Seeing as how OnePlus is not typically very good at keeping secrets and more often than not it feels like the company is not even trying that hard to hide all the key stuff about its smartphones ahead of their official announcements, you shouldn't be too surprised to hear that the next member of the rapidly expanding Nord family is already an open book.
We're talking everything from battery capacity and charging speeds to build materials and detailed camera specs, and although nothing is etched in stone yet, it sure looks like we have another solid contender for the title of best budget 5G phone in 2021 on our hands.
A mixed bag of upgrades and downgrades over the original Nord
Because we're pretty sure you're wondering what's up with that unusually convoluted and confusing branding scheme, the CE apparently stands for Core Edition. That does at least mean something, unlike the N10 and N100 names, but unfortunately, it might not be very easy to distinguish this upcoming mid-end model from its aforementioned forerunners.
While there's clearly no real danger of mixing up the OnePlus Nord CE 5G with the significantly humbler 4G LTE-only Nord N100, the features rumored until now are basically a combination of the first-gen Nord and the Nord N10 5G.
This is most likely the OnePlus Nord CE 5G design
From the former handset, this undoubtedly affordable mid-ranger is expected to borrow the under-display fingerprint sensor, roughly 6.43-inch AMOLED screen, and the 6 and 8GB memory configurations accommodating 64 and 128 gigs of data respectively.
But the "Core Edition" phone is also likely to have a bunch of things in common with the N10, including an all-plastic construction, main 64MP rear-facing shooter, single 16MP selfie camera, a good old fashioned headphone jack, and no alert slider.
That's not counting the stuff shared by the OnePlus Nord CE with both the original Nord and the N10, like FHD+ screen resolution, 90Hz refresh rate technology, Warp Charge 30T Plus support (aka 30W charging capabilities), a secondary 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP depth sensor.
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Impressively, OnePlus will reportedly boost the battery size from 4,115 and 4,300mAh on the Nord and Nord N10 respectively to 4,500mAh while somehow reducing the overall device thickness to 7.9mm. To clarify this phone's place on the company's totem pole, a Snapdragon 750 processor should be in charge of the raw power department, down from the Nord's 765 but up from the N10's 690.
How low can the Nord CE 5G go?
As is often the case with respectable mid-end smartphones, the recommended price will essentially make or break the fourth member of the so far successful OnePlus Nord family.
Sadly, the budget-friendly new handset is not expected to be released stateside, purportedly heading exclusively for the old continent and India following its proper June 10 announcement.
This is the OnePlus Nord N10 5G
In Europe, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is tipped to be priced "slightly lower" than the first-gen Nord, which normally starts at €399 in most markets. Although we can't be entirely sure if that means €299, €349, or something in between those tags, the folks over at MySmartPrice are currently predicting the 8GB memory/128GB storage variant will hit roughly the Rs. 25,000 mark in India, thus matching the OnePlus Nord... in an entry-level 6/64GB configuration.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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