Dive into the world of affordable yet high-quality smartphones with our comprehensive OnePlus Nord N200 5G review. Launched exclusively in the US and Canada, this upgrade from the N100 showcases an impressively sleek design and a vibrant display, perfect for avid streamers and social media enthusiasts alike. Experience the power of the latest Qualcomm 5G chipset, which provides lightning-fast connectivity for streaming, downloading, and multiplayer gaming.
However, this pocket-friendly powerhouse isn’t without its quirks. Some may find its performance slightly underwhelming due to the middle-of-the-road specs, and its camera array may not appease the avid photographers among us. Regardless, the enormous 5,000mAh battery and competitive price point make it a compelling choice for those prioritizing battery life and cost-efficiency over cutting-edge performance.
Finally, the OnePlus Nord N200 5G is unlocked for T-mobile and Google Fi, and it’s also 4G compatible with T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and Google Fi. Your affordable entry into the 5G revolution is here!
OnePlus Nord N200 5G Review: A Design that Outshines its Price
Let’s delve into the OnePlus Nord N200 5 G’s aesthetics, a smartphone boasting a design reminiscent of more expensive models. Wrapped in a beautiful, soft-touch plastic casing that presents a cool, dark aquamarine hue, the Nord N200 emanates a premium vibe. The smartphone’s back houses a triple camera array, subtly hinting at the aesthetics of the OnePlus 9 series – it’s refreshing to see such design consistency across the product lines.
At the forefront, you’re greeted by a 6.49-inch LCD, with the selfie cam subtly positioned in the top-left corner. The impressively slim bezels on the OnePlus Nord N200 5G add to its modern, sleek appeal, which is quite a feat considering the large 5,000mAh battery it harbors within.
The bottom of the Nord N200 houses a versatile array of functionalities. With a USB-C port, speaker, and a headphone jack, the phone accommodates both wireless and 3.5mm wired headphone users. And for the multitaskers, the Nord N200 offers dual-SIM functionality and a micro SD card slot to compensate for its 64GB on-board capacity.
A responsive fingerprint sensor, neatly integrated within the right-side power button, adds to the convenience. This out-of-display approach eliminates the need to touch your screen to unlock the phone – a small yet significant detail for some users.
Retailing at $199.99, the OnePlus Nord N200 5G impresses with a high-quality build that delivers value well beyond its price tag. This smartphone is not just a purchase, but an investment.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G Review: A Display That Defies its Price Tag
The OnePlus Nord N200 5G takes the spotlight with an IPS LCD panel featuring FHD+ resolution, offering users a pleasant viewing experience whether indoors or basking under the sun. Though it might not replicate the deep blacks an OLED panel can render, the N200’s display ensures a gratifying experience while browsing photos, watching videos, or immersing in gaming adventures.
A standout trait of the Nord N200’s screen is the enviable 90Hz refresh rate – a feature usually reserved for pricier models. The elevated refresh rate enhances Android’s fluidity and enriches your scrolling and content consumption experiences with higher frame rates, providing a noticeable difference in performance.
If you’re a gamer, you’ll appreciate how well games like Genshin Impact and Dead Cells play on this device. The FHD+ resolution ensures crisp text, while wide color reproduction breathes life into your movies – you’ll relish the vibrant hues in films like Blade Runner 2049.
Our tests revealed that the Nord N200’s display reproduces 160.7% of the sRGB spectrum, with an impressive Delta-E color accuracy rating of 0.26 (where 0 is perfect). The more expensive $349 Pixel 4a’s OLED screen managed 105.8% of the sRGB spectrum with a Delta-E of 0.29.
At a modest price of $199.9, the Nord N200’s display performance is phenomenal. While you might miss out on some subtleties of an OLED panel, the N200’s display quality is unlikely to leave many users wanting. Regarding screen performance, the Nord N200 is undoubtedly a solid contender in the affordable smartphone arena.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G Review: Camera Performance
The OnePlus Nord N200 5G has a triple camera setup, headlined by a 13MP main camera, and complemented by a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. A 16MP front camera takes care of your selfie needs. While OnePlus has significantly ramped up its photography credentials with flagship models like the OnePlus 9 Pro, it seems the Nord N200 falls short compared to competitors like the Pixel 4a.
Let’s take the Nord N200 outdoors for a test. In a head-to-head with the Pixel 4a, shooting a bush to test depth perception and foreground focus, the Nord N200 struggled with overexposure, compromising image quality. The Pixel 4a, on the other hand, delivered a well-focused and evenly-lit shot. A second outdoor test with harsh sunlight had the Nord N200 struggling again, producing a washed-out image compared to the Pixel 4a’s vibrant and controlled tone.
Indoors, the Nord N200 performed more closely to the Pixel 4a, with only a slightly warmer, yellowish tint setting them apart. However, in portrait mode, the Nord N200 failed to match the Pixel 4a’s zoomed-in, artistic approach. The Nord N200’s image suffered from a weak blur radius, a soft focus, and an overly warm tone.
Comparing night mode photography was perhaps the most telling. The Nord N200’s lack of a robust night mode was clear; the Pixel 4a’s Night Sight captured detailed and brightly lit images, while the Nord N200’s shot paled.
Turning to the front camera, the Nord N200 delivered images with aggressive face smoothing, obliterating natural skin tones and facial details, and once again, the image was overly bright. The Pixel 4a maintained natural skin tones, captured finer details, and even represented clothing colors more accurately.
In conclusion, while the OnePlus Nord N200 5G may be a budget-friendly entry into the 5G world with many commendable features, its camera performance leaves room for improvement. If photography is your priority, other competitors in this price range, like the Pixel 4a, might serve you better. Nonetheless, for the casual user who values features like 5G connectivity, a large battery, and a smooth display over high-end photography, the Nord N200 still holds its own in the market.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G Review: Video Recording
Diving into the video capabilities of the OnePlus Nord N200 5G, this budget-friendly device supports 1080p video recording at 30 frames per second. Although these aren’t top-tier specs, it’s still noteworthy that a $240 smartphone can record FHD video.
However, the overall video quality of the N200 is somewhat mediocre. One area that calls for improvement is the stabilization feature. During testing, the final footage exhibited noticeable bouncing while walking, compromising the smoothness of the video. In contrast, the Pixel 4a, which was used simultaneously, on the other hand, delivered a significantly more stable video.
Assessing the audio quality, the Nord N200’s two mics were merely satisfactory. They appeared to struggle with capturing a natural voice volume from half an arm’s length away. In this aspect, the Pixel 4a outperformed the Nord N200, capturing clearer voices and striking a better balance with surrounding noises, such as cars and cicadas.
In conclusion, while the OnePlus Nord N200 5G can record FHD video, both video and audio quality leave room for improvement. It’s a decent option for casual users, but other models might be more suitable for those serious about video recording.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G Review: Assessing Performance
When discussing the performance of a smartphone priced at $199.9, like the OnePlus Nord N200 5G, it’s important to set realistic expectations. The phone is powered by the cost-effective Snapdragon 480 5G chip, which does a reasonable job for routine tasks, but stumbles when dealing with more intensive applications, such as gaming. With a modest 4GB of RAM, I noticed some memory management issues, such as Spotify being closed unexpectedly while playing music.
As for gaming, if you’re looking to play high-end games like Genshin Impact, expect to compromise on the graphics settings. The Nord N200 is not designed to be a gaming beast; this limitation becomes evident in these scenarios.
In the sub-$500 price range, the iPhone SE (2020) is a serious competitor, thanks to its A13 Bionic processor. This chip easily outperforms any Snapdragon processors in this price segment and even competes with Qualcomm’s flagship chips.
Benchmarks further emphasize the performance gap. In Geekbench 5, the Nord N200 scored a multicore score of 1,602. For comparison, the more expensive Pixel 4a with its Snapdragon 730G scored 1,647, while the iPhone SE notched up a massive 3,226. In the 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited test, the Nord N200 managed just 5.8 frames per second, significantly lower than the iPhone SE’s 47.9 fps.
So, if you’re platform-agnostic and performance is your top priority, the iPhone SE emerges as the clear winner. However, for those less focused on gaming and intensive applications, the Nord N200 still holds its ground for most everyday tasks. Its only notable struggle was rapid photography, where the phone lagged during multiple rapid shutter clicks. Ultimately, while the Nord N200 is not a high-performance powerhouse, it does deliver reliable performance for typical smartphone usage at a wallet-friendly price.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G Review: Battery Life and Charging
With its sizable 5,000mAh battery, the OnePlus Nord N200 5G promises commendable battery longevity, although it doesn’t quite make it to the top of the best phone battery life leaderboard. Its 90Hz display makes a slight dent in battery life, but it is not as significant as one might assume.
Our battery endurance test involves incessant webpage reloading over a cellular connection until the battery depletes, the Nord N200 clocked in a respectable 10 hours and 28 minutes with its default 90Hz display mode. Switching to a 60Hz setting eked out a slightly longer runtime of 10 hours and 36 minutes. Given this minimal difference, users will likely find more value in sticking to the smoother 90Hz display setting.
Unlike its more premium siblings, the Nord N200 doesn’t have OnePlus’ signature Warp Charge technology for rapid charging. However, it supports 18W wired charging, possibly rejuvenating a completely depleted battery back to 32% within 30 minutes.
In conclusion, the Nord N200’s battery life and charging capabilities align well with its budget-friendly position in the market. Its large battery ensures you won’t be left scrambling for a charger in the middle of the day, and its 18W charging offers a decent recharge speed, keeping your device powered up when you need it most.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G Review: Software and Updates
Unboxing the OnePlus Nord N200 5G, you’ll find it runs Android 11, supplemented by OnePlus’ user-friendly OxygenOS 11 software. This combination offers an array of customization options, a streamlined default launcher, and a level of refinement synonymous with the pricier OnePlus 9 Pro.
However, a downside comes in the form of limited software support. OnePlus has confirmed only one OS upgrade for the Nord N200, meaning it will not be privy to Android 13 and beyond. This limited commitment to software support for budget-friendly Android phones is disappointing and detracts from the otherwise excellent value of the Nord N200.
In terms of longevity, competitors like the Pixel 4a or iPhone SE, with their extended support periods, may prove to be better investments for some users. Despite OnePlus promising three years of security patches for the Nord N200, the constrained platform support is a significant drawback.
Disappointingly, OnePlus hasn’t committed to three years of the platform and four years of security updates even for its flagship 9 series, unlike competitors like Google and Samsung. The same lackadaisical approach appears to have trickled down to the updated policy for the Nord N200, which is a letdown for this otherwise impressive budget smartphone.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G Review: Final Verdict
Priced at a wallet-friendly $199.9, the OnePlus Nord N200 5G offers incredible value, especially considering it’s one of the US’s most affordable 5G phones. However, it’s not without its imperfections. Its camera performance leaves much to be desired, with subpar secondary and tertiary lenses and a primary shooter that tends to overexpose images. Selfie enthusiasts might also be disappointed with the front camera’s mediocre performance, and the video recording quality is just average.
While the performance doesn’t exactly wow, and the update schedule leaves something to be desired, the Nord N200 does exceed expectations in many ways for its price point. This phone delivers value for money with a solid build, aesthetically pleasing design, impressive display, and sub-6GHz 5G support.
However, if performance is a priority and your budget permits, it’s advisable to consider options like the Pixel 4a or iPhone SE, which deliver superior performance and extended software support. These devices’ absence of 5G and a 90Hz display are minor trade-offs compared to their overall advantages.
That said, if you’re on a tight budget and value features like 5G connectivity and a smooth display, the Nord N200 5G is an excellent choice. It proves that you can enjoy an array of high-end features without breaking the bank, and OnePlus deserves recognition for this impressive feat.
