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The OnePlus Nord 2 and 9 Pro are the two OnePlus smartphones released this year. These are not the only OnePlus devices to launch this year, but they are the kings of their respective ranges. The OnePlus Nord 2 is the most powerful mid-range handset that the company released, while the OnePlus 9 Pro is its flagship offering. In this article, we’ll compare the OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9 Pro.
Many would say this is not a fair comparison, considering the 9 Pro is considerably more expensive and whatnot. Well, that’s just the point, we’re here to see if the Nord 2 can compete, as it has a lot going for it. It has a similar design to the 9 Pro, while its specs are quite powerful as well. We’ll start things off by comparing their specs, and go from there. That being said, let’s compare the OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9 Pro.
Specs
| OnePlus Nord 2 | OnePlus 9 Pro | |
| Screen size | 6.43-inch fullHD+ Fluid AMOLED flat display (90Hz refresh rate) | 6.7-inch WQHD+ AMOLED LTPO curved display (120Hz adaptive refresh rate) |
| Screen resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 3216 x 1440 |
| SoC | MediaTek Dimensity 1200 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB (LPDDR4X) | 8GB/12GB (LPDDR5) |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1); non-expandable | 128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1); Non-Expandable |
| Rear cameras | 50MP (f/1.9 aperture, wide lens, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS) 8MP (f/2.3 aperture, 119-degree lens) 2MP (f/2.4 aperture, monochrome) |
48MP (Sony IMX789, f/1.8 aperture, 7P lens, OIS, EIS, 1.12um pixel size 48MP images, 2.24um pixel size 12MP images (4-in-1 binning), 23mm focal length) 50MP (ultra-wide, f/2.2 aperture, Freeform Lens, 7P lens, Sony IMX766) 8MP (telephoto, 1.0um pixel size, f/2.4 aperture) 2MP (monochrome) |
| Front cameras | 32MP (f/2.5 aperture, 0.8um pixel size) | 16MP (Sony IMX471, 1.0um pixel size, EIS, Fixed Focus, f/2.4 aperture) |
| Battery | 4,500mAh, non-removable, 65W wired charging | 4,500mAh, non-removable, 65W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, reverse wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 158.9 x 73.2 x 8.3mm | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7mm |
| Weight | 189 grams | 197 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) | In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) |
| OS | Android 11 OxygenOS |
Android 11 OxygenOS |
| Price | €439 | $969 / $1,069 |
| Buy | OnePlus | OnePlus |
OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9 Pro: Design
Needless to say, these two phones look very similar, especially from the front. They both offer a display camera hole in the top-left corner, and very thin bezels. Their shape is also pretty much the same. The main differentiating factor can be noticed in the display section, as the 9 Pro has a curved display, while the Nord 2 does not. Their physical buttons are also in rather similar spots.
Both phones are curved on the back as well, towards the sides. Even their rear camera islands are somewhat similar, though the sensors are different, of course. That being said, the OnePlus Nord 2 and 9 Pro do not use the same build materials. The OnePlus Nord 2 is made out of plastic (frame) and glass, while the 9 Pro utilizes metal and glass. If you didn’t know it, you wouldn’t be able to notice that the Nord 2’s frame is made out of plastic, though.
The two phones use the same protection for their front and back. Gorilla Glass 5 is utilized on both sides. The OnePlus Nord 2 is slightly shorter, narrower, and thinner than the 9 Pro. It’s also a bit lighter. The difference is not that big, not at all. They will seem considerably different once you handle them, mainly due to the curved display on the OnePlus 9 Pro. Both phones are quite slippery, though, and both do feel like quality pieces of tech.
OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9 Pro: Display
The OnePlus Nord 2 features a 6.43-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) Fluid AMOLED display. This display offers a 90Hz refresh rate, and it does support HDR10+ content. The panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass 5 from corning. This is a flat display, by the way, and we’re looking at a 409 ppi here. It is a really good fullHD+ panel, to say the least.
The OnePlus 9 Pro, on the flip side, includes a 6.7-inch QHD+ (3216 x 1440) Fluid AMOLED 2.0 display. This panel can project 1 billion colors, and it’s an LTPO panel. In other words, it offers an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It does support HDR10+ content, just like the OnePlus Nord 2. This display gets really bright at 1,300 nits peak brightness. It is protected by the Gorilla Glass 5, the same protection as the one the OnePlus Nord 2 offers.
That being said, is the OnePlus 9 Pro’s display better? Well, it sure is, and not only on paper. The difference is quite notable on paper, but it’s also better in real-life. It’s more fluid, which is the result of a higher refresh rate. Most people probably won’t care much, but the difference is noticeable, even though the difference between 90 and 120Hz is not that big. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s display is also brighter, while both offer really punchy colors. They both do offer great viewing angles as well, so that’s not something you have to worry about.
OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9 Pro: Performance
Now, when it comes to performance, things are quite interesting. You’d expect a massive performance change considering the price difference, right? Well, you’d be wrong, as both of these phones are as smooth as butter. The OnePlus Nord 2 is actually fueled by the Dimensity 1200, which is MediaTek’s most powerful processor to date. So, this phone essentially has a flagship SoC, not a mid-range one.
The OnePlus 9 Pro comes with the Snapdragon 888, a proven processor from Qualcomm, and one of the two most powerful ones the company offers these days. On top of that, both phones offer UFS 3.1 flash storage, and plenty of RAM for you to work with. The end result is wonderful. They are both really smooth no matter what you do, essentially. They can handle regular tasks, such as multitasking, media consumption, browsing, and so on, without a problem.
Even if you’re into gaming, neither of these two phones will disappoint you. They can run the most graphically demanding games from the Google Play Store, and they can do it in style. The OnePlus 9 Pro is not exactly visibly faster than the OnePlus Nord 2, not at all. The two phones stand side-by-side when it comes to performance, and that goes for pretty much every task, no matter how demanding it is.
OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9 Pro: Battery
The OnePlus Nord 2 and 9 Pro both offer the same battery capacity, you’ll find a 4,500mAh unit inside both phones. Is that enough for these two phones? Well, yes, it is, but don’t expect staggering battery life. Both of these phones linger around 6 hours of screen-on-time during the day, with very little or no gaming. Do note that depending on what you do with the devices, your mileage may vary, of course.
If you are a gamer, and push your phones really hard, chances are they’ll go well below those six hours. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s battery life did improve since launch, and we can assume that OnePlus will further optimize the Nord 2 as well. So, these two handsets are not exactly excellent in regards to battery life, we’ve seen better. They are average, though, and that’s good enough for the vast majority of people.
If you’re a power user, and you end up needing to juice up these two phones before the end of the day, that’s not a problem. They both offer fast charging, which will certainly help you worry less about how fast the battery is draining. Both phones offer 65W fast wired charging which can change them from 1 to 100-percent in only 29-30 minutes. The OnePlus 9 Pro also offers 50W fast wireless charging, which can get you a full charge in only 43 minutes. So, you’re well covered.
OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9 Pro: Cameras
The camera department is quite interesting here. The OnePlus Nord 2 includes three cameras on the back, while the 9 Pro has four. What’s interesting is that the 50-megapixel sensor that the Nord 2 is using as its main sensor, is actually an ultrawide sensor on the 9 Pro. Both phones have wide, ultrawide, and monochrome cameras. The OnePlus 9 Pro also adds a telephoto camera into the mix.
That being said, the images taken with these two phones are… well, good. The thing is, neither phone is extremely consistent. They can take some excellent photos in various scenes, but can also throw you a curveball from time to time. The colors are really good on both, though the 9 Pro does stand out a bit more in that regard. The 9 Pro can also capture a bit more detail in low light, as it can pull more of them from the shadows.
The Nord 2 is not far in that regard, though, as it offers really good low light performance at its price range. During the day, both phones do perform really well. They do handle white balance well, and HDR as well. They’re not the best around, but they can do the job really well. They do good in the video recording department as well, though once again, they’re not the best around. Not many people will have many complaints about their camera performance, though.
Audio
Both of these phones do offer a set of stereo speakers. What they do not offer is a 3.5mm headphone jack. In regards to those speakers, they’re really good, on both accounts. What we did notice is that the 9 Pro’s are a bit sharper, or at least it seems like it. The sound depth is good on both of them, or should I say sound stage. The audio is well-balanced across the spectrum.
If you do plug in your headphones, and they’re good, you can get some clear sound, with notable bass, and clear vocals. The sound is really well balanced, as is via the speakers. We don’t have any major complaints about the audio, whether you listen to it via the speakers, or you decide to plug in your headphones. The audio is definitely not the best around, but it’s more than good enough.