OnePlus launches MediaTek powered Nord successor; adds new earbuds too
OnePlus has finally revealed the Nord 2, which like most previous OnePlus launches the company itself has pretty much fully revealed over the last few weeks. In addition, it launched the new OnePlus Buds Pro earbuds too.
The Nord 2 has been eagerly awaited, given how successful the original Nord was when launched last year. In many ways, the Nord 2 is a slightly cut down version of the flagship OnePlus 9, carrying over many great features and representing excellent value for money.
That said, the Nord 2 with 8+128GB now starts at £399 (up £20 on last year’s Nord) and rises to £469 for the 12+256GB model.
You will still get a lot for your money, with MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity 1200 SoC inside, renamed the Dimensity 1200 AI thanks to a few tweaks made for this phone. While not as powerful as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 chipset, it remains to be seen if the MediaTek chip will be more efficient and perhaps suffer less from the thermal throttling and heating issues that many SD888 phones have experienced – exposed in particular due to the current heatwaves around the world.
Key Specifications
| Size / Weight | 158.9 x 73.2 x 8.25mm / 189g |
| Display | 6.43-inch Full HD+ (2400×1080 pixels) 90Hz Refresh Rate AMOLED with video enhancement, AI-super resolution and daylight readable enhancement |
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 1200 AI SoC (6nm) with ARM G77 MC9 GPU |
| Rear Cameras | 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 primary camera (f/1.88) with OIS (0-10x zoom) 8-megapixel ultra-wide (119.7 degree FoV) f/2.25 2-megapixel monochrome camera f/2.5 4K video at 30fps Nightscape Ultra, AI Photo Enhancement, AI Video Enhancement, UltraShot HDR |
| Front Camera | 32-megapixel (f/2.45) with EIS 1080p video at 30fps |
| RAM | 8 or 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB or 256GB |
| Connectivity | LTE Cat 18 (1.2Gbps/150Mbps) NR (5G) up to 2.95Gbps Bluetooth 5.2 Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 with 2×2 MIMO Dual SIM (Dual 5G) |
| Battery | 4,500mAh with Warp Charge (65W) charging |
| Audio | Dual stereo speaker with noise cancellation support |
| In box | Phone, Warp Charge 65 power adapter and cable (USB 2.0), phone case, pre-applied screen protector |
| Colours | Gray Sierra, Blue Haze or Green Wood* * Selected markets |
OnePlus Buds Pro
The latest earbuds with Adaptive Noise Cancellation (ANC) are advertised as coming with an industry-leading smart noise cancelling system, with improved call quality, longer battery life, and a more personalised sound.
The new ANC system intelligently drowns out unwanted sound frequencies in real time, adjusting the level dynamically to keep the wearer totally immersed and undistracted. This is achieved through three microphones in each earbud, which can help filter noise levels of up to 40dB.
With both technology and its mechanical design playing a part, the OnePlus Buds Pro will keep calls clear even in loud environments.
OnePlus Audio ID is a calibrated sound profile to cater to user-specific sound sensitivities, and the earbuds feature 11mm dynamic drivers and Dolby Atmos support.
Battery life is rated at up to 38 hours, along with a charging case on full charge. 10 hours can be gained from a 10 minute charge, and the case can be charged with OnePlus’ Warp charge chargers, or wirelessly with any Qi compatible charger.
Finally, the Bluetooth 5.2 earbuds feature a Pro Gaming mode to reduce latency to as little as 94ms.
Pricing and Availability
Pre-ordering opens today (July 22nd) at 4pm, and those who order between now and midnight on July 27th (the day before it’s official release) will get 10% off a Nord 2 phone case and screen protector, as well as 50% off a pair of OnePlus Budz Z earbuds.
Order from OnePlus direct and also receive access to a free Stadia Premiere Edition, comprising a Google Chromecast Ultra and Stadia game controller.
Three and O2 will be carrying the Nord 2 8+128GB model on a range of pay-monthly tariffs, with a choice of blue haze and gray sierra colour variants.
The gray sierra colour is the only colour for the 12+256GB model, which will be available – like all variants – at OnePlus, John Lewis, and Amazon.
The OnePlus Buds Pro will retail for £139 and pre-ordering is open from August 18th through to August 24th, whereby the earbuds will go on general sale from August 25th via OnePlus and Amazon.
