OnePlus Nord N10 5G vs. Nord N200 5G: Which should you buy?

OnePlus started as the flagship killer but strayed from its path a tad bit with its premium prices. The Nord series is about returning to the brand's core ideologies: cheaper Android phones with lightweight software and upper mid-range specs. Both the Nord N10 5G and Nord N200 5G are affordably priced and offer some amazing features for their budget pricing. The two are almost identical in many aspects except for a few key features. Let's see how the OnePlus phones fare against each other. May the best Nord win!

OnePlus Nord N10 5G vs. Nord N200 5G: Spec standoff

At first glance, it seems like there aren't many differences between the OnePlus Nord N10 5G and Nord N200 5G. Both phones have the same 6.49-inch 90Hz IPS LCDs, both come with headphone jacks and expandable storage via microSD, and they share the same 16MP selfie camera. They look pretty similar, too, with twinning designs, dark hues of blue and plastic bodies. Oh, and of course, both Nord models are 5G-enabled.

The OnePlus Nord N10 5G and Nord N200 5G share identical disadvantages too. OnePlus skipped its signature alert slider with both the Nord devices, which is such a shame. They don't have IP ratings or support wireless charging, and each OnePlus phone is scheduled to receive only one major platform update.

The OnePlus Nord N10 5G and the Nord N200 5G are priced very closely, set only a few tens of dollars apart. The Nord N10 5G is the more expensive sibling, but we need to take a closer look at the specs to judge whether it's the better phone as well.

Those are many techy bits of info but don't worry. We'll make this easy for you. After pitting the specifications of the two OnePlus Nord devices against each other, let's analyze what they actually mean in real life.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G vs. Nord N200 5G: Key differences

First, let's get the most obvious facts out of the way. Clearly, the OnePlus Nord N10 5G has a better Snapdragon 690 processor and Adreno 619L GPU compared to the Nord N200 5G's Snapdragon 480 SoC and Adreno 619 graphics. Tie in the Nord N10 5G's larger 6GB RAM instead of the Nord N200 5G's 4GB RAM, and you know that performance-wise, the OnePlus Nord N10 5G wins the battle.

Noticeably, the Nord N10 5G also has more internal storage, touting 128GB of onboard storage, whereas the OnePlus Nord N200 5G offers 64GB internally. You can store more music, videos, photos, documents, and other files on the OnePlus Nord N10 5G. Fortunately, they both support expandable storage, up to 512GB for the Nord N10 5G and up to 256GB for the Nord N200 5G.

One of the saving graces of the Nord N200 5G is its generous 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging via USB Type-C that sweetens the deal. While the Nord N10 5G has a smaller 4,300mAh battery when you put it next to the Nord N200 5G, it still stands its ground on its own. 4,300mAh is enough to last you through the day for the most part. If you run out of charge, though, the OnePlus Nord N10 5G's brilliant Warp Charge 30T will power your phone back to 100% in no time at all.

On paper, the Nord N10 5G has better quad cameras headlined by the main 64MP lens. This translates well in real life, but the N10 5G's photography suffers for the worse in low-light settings. The OnePlus Nord N200 5G, on the other hand, has a triple camera setup on the rear. That sounds good, too, but it might as well have had one or two good cameras in exchange for the three subpar ones it actually features. Even bright daylight won't help you much with those low-grade Nord N200 5G cameras.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G vs. Nord N200 5G: Which should you buy?

The techy trail of spec breadcrumbs leads us to conclude that the OnePlus Nord N10 5G is better than its cheaper (and newer) counterpart. We agree that the Nord N200 5G drives an excellent bargain, but the N10 5G offers a lot more for a little more money.

Cameras, performance, and memory specifications are like the holy trinity of all smartphones. A giant battery alone isn't the only ingredient in the recipe for an outstanding budget phone. Even with the 90Hz refresh rate of the OnePlus Nord N200 5G's display, a headphone jack, and a microSD slot, it needs more oomph to defeat the Nord N10 5G.

The OnePlus Nord N10 5G retains the good bits of the Nord N200 5G, such as the 90Hz display, audio port, and expandable storage. It then ups the ante with its comparatively superior cameras, excellent memory options, 30W fast charging, and a better Snapdragon 690 chipset under the hood. It isn't for naught that we consider the N10 5G one of the best OnePlus phones in 2021. The OnePlus Nord N10 5G is a beastly budget phone, and you should definitely buy one instead of the Nord N200 5G.