The OnePlus Nord N20 SE is a Nokia G20 challenger with a few compromises

OnePlus Nord 20 SE renders showing the back of the phones
(Image credit: OnePlus)

What you need to know

  • The OnePlus Nord N20 SE is the company's latest budget Android phone.
  • Its launch coincides with the debut of the OnePlus 10T, the latest flagship phone from OnePlus.
  • The Nord N20 SE includes a 5,000mAh battery, 33W charging, and a 50MP primary sensor.

While OnePlus focused all its resources on the OnePlus 10T unveiling a few days ago, it seems the company has also quietly slipped another device into a Chinese online retail platform with little fanfare.

The OnePlus Nord N20 SE has gone live on AliExpress, with specifications that are a step down from the OnePlus Nord N20 (via GizmoChina). The phone is powered by a two-year-old Mediatek Helio G35 chipset, which also powers some of the best Android phones under $200, such as the Nokia G20.

OnePlus' latest budget offering is currently only available in China for $199 via AliExpress. For that price, you'll get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It will be available to purchase beginning on August 12 in Celestial Black and Blue Oasis color variants.

In contrast, the Nord N20 5G that debuted in April includes a 6nm-based Snapdragon 695 5G chipset, paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

However, the Nord 20 SE has a larger 6.5-inch screen than the Nord N20, which has a 6.43-inch screen. In addition, its IPS LCD screen has an HD+ resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate, with a notch housing an 8MP selfie camera. Round the back, though, it only has a dual camera comprising a 50MP main sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. This pales in comparison to the one-year-old Nokia G20, which comes with a quad-camera setup for the same price.

OnePlus' new budget phone packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W SuperVOOC charging. Security features include a side-facing fingerprint scanner and face unlock. It runs on OxygenOS 12.1 based on Android 12.

Jay Bonggolto
News Writer & Reviewer

Jay Bonggolto always keeps a nose for news. He has been writing about consumer tech and apps for as long as he can remember, and he has used a variety of Android phones since falling in love with Jelly Bean. Send him a direct message via Twitter or LinkedIn.