OnePlus Nord N20 SE

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE is an affordable, feature-rich smartphone designed to offer a premium experience at an accessible price point and is available at Mobihub Electronics Kenya. With its solid performance, impressive battery life, and sleek design, it provides a great value proposition for budget-conscious users. Let’s dive deeper into the features and specifications of this device.

Display and Design

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE features a 6.56-inch HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1612 x 720 pixels. AMOLED technology ensures that colors are vivid, blacks are deep, and contrast is sharp. This makes the device perfect for consuming media, such as watching videos, browsing through social media, or playing games. While the display isn’t Full HD, the AMOLED panel still provides a superior visual experience compared to traditional LCD displays, especially in terms of color saturation and contrast levels.

The screen has a standard 60Hz refresh rate, which is suitable for basic daily tasks but doesn’t match the smoothness of higher refresh rates found in more expensive phones. However, considering the price range, the display is a significant step up for users looking for a budget-friendly device with great visuals.

The design of the OnePlus Nord N20 SE is sleek and modern, featuring a glossy plastic back and a polycarbonate frame that gives the phone a premium look and feel. The waterdrop notch at the front houses the selfie camera, ensuring an uninterrupted display, while the slim profile of the phone makes it comfortable to hold and use for long periods. The device is available in two appealing color variants: Blue Oasis and Celestial Black.

Performance

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE is powered by the MediaTek Helio G35 chipset, a budget-friendly processor designed to offer efficient performance for basic tasks such as social media, web browsing, and light gaming. While the Helio G35 might not be as powerful as high-end chipsets, it is well-suited for users who need a reliable device for everyday use. The processor is coupled with 4GB of RAM, which allows for smooth multitasking with moderate app usage, including light gaming and media consumption.

In terms of storage, the phone comes with 64GB of internal storage, which provides enough space for storing apps, photos, videos, and music. Additionally, the device supports expandable storage via a microSD card slot, which means users can increase their storage capacity to store more files and media as needed. This makes the Nord N20 SE a versatile option for users who require more space without paying for higher storage models.

The performance of the OnePlus Nord N20 SE is enhanced by the integration of OxygenOS, which is based on Android 12. OxygenOS provides a clean and intuitive interface, offering users the ability to customize their device with themes, wallpapers, and widgets. It also ensures smooth and fast performance with efficient power management, allowing the phone to run seamlessly even with multiple apps open at once.

Camera System

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE is equipped with a dual-camera system on the back, which consists of:

• 13MP primary camera: The main camera features an f/2.2 aperture, enabling it to capture detailed photos in well-lit conditions. The camera performs reasonably well in natural lighting, producing sharp images with good color accuracy. However, the camera might struggle in low-light conditions, as is common with budget devices. Still, it can handle casual photography and social media snapshots effectively.
• 2MP depth sensor: The depth sensor is used to assist in creating bokeh effects, which blur the background and focus on the subject for portrait-style photos. This allows users to take more professional-looking photos with subject isolation, giving their portraits a more polished look.

The 8MP front-facing camera is designed to deliver clear and vibrant selfies, ideal for social media sharing and video calls. The front camera also supports AI enhancements that help improve the quality of selfies, making them more natural and detailed, even in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.

In terms of camera software, the OnePlus Nord N20 SE comes with a variety of modes and features to enhance photography, such as Portrait Mode, Nightscape, and AI Scene Detection. These features help users take better photos with minimal effort, ensuring that they get the most out of the device’s camera capabilities.

Battery and Charging

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE houses a 5000mAh battery, which is a significant highlight for a budget smartphone. The large battery ensures that the phone lasts a full day on a single charge, even with heavy usage like web browsing, social media use, and video streaming. The power-efficient nature of the device’s Helio G35 processor and AMOLED display also contributes to the phone’s long-lasting battery life.

Charging is another area where the Nord N20 SE stands out. The device supports 33W SUPERVOOC fast charging, which allows the phone to charge up to 50% in just around 30 minutes. This fast-charging technology means that users don’t have to wait long to get back to using their phones, making it convenient for users with busy schedules who need a quick charge during short breaks.

Connectivity

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE comes with a wide range of connectivity options, ensuring that users stay connected to the world around them. It supports 4G LTE, allowing for reliable call quality and fast mobile data speeds. The device also supports Wi-Fi 5, ensuring a stable connection when browsing or streaming content.

For Bluetooth connectivity, the device is equipped with Bluetooth 5.2, providing fast and reliable connections to wireless audio devices, such as headphones, earbuds, or speakers. Users can also enjoy USB Type-C connectivity for charging and data transfer, which is becoming the standard for modern smartphones.

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is still a favorite feature among users who prefer using wired headphones for audio. It’s a great inclusion for people who want to avoid the hassle of wireless audio or don’t want to spend extra money on Bluetooth headphones.

Security and Biometrics

Security is always a priority, and the OnePlus Nord N20 SE ensures that your data stays safe. The phone comes equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, providing fast and secure unlocking of the device. The fingerprint sensor is quick, accurate, and convenient, allowing users to access their device in an instant.

In addition to the fingerprint sensor, the phone also supports Face Unlock, which offers another layer of convenience. By simply looking at the device, users can unlock the phone quickly and easily without having to press any buttons or use their fingerprint.

Software Experience

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE runs on OxygenOS 12, based on Android 12, offering a clean and minimalistic user interface. OxygenOS is known for being smooth, fast, and user-friendly, providing a near-stock Android experience with added customization options. Users can personalize the phone with custom themes, wallpapers, and widgets to suit their preferences.

OnePlus is also known for its timely software updates, and while the Nord N20 SE is a budget device, it will still receive regular security patches and updates to enhance performance and security.

Conclusion

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE delivers solid performance for users looking for a budget-friendly device that doesn’t compromise on essential features. With its large 5000mAh battery, 33W fast charging, dual-camera system, and sleek design, it provides great value for money. The phone is ideal for users who want an affordable yet reliable device that can handle daily tasks, photography, and media consumption with ease. While it may not have the most cutting-edge features, it offers an excellent balance of performance, design, and usability for those on a budget.