The OnePlus Nord mid-range smartphone is official, at ~$450

After weeks of teasing, OnePlus has finally fully announced all the details of its mid-range smartphone, the OnePlus Nord. Yes, it’s called the “Nord,” named for the word that means “North” in several European languages. OnePlus has leaked just about every detail of the phone leading up to the launch except for the price, which in Europe is €399, or ~$456.

For that price, you get a 90Hz display that measures 6.44 inches with a resolution of 2400×1080. The display is also flat, a big upgrade over the pointlessly curved, distorted screens you see on most flagships. There’s a Snapdragon 765G, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage, and a 4100mAh battery. There’s also a more expensive SKU that upgrades you to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

For rear cameras you get the same main 48MP sensor as the OnePlus 8, plus an 8MP wide-angle lens, 2MP macro lens, and 5MP depth sensor. The front looks like a Samsung Galaxy S10+ with dual front cameras in an oval-shaped cutout. Besides the main 32MB selfie cam, you get a second 8MP wide-angle camera. That’s six cameras on what is supposed to be a budget phone.

There’s no water resistance, or at least no official IP rating. OnePlus says there are still some rubber seals around the phone that provide some water protection, but it’s hard to know how much without proper testing. The phone has a USB-C port, NFC, an in-screen optical fingerprint reader, a single speaker on the bottom, and OnePlus’ 30W Warp Charging, which the company says will take the phone from “empty to 70% in just half an hour.” The phone runs Android 10 and comes with two years of major OS updates and three years of security updates; although, like other OnePlus phones, they won’t be monthly.

The Nord isn’t launching in the US right now and instead is limited to Europe and India. It’s hard to know what is going on with the US. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau mentioned that the company is “looking to bring more affordable smartphones to North America in the near future,” and in today’s press release, OnePlus says: “Fifty North American users will have a chance to experience the OnePlus Nord through a limited beta program.” Why does the company want feedback from North American consumers?

India is one of OnePlus’ most successful markets, and the Nord pricing there is extremely aggressive. Europe gets the 8GB/128GB version for €399 ($456) and the 12GB/256GB version for €499 ($571), and the UK pricing breaks down to £379 ($480) and £469 ($594). The Nord in India is way cheaper, running ₹27,999 for the entry-level version ($375), and ₹29,999 ($401) for the version with more ram and storage. Those are $81 and $170 cheaper than their European counterparts, with the RAM and storage upgrade running a whopping $25 in India. There is even an exclusive, cheaper configuration for India: a version with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for ₹24,999, or $335. This is so unfair.

Any mid-range Android phone will have a tough time against the iPhone SE that launched earlier this year. Apple’s $400 mid-ranger has the same A13 Bionic SoC as the bigger iPhones, meaning it’s faster than even the most expensive Android phones, at a fraction of the price. While the benchmarks are top tier, you’ll be running them on a tiny 4.7-inch, 60 Hz display with a very dated-looking design thanks to the huge bezels. By investing a lot in the display, at least OnePlus has some kind of argument here, with a much bigger, smoother, faster display and a more modern design. The iPhone SE is actually a lot more expensive in Europe than in the US, too. It runs €499, or $571, so OnePlus actually undercuts Apple.

The Nord ships via oneplus.com on August 4.