To call the increasingly popular OnePlus Nord family of budget-friendly smartphones unnecessarily convoluted and confusing less than two years after the introduction of its first mid-range member would probably be a huge understatement.
But while many potential buyers are already left scratching their heads trying to understand the differences between the Nord N10 5G and Nord CE 2 5G, the company that used to promise it would "never settle" for anything but the best devices is apparently working on an additional two low-cost models dubbed Nord 2T and Nord CE 2 Lite.
As their frustrating names suggest, these upcoming mid-end Android soldiers are closely related to the Nord 2 and Nord CE 2 respectively, which doesn't really make distinguishing between all of OnePlus's repetitive handsets any easier. For what it's worth, one of the two phones does look decidedly original from behind, bringing back dear memories (for some, at least) of a time gone by.
This is the OnePlus Nord 2T
That's right, ladies and gents, the sandstone finish of 2014's OnePlus One and 2015's OnePlus 2 is (almost) ready to make a surprising comeback, this time adorned with an absolutely massive rectangular camera module housing two circular rings and two flashlights.
The... unusual-looking (in 2022) Nord 2T will almost certainly come rocking a triple rear-facing camera setup, mind you, and according to older rumors, said imaging system is likely to include an 8MP ultra-wide-angle shooter and 2MP monochrome sensor in addition to a 50MP primary snapper.
More impressively, the 6.43-inch OnePlus Nord 2T is expected to support blazing fast 80W charging for its respectably large 4,500mAh battery, with a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC sounding like just the right thing to deliver a solid balance between a satisfactory level of raw power and top-notch energy-saving capabilities.
All in all, there's definitely some potential for this bad boy to stand out against the best budget and affordable phones available today... as long as the price is right, which will probably prove to be the case, and the availability is expansive enough, which we're not currently so sure about. After all, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G never made its way (officially) to the US, suggesting this "T" version could have the same fate.
Curiously enough, 5G connectivity is not listed among the handset's expected specs today, although we're fairly certain said speeds will end up being a part of the budget-friendly package, alongside a smooth 90Hz display with FHD+ resolution and a hole punch, as well as Android 12-based OxygenOS software out the box and up to a hefty 12 gigs of memory paired with 256GB internal storage space.
And this is the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Despite its "Lite" moniker, the 6.58-inch or so device (partially) rendered by 91Mobiles today is all but guaranteed to support 5G speeds and pack a massive 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging capabilities.
The more... conventional-looking back panel of the Nord CE 2 Lite is said to feature a triple camera system with one 64MP shooter and a pair of (presumably) largely useless 2MP sensors, while the screen (which is not depicted today) may or may not support 120Hz refresh rate technology.
The fact that the "regular" OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G only comes with 90Hz display refresh rate skills makes us highly doubt that number will indeed pan out for the Lite model, but weirder things have happened in the mobile industry in the past.
Purportedly powered by a Snapdragon 695 processor and running OxygenOS 12 on the software side of things at launch (whenever that will be), this phone is also unlikely to ever hit US stores while looking set to cost around €300 on the old continent and thus deliver a hard-to-rival value proposition.
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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