This largely mysterious Android handset could directly follow last year's original OnePlus Nord, replacing that bad boy's reasonably powerful Snapdragon 765 processor with an even better Dimensity 1200. MediaTek's high-end (ish) SoC has been rumored as an integral part of the 5G-enabled OnePlus Nord 2 for several months now, gaining more credence today thanks to a generally reliable Weibo tipster (via Mukul Sharma on Twitter).
One high-end camera to go with that blazing fast processor
Incredibly enough, the affordable second-gen Nord is also tipped to borrow the IMX766 imaging sensor from the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro, which just so happen to be two of the overall best phones money can buy in 2021.
In other words, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G should come with a top-notch 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens on its back (among other cameras), representing a huge improvement over the middling 8MP shooter used for the same task on the first-gen Nord mid-ranger.
OnePlus 9 Pro
Of course, that doesn't mean the Nord 2 will match all the photography skills of the OnePlus 9 Pro flagship, with the latter's "lower right lens", for instance, set to be replaced by a good old fashioned flash. If we're not mistaken, that's an 8-megapixel telephoto snapper, which will obviously be missed.
According to a separate report put together by the folks over at 91mobiles in partnership with the even more trustworthy Twitter leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer, the triple rear-facing camera arrangement on the Nord 2 5G will also include unspecified 8 and 2MP shooters.
That almost certainly means there will be no depth sensor this time around, and compared to the OnePlus 9 duo, which features both 48 and 50MP cameras, the total megapixel count is set to drastically go down.
Big battery, lots of memory and storage, same great prices
Nonetheless, the OnePlus Nord 2 sounds like a very strong contender for the title of best budget 5G smartphone available in 2021 when you also consider its "good screen-to-body ratio", undoubtedly tiny "left-aligned punch-hole" purportedly housing a 32MP selfie snapper, and 4,500mAh battery.
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That latter number marks a substantial upgrade from the already reasonably large 4,115mAh cell inside the 6.44-inch OG Nord. Impressively enough, the Nord 2 will reportedly keep that screen size (largely) unchanged while also retaining the FHD+ resolution, AMOLED technology, 90Hz refresh rate support, and in-display fingerprint scanner.
OG OnePlus Nord
On top of everything, the 5G-capable OnePlus Nord 2 could cost as little as 2,000 yuan in China with an 8GB memory count and 128 gigs of internal storage space. Believe it or not, that would equate to a measly $315 or so for an entry-level configuration offering two extra gigs of RAM and twice the local digital hoarding room of the cheapest Nord 1 variant.
Unfortunately, much like its predecessor, this irresistibly priced upper mid-ranger may never come to the US, so at least for the time being, you probably shouldn't compare it to the best sub-$400 smartphones available stateside, essentially all of which offer objectively inferior specs.
There will also be a higher-end 12GB RAM/256GB ROM model released sometime in July, and if history is any indication, that should fetch around €499 in Europe right off the bat, compared to €399 or so as far as the other configuration is concerned.
Basically, all that's left now is for OnePlus to publish official images of the handset, and something tells us that's precisely what's going to happen before long.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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