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Introduction
OnePlus' strategy began shifting back in 2020 and the Chinese brand continues to shuffle around as it figures out how to solidify its offerings across Europe and North America. Specifically in the US, OnePlus offers its flagship 10 Pro, and two Nord models - the N200 5G, and now the N20 5G.
The N20 5G is priced at $282 and sits within a very competitive segment in the US' prepaid market. The Nord N20 5G is a T-Mobile/Metro-exclusive device in North America, though it is a rebadged Oppo Reno7Z 5G that's readily sold in other markets.
Compared to its predecessor, the Nord N20 brings a brighter AMOLED screen with in-display scanner, higher capacity battery, and sleeker design. The N20 5G drops the 8MP ultrawide camera but keeps the 64MP main camera and 2MP monochrome and macro shooters. It also updates the battery capacity and adds an in-display scanner - now possible thanks to the switch to AMOLED.
OnePlus Nord N20 5G specs at a glance:
- Body: 159.9x73.2x7.5mm, 173g; Schott Xensation Up cover glass, plastic frame and back cover
- Display: 6.43" AMOLED, sRGB, DCI P3, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 409ppi.
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm): Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver); Adreno 619.
- Memory: 6GB, 128GB; LPDDR4x, UFS 2.2.
- OS/Software: Android 11, Oxygen OS 11.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, PDAF; Monochrome: 2 MP, f/2.4; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4.
- Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.4.
- Video capture: Main: 1080p@30fps, 720p@120/30fps, EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 4,500mAh; 33W SuperVOOC.
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC; Bluetooth 5.1; GPS (L1+L5 Dual Band), GLONASS, Galileo, A-GPS.
The Nord N20 comes with Android 11/OxygenOS 11 out of the box, so it misses out on the awkward mishmash of OxygenOS and ColorOS that came with version 12, pre-loaded out of the box on the OnePlus 10 Pro. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 695 5G is now on the 6nm process versus the 690's 8nm. With the bump in battery size and the switch to AMOLED, and a more efficient chipset, we anticipate significantly improved battery endurance and notably improved CPU performance.
The OnePlus Nord N20 5G does omit one of OnePlus' most unique features: the physical alert slider. Granted, this isn't a deal breaker for a device of this price range, and up until now, we're beginning to get used to the idea of OnePlus rebranding Oppo devices and selling them in the US under the more established OnePlus brand since Oppo has no presence in the US market.
With the Nord N20 5G, OnePlus is solidifying its budget 5G smartphone offerings under the Nord branding. The US only sees OnePlus' cheaper Nord devices and select OnePlus flagship models so it will be interesting to see how the company continues to roll out its branding throughout North America. To start, we're going to unwrap the Nord N20 5G and see what we're working with.
Unboxing
The Nord N20 5G comes with the essentials: a 33W SuperVOOC charger, USB-C to A charging cable, documentation, and SIM-eject tool. We kind of wish OnePlus stickers and a factory case were included here, but that's something apparently reserved for the red-box OnePlus flagships.
Now that we've unboxed the new Nord, let's dive into the device's hardware, handsome looks, materials, and connectivity onboard.
Design
The OnePlus Nord N20 5G brings new design elements not before seen from OnePlus until this year. Although having flat edges is a trendy touch that caught on by Apple, let's just say that the Nord N20 isn't entirely original in some of its design choices. Flat edges, oblong power and volume keys, and bulging camera rings do remind us of another popular brand, but not a particular model.
Compared to its predecessor, the N20 does more to stand out amongst other budget smartphones on display at the pre-paid carrier store - in this case: in-store displays at T-Mobile and Metro stores in the US. The look is stark, handsome, and sharp. An otherwise generic silhouette is more attractive thanks to juxtaposition of the matte frame, glossy back plate at the bottom, and the chrome rings around the cameras.
The flat edged frame wraps all the way around the device. At first glance, you might think it was made of a single piece, but closer inspection reveals that the seams are hidden right at the each of the corners of the frame. The matte finish of the frame, the glowing reflection behind a grain-like matte texture on the back plate, accented by two chrome camera rings and a glossy strip make the device easy on the eyes - especially under a lamp.
It is sleek with relatively thin bezels, save for the bottom one. The punch-hole camera is a nice touch, and the update to an AMOLED panel means the fingerprint scanner is now in-display. The Nord N20's footprint is moderately sized, though measuring in at 159.9 x 73.2 x 7.5 mm it is pleasantly slim. It's also light at 173g.
The bottom of the phone includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, USB-C port, and single loudspeaker. The sim tray can be found on the left side, just above the volume keys, and the power key on the right. We like the placement of the keys; they fall naturally in line with where they should be - not too far up, not too low. Plus, they are satisfyingly tactile.
The Nord N20 5G is a rebranded Oppo Reno7 Z 5G. They are identical, down to the dimensions and placement of the cameras, ports, and chipset, though the physical differences between them are very much "you can copy my homework but change it up so it's not obvious" vibes. Oppo's Reno7 Z does have slightly more RAM (8GB versus the N20's 6GB) as smartphone markets are more competitive outside of North America.
Build quality and materials
The sandwich design of the Nord N20 5G doesn't disappoint. Though sturdy, it does flex with a whisper of plastic and metal. The display's buffer and back panel are made of plastic and the exterior frame is chamfered, made to look like metal and it in indeed convincing. A rigid chassis keeps everything together.
The display is protected by 2.5D glass, though it is hardly curved at the edges. It remains to be seen how well the plastic back panel will protect against scratches, though the texture should do well enough to hide scratches.
Despite the all-plastic build, the Nord N20 is stylish and sleek. The design is made to look like it was precisely crafted from more expensive materials.
Controls, sensors and connectivity
The Nord N20 5G has a conventional layout with all the basics: a power key on the right, volume buttons on the left, USB-C and headphone ports on the bottom, and an in-display optical fingerprint scanner.
The fingerprint scanner's placement isn't the most ideal given that it's lower towards the bottom edge, and this is something that OnePlus had addressed with the OnePlus 10 Pro's being higher up on the display compared to the 9 Pro's that sat towards the bottom edge as well. This is just a detail, as it can easily be forgiven at this price point.
The SIM tray sits flush above the volume keys, and it supports a nanoSIM and microSD cards up to 512GB. The Nord N20 5G supports T-Mobile's Extended Range (n71 and n2) and Ultra Capacity 5G bands with support for MIMO (multi in, multi out) over 5G. It also supports T-Mobile's Extended Range LTE bands 12 and 71 in addition to LTE-A 4x4 MIMO. Bluetooth 5.1 in the standard while GPS L1+L5 Dual Band + GLONASS, Galileo, and A-GPS positions systems are supported as well.
Other sensors include an accelerometer, digital compass, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, barometer, and SAR sensor. Sadly, although this is a OnePlus device, there is no physical alert switch that we've come to expect from other OnePlus devices.
AMOLED
With the Nord N20, the display has been updated to an AMOLED panel. Although it drops the 90Hz refresh rate support from the N10's LCD screen, we'd still take a 60Hz AMOLED screen over a 90Hz LCD any day. Plus, the switch to an AMOLED screen made it possible to include an in-display fingerprint scanner - not a common feature to find on a 5G smartphone of this price point.
This is a 6.43-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1080x2400 px. With an aspect ratio of 20:9, the display is tall and amply sized for consuming content or scrolling through feeds. The upper left corner of the display has a punch-hole cut out for the 16MP selfie camera. The cover glass is made by Schott and called Xensation Up.
The N20's display has two color profiles and an adjustable color-temperature slider. Not that we're expecting perfect color accuracy in this class, but the AMOLED panel was decent, though not as accurate as the N10's LCD display was. Even so, the display's color rendering and contrasty picture is good enough. Viewing angles are also quite good on this panel, we've not experienced much color-shift here.
The good news is that this panel is brighter than that of its predecessor's. Using the manual brightness adjustment slider, the Nord N20 achieved 461 nits of brightness at the maximum level. Switching on the adaptive brightness setting (Smart Ambient Brightness), yielded a higher maximum brightness of 647 nits.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, |
White, |
||
| 0 | 798 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 754 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 716 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 650 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 647 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 633 | ∞ | |
| 0.425 | 605 | 1424:1 | |
| 0 | 511 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 498 | ∞ | |
| 0.338 | 497 | 1470:1 | |
| 0 | 477 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 466 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 461 | ∞ | |
| 0.304 | 440 | 1447:1 | |
| 0 | 438 | ∞ | |
| 0.286 | 426 | 1490:1 | |
That extra boost in brightness gives the N20 an edge in sunlight legibility. The display is not difficult to see outdoors.We can see the device well without having to squint or cover the display with a palm.
We measured an average deltaE of 3.8 and a maximum deltaE of 9.6 using the default "Vivid" setting based on the DCI-P3 color space. The most accurate color mode is the "Gentle" one based on the sRGB color space. The Gentle profile measured an average deltaE of 3.2 with a maximum detlaE of 9.3, though pulling the slider all the way to the warm side yielded an average deltaE of 2.7 and a maximum deltaE of 6.1. By the way, all the maximum deviations were measured by the whites, which all carried a magenta-cast, even at the warmest setting. Perhaps a tint slider could have helped in this minor regard.
Battery life
There's a 4,500 mAh battery cell in the N20 5G with support for 33W SuperVOOC charging. We expect to see excellent battery endurance from this device due to the more efficient Snapdragon 695 5G and switch to an AMOLED panel.
The Nord N20 exceeded our expectations in battery performance. We can't say we're surprised however, as our experience with the handful of other Snapdragon 695-powered smartphones is that this 6nm chipset is a marathon runner. We are also happy with the screen-on times and standby power draw - high scores all around.
Our battery tests were automated thanks to SmartViser, using its viSerDevice app. The endurance rating denotes how long the battery charge will last you if you use the OnePlus Nord N20 5G for an hour of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. More details can be found here.
Video tests carried out in 60Hz refresh rate mode. Web browsing test done at the display's highest refresh rate whenever possible. Refer to the respective reviews for specifics. To adjust the endurance rating formula to match your own usage patterns check out our all-time battery test results chart where you can also find all phones we've tested.
Fast charging
The included charger topped up the N20's battery in one hour and eight minutes while a 30-minute charge managed to regain 57% battery life. A full charge was achieved in 1:08h, while not as impressive as its Chinese competition, it is admirably fast amongst the other budget 5G competitors on display at the T-Mobile store.
30min charging test (from 0%)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
100% - OnePlus Nord 2
98% - Honor Magic4 Lite
77% - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
74% - Motorola Edge 20
68% - Poco F3
67% - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
65% - Apple iPhone SE (2022)
61% - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
57% - Realme 9 Pro
52% - Poco X3 Pro
50% - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
23%
Time to full charge (from 0%)
Lower is better
- Realme GT Master
0:30h - OnePlus Nord 2
0:31h - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
0:45h - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
0:52h - Poco F3
0:56h - Honor Magic4 Lite
0:59h - Motorola Edge 20
1:01h - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
1:08h - Poco X3 Pro
1:08h - Realme 9 Pro
1:14h - Apple iPhone SE (2022)
1:18h - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2:24h
The N20 has a few power-management features like optimized night charging, standby battery saving modes, and a high-performance mode.
Battery-saving features
Loudspeaker
The Nord N20 has a single loudspeaker that's amply loud for notifications, calls, and alerts. The sound quality is nothing to write home about, though. Mid volume is okay, speaker is very clear for listening to dialogue from TV shows and podcasts with minimal distortion at higher volumes. Music doesn't sound as good, though. There's not enough detail in the lower and treble ranges - but will otherwise do just fine for an impromptu TikTok dance session.
The last great version of OxygenOS
The OnePlus Nord N20 comes with OxygenOS 11 out of the box. Although this isn't the latest version, OxygenOS 12 wasn't a favorite among OnePlus fans due to the significant changes made to the operating system. In recent years, OnePlus and Oppo merged its software centers and tried to merge the look and feel of OxygenOS with elements of Oppo's ColorOS.
The result was a confusing and inconsistent UI without an identity. OnePlus has since promised it would revert the changes it made, but until then, we'll brush over what you can expect with OxygenOS 11.
When setting up, you can decide whether to use the traditional navigation buttons or swipe gestures. You'll also be asked to set up your fingerprint and face unlock is available as well, though it isn't as secure.
Fingerprint setup • Gesture navigation
This T-Mobile variant is a little more bloated than other OnePlus devices we've seen, although the bloat will try to install itself after the initial setup. When a T-Mobile's "AppSelector" app prompts you to "complete setup", make sure you read the prompts carefully and don't just hit 'Next' willy-nilly because if you do, you'll inadvertently give permission to install apps onto the device. The great news is all these bloat apps can be removed.
T-Mobile's "AppSelector" app
OxygenOS 11 has a clean interface with rounded icons all about. The interface is tidy and snappy, and there are plenty of options and settings to customize many aspects of the UI.
Home Screen • Drawer • Recents • Split Screen • Quick Settings • Lock screen
To the left of the home screen is the Google Feed, but there's also a tab for a 'T-Mobile Play' feed. Basically this is content curated by T-Mobile that's also part of the carrier's free content network powered by Xumo. It features clips from News and TV (some are junky), and there are some channels to stream from for free. Think Pluto TV but with curated news clips, fewer channels, and ad spots that play before a stream starts.
Google Feed • T-Mobile Play
While a swipe up from the home screen opens the drawer, a swipe down will open OnePlus shelf. It's a customizable tray of tools, shortcuts, and widgets. There's a handy parking tool and step counter. You can also look at recently used apps, write notes, and check the weather.
OnePlus shelf and settings
The Nord N20 has an ambient display feature. It's nice to see at this price point, but there's seemingly no way to customize the content being displayed. Although, you can customize the context of when it should display, like when lifting the phone, as per a time schedule, or it can be activated by a nifty power-save mode that turns it off after the device has been stationary for a while.
Ambient display settings
You can customize many aspects of the UI. OxygenOS supports icon packs, and you can change the accent color of the UI. You can also change the shape of the quick settings, and appearance of the fingerprint icon.
Personalization settings
OnePlus has several pre-installed apps. Clone Phone for transferring data from another device, Community app for participating in forums, a stock file manager, Gallery app, game optimizer, Notes app, voice recorder, weather, and Zen mode.
Stock apps: Clone Phone • Gallery • Games • Notes • Recorder • Weather • Zen Mode
Performance
The Snapdragon 695 5G chipset is a solid entry-level 5G SoC built on the 6nm process, making for improved performance and lower power consumption compared to the 690. The Snapdragon 695 has one dual-core performance Kryo 660 Gold cluster clocked at 2.2GHz and a hexa-core Kryo 660 Silver efficiency cluster clocked at 1.7Ghz.
The 128GB storage module is of the UFS 2.2 variety and graphics are handled by the Adreno 619, an update to the Adreno 619L from the 690. This new chipset also supports LPDDR4x RAM, and the N20 comes with 6GB of it.
The updated chipset should see a boost in CPU performance by 15% and GPU performance should jump 30%. We did see this reflect in our synthetic benchmark tests. We pinned the N20 against smartphones in the same price class with competing chipsets as well.
GeekBench 5 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
1729 - OnePlus Nord 2
814 - Realme GT Master
785 - Motorola Edge 20
762 - Xiaomi 11T
742 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
728 - Poco X4 Pro 5G
687 - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
676 - Honor Magic4 Lite
666 - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
608 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
505
GeekBench 5 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
4629 - Realme GT Master
2917 - Xiaomi 11T
2834 - OnePlus Nord 2
2792 - Motorola Edge 20
2550 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
2157 - Poco X4 Pro 5G
2063 - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
1945 - Honor Magic4 Lite
1906 - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
1848 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
1673
AnTuTu 9
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
723486 - OnePlus Nord 2
598022 - Xiaomi 11T
590837 - Realme GT Master
529263 - Motorola Edge 20
488574 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
436640 - Honor Magic4 Lite
387218 - Poco X4 Pro 5G
384646 - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
380672 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
222125
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
97 - Xiaomi 11T
47 - OnePlus Nord 2
46 - Realme GT Master
33 - Motorola Edge 20
33 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
24 - Honor Magic4 Lite
21 - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
20 - Poco X4 Pro 5G
20 - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
14
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
60 - Xiaomi 11T
40 - OnePlus Nord 2
38 - Motorola Edge 20
29 - Realme GT Master
27 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
19 - Poco X4 Pro 5G
17
16
13
GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Xiaomi 11T
72 - Apple iPhone SE (2022)
60 - OnePlus Nord 2
57 - Motorola Edge 20
51 - Realme GT Master
46 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
35 - Poco X4 Pro 5G
30 - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
29 - Honor Magic4 Lite
29 - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
23
GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone SE (2022)
146 - Xiaomi 11T
77 - OnePlus Nord 2
75 - Motorola Edge 20
57 - Realme GT Master
56 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
40 - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
35 - Honor Magic4 Lite
35 - Poco X4 Pro 5G
34 - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
26
3DMark SSE ES 3.1 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
4988 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
3722 - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
2917 - Honor Magic4 Lite
2899 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2638 - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
2166
3DMark SSE Vulkan 1.0 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- Realme GT Master
4020 - OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
3661 - Honor Magic4 Lite
2746 - OnePlus Nord N20 5G
2744 - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2509 - OnePlus Nord N10 5G
2012
CPU performance in single-core and multi-threaded tasks was great. We saw performance in CPU-intensive tasks fall somewhere between the MediaTek Dimensity 900 5G and the Dimensity 720 5G. Even on combined tasks, the Nord N20 consistently fell short of the Nord CE 2's Dimensity 900.
GPU-intensive tests show the Nord N20 keeps up with both the Nord CE 2 and the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. The Adreno 619 is a good match with the Exynos 1280's Mali-G68 and the Dimensity 900's Mali G78.
The bump in performance over the Snapdragon 690 isn't too substantial in test scores, the real benefits are in the more efficient manufacturing process of the new chipset, thus translating to better power consumption.
Sustained performance
We don't expect the Snapdragon 695's sustained performance to be an issue. This is especially true of modern mid-range chipsets and the efficient manufacturing process of the 695 should yield nice results on this front. It's not to say that the CPU doesn't generate heat, but let's check if the chip's implementation was properly done.
CPU throttle test: 30 min • 60 min
We're happy to say that sustained performance is outstanding. We see normal fluctuation above 90% in the first 10 minutes, then we see some deeper valleys into the 80s appear during the first half hour, but it stayed consistently this way for the entire hour. Performance never throttled down below the 80% range and peak performance consistently fluctuated towards full capacity.
In addition to the steady performance, the surface temperature of the device was low and not anything to cause concern.
64MP main cameras
Having a 64MP main camera on a smartphone of this price bracket isn't unheard of. However, megapixels alone won't produce clear photos. Image signal processing contributes largely to output image quality and the Nord N20 appears to be equipped for the task. It's worth noting that none of these cameras are optically stabilized and only the main camera has autofocus.
The main camera has a 64MP sensor with an f/1.79 aperture lens and phase-detection autofocus. It appears that the N20 uses the same main camera as its predecessor the N10, so we are expecting to see similar image performance. The other two cameras are each 2MP: one macro shooter, and one depth sensor, each with f/2.4 aperture lenses.
The N20 omits the ultrawide camera that came on the N10 but given the lower price point and other updates to the hardware (including chipset, display, and battery life upgrades), the removal of the ultrawide may be justified.
The front-facing camera is a 16MP fixed-focus punch-hole camera with f/2.4 aperture and support for HDR multi-frame capture. Both the front-facing and rear-facing main camera are limited to capture 1080p video @ 30fps.
Camera app
The camera app's layout is simple and easy to follow. The main photo mode has plenty of settings to play with. There's a shortcut for Google Lens for scanning text, QR codes, or objects. There's another shortcut for "AI retouching" with an adjustment slider for softening skin and facial features.
Viewfinder • Viewfinder settings • Camera settings
There are toggles for flash, AI scene enhancement, HDR (set to Auto by default), and some filters. There's also a self-timer feature and an option to shoot in the main camera's native 64MP resolution. There are three zoom options for the main camera: 1X, 2X, and 5X - all of which are shot with the main camera.
Filters
Other modes in the camera app include Night, Portrait, Pro Expert, Extra HD, Pano, Text Scanner, and Macro.
Still image quality
In the standard shooting mode, the Nord N20 outputs shots in 16MP after pixel-binning. Shots in daylight look good, with well-balanced exposures, nice decently resolved details and manageable noise. Contrast could be a bit better, but overall the images are acceptable.
Daylight shots main camera
Color rendering is quite good on the N20. Upon closer inspection of details, we notice some pixelation occurs in many geometric patterns of the image like windows and building lines. Plus, there's color fringing through some photos and fuzziness in the edges of the frame - a common side effect of lower-cost lenses.
HDR processing, though not visible in the viewfinder, looks better in the final image - especially times in times when the sky in the background is brighter than the subject. Though off by default, there is an AI scene enhancement toggle that recognizes some general scenes like whether you're shooting a sky, building, or a group of people. If it doesn't recognize any scene (most of the time), it helps to liven up colors and slightly improved clipped highlights.
Daylight shots with AI enabled
We notice that the AI feature didn't cause the same pixelation of lines we spotted in other images, but it comes at the expense of some added noise. It also looks like with the AI feature enabled, HDR doesn't kick in, causing some of the images to have its skies blown out. This wasn't always the case with using AI, however.
Here are a few images shot in the camera's full resolution.
64MP samples
Full-res images look quite good and we didn't notice the same pixelation effect caused in the standard photos. The tradeoff here is the added noise that the native camera captures, as well as the lack of any HDR processing in this mode. We've previously noted that using a full-resolution mode of a smartphone isn't worth the trouble, but the Nord N20's full-resolution mode might serve useful in specific situations (with ample lighting) where the user might want to capture something closer to a RAW image with more information to put it through an editor.
Although there is no dedicated zoom hardware, the Nord N20 does have 2X and 5X preset zoom levels, both of which are cropped from the main sensor.
2X digital zoom
These zoomed images aren't bad. Though resolved details are a bit mushy upon close inspection, there is not as much sharpening as regular 1X photos. We also cannot spot the pixelation we saw at the regular zoom level.
We noticed that with AI enabled, we saw slightly better 2X images. Processing looks better because not only are colors a bit more pleasing and contrast a bit better, but there is less of a haze in some of the shots taken in overcast lighting.
2X digital zoom with AI turned on
The tradeoff here is that with AI turned on, the overall image does not apply any noise reduction - though this could be a positive for some who prefer a grainier look to photos.
5X digital zoom
Although you can certainly zoom up to 5X with the N20's camera, it doesn't make for the best photos. It is possible, though at the expense of detail, added noise, and added softness.
Here are some macro shots.
Macro photos
Next up, portrait photos are used in conjunction with the 2MP depth sensor. Check out the resulting portrait shots.
Portrait photos
Portraits look quite good. Dynamic range is great and skin tones look natural. Contrast and colors are also nicely rendered. The subject separation isn't perfect, but it blends the final image decently.
Low light
The Nord N20's standard HDR mode is not ideal for taking nighttime photos. Aside from the lack of OIS, the camera's small sensor can't capture enough light.
Low-light samples
Night mode slightly improves the images, though not by too much. The shots have slightly better exposure and colors are a bit more lively, but textures are extremely soft.
Night mode samples
The 16MP selfie camera outputs images in its native resolution. Here are some samples.
Selfies
Selfies look pretty good. Despite the fixed focus lens, facial features and details look decent. Dynamic range is also generally good, especially useful in backlit scenes. Colors seem a bit more muted than the main camera's and generally fine for selfies.
Selfie portraits
Portrait selfies are decent with convincing subject separation. Otherwise, shots look fine.
The selfie camera was decent in low light, there's a selfie-flash feature that brightens up the display when taking a selfie though there is no dedicated Night mode for the front camera.
Night selfie Flash: Off • On
Video recording
The Snapdragon 695's ISP limits the Nord N20's to record video at just 1080p @ 30fps. There's a dual-view mode that records from the front and rear cameras simultaneously, though.
Video shot in Full HD looks average. The picture somehow looks soft and over sharpened at the same time. Colors look good and exposure is perhaps slightly on the bright side. Contrast looks good though, and noise isn't a problem.
The competition
The Nord N20 is only available in the US, so we'll try to show you some competitors that can be purchased States-side, whether it's from a wireless carrier or imported on Amazon. At $282 ($290 @ Metro), this smartphone falls under the $300 price point - a fiercely competitive bracket in the US' prepaid market, especially one that's actively converting smartphone users to 5G handsets.
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G • Samsung Galaxy A53 5G • Apple iPhone SE (2022) • Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022)
At T-Mobile, the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G is priced the same as the Nord N20 and the Samsung device is outdone in nearly every category. The Nord comes with a brighter and higher-res AMOLED screen, faster charging, more RAM on the base model, and a 64MP main camera. The A32 does have an ultrawide camera, however, and supports 4K recording, unlike the Nord.
The Galaxy A53 5G is a more viable option. Though it's listed at $450, it can be had for cheaper through carrier promotions. This one is a better match to the Nord N20 with a Super AMOLED screen and large 5,000 mAh battery. It also has a more capable camera setup with OIS, ultrawide camera, and a higher resolution 32MP selfie camera. Plus, the A53 comes with IP67 water resistance and 120Hz refresh rate.
If you're looking for a cheap smartphone in the US, chances are you've considered the cheapest iPhone as well. The iPhone SE (2022) is definitely an option - at $399, however, the value is not up to par with some well-equipped budget Android phones. Abysmal battery life is part of owning one of these iPhones, but Apple's strong ecosystem of apps and hardware, as well as its camera prowess (supports up to 4K@60fps video) make it worth considering if you prioritize these things over battery life. Plus, the newest SE supports 5G networks now.
Best Buy sells the Moto G Stylus for $280, though this one does not support 5G networks and uses an LCD display. Moto is known to use water-repellent coatings on most of the smartphones that aren't officially IP-rated. Otherwise, it has a similarly equipped camera complete with an ultrawide shooter. Plus, it has a handy stylus built in.
Xiaomi Poco F3 • Xiaomi 11T • Realme GT Master • Xiaomi Poco X4 Pro 5G • Honor Magic4 Lite
There is so much more competition for this device outside of the US, where it's sold as both the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G, and the Oppo Reno7 Z 5G as rebranded carbon copies. It is also sold as the Oppo A95 in China (though, with one less camera). Here are some competitors outside the US that sadly aren't officially supported with US carriers but your mileage may vary: Xiaomi Poco F3, Xiaomi 11T, Realme GT Master, Poco X4, and Honor Magic4 Lite.
Verdict
In the context of the US market, OnePlus is in a great position with T-Mobile and Metro to be offering smartphones in its Nord lineup that are well-equipped and intended for the pre-paid market. The Nord N20 brings a great AMOLED screen with in-display scanner, excellent battery life, all packed in an attractive and sleek plastic body.
Although the phone comes with the older Android 11, OxygenOS 12 is not a fan-favorite among users due to OnePlus and Oppo's altering of the UI's formula. It is not confirmed whether the Nord 20 will be updated to Android 13 - this is when OnePlus promised it would revert the changes it made to OxygenOS.
Overall, the Nord N20 is a well-equipped device with enough features to satisfy the above-average smartphone user. It plays games very well - with minimal throttling - and it yields excellent battery life. Not to mention, it charges up very quickly thanks to the included SuperVOOC charger.
This display, although not a high-refresh rate one, is still brighter and produces a nicer image than equivalent LCD panels in this class. To wrap it all up, the Nord N20's Snapdragon 695 brings also brings 5G to this affordable price point.
There is no shortage of devices to choose from in this segment outside the US, but if you're buying from the carrier within the US, and that carrier happens to be T-Mobile or Metro, and you have a strict budget of $300 or less, then the Nord N20 5G should be one of your top choices for a 5G phone in this the price bracket.
Pros
- Vibrant and bright display.
- Lightweight and sleek design.
- Great chipset performance with excellent thermal management.
- Wonderful battery life and support for fast charging.
Cons
- No high refresh rate mode.
- Lacks ultra-wide camera and 4K video recording.
- Single loudspeaker is unimpressive.
- Succeeding version of OxygenOS is in limbo with ColorOS.
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