OnePlus Nord N300 review: Simple to a fault

We’ve all heard the saying that fortune favors the daring. It’s a very good motto to reside by, reminding you to take dangers and that typically they’ll repay. OnePlus nailed the idea when it crashed the funds market with its earliest Nord telephones, mixing modest specs, a pretty design, and an approachable price ticket — a major step away from its then-typical flagship killers. The Shenzhen model delivered a few of the finest reasonably priced telephones you may purchase (particularly in Europe) at the beginning of its funds resurgence. Nonetheless, it’s discovered it a lot harder to copy that success on the lowest tiers of the Nord vary with the US-centric Nord N household. Discover out if OnePlus can break that development in our OnePlus Nord N300 evaluation.

• OnePlus Nord N300 (4GB/64GB): $228

The OnePlus Nord N300 arrived on the finish of October 2022 as a successor to the unspectacular OnePlus Nord N200. It’s about as easy as a US unique will be, coming in only one coloration with only one storage configuration and providing assist for only one service — T-Cellular. The straightforward setup affords a stage of effectivity that might make even Henry Ford blush, and it is available in his favourite coloration — Midnight Jade (it’s black in disguise).

As essentially the most reasonably priced member of the OnePlus household, the Nord N300 retains issues fairly modest within the design division. It sports activities a plastic body and again panel, completed off by a 6.56-inch Panda Glass show. The 90Hz panel homes a 16MP selfie digital camera in a small central notch, and it dips all the way down to an HD+ decision as an alternative of the Full HD+ of its predecessor. You’ll discover a fingerprint reader on the fitting facet, the quantity buttons and a SIM tray on the left, and a headphone jack and speaker flanking the USB-C port on the underside. The rear plastic panel has a calmly textured sandstone end, which attracts your consideration to the high-gloss digital camera bump. It homes a 48MP major and 2MP depth sensor and options AI Twin Digital camera branding.

Contained in the plastic building lies Mediatek’s 6nm Dimensity 810 chipset. It serves because the powerhouse for the sub-$250 Nord N300, backed by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage just like the Nord N200 earlier than it. OnePlus saved its hefty 5,000mAh battery, although it now expenses at 33W as an alternative of the earlier 18W price.

Our OnePlus Nord N300 arrived with Android 12 and the August 2022 safety patch onboard. It virtually instantly obtained an replace to the September 2022 safety patch. Sadly, two years of normal safety patches will cowl a lot of the Nord N300’s assist, because it’s solely slated to obtain a single Android OS replace to Android 13.

The OnePlus Nord N300 nonetheless is available in a reasonably substantial field, accompanied by a USB-A charger, a USB-A to USB-C cable, a SIM ejector software, and a few paperwork.

As a T-Cellular unique, your choices for getting the OnePlus Nord N300 are restricted. You may select between the Un-carrier itself or its Metro by T-Cellular subsidiary, however you received’t discover this Nord on Amazon or at Greatest Purchase.

We’re all the time able to reward an enormous battery paired with a mid-range 5G processor, and the Nord N300 isn’t any exception. Its Dimensity 810 processor received’t set a lot of something on fireplace concerning uncooked numbers, however it delivers 5G speeds and simply tackles each day duties. I had no issues bouncing between social media and electronic mail whereas maintaining the processor cool, and light-weight gaming isn’t off the desk. You’ll should set titles like Genshin Impression to their lowest potential settings for any hope of a very good time, however much less intensive choices like Fallout Shelter (which no one else performs anymore) are extra the Nord N300’s pace.

The Nord N300 sounds fairly good, whether or not you’re gaming or streaming. It options stereo audio system with a single down-firing unit paired with the earpiece. Granted, the devoted speaker does a lot of the heavy lifting, however it’s powerful to argue with the outcomes at this value. I performed the trailer for Rian Johnson’s upcoming movie Glass Onion at full quantity and had no complaints with the dialogue, although there’s some noticeable distortion within the soundtrack.

Regardless of your Nord N300 poison, the 5,000mAh battery has the legs to hold you thru. I managed a day and a half to 2 days of mixed-use in Customary Mode, with barely extra modest ends in Excessive Efficiency Mode. Both manner, while you drain the hefty cell, you’ll have fast 33W wired charging to get you again on the go. In my expertise, it takes about 80 minutes to go from empty to full with the included charger and cable. The truth that it’s a USB-A charger in 2022 isn’t nice, however at the very least it nonetheless comes within the field.

Though there’s not a ton to say in favor of the Nord N300’s design, it does provide a couple of good touches. The big 6.56-inch show has a strong 90Hz refresh price, which is smoother than we’ve seen from a number of units almost twice the value. The Nord N300’s haptics are first rate, providing gentle suggestions whereas typing with barely extra pressure while you exit an app or decrease the keyboard — a transparent enchancment over the N200.

OnePlus can be sticking with the headphone jack for yet another 12 months, an more and more uncommon function. I didn’t use it a ton throughout my testing, however it’s all the time good to have audio choices, particularly on funds telephones the place they’re not fairly extinct simply but.

Whereas the OnePlus Nord N300 will get fairly a bit proper when it comes to pricing, efficiency, and charging, it comes with simply as many — if no more — cost-saving compromises. The very first thing to go is the construct high quality, because the plastic that OnePlus selected feels particularly plasticky. There’s a noticeable give while you push on the again panel, and it doesn’t take a lot to scuff or scrape the body. It’s not all that thrilling to have a look at, both, with flat sides, a flat again, and solely the shiny digital camera bump to spice issues up.

Whereas we’re speaking about plastic, we might as effectively discuss coloration. OnePlus calls its end Midnight Jade, however it may have simply gone with Midnight. It’s nearly inconceivable to detect any trace of inexperienced with the bare eye, however that matches for those who’re a chunk of jade in a darkish room in the course of the night time.

Though side-mounted fingerprint readers are having a sustained second, I discovered myself annoyed with the OnePlus Nord N300. The fingerprint reader sits virtually in the course of the fitting edge and is extraordinarily delicate. It not often identifies my fingerprint on the primary try, however the capacitive sensor tries once more virtually instantly — usually earlier than I can modify my finger. I find yourself typing my PIN most of the time, however the keypad placement is nearly midway up the show. It virtually all the time means I’ve to regulate my grip, unintentionally triggering the fingerprint reader once more within the course of.

OnePlus additionally made some attention-grabbing selections with the Nord N300’s show. For starters, it shifts from Gorilla Glass 3 to Panda Glass — basically a extra reasonably priced Chinese language different. The selfie digital camera occupies a central, waterdrop-design notch, which might be thought of a downgrade over the N200’s corner-positioned punch-hole, relying in your type preferences. Extra vital than the type selections is that OnePlus dipped to a sub-1080p decision for the Nord N300. It’s advantageous for some YouTube streaming however noticeably tender at different occasions, and the show struggles to remain vibrant sufficient in direct daylight.

The Nord N300’s questionable selections proceed when you fireplace it up. The cellphone is locked to T-Cellular and solely T-Cellular, which implies you get hit with the entire bloat the Un-carrier affords. That features a McAfee safety app, a devoted cellular hotspot app, Rip-off Defend, T-Cellular Tuesdays, the official T-Cellular app, and T-Cellular Play. It’s a complete lot of magenta on an in any other case gentle Oxygen OS pores and skin. You may delete about half of the extras — fortunately — although T-Cellular Play will likely be there to remain it doesn’t matter what you do.

The underwhelming software program dedication solely provides insult to harm. One 12 months of Android model assist isn’t ok when funds telephones from Motorola, Samsung, and Google are reaching past, and two years of safety protection isn’t significantly better. Sure, the Nord N300 did get a software program patch fairly rapidly, however it introduced the September replace on the flip of November.

OnePlus will need to have heard somebody, someplace, speaking about the way it’s not the variety of cameras you’ve, it’s how you utilize them. It lastly determined that extra isn’t higher and dropped the third lens from its most reasonably priced Nord. The underpowered macro lens is a factor of the previous, and the first sensor has jumped from 13MP to 48MP with a 2MP depth sensor for good measure. After all, what that basically means is that the Nord N300 has just one usable lens and a bunch of limitations that include it.

I examined the 48MP huge sensor in as many conditions as potential throughout my time with the cellphone and got here away with a blended bag of outcomes. The primary shooter pixel-bins to 12MP photographs by default, although you’ll be able to go for the total decision for those who actually need to. Both manner, it delivers first rate particulars at 1x and 2x zoom by way of digital crop — the 2 default settings within the OnePlus digital camera app. The picture of a stone constructing beneath is sharp all through, and the portrait edge detection on the sunshine publish subsequent to it’s typically good. Nonetheless, the dearth of an ultrawide or a telephoto shooter limits the digital camera’s potential.

See additionally: Listed below are the most effective funds digital camera telephones

The place the Nord N300 comes up shortest, nevertheless, is the colour recreation. Any classes realized from the corporate’s partnership with Hasselblad have been fairly clearly restricted to OnePlus flagships. The tamer coloration science is nowhere to be seen because the saturation on the N300 is dialed as much as 11. The wealthy colours work properly typically, within the case of the metallic sunflower and maple leaf, however blow out the picture at different occasions, just like the pumpkins and the grass above the geese.

As talked about, there’s no devoted zoom lens on the Nord N300. You will get dependable photographs from 1x and 2x zoom, due to a fast crop of the principle sensor, however the high quality drops off as you pinch in additional. The bricks within the 5x zoom shot beneath begin to look flat, and the yellowing leaves behind the home start to bleed collectively. Background particulars are even softer at 10x zoom, although the dormer window itself continues to be sharp sufficient.

My largest downside as soon as I zoomed in was regarding stabilization. The Nord N300 struggles to account for shaky fingers, so I discovered myself holding my breath and tapping the shutter button greater than as soon as to get an honest shot.

I’ve at hand it to OnePlus, night time mode on the Nord N300 impressed me. The picture comparability beneath used a one-second timer, and the distinction is night time and day — pun meant. It’s a lot simpler to make out the crops across the pumpkin, even when the main points are a bit tender. The opposite picture of pumpkins additional down nonetheless has tender particulars within the background, however the saturated colours work within the Nord N300’s favor for as soon as. It’s simple to make out every gourd within the foreground, although the small pumpkins on the vine seem like little greater than purple balls.

The Nord N300’s 16MP selfie digital camera is a little bit of a blended bag. I used to be prepared to provide it a stamp of approval primarily based on the pair of photographs to the left, however my second set of selfies gave me pause. The portrait impact washed out nearly all the pieces, turning a purple brick constructing right into a mush of white and orange hues. Perhaps it’s a results of standing within the shade with a vibrant background, however it’s nonetheless not an issue we see with most selfie cameras.

These hoping for 4K video out of the OnePlus Nord N300 should wait one other 12 months. The 48MP major and 16MP selfie cameras prime out with 1080p recording at simply 30fps. Each are in step with the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G and Galaxy A23 5G within the funds realm however go away one thing to be desired in opposition to stronger mid-range competitors.

The OnePlus Nord N300 skips on its possibilities to make daring selections. It rides a easy plastic design, an honest processor, and an enormous, long-lasting battery for so long as it could possibly. Relying in your wants, these options may even be sufficient to sway you — particularly for simply $228. Probably the most reasonably priced Nord holds onto creature comforts like a headphone jack and expandable storage, and its 33W wired charging outweighs a lot of its funds competitors.

Nonetheless, the Nord N300’s lack of flexibility is its downfall. One Android replace and two years of safety patches ought to be unacceptable, particularly as funds and mid-range competitors are beginning to decide to longer future assist. A budget-feeling building and restricted show safety really feel equally short-sighted, and the T-Cellular exclusivity limits the Nord N300’s attain. Choosing only a single usable digital camera limits the general potential, and the wonky coloration science makes it powerful to come back away with really pleasing pictures.

Recommending the OnePlus Nord N300 turns into even harder while you flip to the competitors. Few options can match the Nord N300 in value, however rising your funds somewhat bit goes a great distance. You may seize the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G ($249.99 at Amazon) or OnePlus Nord N20 ($299.99 at Amazon) for a bit more cash, with each units bringing Full HD Plus shows and extra RAM and storage choices to the desk. Samsung’s funds machine has the higher software program dedication of the 2 — the Nord N20 matches its N300 counterpart. Nonetheless, OnePlus nonetheless affords 33W charging, bringing a slight edge over the Galaxy A23 5G while you want a top-up.

Samsung has a bottom-tier 5G competitor, too, within the type of the Galaxy A13 5G ($249.99 at Amazon). The show suffers from comparable points with decision and brightness, however its predominant digital camera is extra constant, it affords further RAM and storage choices, and Samsung’s replace dedication is second to none.