The OnePlus Nord may be a budget phone, but it sounds like OnePlus isn’t planning on taking shortcuts when it comes to offering a quality screen to fight the iPhone SE.
While rumors had suggested OnePlus’ upcoming sub-$500 phone was going to feature an OLED panel, potentially with a high refresh rate, none of that information had been officially confirmed. But OnePlus has removed all doubt about the OLED screen on the OnePlus Nord in a rather comical way, breaking the news through a meme, of all things.
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"Making a more affordable OnePlus smartphone had its challenges and required us to make a number of tough decisions," the official OnePlus Nord Instagram account captioned the infamous meme of Batman slapping Robin, who’s suggesting that LCD displays are “more affordable”. "But compromising on display wasn't one of them. Sorry Robin. #OnePlusNord"
Previously, OnePlus confirmed that the new phone will cost less than $500 and will feature a Snapdragon 765G 5G processor. Additional rumors have suggested the OnePlus Nord will reportedly contain 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 4,300 mAh battery with fast charging capabilities. It’s expected that the OLED screen will span 6.4 inches, which should be plenty of real estate for the average user.
The Nord is still due for an official announcement via an augmented reality event for July 21. According to OnePlus, you can download its app on both iOS and Android to view the launch event on July 21 at 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT. There are also special physical invitations called Nord AR Cardboards that are being produced for the reveal.
These invitations are meant for users to take part in a "unique hands-on experience" with the device in augmented reality, as you scan a QR code on the physical invitations to join the experience. This event will likely be similar to the VR reveal OnePlus held for its OnePlus 2 five years ago in 2015, though we're unsure exactly what's planned for those in attendance this year. At the very least, the July 21 event will offer a good look at the OnePlus Nord once and for all, which is reason enough to attend for potential buyers.
OnePlus has lined out instructions for how you can get an invitation of your own over on Instagram. You can follow the account, then publish a public Instagram post with the hashtag #OnePlusNordAR, fill out a form, and wait for OnePlus to randomly select winners on July 10.
Though it certainly seems like a fantastic prospect for those in the business for a new 5G-capable smartphone, the OnePlus Nord likely won't receive an initial in the US. The first batch of preorders sold out in the blink of an eye to 100 lucky buyers hungry for a taste of budget 5G goodness. It's possible that we could see a wider release for the US later in the year, but OnePlus has remained reticent about that so far, only saying that the phone will debut in Europe and India.
