OnePlus Nord 4 review: Impressive performance-centric smartphone under Rs.30000

OnePlus Nord 4 review: Over the years, OnePlus has launched several feature-filled mid-range and premium smartphones and has gained much popularity in the Indian smartphone market. Being a OnePlus user for over three years now, I can faithfully say that it is one of the best smartphone brands I have experienced during the course of my working experience. I have been using the OnePlus Nord 2 for almost three years now and I was excited to see what the 4th generation will look like and how much the pricing, features, and performance have changed over the years.

Recently, the OnePlus Nord 4 was launched with an entirely new metallic design, upgraded specifications, features, and to my surprise AI features at under Rs.30000. While looking at the specs sheet, I was surprised how much the features have changed over the course. OnePlus Nord-series smartphones are one of the best mid-range smartphones, not only because of their lasting usage, but also their impressive camera, performance, sleek UI, and effective multitasking features. Now, after switching from OnePlus Nord 2 to Nord 4, it was a drastic shift and I have several thoughts about the new upgrades,

I have been using the OnePlus Nord 4 for over 10 days as my daily driver to test how much the smartphone has evolved. I thoroughly examined the performance, camera, battery life, and other features to come to the conclusion that it’s still the “best mid-range” smartphone. Check out the in-depth review to know why.

Also read: OnePlus Nord 4 vs Realme GT 6T: Which mid-range smartphone is better?

OnePlus Nord 4 review: Design

Over the years, we have seen plastic-based glossy back panels for the Nord series smartphones, however, OnePlus finally understood the tasks and decided to bring something new to the market. With Nord 4, OnePlus has introduced a new unibody metal design which steals the entire show. However, at first, I was sceptical about the metal body due to limitations in colours and heating issues, however, to my surprise, OnePlus has made sure we do not face any of such major problems.

I received the Mercurial Silver variant which has a dual-tone back panel. The camera module has a glass-like design housing two camera sensors and the other half has a metal design which is crafted with 28000 nano-laser cuts. If you are wondering, no the lines on the back do not have any texture and it just feels like a regular back panel. Additionally, you’ll also find white lines on the edges of the back panel which are the two antennae placed for improved connectivity and 5G network.

Overall, the OnePlus Nord 4 has a work-of-art design which satisfies the aesthetic requirements. After experiencing smartphones with basic plastic or glass designs, it was good to see something unique and eye-catching in the mid-range smartphone market.

Also read: OnePlus Open 2 may come with 6000mAh battery, may give tough fight to Galaxy Z Fold 6- All details

OnePlus Nord 4 review: Display

The OnePlus Nord 4 comes with a 6.74-inch AMOLED ProXDR display with 1.5K resolution. After using Nord 2, switching to Nord 4 was a big change with a bigger and better display, faster refresh rate, greater brightness and more. In my experience, it was a good upgrade if I have been using the OnePlus mid-range series. The OnePlus Nord 4 not only provides a great viewing experience but also generates punchy and bright colours, enabling users to enjoy their content with the breeze. You can enjoy watching HD content on several OTT platforms and play HDR games such as BGMI without any problems. On Nord 4 I enjoyed watching House of Dragons, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Family Affair.

Additionally, the OnePlus Nord 4 offers a 120Hz refresh rate which makes the smartphone fast and swift, therefore, scrolling or switching between apps is smooth. The smartphone also offers 2150nits peak brightness, enabling users to easily use their smartphones even during direct sunlight conditions.

Therefore, the display is nothing but a good upgrade and it will surely not disappoint you at any point as my entire experience was fluid.

Also read: OnePlus Nord 4 vs OnePlus 12R

OnePlus Nord 4 review: Camera

The OnePlus Nord 4 comes with a dual camera setup that consists of a 50MP Sony LYTIA main camera with OIS and EIS support along with an 8MP Ultra-wide camera. In my opinion, the camera is one such area where OnePlus can improve in their mid-range segment smartphone. While I thoroughly enjoyed the camera performance of the OnePlus Nord CE 4, I believe the Nord 4 camera was quite average and left me wanting more. However, considering the price range is quite affordable, I felt like the overall camera performance is just about good if not the best.

The 50MP main camera captures decent quality images in bright lighting conditions with natural colour tones. It also captures facial colours accurately, however, you’ll notice that it does not bring a bright output which may leave you wanting more. In low-lighting conditions, the smartphone does a great job, well mostly. It captures a decent amount of light to make the image quality better without noise or grainy effects. When it comes to an 8MP ultra-wide camera, the OnePlus Nord 4 also captures decent quality images but again the lower brightness or exposure is yet again average.

Also read: OnePlus Nord 4 confirmed to offer 4 years of Android OS update: Know what’s coming

The smartphone also comes with a 16MP selfie camera which captures great images, natural skin tones and a perfect amount of exposure and brightness.

OnePlus Nord 4 review: Performance

The OnePlus Nord 4 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor which currently powers several mid-range devices such as the Realme GT 6T. The performance segment was something which I was looking forward to exploring, as the Nord 2 has several issues such as frame drops and overheating. However, since the Nord 4 comes with an upgraded chipset, I did not face any such problem even when the smartphone is backed by a metal body. While you may experience slight heat during gaming sessions, however, it was nothing uncomfortable. I was swiftly able to play games such as BGMI and Call of Duty at a higher graphic setting without any stutter. The smartphone was quite smooth and fast to use for the entire duration of usage.

Additionally, you can easily multitask with Nord 4 without facing any issues, I was able to watch the series in a floating window while using WhatsApp or Instagram. Therefore, the smartphone is ideal for heavy performance and multitasking. But, as per my experience, the Nord-series smartphone started to struggle after more than a year, but it was simply my experience with the Nord 2.

The OnePlus Nord 4 offers several latest AI features such as AI Eraser 2.0, AI Record Summary, AI Audio Summary, AI Text Translate, and more. In my opinion, offering the latest and advanced AI features in the smartphones under Rs.30000 segment was quite impressive.

In terms of software, the Nord 4 runs on OxygenOS 14.1 based on Android 14 which was quite fluid and easy to use. But, it does come with some bloatware such as pre-installed games which can be easily installed. However, the overall UI was smooth and I also experienced OxygenOS on a OnePlus as the Nord 2 supports ColourOS.

Also read: CMF Phone 1 vs OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite

OnePlus Nord 4 review: Battery

The OnePlus Nord 4 is backed by a 5500mAh battery and by all means the battery life of the smartphone is just incredible. The smartwatch just won’t drain even if you are playing games for hours, or watching OTT content. The battery could easily last about a day and a half even with heavy usage. If we talk about battery life, this is what we expect from a smartphone which is above Rs.30000 and OnePlus has beautifully provided a lasting performance. Furthermore, the smartphone comes with 100W charging which recharges the device in just 30 minutes, therefore, no waiting hours for your smartphone to recharge fully.

OnePlus Nord 4 review: Verdict

If someone asks what is the best smartphone within the budget of Rs.30000, I would recommend the OnePlus Nord 4. The smartphone comes with a strong build and unique design since the glory days of metal smartphones are back with Nord 4. It provides a great viewing and usability experience. The performance is commendable within the budget and it also manages to capture decent images. Additionally, after its design, the main attraction of the OnePlus Nord 4 was its never-ending battery life. Therefore, in my opinion, the OnePlus Nord 4 is the best smartphone in the mid-range series.