OnePlus has already released a handful of affordable 5G phones, but the $240 Nord N200 5G might be the company’s best low-cost 5G handset yet.
Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G processor and featuring a big 6.9-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a huge 5,000 mAh battery, the Nord N200 5G seems to have all of its most important bases covered.
The N200 5G also comes with a healthy 4GB of RAM and 64GB of base storage, a built-in fingerprint reader that doubles as a power button, a headphone jack, and microSD card expandability. It’s no slouch in the camera department, either, with a 16-MP selfie shooter in front and a triple camera module in back headlined by a 13-MP main sensor.
Now I know budget 5G phones aren’t typically super exciting (especially when they only support sub-6Gz 5G), but compared to the recently announced $400 Moto G Stylus 5G, the N200 is really killing it in the value department.
Not only do both phones share the same Snapdragon 480 5G chip, but they also have similar-sized displays and rear camera setups. The N200's display has a higher refresh rate, and it also sports a more attractive design and NFC, which is a critical feature that Moto often doesn’t include on its budget phones. The Stylus 5G lacks that feature. And the N200 5G has a starting price tag that’s $160 less than the Moto G Stylus 5G.
Granted, the Moto G Stylus 5G comes with an included writing utensil the N200 doesn’t get and a bit of extra base storage, but at some point you have to ask yourself if a stylus is really worth it. And even for those who have wiggle room in their budgets, it’s hard to get enthused about a phone that has the same basic specs for almost twice the price of the N200.
OnePlus is partnering with T-Mobile (and Metro by T-Mobile) at launch, so you’ll be able to get the N200 5G from a major carrier, in addition to third-party retailers including Best Buy, Amazon, B&H, and others.
I haven’t had a chance to check it out for myself just yet, but if you’re looking for a bargain 5G phone, the N200 5G has suddenly jumped out to the front of the pack.
The Nord N200 5G is slated to go on sale June 25 directly from OnePlus, with other carriers and retailers to follow shortly after that.