OnePlus Nord N300 5G is here but with limitations
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OnePlus continues to bolster its “affordable yet powerful” reputation with the Nord N300 5G. It aims to improve on its predecessor, but stumbles in some places.
When the N200 launched in July 2021We loved the hefty 5,000mAh battery, which lasted two full days in our testing, and the decent, if somewhat limited, camera system. The N200 apparently struck a chord with consumers, so releasing a successor makes sense.
At a glance, the N300 is a bit of a mixed bag (opens in new tab) because it builds on what the older model had, but doesn’t raise the bar in all areas. In fact, the phone sees a few feature downgrades. Still, this looks like a good mid-range 5G phone at a great price; not many people can claim that.
Functions
To start with the good, the N300 packs the same 5,000mAh battery as the N200, plus it supports 33W fast charging thanks to the company’s proprietary SuperVOOC technology. Unfortunately, OnePlus has not given any details on how fast the phone can charge exactly. To give you an idea of what the speeds might be, iPhone 14 Pro can go from a dead battery to a 50 percent charge (opens in new tab) in about half an hour with a 30-watt charger. But unlike Apple, OnePlus will include a 33W charging block with the N300.
OnePlus opted for the MediaTek Dimensity 810 chipset instead of the Snapdragon 480 on the N200. The former has a “20 percent faster CPU clock” (2,400 for the 810 versus 2,000 MHz for the 480), according to benchmark tests (opens in new tab). This results in faster processing, more efficient battery use and better performing games. You can also expect fast connectivity thanks to 5G support.
When it comes to the rest of the N300’s package, it’s a bit of a roller coaster ride. For example, the rear camera system has been reduced to just two lenses (the N200 had three). At least the main lens has been upgraded. It’s now a 48MP lens for higher quality photos, while the N200 had a 13MP lens (the other rear lens and the front camera are still 2MP and 16MP respectively).
At 6.56 inches, the N300’s screen is slightly larger than the N200’s, and it offers a 90Hz refresh rate for a smoother viewing experience. However, the resolution dropped in quality. It’s now an HD Plus resolution (1600×900 pixels) instead of the N200’s Full HD Plus (2400 x 1080). Storage is still 64 GB, but can be upgraded to 1 TB.
Limited availability
Our other issue with the N300 is availability; it is quite limited. You can buy the phone (in Midnight Black or Jade Green) in the United States starting November 3 for $228. There will be only one 4 GB RAM model at launch. The N300 will also be launched in Canada, but no date has been given. It’s also exclusive to T-Mobile and its Metro prepaid service.
Don’t get me wrong: T-Mobile isn’t a bad carrier in any way; far from. Earlier this year, a report from Speedtest showed that T-Mobile has the best performing 5G network of any carrier in the US. It would just have been good to see other options available. We’ve reached out to OnePlus and asked if there are any plans to include other carriers for the N300 phone and for more information on the Canadian launch date. This story will be updated if we hear anything.
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