We’re witnessing a significant shift in the brand’s focus following a tremendous year for OnePlus that included a design team merger with Oppo and a software integration with ColorOS that has since fallen through. Since its release in late 2020, the Nord series is said to have become OnePlus’ breakout success.
This may be the explanation for the Nord lineup’s significant expansion over the previous 18 months and the Nord 2T. As a replacement for the OnePlus Nord 2, the Nord 2T offers several improvements and tweaks to the design without significantly raising the price. In light of this, our goal in determining whether an upgrade is something you ought to consider.
Hardware Software Battery Cameras OnePlus Nord 2 vs. OnePlus Nord 2T: Should you upgrade? What’s new between the Oneplus Nord 2 and Oneplus Nord 2T? Subscribe to 9to5Google on YouTube for more videos
DRIVER
When comparing these devices’ specifications, it is nearly hard to distinguish between the Nord 2 and Nord 2T. Except for a minor boost in the internal chipset, there isn’t much that separates the pair. The Dimensity 1300 CPU is being used this time around in place of the MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI processor.
This new chip is made using the same 6nm manufacturing process as the Dimensity 1200-AI. Theoretically, this should result in familiar performance, but in practice, there is no discernible difference between the two devices when they are operating at full capacity. The fact that the remaining gear is essentially equivalent makes this situation worse.
Similar performance levels to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 are provided by both chipsets. However, the Dimensity 1200-AI and Dimensity 1300 are just beaten out by Qualcomm’s mid-range CPU. It’s important to note that both MediaTek chips benefit from using the 6nm manufacturing process. Although the increased chipset can initially appear to be a significant benefit, you actually gain very little in practically every aspect, including gaming.
Again, even while using both phones side by side, it is nearly impossible to notice any differences because you are working with 90Hz FHD AMOLED panels on both smartphones. The location of the in-display fingerprint scanner and the selfie camera punch-hole are both the same.
The chassis of both devices has undergone the majority of the significant alterations. You can see that both phones are from the same Nord family, but while the Nord 2 has many features in common with the OnePlus 9 series from a year ago, the Nord 2T has an odd design that looks out of place due to a significant rise in the dual-camera spec.
SOCIAL
The OxygenOS 12 update has made it clearer than ever that OxygenOS is not the update that it previously was. Although the anticipated merger of OxygenOS and Oppos ColorOS has been postponed, this is ColorOS in all but name. It is also difficult to distinguish between the two Android skins.
Despite having Android 11 pre-installed when it was first released in late 2021, the OnePlus Nord 2 is still waiting for the stable Android 12 version. OxygenOS 12 is available as part of a recent Beta. On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord 2T ships with OxygenOS 12.1, which is merely a slight version bump reserved for brand-new devices, on top of Android 12.
All of the features—including some useful ones like a customisable Dark Mode, a Private Safe, a Theme store, and more—remain the same as those we discovered during our recent OxygenOS 12 deep dive. The fan-favorite clean and seamless OxygenOS experience is unfortunately not available right now, so you might want to search elsewhere.
A device’s updates can make or break it, and regrettably, that’s where we had some issues with this pair. The OnePlus Nord 2 is eligible to receive Android 13 during its lifetime because it came with Android 11 already loaded. Only two years of OS upgrades and three years of security fixes will be provided. The same is true for the Nord 2T, which will receive an additional year of security fixes after receiving OS updates through Android 14 in total.
CHARGER
The 4,500mAh cells used in both the OnePlus Nord 2 and Nord 2T’s batteries have the same capacity. It’s interesting to note that the current model now offers 80W wired charging, giving it a distinct edge over the older model.
In reality, the 15W charge speed difference results in charge times that are only 2 minutes faster from 0 to 100% (35 vs. 32 minutes), or a 15W charge speed difference. This is a little variation that probably won’t have a significant impact on how you charge your smartphone on either device.
Wireless charging is not available with either choice, and based on our observations, the daily lifespan is also same. However, an older device’s battery will have noticeable lifespan reductions after a number of charge cycles, favoring the more recent Nord 2T in a comparison.
Image: CAMERAS
Although the camera sets on the OnePlus Nord 2 and Nord 2T look very different, the hardware that drives the photo and video experiences is essentially the same. There are a few very little changes, but essentially, you get the same triple-lens configuration in the back and the same front selfie camera.
The Hasselblad relationship, which was established to support the premium camera systems on devices like the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 10 series, does not benefit either device. There isn’t much here to really let you down, and the ongoing use of the outstanding 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 primary sensor at the back ensures that good pictures in a variety of lighting conditions are all but guaranteed.
Unfortunately, the Nord 2T hasn’t received any new camera modes, therefore all of its features are equal. Both phones include the Nightscape Ultra mode, and even have the capacity to simultaneously record Dual View video with dual lenses. You can shoot 1080p at 60 frames per second here for incredibly smooth photos, but 4K UHD video recording is still limited to 30 frames per second.
SHOULD YOU UPGRADE FROM A ONEPLUS NORD 2 TO A ONEPLUS NORD 2T? Regarding upgrading: 9to5 Google frequently makes suggestions for particular products. Due to numerous factors, such as increased device cost, insignificant performance increases, or environmental impact, we may occasionally advise against updating. Although the choice to upgrade is always yours, we want to give you all the information you need to make an informed choice.
The OnePlus Nord was a fantastic initial mid-ranger, and the Nord 2 picked up the slack and ran with it. Given that the Nord 2T only delivers a slight chipset upgrade and comes with a fresh software version, the fact that it is still a competent mid-range Android phone is worrisome. It is impossible to recommend that anyone using the Nord 2 from last year update to the Nord 2T because nearly every component of both devices stays the same.
That speaks highly of the Nord 2, which has frequently felt like a OnePlus 9 Lite in most respects. Even more color selections are available, which is a feature that is frequently neglected. Additionally, the price has been reduced from when it was first offered. Although we do not advise Nord 2 users to upgrade, the Nord 2T is currently the best mid-ranger offered by OnePlus, and for 399/399, it is extremely competitive.
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