Why Oneplus Nord 2 Is My Top Recommendation For Best Budget Phone In 2021

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It has been a while that any smartphone has stirred up so much excitement in me that I actually want to talk about it and openly recommend it. The Redmi Note 10 Pro from Xiaomi piqued my interest too, and I have recommended it quite often as a smartphone for value hunters.

However, the OnePlus Nord 2 has pulled off a massive one, and I can’t help but move it up to the top of my list. OnePlus used to be known as the brand that produced a category of smartphones known as flagship killers – top mid-rangers that are so good that you could ignore flagships and buy it, and be satisfied.

Then OnePlus moved on to creating flagships and left that market hanging. But the Nord 2 has changed the game once again.

What makes OnePlus Nord 2 5G the best budget phone money can buy in 2021?

First, it is powered by the new Dimensity 1200 chipset. This is a flagship-grade processor that goes head-to-head against Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888. And coupled with it are options of 8 GB and 12 GB of RAM. There is no question about what kind of performance the Nord 2 5G brings to the table. You can throw anything that any premium flagship can handle at this phone, and it will handle it like a champ.

The 6.43-inch display is not as compact as I’d like, but it is a fair compromise between compact and large, so I will take it. It uses an AMOLED panel, has 90Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling, and is protected by a sheet of Gorilla Glass 5. I’d have preferred 120Hz refresh rate, but this is a mid-ranger delivering flagship value, so some compromises are expected. I am good with this display.

Next, it has a main camera that uses the new flagship-grade Sony IMX766 sensor seen in the OnePlus 9 Pro, OPPO Find X3 Pro, OPPO Reno6 Pro+ 5G, and OPPO Reno5 Pro+ flagship smartphones. Again, as with performance, the Nord 2 5G delivers solid photography to the table.

Battery life is a top factor for me with smartphones, and by this I mean battery capacity, charging speed, and actual battery life numbers. Again, the Nord 2 brings flagship grade numbers to the game. It has a Li-Poly. 4,500mAh battery with fast 65W Warp Charge support.

65W fast charging means you can go from an empty battery to a full charge in 30 minutes. Earlier reviews of the Nord 2 have praised it for its frugal standby performance as well. What’s not to like? There is no wireless charging or reverse charging via USB-OTG present, but I can live with that. Most other mobile users can too.

I must not end this without mentioning the Nord 2’s dual speakers, as well as the wide 4G LTE and 5G band support. OnePlus threw everything in to make sure you can almost use it anywhere.

There’s a 32MP selfie camera, generous options of 128 GB and 256 GB internal storage (there is no microSD card slot), NFC, wide Wi-Fi and GPS support, as well as some attempt at shielding the internals from water and dust (though it does not have an official IP rating).

In summary, the Nord2 5G provides premium flagship performance, photography, storage, and battery, 5G connectivity, among other features, with a few compromises, all at prices that are hundreds of dollars below what you will pay for a proper premium flagship.

It is an impressive smartphone that excites me and should excite any value lover. The 8 GB/128 GB variant sells for about $500 (converted). The device isn’t officially available in the United States. If you want the 12 GB/256 GB trim, be ready to spend about $675.

The $500 price tag on the 8 GB RAM variant is extremely juicy and easily makes it my best budget phone of the year.

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Author:Mister Mobility

Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004

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Micromax IN 2b has just been announced in India, and it quickly caught my attention. I do not know of any other entry-level smartphone that is as attractive as this one right now on 2021. What makes the IN 2b so attractive? Let me walk you through.

First off, this is an entry-level Android smartphone. It costs $100 only. But this time, you get 4 GB of RAM. Usually, phones at this price offer you 2 GB. If you are extremely lucky, you will find one with 3 GB of RAM. But Micromax decided that chairman’s has to come early on 2021, and here you have a $100 smartphone with a whopping 4 GB RAM.

Is Micromax IN 2b the best entry-level Android phone of 2021?

Even better, Micromax IN 2b has a variant with 6 GB RAM. Expect to pay around $120 for that. Again, that is insane value. 6 GB RAM is something you find in upper, mid-range smartphones. But generous RAM is not all that the IN 2b offers.

Entry-level smartphones usually come with smallish screens. Not this one. It has a fairly large 6.52-inch LCD panel. It has a water drop notch that houses the 5MP selfie camera.

At the back is a fingerprint scanner and a dual camera that is headlined by a 13MP snapper. The second lens is a 2MP depth sensor. Underneath the back panel is a large 5000mah, battery that is coupled with 10W charging. Not much faster than standard charging, but better it is still. And all of these in a cheap entry-level phone.

But the Micromax IN 2b isn’t done yet. The manufacturer says it runs bare Android. Stock Android: no pre-installed apps or bloat of any sort, so there is nothing to bog down your RAM and storage memory. Micromax says it offers a “seamless, lag-free experience”. It sounds believable. Plus, users will get 2 years of software updates. Colour me impressed.

Powering the phone is a basic Unisoc T610 chipset. Nothing special here. This is an entry-level chipset. The IN 2b is an entry-level phone after all, but combined with generous RAM and no bloat, the processor should be able to easily deliver that “no hang” experience that Micromax promises.

Internal storage is a generous 64 GB too. Whether you buy the 4G RAM option or the 6 GB RAM option, that is the only storage options available. And it is large already for its price point. If you want to add a memory card, there is a microSD card slot that supports cards of up to 256 GB. Again, the storage department has .me impressed. Here is a look at the specifications in summary.

Micromax IN 2b specs in summary

In summary, what we have in the Micromax IN 2b is a $100 phone with a 6.52″ display, 4G LTE, VoLTE, 4/6 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage, a 5000mAh battery, USB-C connectivity, 10W charging, stock Android, and a promise of two years software updates. It is tempting to say that Micromax IN 2b is the best entry-level Android phone of 2021.

it is available in India from August 8 at INR7,999 for the 4GB/64GB variant, and INR8,999 for the 6GB/64GB variant. You can buy it off Flipkart or from Micromax’s official website. The question now is, Why is Micromax not exporting this to South America, Africa, and the rest of Asia? I really would love to get my hands on one.

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Author:Mister Mobility

Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004