OnePlus recently released the Nord CE 5G: a revisitation of the first device from the Nord series with a more affordable price tag. The Core Edition looks like the original Nord, but if you dig deeper, there are a lot of differences between the two phones. Ahead of the launch of the Nord 2, we decided to publish a comparison between these two handsets for those who want to save money and get the greatest mid-ranger for their actual needs. If you think you can not afford the Nord 2 and you love the specifications of the OnePlus Nord and its brother Nord CE 5G, you are in the right place and you should go ahead with this specs comparison.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G vs OnePlus Nord 5G

OnePlus Nord CE 5G OnePlus Nord 5G
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 159.2 x 73.5 x 7.9 mm, 170 grams 158.3 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm, 184 grams
DISPLAY  6.43 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+),  Fluid AMOLED  6.44 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Fluid AMOLED
PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G, octa-core 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, octa-core 2.4 GHz
MEMORY 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB
SOFTWARE  Android 11, OxygenOS  Android 10, OxygenOS
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS
CAMERA Triple 64 + 8 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.3 + f/2.4
16 MP f/2.5 front camera		 Quad 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.3 + f/2.4 + f/2.4
Dual 32 + 8 MP f/2.5 + f/2.5 front camera
BATTERY 4500 mAh, fast charging 30W 4115 mAh, fast charging 30W
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot, 5G Dual SIM slot, 5G

Design

The OnePlus Nord and its Core Edition are not so different in terms of design. Given that it is a revisitation, the Nord CE 5G retains a similar design to its predecessor, but we still have a few differences. The original Nord has a slightly higher screen-to-body ratio, but it comes with a dual punch hole instead of a single punch hole like the Nord CE 5G. The younger sibling has a thinner and lighter body, which makes it more attractive. However, its overall dimensions are bigger despite they have similar display diagonals.

 

Display

With the OnePlus Nord and its Core Edition, you get exactly the same display specifications. They come with a Full HD+ resolution, the HDR10+ certification which improves the image quality on streaming platforms, and a 90 Hz refresh rate making the viewing experience smoother. The vanilla Nord has a 6.43-inch panel, while the Core Edition has 6.44 inches. Both the phones rely on an in-display fingerprint reader for authentication. There is no much to say since both are good, but not astonishing displays, and they provide more or less the same level of quality.

 

Specs & Software

Even when it comes to the hardware department, these devices are almost the same deal. The OnePlus Nord has an older chipset, but it is actually a slightly better SoC than the OnePlus Nord CE 5G. We are talking about the Snapdragon 765G which is built at 7 nm and offers a bit more power. The Snapdragon 750G is very close but its GPU performance is inferior (Adreno 620 vs Adreno 619). Further, it is built at 8 nm so it is inferior even when it comes to power management. Both the phones feature up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of native storage (UFS 2.1). The OnePlus Nord wins the hardware comparison but I would still choose the Nord CE 5G because it has a more recent operating system: it runs Android 11 out of the box instead of Android 10. This means that it will get longer software support from the company.

 

Camera

OnePlus Nord 5G wins the camera phone battle first of all thanks to a more interesting main camera. We are referring to a 48 MP sensor that supports OIS, paired with an 8 MP ultrawide sensor and a pair of 2 MP useless cameras for macros and depth. OnePlus Nord CE 5G has a 64 MP main camera but it lacks OIS. Further, the original Nord has a better front camera department: a dual sensor composed of a 32 MP main selfie camera and an 8 MP ultrawide lens.

 

 

Battery

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G has a way bigger battery: with a capacity of 4500 mAh, it is able to last longer on a single charge. It is an important added value, given that OnePlus Nord has a below-average battery with a capacity of just 4115 mAh.

 

Price

OnePlus Nord launched last year with a €399/$473 starting price in the global market, while OnePlus Nord CE 5G launched a few weeks ago with a €299/$355 starting price. I personally prefer the Nord CE 5G due to its bigger battery and Android 11, but the original Nord actually offers a better camera department and chipset.

 

 

OnePlus Nord CE 5G vs OnePlus Nord 5G: PRO and CONS

OnePlus Nord CE 5G

PRO

  • Great listing price
  • Bigger battery
  • Android 11 out of the box
  • Thinner and lighter

CONS

  • Inferior cameras

 

OnePlus Nord 5G

PRO

  • Better cameras
  • More affordable street prices
  • Slightly better chipset
  • Higher screen-to-body ratio

CONS

  • Smaller battery
  • Android 10 out of the box

 

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