The OnePlus Nord 2T isn’t the most exciting phone of 2022, but it’s hard for a mid-range handset to be that. Instead, this is a smartphone with various tweaks and improvements compared to its predecessor, and that makes for one of the best options if you don’t want to spend a lot on a phone. The Nord 2T can give the Google Pixel 5a a run for its money, and it’ll be exciting to see if it can do the same with the upcoming Pixel 6a that we’ll see in the next few months.

Oddly, this Nord 2T is a sequel to the OnePlus Nord 2. Exactly why OnePlus opted for the name 2T over a Nord 3 is unclear. More importantly, this phone is cheaper than the last-gen product in the UK, where it costs £369 (the original phone cost £399). The Nord 2T also costs €399 across various European countries.

The OnePlus Nord 2T is remarkably similar to the last phone from OnePlus, but it remains a top mid-range pick with great performance, fantastic fast-charging, and more.

Specifications
  • SoC: MediaTek Dimensity 1300
  • Display: 6.43-inch 1080x2400px AMOLED @ 90Hz
  • RAM: 8GB, 12GB
  • Storage: 128GB, 256GB
  • Battery: 4,500mAh, max 80W charging
  • Operating System: Android 12 with Oxygen OS 12.1
  • Front camera: 32MP f/2.4
  • Rear cameras: 50MP f/1.9 main, 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide (120˚), 2MP f/2.2 depth
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6; Bluetooth 5.2; 5G
  • Dimensions: 159.1 x 73.2 x 8.2 mm
  • Weight: 190g
  • Price: Starting at £369
Pros
  • Cheaper than previous versions
  • Fantastic fast-charging and good battery life
  • Good performance throughout all testing
Cons
  • Remarkably similar to the OnePlus Nord 2
  • Limited Android support for two generations
  • Lackluster color options
Buy This Product
OnePlus Nord 2T

Design, hardware, and what's in the box

The OnePlus Nord 2T doesn't differ from its predecessor in many ways, but the design is one of the most significant changes. It shares a general vibe with the OnePlus Nord 2 5G, but there are some significant changes, including a much larger camera module on the rear of the phone. This has been the most commented-on aspect from everyone I've shown the Nord 2T, and it has proven itself a divisive look.

From afar, it looks like two big cameras, but there are three elements in these two big black rings. The top one houses the primary camera, and the bottom hosts the ultrawide and depth cameras. This design is similar to the Honor 50 series, which now seems to be an increasingly common choice for phone cameras. You'll need to decide whether you like the look before buying this phone, but I personally quite enjoy the focus on the camera.

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Otherwise, the phone's design feels suitably premium for a mid-range phone with a glass rear, meaning you have Gorilla Glass protection on both sides of the phone. The plastic frame is the cheapest feeling element of the phone, but I didn't find it detracted much from the overall feel. The handset's design is a touch slippery, which may mean it is difficult for you to hold in some scenarios. If you buy this device, you may want to consider a case to ensure it doesn't get damaged from any drops.

You've only got two color choices: Gray Shadow or Jade Fog. The latter is the handset I had for review, but it's not as vibrant as it looks in some of OnePlus' marketing materials. OnePlus hasn't chosen fascinating colors for either of these versions, but neither is downright ugly.

Other design features are similar to what you'd expect with the power button and alert slider on the right-hand edge of the phone and the volume rocker on the left. The bottom edge is home to the speaker, SIM tray, and the USB-C slot. The fingerprint scanner is inside the screen, which I found to work quickly and seemed accurate throughout my testing.

Display

The screen is the same as we saw on the OnePlus Nord 2 5G, but that isn't necessarily bad. It's a 6.43-inch AMOLED with a resolution of 1080 x 2400. That means 409 pixels per inch, which is suitable for watching most videos, playing games, or anything else you want your phone screen to show.

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The brightness levels are okay, but I often had to experiment with the settings to get it right. The automatic brightness here isn't fantastic, either. The screen is a smooth 90Hz, which may be a bit jarring coming from a handset with a 120Hz display but it's good enough if you're upgrading from a phone with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is still common among budget devices.

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In the top left-hand corner, you'll find a punch-hole selfie camera. I found this wasn't an annoyance through everyday use on the phone, but you may find it causes trouble if you're watching a lot of video on your handset. There's also a tiny chin along the bottom of the screen, which means OnePlus hasn't maximized the screen-to-body ratio here.

Software and performance

Android 12 software is on the Nord 2T, but it comes in the form of the company's OxygenOS 12.1 overlay. This is divisive software, but I personally don't mind the current incarnation of Oxygen OS. The design is heavily customized so it doesn't look like how the software looks on Pixel phones. However, it isn't to everyone's taste. The unique look and feel of the software has also been shaved away over the last few years, though, and this is a major decision you need to make.

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Don't expect extended support for the OnePlus Nord 2T, as the company has said it will bring two Android platform updates (so it'll get Android 13 and Android 14) and three years of security updates.

Logically, you'll get your last major software update in late 2023 with the reveal of Android 14, which is a big disappointment. The Pixel 6a, for example, will receive three updates taking it to Android 15, while the Samsung Galaxy A53 is promised four years of updates through to Android 16.

The Nord 2T was capable of running every game and app we threw at it. The phone features a MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset rather than the Qualcomm alternative you may expect, but we still found the phone to be plenty powerful. It was able to boot up Apex Legends Mobile as quickly as most flagship phones I've played the game on. Performance in the game was almost identical.

We tested a version of the Nord 2T with12GB of RAM, so you may find it struggles a touch more if you opt for the 8GB of RAM option. That version comes with 128GB of storage, while the 12GB of RAM comes with 256GB of space. As ever, OnePlus hasn't included microSD support so if you expect to use this phone for a few years, I'd recommend spending extra on the expanded storage space.

Battery

The battery life of the OnePlus Nord 2T isn't particularly remarkable, but it'll last you a full day from a single charge. That's about what you'd expect from a mid-range phone of this type, and I found it consistently had 20% or so left in the tank when I got to bed. On particularly intensive days, the phone did drain further down but I never worried about it dropping out before the end of the day.

If you do have that concern, the fast-charging features here are among the very best and they match the top levels of the company's flagship OnePlus 10 Pro. It features 80W fast-charging, which means it can recharge the 4,500mAh battery in under 30 minutes. If you need a quick boost, you can get a remarkable 50% in just 15 minutes.

This is a great feature of the phone, but it only works with the VOOC charger that is included in the box alongside the OnePlus Nord 2T. Unlike a lot of other phone companies, OnePlus is continuing to include chargers in the box alongside its phones. There's no wireless charging here, but that isn't something I'd normally expect on a mid-range phone like this.

Cameras

There aren't any major changes to the cameras on the Nord 2T from the original Nord 2. The hardware is still capable enough, but they're not as strong as the Pixel 5a, and that makes me believe it may struggle against the upcoming Pixel 6a.

There's a 50MP f/1.9 primary camera, an 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide with a field of view of 120 degrees, and a 2MP f/2.2 depth sensor as well. The truth is you'll mostly be using that primary camera, and it's suitable for most scenarios, but it's unlikely to blow you away.

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I found the overall picture quality was good enough for a mid-range phone in good lighting. There's optical image stabilization here, but the camera definitely suffers from movement so you may find that the autofocus isn't impressive enough to get good results of quickly moving objects.

In darker conditions, the camera begins to suffer further, and you likely won't be getting perfect shots when you're taking photos at night. Video recording is suitable on the Nord 2T with it offering 4K recording at 30 frames per second and Full HD at 30, 60, 120, and 480 frames per second.

The ultrawide camera isn't as valuable as the primary camera, and I felt the quality wasn't all that worth its inclusion. I attempted to use it a few times, but I mostly relied on the primary camera as the picture quality was that bit better even if it doesn't capture as much. The step down in picture quality is a bit of a disappointment, and I find there are very few scenarios where I need that expanded field of view. The depth camera is here for help with Portrait mode and other elements, but you won't be able to use this for taking shots specifically.

On the front, inside a punch-hole, is a 32MP selfie camera that gives some fantastic results for video calling, taking selfies, and everything else you'll want from the front-facing shooter. You can record video on this up to full HD at 30fps, so it isn't going to compete with flagship phones but it's suitable for most people.

Should you buy it?

Possibly, but the truth is this is a competitive space right now. The OnePlus Nord 2T is very good, but it's such a mild improvement over last year's phone that I wouldn't outright recommend it without you considering alternatives. For example, the upcoming Google Pixel 6a will likely steal this phone's thunder, and you should also look at the similarly priced Samsung Galaxy A53 5G.

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That said, this remains an excellent phone considering its price, and I'm more impressed with OnePlus as a budget phone maker rather than a purveyor of flagship products. OnePlus has been expanding its series of Nord smartphones, and it's arguably got more of a future here than in the flagship space.

The Nord 2T is limited to markets such as Europe and India, so you won't be able to buy this handset easily if you live in the US. However, you can buy the OnePlus Nord N20 5G, an even cheaper option at $300. Android Police's review of that phone calls it "a great phone at a great price with only a few easily ignored caveats."

Buy it if…

  • You want top fast-charging but don't want a flagship
  • You're after a cheaper alternative to flagship phones

Don't buy it if…

  • You don't think you'll be a fan of OxygenOS
  • You want a boldly colored smartphone

FAQ

Q: How does the OnePlus Nord 2T compare to the OnePlus Nord 2?

The differences between the Nord 2 and the Nord 2T are minimal, but some changes may make you consider this more recent handset over the original. There’s faster charging, a powerful chipset, and longer support for Android updates. Plus, the base level of RAM has increased, so it’s cheaper to get 8GB. I recommend opting for the Nord 2T over the Nord 2, but don’t bother upgrading if you already own the older handset.

Q: How does the OnePlus Nord 2T compare to the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G?

This is Samsung’s big mid-range phone for 2022, and the truth is we haven’t been as impressed with it as previous iterations. It’s still good, scoring a 7 out of 10 in the official Android Police review, but we didn’t rate its camera or the build quality of this handset. It’s up to you whether you prefer Samsung’s design and software here, but this is worth a look as an alternative if you’re not certain about the Nord 2T.