OnePlus Nord N30 5G review

The competition

As already mentioned, the Nord N30 5G is a model mostly meant for the US market. Its starting MSRP at launch is $299.99 / CAD 379.99 or a bit less than that if you get it from T-Mobile or Metro on a plan. That makes it a pretty budget device. For thoroughness, we'll cast a slightly wider net when looking for alternatives and set the price limit at $350. We will also look at some devices from last year since the US market is not as abundant as we would have liked and the competition is scarcer.

Part of the appeal of OnePlus devices has always been the rather clean approach to Android. And while the company has strayed noticeably away from that philosophy in recent years, there is still something to be said on that front. Considering that, our first and probably top recommendation as an alternative to the Nord N30 5G would be the Google Pixel 6a. We do know that it is getting on in age a bit, and the Pixel 7a is already out, but the latter is significantly more expensive than the 6a. Some of the Pixel 6a highlights include an OLED display with HDR capabilities, though capped at a 60Hz refresh rate. There is also an IP67 ingress protection rating to enjoy and stereo speakers. While not a chart-topper itself, the Google Tensor chip is quite potent within this price range. You also arguably get a more versatile camera setup with the Pixel 6a, including a 12MP, OIS-enabled main cam and a 12MP ultrawide, 4K video recording in toll. It's just really hard to beat the current value proposition of the Pixel 6a.

Over at camp Samsung, you could go with something like the Galaxy A14 5G and save quite a lot of money, but you will be missing out on nice-to-haves, like stereo speakers and fast charging. We would have loved to recommend the Galaxy A34 instead, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be available on the US market. You will have to live with the older Galaxy A23 5G Instead. It is a very comparable phone to the Nord N30, with things like a 6.6-inch 120Hz LCD display and a large 5,000 mAh battery. While its primary camera is smaller at 50MP, it does have OIS, which is a nice addition. Unfortunately, the A23 5G doesn't get official ingress protection like its bigger siblings do. Also, there are no stereo speakers, which the Nord N30 does have. Plus, you only get 25W charging, which is decent in Samsung terms, but not as fast as the OnePlus alternative.

Google Pixel 6a • Samsung Galaxy A23 5G • Motorola Edge (2022)

Motorola continues to have a strong official presence in the US. Out of its portfolio, the Edge (2022) seems to be the best alternative to the Nord N30 5G. Like the above Galaxy, it is a bit older, but the Edge (2022) does come with some enticing specs highlights, like the 6.6-inch, 144Hz, HDR10+, 10-bit OLED display. Its main camera has OIS as well. Plus, while the MediaTek Dimensity 1050 is not a powerhouse, it does offer 4K@30fps video capture, which is more than the Nord N30 and the Galaxy A23 5G can do. The Motorola Edge (2022) also has stereo speakers and a water-repellent design, which might not be as good as an ingress rating but is still better than nothing.

Our verdict

Overall, we like the OnePlus Nord N30 5G. We really do. But would have liked it a whole lot more if its MSRP were closer to $200 or it brought a bit more to the table. It feels like OnePlus took the Realme 10 Pro for a template, when it should have probably gone with the Pro+ instead.

It's not like anything makes the Nord N30 5G uniquely OnePlus, either. The signature alert slider is nowhere to be found, and as we mentioned, the software experience can also be had on a modern Oppo or Realme device. We really wish the N30 had an OLED or, failing that, a better and brighter LCD and one backed up by proper high refresh rate handling. The Snapdragon 695 also leaves us kind of wanting, particularly in the video recording department, with its unfortunate 1080p capture limit. Some sort of ingress protection is also attainable in this price range.

However, having said all that, we still don't think the Nord N30 5G is a disappointment. Seeing how the US market has limited options in this price range, the Nord N30 does have a fairly decent market standing. We wouldn't recommend you actively go out to buy one, but you might not have too many alternatives and if you do end up owning it through some amazing deal or another circumstance, it is a solid budget device overall.

Pros

• Thin, attractive design and sturdy build quality.
• Headphone jack and microSD expansion.
• Great battery life and fast charging.
• Solid stereo speaker setup.
• Decent overall photo quality.

Cons

• No OnePlus alert slider.
• LCD with poor color calibration and relatively low brightness.
• Display very rarely uses the max 120Hz refresh rate.
• Suffers from the occasional stutter and slowdown in performance.
• No ultra-wide camera.
• No 4K video recording.