What's good
- 90Hz display
- Headphone jack
- Affordable 5G access
- Good performance
What's bad
- Unimpressive cameras
- Dim display
The N10 is surprisingly affordable for a 5G phone and sits at the top of OnePlus’ Nord line-up. Still, affordable and good value don’t always mean the same thing. Sure, you can probably afford the N10, but should you buy one?
Design
The N10 is an example of how premium plastic can look and feel. In fact, many reviewers thought the phone’s rear Midnight Ice cover was glass. It’s on the larger side, being more significant than the OnePlus 8 and closer in size to the 8 Pro. The biggest complaints we could find were about fingerprints, dirt, and grime -- hardly a rarity today.
Display
A 6.49-inch, full HD display coated in Gorilla Glass 3 graces the front of the phone. Better still, it’s a 90Hz panel, making movement silky smooth. However, if you’re looking to use the phone outdoors, you might want to think twice. Many reviewers felt the screen was rather dim.
Performance
OnePlus Nord 10’s somewhat-outdated chipset holds it back a bit compared to similarly priced phones. Still, as long as you temper expectations and don’t expect top tier performance, reviewers found the phone perfectly usable. It kept up with multitasking just fine and while there were frame drops on some of the more demanding games, it held up pretty well for most tests.
Software & Storage
The N10 ships with Android 10 with OnePlus’ popular Oxygen overlay. It comes with 128GB of storage onboard with the ability to expand that by up to 512GB with a microSD card.
Cameras
The OnePlus Nord N10’s cameras aren’t bad... but they are also nothing amazing. Reviewers noted a little over-sharpening and some blurred edges when using the ultra-wide lens. However, the phone includes a monochrome lens for black and white pictures rather than relying on a filter. Reviewers found it an interesting addition you won’t find on most phones and think photography fans will love playing it.
Battery Life
Reviews said that the battery easily made it from 7 a.m. to midnight on a charge even with heavy social media use. The OnePlus Nord N10 does not support wireless charging but its Warp Charge feature eases the blow a bit offering up to 50% of a charge in only 30 minutes.
Audio
Headphone jacks get rarer by the year, so you’ll be happy to hear the OnePlus Nord N10 has one. As a bonus, it also features stereo speakers -- though the bottom woofer can get muffled if you crank the volume.
Specs at a Glance
- Plastic chassis
- 6.49-inch Gorilla Glass 3 display
- Qualcomm SM6350 Snapdragon 690 5G processor
- 6GB of RAM
- Android 10
- 128GB of storage with expansion option to 512GB
- 64MP + camera
- 4300 mAh battery
Bottom Line
While this phone will not win any awards based on innovation or benchmarks, reviews indicate it’s an exceptional phone for the price. In that way, it succeeds in surprising. Fast 5G, stereo speakers, expandable storage, and so many camera options are rarely this affordable -- and done well.
Tech Radar says, “The OnePlus N10 5G is a solid mid-range phone without much edge on the competition aside from a 90Hz refresh rate display, some high-megapixel cameras, and fast 30W charging.”
Pocket-Lint states, “Something of a curveball launch from OnePlus. In the markets where it’s the only Nord-branded phone, it’s a well-priced, affordable Android phone with few negatives. But in pretty much every department, the first Nord is better and doesn't cost a lot more.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Ryne Hager, Android PoliceOnePlus is selling the phone for $300 in the US, which is an awkward spot. For $50 more, I think the Pixel 4a is still a better phone — we gave it our Editors' Choice award, after all. In the EU, you can get the OG Nord for just €50 more, and it's also better in every possible way. But now that OneP...
- Matthew Yap, TechNaveOn the good points, my favourite part is its OxygenOS, which is a clean operating system that has barely any bloatware. It's as close to vanilla Android as you can get, except it's actually better thanks to its built-in features. The display is decent and the dual speakers are a nice touch too, espe...
- Jason Million, G Style MagazineIts nice to see OnePlus go back to this price point they started at and hopefully pull in some new fans along the way. Nord N10 5G gives you what you expect for its cost but also feels more like a mid-tier device rather than a budget one. It makes 5G affordable while also giving you a speedy 90Hz di...
- Alastair Stevenson, TrustedReviewsThe Nord N10 doesn’t seem to be the usual quality I expect from OnePlus, but so far it appears to be a decent cheap 5G phone at least. I can’t see it appealing to OnePlus die-hards though, which is a shame given the distinct brand this phone heralds from.
- Steven Winkelman, PC MagazineThe OnePlus Nord N10 5G tops our list of budget phones thanks to its strong performance and gorgeous 90Hz display.
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
The Nord N10 price will vary depending on retailer, age, special offers and whether or not it's purchased with a service plan. If purchased with a 2 year service contract for example, you would likely pay much less for the phone itself up front. You can compare OnePlus Nord N10 prices from around the web here on The Informr.
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the OnePlus Nord N10 user manual here.
OnePlus backs up the Nord N10 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Nord N10 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact OnePlus support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find OnePlus's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- OnePlus Nord N10 Manual (PDF)
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