As exciting (and flawed) as the OnePlus 10 Pro is, advanced flagships are not always the best-selling models in a corporate lineup. That honor usually goes to cheaper mid-range or budget devices (like the success Samsung sees with its A-Series phones). OnePlus may have started with “flagship killers”, but has increasingly targeted these more affordable segments. Today we see its latest two such models become official after weeks of speculation and teasers: OnePlus 10R and Nord CE 2 Lite. And as if that were not enough, we also get OnePlus Nord Buds, a new budget-focused audio accessory that extends the Nord brand beyond smartphones.
OnePlus 10R
Let’s start with the OnePlus 10R, the more exciting of the two phones debuting today. Despite the “10” in its name, this phone has less to do with the OnePlus 10 Pro, and is more of an international rebranding of what was launched as the OnePlus Ace in China – which in turn takes much of its DNA from the Realme GT Neo 3.
This means that this model is powered by a Dimensity 8100 MAX chipset, which OnePlus says was specifically optimized for this handset with MediaTek engineers. As we did with Ace, we hear claims about improvements in CPU and GPU performance, power efficiency, and improved device AI, but we’ll have to see for ourselves if it really delivers the hype. OnePlus equips the phone with up to 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage space.
For gamers interested in pushing this hardware to its limits, the 10R has a larger graphite / graphene vapor cooling range for improved heat dissipation – reportedly resulting in 60% better performance than a standard graphite cooling chamber. There is also new Frame Plus interpolation that intelligently inserts frames into supported games to achieve a silky smooth performance.
Maybe the real show thieves, however, are what OnePlus does with power – and charging in particular. OP10R supports ultra-fast 150W charging – the company promises that you can put a full day of charging in the phone’s 4,500 mAh battery in just 10 minutes. It’s a remarkable improvement over even the OnePlus 10 Pro, which only supports up to 80W (only 65W in the US). If you’d rather have a larger 5,000 mAh battery but a slightly slower 80W charge, it’s also available as an option when you buy your phone.
For image processing, we get a triple rear camera setup with a primary Sony IMX766 50MP sensor, aided by an 8MP 120-degree ultra-wide angle and a 2MP macro lens. OnePlus uses a 120Hz 1080p AMOLED display panel that supports HDR10 + and 10-bit color.
OnePlus 10R will be available in two different colors – Forest Green and Sierra Black.
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 8100 MAX |
| ram | 8, 12 GB |
| Storage | 128, 256 GB |
| Screen | 6.7 “AMOLED, 2412×1080, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Rear cameras | 50 MP primary, f / 1.88; 8MP ultra-wide, f / 2.2; 2 MP macro, f / 2.4 |
| Front camera | 16 MP, f / 2.4 |
| Battery | 4500mAh, 150W SuperVOOC fast charge; 5000mAh, 80W |
| Software | OxygenOS 12 (Android 12) |
| Other things | Dual nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6 |
| Dimensions | 163.3 mm × 75.5 mm × 8.2 mm |
| Colors | Black, green |
| Price | From 38,999 INR ($ 509) |
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite
The newest member of the Nord family is the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite. This phone aims to be a lower end but still very capable variant of the CE 2 that makes a few reasonable cuts to bring the price even lower.
Here, the show runs a Snapdragon 695 SoC – a chip that is capable of keeping the phone running and adding 5G support without getting the price up too high. Configuration options include your choice of 6 or 8 GB of RAM, both paired with 128 GB of storage.
In a rare “improvement” over the base Nord CE 2, this relative actually goes with a 120Hz 1080p screen instead of a 90Hz – but it is now also an LCD instead of an AMOLED panel, so you will have to choose your poison.
OnePlus gives this Nord a 5,000 mAh battery that can be charged with up to 33W (not insanely fast as the 10R’s 150W, but still quite decent). Camera needs are operated by a 64 MP main sensor with two extra depth and macro lenses for extra support
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite will be available in two different colors – Blue Tide and Black Dusk.
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G |
| ram | 6, 8 GB |
| Storage | 128, 256, 512 GB |
| Screen | 6.6-inch LCD, 2412×1080, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Rear cameras | 64 MP primary, f / 1.7; 2 MP depth aid, f / 2.4; 2 MP macro, f / 2.4 |
| Front camera | 16 MP, f / 2.0 |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 33W SuperVOOC fast charge |
| Software | OxygenOS 12 (Android 12) |
| Other things | Dual nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 6 |
| Dimensions | 164.3 mm × 75.6 mm × 8.5 mm |
| Colors | Black, blue |
| Price | From 19,999 INR ($ 261) |
OnePlus Nord Buds
Finally, we have some brand new earphones from OnePlus, as well as the company’s very first non-smartphone Nord product (at least so far). OnePlus Nord Buds does not give you anything fancy as an active noise reduction, but is focused on delivering the basics on a very low price tag.
One of the most important selling points is battery life – OP says that you expect 7 hours on a charge where the cabinet abuts up to 30 hours. That’s probably not the case very best you can get right now, but considering their price, quite good nonetheless. And like the rest of today’s announcements from OnePlus, fast charging is on the table – a fast 10-minute charge is capable of giving you 5 hours of playback.
The listening experience itself should also be pretty decent with 12.4mm titanium drivers and Dolby Atmos support. For calls, you have a design with four microphones, and there is also an IP55 rating that keeps you listening even in wet or sweaty scenarios.
OnePlus Nord Buds will be available in a single Black Slate color variant for only ₹ 2,999, or a little less than $ 40.
The OnePlus 10R goes on sale on May 4th, while the lower end Nord CE 2 Lite will do so on April 30th. If you want Buds, you will be able to buy them on May 10th.
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