Over the years, the OnePlus Nord collection has carved out an area for itself by trying to carry a slice of the corporate’s flagship expertise to a extra accessible worth level, even under the R-branded fashions. With every technology, nevertheless, the expectations have additionally grown. This particularly holds true in an business the place mid-range gadgets from rival manufacturers are more and more closing the hole with premium choices.
The OnePlus Nord 6 arrives on this context, borrowing design cues from the model’s flagship telephone. It is most noticeable within the clear traces and the square-shaped digicam module, which replaces the pill-shaped structure that we noticed on the Nord 5. It is actually a welcome change that not solely simplifies the rear design but in addition helps cut back wobble when putting the telephone on a flat floor. The deco itself seems to make use of an aluminium end, which subtly contrasts with the remainder of the rear panel.
OnePlus has launched the Nord 6 in three colourways — Holographic Quick Silver, Fresh Mint, and Pitch Black. The Quick Silver variant we now have is essentially the most visually distinctive of the lot.
It incorporates a delicate holographic remedy with a ribbon-like sample that flows throughout the again panel, giving it a cyberpunk enchantment. This ingredient additionally extends across the digicam module. The sample shifts barely relying on how gentle hits the floor, giving the rear panel an virtually reflective look. In my preliminary days of utilization, the end didn’t have a tendency to select up fingerprints. The rear panel makes use of a matte glass end that feels clean to the contact, whereas the body is manufactured from polycarbonate.
The telephone feels fairly strong in hand, although it has fairly a little bit of heft, maybe because of the large 9,000mAh battery. In phrases of port and button placement, the facility and quantity buttons are positioned on the appropriate facet of the body, whereas the Plus Key sits on the left. The backside edge homes the dual-SIM tray, USB Type-C port, major microphone, and speaker grille, whereas extra microphones and the IR blaster are positioned alongside the highest edge.
One key space the place the model has launched a substantial improve is when it comes to sturdiness. The Nord 6 has an IP66 + IP68 + IP69 + IP69K-rated construct for mud and water resistance, a step up from its predecessor, which featured an IP65 ranking.
On the entrance, the OnePlus Nord 6 has a 1.5K AMOLED display with a 165Hz refresh fee. The refresh fee and show decision numbers are equivalent to the flagship OnePlus 15. Although we can’t go into the main points a lot, it’s a typical OnePlus show with vibrant colors and good black ranges, based mostly on our first impressions. We’ll take a more in-depth take a look at its color accuracy and brightness behaviour after prolonged use.
Under the hood, the Nord 6 is powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset, coupled with an Adreno 835 GPU. The firm claims as much as 136 % increased CPU efficiency, 64 % increased GPU efficiency, and 25 % higher AI efficiency, with an AnTuTu rating of two,503,854. Further, it’s marketed to ship sustained 165fps in in style titles like Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Call of Duty Mobile, and Free Fire Max. Its real-world efficiency will develop into clearer as soon as we run our regular benchmark assessments and prolonged utilization eventualities.
For images, OnePlus has geared up the Nord 6 with a twin rear digicam unit, comprising a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia major digicam with 2x zoom and dual-axis optical picture stabilisation and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle digicam. In the restricted time we have spent with the handset, it captures natural-looking pictures with out a lot synthetic processing. Image high quality and consistency throughout lighting circumstances can be assessed intimately after additional testing.
Battery is maybe essentially the most notable improve on the Nord collection, ever. It is supplied with a 9,000mAh cell, the largest on any OnePlus smartphone launched in India to this point. The telephone helps 80W SuperVOOC wired quick charging and 27W wired reverse charging. Judging by the numbers alone, it ought to final two days with reasonable utilization. Battery endurance and charging behaviour can be clearer after extended utilization.
Based on our preliminary impressions, the OnePlus Nord 6 seems to construct on the collection’ strengths whereas introducing some significant upgrades, significantly in design and sturdiness. The bigger battery additionally stands out as a notable addition on paper. However, how properly these modifications maintain up past first impressions will solely develop into clear in our full overview. So, keep tuned.