OnePlus claims its upcoming smartphone, the OnePlus Nord will cost less than $500 in its slated markets, which include India and Europe. As more and more details surface about the device, many wonder how the popular Chinese manufacturer will pull off such a price for a device that is appearing more high end by the report.
OnePlus’ sub-$500 price claim is interesting, considering that the Nord won’t be available in the U.S. for the launch of its initial model. The brand has noted future Nord models may be available in the U.S. after it uses India and Europe as a testbed.
Leaked prices suggest the OnePlus Nord may start at ₹24,990 ($330) in India and €500 ($560) in Europe. However, direct conversion typically doesn’t give an accurate idea of cost across markets. Without an official U.S. price announcement, it’s hard to say exactly how much the OnePlus Nord would sell for in this market. We can likely assume the price would have been something along the lines $499 as figures for the dollar and euro prices are often similar.
OnePlus has confirmed many details about the Nord, including its Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip, which will enable 5G connectivity, its 90Hz display, and its RAM support up to 12GB. The device will also have Google Comms Suite features, including Messages, Dialer, and Duo out the box, as well as a 4,115mAh battery with 30W fast charging.
The brand has also discussed the OnePlus Nord camera set up while showing off its design, which also looks a rather high end. The device will feature a quad-camera set up with a 48-megapixel lens with f/1.75 aperture and OIS, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor, a 5-megapixel depth sensor, and a macro sensor. Its dual front camera set up will include a 32-megapixel main lens and an ultra-wide-angle lens with a 105 field of view.
OnePlus’ use of a Snapdragon 765G mobile chip is expected to offset the price of other pricer specs, but pundits note that Samsung and LG already have devices with that chip on the market selling for over $600.
The manufacturer will surely have its common tweaks, such as passing on a water resistance rating to further cut costs on the OnePlus Nord. The 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor is an old component from previous devices, which will likely be another cost cut as mid-year often denotes the announcement time of components for the coming year. Additionally, if 12GB of RAM is the maximum for the Nord, there could be a base model with lower hardware specs that will cost less.
OnePlus will unveil the Nord in an AR launch event on July 21. The event begins at 10 a.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. IST) and can be accessed via the OnePlus Nord AR App for the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
