OnePlus is known for delivering flagship-like experiences for a fraction of the cost. Its latest budget phone, the Nord N30 5G, promises to do the same with a 108-megapixel camera, a 120Hz display, and a Snapdragon 695 processor. But does it live up to its promises, or does it fall short of its predecessors? Here's our review of the Nord N30 5G.
With a glossy plastic back that mimics the appearance of glass, the Nord N30 5G has a sleek and modern design. It comes in a dark Chromatic Gray color that looks classy but also attracts fingerprints and dust. A distinctive camera module on the back features two large round lenses and an LED flash. The phone measures 6.5 by 3.0 by 0.3 inches and weighs 6.88 ounces, making it comfortable to hold and use.
A 6.7-inch LCD screen graces the front of the device. It has a resolution of 2400 by 1080 pixels and a pixel density of 391 ppi. The screen has an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which makes scrolling and gaming smooth and responsive. It also has a 240Hz touch response rate, which improves the accuracy and speed of your inputs. The screen is bright and colorful, with good viewing angles and visibility in different lighting conditions.
There’s a USB-C port, a headphone jack, and a speaker on the bottom edge, a power button and an alert slider on the right edge, and a volume rocker on the left edge. On the back, there is a fingerprint sensor that works well most of the time. The phone does not have an IP rating for water or dust resistance, which is a common omission for budget phones.
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor, the Nord N30 5G supports 5G connectivity and offers good performance in everyday tasks, such as browsing, messaging, streaming, and multitasking. It can handle most games without lag or stuttering, thanks to its high refresh rate screen and ample memory. It also supports dual SIM cards and has good network reception and call quality.
The phone runs on OxygenOS 13.1, which is based on Android 13 and offers a clean and customizable user interface.
With moderate use, its large 5000mAh battery can last you for more than a day. It also supports fast charging with the included 50W SuperVOOC charger, which can charge the phone from zero to full in about an hour. However, the phone does not support wireless charging or reverse charging.
A triple camera setup on the back of the Nord N30 5G consists of a 108-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. In good lighting conditions, the main camera uses pixel binning to produce 12-megapixel photos that are sharp and detailed.
It also has good dynamic range and color accuracy, but struggles in low-light situations. The camera also lacks optical image stabilization (OIS), which can result in blurry shots or videos.
The depth sensor helps create portrait mode photos with blurred backgrounds, but the edge detection is not very accurate and sometimes cuts off parts of the subject or includes parts of the background. The macro camera is not very useful either, as it produces low-resolution photos that are often noisy and blurry.
If you like selfies, there is a 16-megapixel shooter on the front that will give you decent shots in daylight, but suffers from noise and softness in low-light scenarios. The front camera also supports face unlock, which works well in most cases.
You can record videos up to 4K resolution at 30fps with the rear camera and up to 1080p resolution at 60fps with the front camera. The video quality is decent but not impressive, as it lacks stabilization, detail, and dynamic range.
The Nord N30 5G is a good budget phone that offers some impressive features for its price point, such as a fast screen, sleek design and a solid performance. However, it also comes with downsides, such as a poor build quality, a mediocre camera performance, and a lack of water resistance. Compared to its predecessor, the Nord N20, the N30 feels like a step back in some aspects, such as the display technology.
The Nord N30 5G is not a bad phone, but it is not incredible either. It faces tough competition from other budget phones, such as the Moto G Power 5G and the Google Pixel 6a, which offer similar or better features for the same price.
If you are looking for a cheap 5G phone with a decent camera, solid performance and good battery, the Nord N30 5G might be a great option. But if you are looking for a more premium experience or a more reliable camera, you might want to look elsewhere.
