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In typical OnePlus fashion, the Nord has been hyped for weeks with various leaks revealing almost everything possible about it.
Today, the phone finally went official, and it accompanies the Realme X50 and OPPO Find X2 Lite as the first phones to arrive in the UK with the new affordable upper mid-range 5G chipset from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 765G.
Plenty of phones already feature this chipset; the UK has just been slow to get them. We are likely going to see a lot more over the next few months, and with the current economic climate and increasing flagship prices, this could be the sweet spot for phones. In terms of day to day performance, you will struggle to notice the difference between a phone with the SD765G and a phone with the SD865.
With three phones on the market, what differentiates them?
No much. That’s what.
All three phones share a very similar specification, but not quite the same because we wouldn’t want to accuse BBK Electronics, the owner of the three brands in question, of reusing designs.
What’s the same?
Apart from the chipset running the phone, all three phones have almost, but not quite the same camera arrangement.
They all have a 48MP wide lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide. Then they all have the only moderately useful macro/depth sensors
I thought the primary sensor was different on the phones, but it looks like it is the same Sony IMX586.
Technically, OnePlus has a better depth senor, which is 5MP vs 2MP.
The OPPO and OnePlus share the same 32MP selfie sensor, but apart from that, the other selfie specs are different.
They all have 30w charging, and the battery of each phone is not much different with OPPO being the smallest at 4025 mAh then OnePlus at 4115 mAh and finally Realme at 4200 mAh
Both the OnePlus and OPPO are roughly the same 6.4-inch displays, and very similar dimensions and weight.
The OPPO and OnePlus both come with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage as standard. Realme has 128GB storage, but only 6GB of RAM.
What’s different?
The display is the big one. OnePlus has the best with an OLED display running at 1080p 90hz with a duel selfie punch hole. The OPPO also has an OLED display, but this runs at 60Hz then uses an old fashioned notch. Both these phones then use under-display fingerprint readers.
The Realme opts for a 120Hz IPS display with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. I have not used the other phones, but from my experience, I’d take the 90Hz OLED of the OnePlus any day of the week.
The Realme X50 has the least RAM at 6GB.
The OPPO and OnePlus use the same glass back build, while the Realme uses a plastic back.
Price
The Realme X50 is the cheapest at a bargain £299
Then you have the OnePlus Nord at £379
Finally, the OPPO Find X2 Lite at £399
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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OnePlus NORD (5G) 8GB RAM 128GB SIM-Free Smartphone with... |
£215.44 |
Buy on Amazon |
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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OPPO Find X2 Lite 5G - Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 765G mobile... | Buy on Amazon |
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Realme X50 5G - Smartphone 128GB, 6GB RAM, Dual Sim, Jungle... | Buy on Amazon |
Overall
First of all, while the OPPO Find X2 Lite is likely a great phone. It is priced £20 more than OnePlus has almost an identical spec, but a worse screen. OnePlus is normally praised for their OxygenOS software, whereas I rarely hear people singing the praises of ColorOS.
So I would say that OPPO perhaps needs to readjust their prices. It has been out longer, and it is available on contract via O2, Vodafone, Virgin and others. So it is still a decent option on a contract deal.
Everyone but Three has dropped OnePlus for contract deals, at least on the 8, and Realme is not on contract, so if it is a contract deal you are after then the OPPO Find X2 Lite is the clear winner, through lack of competition.
As for SIM-free prices, spending an extra £80 on a better display is a hard sell for OnePlus over Realme. But I’d say it is probably worth it if you can justify the cost, you get more RAM, superior build quality and OxygenOS is nicer than Realme UI. All these little things add up to make it worth it, but only just.
As for the Realme X50, it is not perfect, I have had some software issues with it, but at £299 you are getting a phenomenal amount of phone for the money.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-12-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
