The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is the next affordable OnePlus phone that we’re expecting to see, and if leaks are right this successor to the OnePlus Nord CE could land as soon as February 11.
We have a good idea of what to expect from it too, with specs and renders all having leaked as well, and you’ll find all of that below.
One thing we’re slightly less clear on is the name, as while the latest leaks refer to this phone as the OnePlus Nord CE 2, earlier ones call it the OnePlus Nord 2 CE.
Whatever it lands as though, you’ll find everything there is to know about this phone below, and as soon as we hear more we’ll update this article, so check back soon if you want to stay in the loop.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? The successor to the OnePlus Nord CE
- When is it out? Possibly February 11
- How much will it cost? Possibly around £275 / $375 / AU$520
OnePlus Nord CE 2 release date and price
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 could land on February 11. This date comes from leaker Max Jambor, and it lines up with previous leaks, as we’d already heard that it would apparently land in the first few months of 2022. The source of that claim followed it up by saying that the Nord CE 2 wouldn’t land before February.
The phone has also been spotted on India’s BIS certification platform, which is something that typically happens quite close to launch.
However, while it’s reportedly landing in the UK and India, it probably won’t hit the US according to current reports, but that’s no surprise as the original OnePlus Nord CE didn’t either. Australia isn’t on the cards either, as OnePlus doesn’t have a presence there.
As for price, the only leak there points to it ranging between Rs 24,000 and Rs 28,000 in India. That converts to between £235 / $320 / AU$445 and £275 / $375 / AU$520. However, even if this leak is accurate conversions won’t be, and again we’re not expecting to actually see the Nord CE 2 in the US or Australia.
For reference, the original OnePlus Nord CE started at £299 / Rs 24,999 (around $420, AU$550), so we might see a similar price again.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 design and display
Thanks to leaks and rumors, we have a fair bit of information about the OnePlus Nord CE 2. The phone – which is apparently codenamed ‘Ivan’ – will supposedly have a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. Though we’ve only heard this from one source so far, so we’d take it with a pinch of salt.
We’ve also seen unofficial renders showing the possible design, which you can see one of below. These include a flat display with slim bezels, a punch-hole camera in the top left corner, and a triple-lens camera on the back.
You can also make out a 3.5mm headphone port in some of the images, but there’s no visible fingerprint scanner, suggesting it’s probably built into the screen. The phone is shown in grey, but other colors are likely to be offered too.
There’s no alert slider here, and the source additionally claims that the back is glass while the frame is plastic.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 specs and features
Leaker Yogesh Brar has shared various possible OnePlus Nord CE 2 specs, including that it apparently has 5G, a MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset, between 6GB and 12GB of RAM, a choice of 128GB or 256GB of storage, stereo speakers, and that it will run OxygenOS 12 overlaid on top of Android 12.
Interestingly, the phone will also supposedly have a microSD card slot, which isn’t something the company has offered on other recent handsets.
The camera meanwhile apparently includes a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide snapper, and a 2MP macro one, while around the front there’s said to be a 16MP camera.
Finally, they claim that the OnePlus Nord CE 2 has a 4,500mAh battery with 65W charging. While there aren’t any red flags here, since this all comes from just one source we’d take it with a pinch of salt.
That said, a second source has at least suggested the phone will have a triple-lens camera, with the image in the tweet below matching the design seen in the render above.
What we want to see
Below we’ve listed three things that we really want from the OnePlus Nord CE 2, to make it the best budget OnePlus possible.
1. A slick, bug-free user experience
With the Nord CE 2, we want the slick software experience that OnePlus devices from the past have been known for, but the company has struggled a bit with software updates recently.
As a result of bugs, it had to pause the rollout of OxygenOS 12 to its flagship devices, so we hope that the version of the software found on the OnePlus Nord CE 2 is bug free, and that any software updates are too.
2. Better camera performance
The first-gen Nord CE had quite a few issues including an average camera, and it didn’t even have IP certification to protect the phone from dust and water. However, these are among the top features that many users want in their phones.
Some phones in a similar price range have got excellent camera performance, and this is what we hope for from the Nord CE 2 as well.
3. An affordable price
Last but not the least, many affordable phones still have fairly high-end builds, but with the original Nord CE, OnePlus cut corners with the materials used.
We’d love to see an all-glass premium-looking OnePlus Nord CE 2 at an affordable price, and it could be the perfect device to remind users of the truly affordable flagships that OnePlus used to offer.