The main digicam struggles with high-contrast scenes, so the sky is usually blown out within the background, although it will probably nonetheless take some respectable images in even lighting. When the solar will get low, you should utilize the Night mode to take higher low-light photographs, however the colours are off and issues nonetheless find yourself slightly blurry except you could have a surgeon’s palms and might keep actually nonetheless. Selfies are sometimes over-brightened, although my facial options are fairly darn sharp, which is sweet.
OnePlus exhibits off a 3X zoom mode within the digicam app, however that is technically simply digital zoom utilizing the 108-megapixel digicam. Because there isn’t any optical picture stabilization, you may end up retaking images as a result of the primary one is sort of at all times blurry. OnePlus could name it a “lossless zoom,” however these images have an over-sharpened look to them. Still, it is good to have the choice to zoom in slightly bit extra and get higher outcomes than a lot of its friends. As for the macro digicam, do not get me began. I did not like all of the images it captured.
Then there’s the software program. OnePlus has tweaked the Android 13 interface a lot that I do not take pleasure in utilizing it as a lot because the interface on Motorola, Google, and Samsung telephones. It additionally would not assist that the corporate matches Motorola on software program updates, promising just one OS replace (to Android 14) and three years of safety updates. When you may’t get any new options after Android 15 rolls round subsequent 12 months, it will really feel old-fashioned.
The year-old Google Pixel 6A recurrently goes on sale for lower than $300 and can get software program updates for longer. So will the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G, which often dips to $375. Both have a digicam system that is leaps and bounds nicer than the OnePlus, with higher software program, AMOLED screens, and IP67 water resistance. (The Nord N30 will not be water-resistant.)
If the dearth of software program updates is not a barrier, you desire a headphone jack and a microSD slot, and the two-day battery life is extra essential than digicam high quality, then you definitely’ll be pleased with the Nord N30 5G. But I feel OnePlus might stand to maintain its funds handsets up to date slightly longer, and it wants to return to the drafting board with its cameras. (Fewer megapixels and higher picture processing, perhaps?) There are simply too many higher choices on the market—particularly final 12 months’s flagship telephones that creep down in value, just like the OnePlus 10 Pro, which is at the moment on sale for $150 greater than the Nord.
