OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G

Incredible fast-charging capability ; Good screen ; Decent camera

Plasticky rear panel ; Middling performance

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G offers brilliant fast-charging, and a very good screen. The performance and cameras are decent without being exceptional, so it’s still an all-round package that’s well worth your consideration.

Fast charging ; Slim and light body ; Elegant, restrained UI

Middling performance ; So-so camera ; Not much of an advance from the Nord CE

Excellent 6.43-inch FHD+ display ; Long battery life and fast charging ; Slim and compact design

Average camera ; Not waterproof ; Made from plastic

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is a cheap phone with a good screen, decent performance and a long-lasting battery. You'll lose out slightly on the camera system and the build quality but you still get a lot for your money.

Big, bright display ; New microSD support

No wireless charging ; Limited color options

Bright and vivid display ; Great battery life ; Transparent camera hump is a nice touch ; Affordable

Lots of competition ; Cameras could be better ; Glossy plastic attracts fingerprints ; Looks more Oppo/Realme than OnePlus

For its price, the second-gen Nord CE is a solid offering. It might not be the most exciting phone on the market, but it gets the job done without any serious compromises. And all for a very fair price indeed.

Attractive design ; AMOLED display ; Strong main camera ; Headphone jack

Average performance ; Ships with Android 11

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 is an impressive affordable mid-ranger, with only a few flaws - though the biggest is OnePlus’s lacklustre commitment to software updates, which will likely see the phone out of updates by the end of next year.

Polished design ; 65W fast charging ; Strong performance

No IP rating ; Nothing else of note

All of this adds up to a pretty tempting package. The MediaTek chipset delivers impressive performance, battery life is excellent and the camera is respectable as well. And for £299, the Nord 2 CE looks pretty swish, despite its largely plastic build.

Proven processor ; The MicroSD card slot, headphone jack are back

Software needs optimization ; Average camera performance

Great, eye-catching design Battery charges in 30 minutes Two days use from the battery Headphone jack on board Dual 5G SIM and microSD card slot

Android 11 isn't the latest version No IP rating Poor single speaker

“The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G's outstanding design houses a dependable smartphone with excellent battery life and fast charging -- and it all comes at a reasonable price.”