OnePlus' Fast-Charging Flagship Revealed Hot On N20's Heels
With the T-Mobile exclusive OnePlus Nord N20 5G having just come out, a follow-up of two additional models might seem a bit odd, but that's exactly what OnePlus is doing with its upcoming 10R 5G and Nord CE 2 Lite 5G smartphones. Starting at ₹38,999 (about $509 USD) and ₹19,999 (roughly $261 USD) respectively, the new models don't exactly surpass the N20 ($282 USD) in every aspect — but they don't really lag behind it either.
These models are more like alternative options intended to better suit specific needs, with price points to match. You can, essentially, pay more for additional features and improved specifications, or you can pay a bit less for a roughly equivalent slight downgrade — though in both cases, you aren't limited to using T-Mobile as a carrier.
That said, if you do decide to order a CE 2 when it's released on April 30, 2022, or a 10R once it's available on May 4, you might want to do some carrier research first. Not all phones use the same network bands, which could limit your U.S. carrier options. It doesn't make importing non-viable, but it can complicate things a little bit.
OnePlus 10R 5G
The OnePlus 10R's approximately 6.5-inch by 3-inch frame houses a 6.7-inch 120 Hz Fluid OLED display with an in-display fingerprint sensor, along with a lot of the kinds of gear you'd expect from a modern smartphone (accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, etcetera). OnePlus also claims a 360Hz touch response rate for hardware and a 720Hz response rate for software.
Its 50MP triple camera doesn't quite measure up to the 64MP triple camera found in the N20, but it does have a comparable 16MP front-facing camera. The model can also record video at up to 1080p at 30 frames per second, and it supports a number of photo-centric features like UltraShot HDR's automated optimization and nighttime-friendly Nightscape 2.0,
Out of the box, it runs on a version of Android 12 based on OnePlus' in-house OxygenOS, with options for either 8GB or 12GB of memory, and between 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. It also uses a fast-charging 80W SUPERVOOC battery (or 150W for the Sierra Black model with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage), which according to OnePlus can fully charge your phone in minutes.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
The CE 2 is close to the same dimensions as the 10R (it's maybe 0.1cm larger in places) with a slightly smaller 6.6-inch LCD screen and the absence of an in-display fingerprint scanner, which is located along the side of the phone instead. Of course, it's also roughly half the price of the 10R, which is something to consider.
Camera-wise, the CE 2 is slightly better than the 10R in that its triple camera is 64MP. Most everything else, from the 16MP front camera to the 1080p at 30 fps video specs are the same, though. However, the CE 2 does lack some of the camera features found on the 10R, such as Nightscape instead of Nightscape 2.0, and no UltraShot HDR.
You'll find the same OxygenOS-based version of Android 12 installed on the CE 2, with options for either 6GB or 8GB of memory; 128GB is the only available option for internal storage, however. The model also packs a 33W SUPERVOOC battery, which still boasts a fast charging speed, but not as fast as either of the choices offered for the 10R.