Looking for a high-end smartphone but cheaper than a proper flagship one? This comparison is for you.
First, we have the OnePlus Nord 2 5G, a follow-up to the brand’s successful non-flagship device. Again, OnePlus gets to use the term “flagship killer” because this device is it.
We’d be stacking that against the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G that just arrived in the Philippines.
Samsung swapped the Exynos processor of the initial model to a Qualcomm one, which brings the current 5G network technology to the device.
Sitting in the mid-Php20,000 range, which between these high-end phones actually brings the best features for the price? We find out in our OnePlus Nord 2 5G versus Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G specifications and features comparison.
| OnePlus Nord 2 5G | Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G | |
| Operating System | Android 11 OxygenOS 11.3 | Android 10 Samsung One UI 2.5 (upgradeable to Android 11-based One UI 3.1) |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual standby | Dual SIM Dual standby |
| Display | 6.43-inch FHD+ Fluid Super AMOLED 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution 409ppi 90Hz refresh rate sRGB P3 | 6.5-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution ~405ppi 120Hz refresh rate HDR10+ |
| Processor | 3.0GHz MediaTek Dimensity 1200 AI octa-core | 2.73GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 octa-core |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB/12GB | 8GB |
| GPU | Mali G77 MC9 | Adreno 650 |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 non-expandable | 128GB UFS 3.1 expandable via microSD |
| Front Camera | 32-megapixel | 32-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 50-megapixel (Sony IMX766, f/1.9, OIS, PDAF+CAF) 8-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.2) 2-megapixel (f/2.4, mono) dual-tone flash | 12-megapixel (f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS) 8-megapixel (telephoto, f/2.0, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical, 30X Space Zoom) 12-megapixel (f/2.2, ultra-wide) LED flash |
| Audio | Stereo speakers No headphone jack Alert slider | Stereo speakers No headphone jack |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner | In-display fingerprint scanner |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, dual-band 2×2 MIMO Bluetooth 5.2 NFC GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, NavIC, BDS USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 6, dual-band Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO NFC USB Type-C |
| Dimensions | 159.1 x 73.3 x 8.2mm | 159.8 x 74.5 x 8.4mm |
| Weight | 189g | 190g |
| Body | Front: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Back: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Frame: Plastic | Front: Glass Back: Plastic Frame: Aluminum |
| Colors | Green Wood Blue Waze Gray Sierra | Cloud Lavander Cloud Navy Cloud Lavander Cloud Red Cloud Orange (Online Exclusive) |
| Battery | 4,500mAh 65W Warp Charge | 4,500mAh 25W charger Reverse charging |
| Price | 8GB/128GB: Php21,990 12GB/256GB: Php25,990 | Php27,990 |
Design and Build Quality
Unlike entry-level and midrange phones, you have the right to demand for better design, build, and portability on a smartphone of this price.
While the design is subjective, the specs table above clearly favors the Nord 2 5G. It features a lighter weight and thinner design. The difference may be negligible, but we’ll take every savings we can get.
Where the Nord 2 5G really standouts over the Galaxy S20 FE is the materials. As you can see, it’s sandwiched by sturdy Gorilla Glass 5. That should be enough to provide a full-on premium experience.
To Samsung’s credit, the Galaxy S20 FE is available in more colors than the former. If the Nord 2 5G isn’t available in your favorite color, and if looks are top priority, then settling with the Samsung device maybe isn’t the worse idea, especially when you consider the other things we’d be discussing further down.
Display and Audio
The fight is close in this round. As you can see, both devices share identical AMOLED panels for a real flagship experience. But ultimately, the Galaxy S20 FE 5G clearly wins this round.
It features a marginally larger size of 6.5-inches. But more importantly, a faster 120Hz refresh rate that can take full advantage of its powerful processor.
Sadly, neither have headphone jacks. Thankfully, both brands have their own TWS earphones that work really well with their smartphones. They also come with stereo speakers so you enjoy playing games or videos without a pair of cans.
Hardware and Performance
The MediaTek Dimensity 1200 AI CPU is newer than the Snapdragon 865. It features a higher clock speed, hinting at a better CPU performance.
However, the Adreno 650 GPU is still more powerful than the Mali G77 MC9, translating to better gaming performance for the Samsung device. Moreover, Qualcomm chips are still known to be superior in terms of battery efficiency to MediaTek’s.
Camera
The Galaxy S20 FE has an 8-megapixel telephoto lens that’s equipped with OIS, something the Nord 2 5G lacks. It also has a sharper 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens.
But if you don’t have use for those cameras, then you might be better off with the OnePlus Nord 2 5G. Its main camera, the one you’d actually use most of the time, is far superior to the latter, allowing you to take better-looking images.
Related
- OnePlus Nord CE vs Samsung Galaxy A32 5G: Specs Comparison
- OnePlus Nord CE vs POCO F3: Specs Comparison
Battery
The OnePlus Nord 2 5G and Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G have the same 4,500mAh battery. Despite that, longevity may vary, as the Samsung device has a faster screen while the OnePlus handset has a less power-efficient chipset.
However, the Nord 2 5G was able to dominate thanks to its 65W Warp Charge, while the Galaxy S20 FE settles for a 25W charger.
Conclusion
There may be more expensive devices, but at the end of the day, we all want the best smartphone we can get for the price. In that regard, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G is looking like a better deal than the Galaxy S20 FE 5G.
As you can see, it has a better primary camera, a similar display and battery, a better build, and a much faster charging technology. Performance shouldn’t be an issue, too.
The best part is, it’s actually cheaper. Its price starts at only Php21,990, and even the top-tier model is only at Php25,990. That’s still cheaper than the Galaxy S20 FE’s only model, which costs Php27,990.
But if you don’t mind paying more to get the best possible performance, especially in gaming, the GPU on the Samsung device is obviously better than OnePlus’s. It’s also more power-efficient and plays nicer on apps. As a bonus, you’d be getting a telephoto lens and a sharper ultra-wide lens.