The OnePlus Nord is finally official after all this time and it seems to pack a pretty good punch in terms of specs and features. The phone comes in at well under €500 in Europe and India, but should you pick up OnePlus’ mid-ranger or spend a little more on the OnePlus 8 series?
Let’s take a look at what you get for the extra cash when comparing the OnePlus Nord vs OnePlus 8, or even the flagship OnePlus 8 Pro. Be sure to vote in our poll below once you’ve checked out the comparison!
What do you think is the better choice at the moment?
OnePlus Nord vs OnePlus 8: What do you get for an extra €300?
Let’s kick things off by taking a look at the €399 (~$458) OnePlus Nord that comes with 8GB/128GB, as this is the baseline offering in Europe and the UK (£379). India also gets an even cheaper 64GB model, but for the sake of the comparison, we’re using the 128GB model which retails for 27,999 rupees. Unfortunately, the OnePlus Nord is not available in the US at launch.
€399 OnePlus Nord 8GB/128GB
- 90Hz FHD+ OLED screen
- Snapdragon 765G 5G processor
- 4,115mAh, Warp Charge 30T
- 48MP main camera (IMX586)
- 8MP ultra-wide
- 2MP macro
- 5MP depth
- 32MP+8MP ultra-wide selfie cameras
With this list of specs in mind as a foundation, it’s time to go up a step in terms of pricing (a big step, at that) to the OnePlus 8. The vanilla OnePlus 8 series phone is available for €699 in Europe, £599 in the UK, and 44,999 rupees in India. It also sells in the US for $699. So, does an extra €300 give you in terms of pure specs? Let’s take a look:
€699 OnePlus 8 8GB/128GB
- 90Hz FHD+ OLED screen
- Snapdragon 865 5G processor
- 4,300mAh, Warp Charge 30T
- 48MP main camera (IMX586)
- 16MP ultra wide
- 2MP macro
- 16MP selfie camera
There’s a lot of cross-over between the two phones, featuring a 90Hz OLED screen, 5G, Warp Charge 30T charging tech, and the same 48MP main camera. But the OnePlus 8 does offer a better processor, a slightly bigger battery, and a higher resolution ultra-wide snapper. It’s also officially rated IP67 for water and dust resistance if you buy it via carriers.
The OnePlus 8 lacks the Nord’s dual selfie camera setup and rear depth sensor. Then again, the latter is usually a useless addition anyway when depth effects can be done via other secondary cameras or with software.
Does an extra €300 make these extras worth it? Let us know in the poll above.
OnePlus Nord vs OnePlus 8 Pro: What do you get for an extra €500?
Okay, that’s the OnePlus 8 covered. But what if you add another €200 to the equation for a total of €500 extra? Then you can get the base OnePlus 8 Pro for €899 in Europe, which also retails for £899 in the UK, 54,999 rupees in India, and $999 in the US.
€899 OnePlus 8 Pro 8GB/128GB
- 120Hz QHD+ OLED screen
- Snapdragon 865 5G processor
- 4,510mAh, Warp Charge 30T
- 48MP main camera (IMX689)
- 48MP ultra wide
- 8MP 3x telephoto
- 5MP color filter camera
- 16MP selfie camera
- IP68 water and dust resistance rating
- 30W wireless charging with reverse charging
It’s clear that the OnePlus 8 Pro brings an awful lot more to the table than the OnePlus Nord and even the OnePlus 8. Yes, you’re still got the vanilla model’s 30W wired charging and Snapdragon 865 chipset. But you’re also getting a 120Hz refresh rate, QHD+ resolution, a bigger battery, IP68 water and dust resistance, and wireless charging (at 30W, no less).
The improvements don’t end there, as the phone also packs a 48MP IMX689 main camera with bigger pixels for low-light shooting, a 48MP ultra-wide snapper, and an 8MP telephoto camera (with 3x lossless zoom). Unfortunately the color filter camera is a gimmick, while the 8 Pro also lacks an ultra-wide secondary shooter for selfies.
In fact, here’s the full list of major upgrades you get going from the Nord to the OnePlus 8 Pro in a handy list:
- A sharper screen with a higher refresh rate
- 2020’s high-end processor
- A bigger battery
- Wireless charging that’s fast too
- Reverse wireless charging
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- A newer main camera sensor
- Higher resolution ultra-wide camera
- Telephoto camera
- That color filter camera if you really want it
- Faster RAM
OnePlus Nord or OnePlus 8 series: Which should you buy?
It’s clear that there’s a substantial difference when we compare the Nord to the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. It’s definitely a close race between the Nord and the regular OnePlus 8, though the OnePlus 8 Pro seems to be quite a substantial upgrade if you’re willing to spend extra cash.
Nevertheless, you also have to ask yourself what you actually want in a smartphone before you spend that extra money. Check out the spec table below for a full comparison.
| OnePlus 8 Pro | OnePlus 8 | OnePlus Nord | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.78-inch AMOLED 3,168 x 1,440 (19.8:9) 120Hz refresh rate In-display fingerprint sensor 3D Corning Gorilla Glass | 6.55-inch AMOLED 2,400 x 1,080 (20:9) 90Hz refresh rate In-display fingerprint sensor 3D Corning Gorilla Glass | 6.44-inch AMOLED 2,400 x 1,080 (20:9) 90Hz refresh rate In-display fingerprint sensor Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G |
| RAM | 8GB / 12GB LPDDR5 | 8GB / 12GB LPDDR4X | 8GB / 12GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.0 | 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.0 2-LANE | 128GB / 256GB UFS 2.1 |
| Cameras | Rear: 48MP Sony IMX689, f/1.78, 1.12µm, OIS, EIS 8MP 3x hybrid telephoto, f/2.44, 1.0µm, OIS 48MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 119.7° 5MP color filter, f/2.4 Front: 16MP, f/2.45, 1.0µm, EIS, fixed focus | Rear: 48MP Sony IMX586, f/1.78, 0.8µm, OIS, EIS 2MP macro, f/2.4, 1.75µm 16MP ultrawide, f/2.2, 116° Front: 16MP, f/2.0, 1.0µm, EIS, fixed focus | Rear: 48MP Sony IMX586, f/1.75, 0.8µm, OIS, EIS 8MP ultrawide, f/2.25, 119° 5MP depth, f/2.4 2MP macro, f/2.4 Front: 32MP Sony IMX616, f/2.45, 0.8µm, EIS, fixed focus 8MP, f/2.45, 105° |
| Battery | 4,510mAh Warp Charge 30T (5V/6A) Warp Charge 30 Wireless | 4,300mAh Warp Charge 30T (5V/6A) | 4,115mAh Warp Charge 30T (5V/6A) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 (if bought via carriers) | None |
| Software | Oxygen OS Android 10 | Oxygen OS Android 10 | Oxygen OS Android 10 |
| Dimensions and weight | 165.3 x 74.35 x 8.5mm 199g | 160.2 x 72.9 x 8.0mm 180g | 158.3 x 73.3 x 8.2mm 184g |
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