oppo Reno 7. (Review). It still has a plastic frame, but the back panel, like the display, is now made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. One annoying side effect of this glossy finish is that it attracts a lot of fingerprints.

On the CE models, there is still no OnePlus alert slider, but OnePlus has retained the headphone jack. A USB Type-C port and a single speaker are also included at the bottom. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 retains its 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 90Hz, but it is now HDR10+ certified. The display has a relatively thick chin, and the bezels that run the length of the panel are also quite prominent. The phone has a very pleasant in-hand feel, and it appears to be quite sturdy and well-made. It's also relatively thin (7.8mm) and light (173g), making it easy to use.

The cameras on the OnePlus Nord CE 2 are identical to those on the previous phone. On the back, there's a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera, while the front has a 16-megapixel selfie camera. The camera app has been updated and now resembles what we've seen on Oppo phones. There's an AI scene enchantment toggle that's best left turned off because it tends to boost colors to unrealistic levels. The Nord CE 2 also gets the Oppo Reno 7 series' Bokeh Flare Portrait filter for stills and video, though the latter is limited to 720p only.

Photos taken during the day were detailed and colorful. The dynamic range of the landscape shots was adequate, and the exposure was well controlled. Even with the AI turned off, the ultra-wide-angle camera tended to oversaturate colors, and textures weren't as sharp. The Nord CE 2 performed admirably in close-ups, capturing rich detail and colors. Under good lighting, the macro camera was just about usable, but don't expect much more.

The video recording capabilities of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 are somewhat limited, similar to those of the Oppo Reno 7, which is not surprising given how similar both phones are. The Nord CE 2 can record video at up to 4K resolution at 30 frames per second, but without stabilization. If you're going to be shooting while stationary, it should be fine; otherwise, you'll have to lower the resolution to get smoother footage. While having AI-enabled helps with exposure, the video quality suffers, especially in low light.

Performance was never an issue with the OnePlus Nord CE and isn't likely to be with the CE 2. You get OxygenOS 11.3 out of the box, not 12, which is the same version as the OnePlus 9RT (Review). There are numerous shortcuts and gestures to experiment with, and the overall experience is fluid and snappy. According to OnePlus, the Nord CE 2 will receive two years of Android updates and three years of security updates. You also get Google's dialer and messaging apps, and call recordings are available when you're on the phone. The in-display fingerprint sensor performed admirably, and face recognition was quick. Videos looked great on the OnePlus Nord CE 2's display in general. The colors were vibrant and saturated, and the brightness was more than adequate. When viewing content with white backgrounds off-axis, I noticed a mild blue tint in certain parts of the display, but this wasn't really an issue for most users.

Sources: OnePlus Nord CE 2

Aside from videos, games looked great on the OnePlus Nord CE 2's screen. Even in fast-paced multiplayer games like Call of Duty: Mobile, I found the touch response to be quite good. Stereo speakers would have improved the experience, but you can use any wired earphones for lag-free audio. After about 20 minutes of gaming, the back of the phone became slightly warm, but not unbearably so.In my experience, the battery life was excellent. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 has the same 4,500mAh battery capacity as the Nord CE, but thanks to the 65W SuperVOOC charger, you can charge it much faster. OnePlus has dropped the Warp Charge moniker in favor of Oppo's branding.

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is a good update to the original, and if you haven't already purchased the previous model, I'd recommend the new one. It's essentially a cheaper Oppo Reno 7 without the annoying apps, which isn't a bad deal. The Nord CE 2 has a premium design, good performance, a long battery life, very fast charging, and decent still photography cameras. Video recording isn't its strong suit, but other than that, it's difficult to find fault. The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is far from perfect, and there are a few features that other phones in this price range have. These aren't deal-breakers, but they'd be nice to have.