OnePlus has confirmed that it will soon release the OnePlus Nord 2 5G; a midrange smartphone with many hallmarks of a top end flagship handset.

With the original Nord somewhat of a success story, what else could the Nord 2 possibly offer? Let's find out.

OnePlus Reveals Its Nord 2 Handset

If you're looking for a wallet-friendly workhorse smartphone, then you should hold on to your hard-earned dollars and wait for OnePlus to drop its Nord 2; the successor to 2020's rather excellent Nord.

OnePlus hasn't revealed the price or release date for the Nord 2 5G just yet. We've been told to hang fire on those details for now. However, we do know what is going to be powering the Nord 2...

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OnePlus Partners With MediaTek to Power Nord 2

MediaTek chip

Fans of the OnePlus brand (and of the original Nord) may raise an eye regarding the inclusion of a MediaTek SOC in the handset's guts. Former OnePlus phones boast a Qualcomm SOC (considered by some to be the stronger of the two, toe-to-toe), so the MediaTek chip will be a first for the brand.

As a OnePlus.com forum post from Susie Liu, Head of Strategic Planning at OnePlus Nord, says:

As you may have heard, the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2 5G will carry a premium MediaTek chipset... Last year, we grew the OnePlus family with the addition of the OnePlus Nord line, our most significant step in the mid-range category in years. It reaffirmed our mission to sharing great technology with the world and making our signature Fast and Smooth experience more accessible.

The MediaTek chip in question is the Dimensity 1200; a system on a chip that, according to MediaTek, "powers a new wave of exceptional 5G smartphones with best-in-class AI, camera, and multimedia to give incredible experiences that will undoubtedly impress."

Liu goes on to say:

The MediaTek Dimensity 1200 is a powerful processor... So, by collaborating with the MediaTek team on top of the Dimensity Open Resource Architecture, we were able to push the limits of this processor and bring you a host of AI-based features which enhances the user experience across a variety of touchpoints.

Pretty non-committal talk from Nord's Strategic Planning Head, here. So lets go to the horse's mouth and see what MediaTek says its chip offers. Warning: might contain bias...

  • Octa-core CPU featuring 1 x Ultra Core (up to 3 GHz), 3 x Super Cores (up to 2.6 GHz), and 4 x Efficiency Cores (up to 2 GHz).
  • Feature-filled 5G modem.
  • MediaTek Imagiq Camera for HDR with a 40% improved dynamic range, offering photos up to 200 MP.
  • MediaTek HyperEngine 3.0 gaming tech, bringing ray tracing to mobile gaming.
  • 168Hz display refreshing

You can find out more about the specs from MediaTek's Dimensity 1200 page.

Related: The Evolution of OnePlus Phones: From the OnePlus One to Today

Is MediaTek a Smart Move for OnePlus?

OnePlus OPPO Merger

It kind of makes sense, seeing as OnePlus is now semi-synonymous with OPPO; a brand that has consistently used MediaTek cores in its handsets.

However, whether it is a wise move remains for us to see. Only time will tell whether the shift to a MediaTek SOC will work out for the better. However, seeing as MediaTek sold more chips than Qualcomm in 2020, it may be a smart move after all.