The mid-range OnePlus Nord N30 5G goes official and up for US pre-orders at an exquisite price
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Even though we obviously don't expect any smartphone announcements to come out of the 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), it's rarely wise to launch a product on the day of such a big Apple event.
OnePlus evidently didn't get that memo, rather discreetly opening US pre-orders for the Nord N30 5G mid-ranger earlier today. This is a budget-friendly handset that hasn't actually been formally unveiled or commercially released internationally either, fetching a reasonable $299.99 stateside in an unlocked 128GB storage variant with 8 gigs of memory also on deck and a single "Chromatic Gray" color option.
For a limited time, you can get the 6.72-inch Android 13 device alongside a nice pair of OnePlus Nord Buds 2 in your choice of white or gray hues at no extra cost, and if you hurry, the manufacturer will fulfil your order as early as June 12.
At three Benjamins (with a $59-worth gift included), this 5G-enabled bad boy goes up against the likes of Samsung's Galaxy A23 5G and the recently released Moto G Power 5G (2023) for the title of best affordable phone available in the US right now.
What is #LargerThanLife? Meet the all-new #OnePlusNordN30 5G, starting at $299.99! https://t.co/XcCPCj8zlvpic.twitter.com/qg7pfZp9AE
— OnePlus_USA (@OnePlus_USA) June 5, 2023
This being a OnePlus device, you probably won't be shocked to hear that a key advantage over its direct competition is the blazing fast (50W) charging support. That's faster than what the otherwise state-of-the-art Galaxy S23 Ultra is capable of, mind you, and in combination with a large 5,000mAh battery, it delivers hard-to-rival value for the sub-$400 segment.
Of course, "fast" is a word that characterizes the OnePlus Nord N30 5G from a number of different standpoints, including screen refresh rate technology and processing power. Yes, this is a silky smooth 120Hz (LCD) affair with a reasonably zippy Snapdragon 695 SoC under the hood, and a 108MP primary rear-facing camera promises to keep (cash-strapped) shutterbugs very happy as well.
That is, if you don't need a separate ultra-wide-angle or telephoto sensor, with the other two shooters on the N30's back likely to prove, well, largely useless with their macro and depth skills and common 2 megapixel count.
But hey, you clearly can't have it all at $299.99, and compared to the two aforementioned low-cost mid-rangers from Motorola and Samsung, this puppy arguably has a lot more going for it, at least on paper.
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