OnePlus welcomes summer with a bang

OnePlus has decided to go big for the European summer. Seeking to further enrich its ecosystem by addressing all possible segments (smartphones-earphones-smartwatches-tablets), the Chinese manufacturer today unveiled a series of new products labeled “entry”, “mid-level” and “top of the range”. The announcements, made during a much-fancied presentation in Milan, leave OnePlus with a more than complete catalog of products for 2024, for every taste and every budget.

Overview of products released on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.

Soft headphones

Let’s start with the cheapest devices on display. These are OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro. A very long name that contrasts with a shorter price. For 79 euros, these wireless Bluetooth headphones claim, among other things, a “flagship” hybrid active noise cancellation (up to 49 decibels) and a battery life of 44 hours. In theory, this promise is interesting, since we find some excellent technologies (Bluetooth 5.4, BassWave 2.0, Crystal Clear Cal, Fast Charging, IP55, etc.) that allow you to have a faithful and powerful sound and even good call quality.

Metal smartphone

OnePlus promised metal in this presentation and the Nord 4 finish is also metal. This new mid-range smartphone is a bit like the shepherd’s answer to Oppo (a brand that belongs to the same group as OnePlus) and its Reno 12 (which we have at 549 euros). If the technological sharing is clearly felt, we are still entitled to a different setup and positioning. The new Reno will focus on photography and artificial intelligence, while the latest in the Nord range will focus on performance … and a little artificial intelligence.

This doesn’t mean that OnePlus smartphones take ridiculous photos. Far from it.The full test is published on Sudinfo.be), thanks to the 50 Mpx Sony LYT-600 main sensor, the 8 Mpx ultra wide-angle sensor and the algorithms available to the device we can obtain very good photos. Despite this, the Nord 4 has more difficulties in some situations and for those who want to go deeper into their photographs it quickly shows its limitations.

In fact, strength OnePlus Nord 4 Is his balanced side. It will satisfy in terms of photos, with very (very) good autonomy (especially thanks to the 5,500 mAh battery, which also explains the horizontal positioning of the camera to be able to bring it in), some AI features, a bright screen, Aquatouch technology (good touch precision even in the rain) and very (very) good performance thanks to a good chip (Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3). We therefore find a smartphone with quite advanced characteristics and, in the end, a rather affordable price … at least its pre-order price of 549 euros (599 euros for the version with 512 GB storage and 16 GB of memory and 499 euros for the one with 256GB storage and 12GB of RAM*). We will elaborate on the pros and cons in a more comprehensive article that will be published in a few days.

The design of this new smartphone stands out. Especially considering the price. Thanks to a full metal design built from a single block of aluminum (editor’s note, abandoned a few years ago in favor of 5G), we have a real high-end proposition. Nord 4 is 5G compatible, a technological feat, and is even available in three colors: Obsidian Midnight (brushed metal), Mercury Silver (made with more than 28,000 laser shots and available only in Belgium in the 512 GB version) and Oasis Green. Quite a success!

On top of that, the OnePlus Nord 4 gets four major Android updates and six years of security updates. That’s great news for those who want to hold onto their smartphones for longer.

In Europe, the OnePlus Nord 4 will be available for pre-order starting today (available August 8).

Watch 2 but (slightly) cheaper

after More than just the successful launch of Watch 2 Earlier this year, OnePlus returned with a more affordable version of its connected watch. By combining the great features of its sister product, the Watch 2R has an attractive price and a slightly improved appearance – in particular, it has eliminated the superfluous parts and replaced them with two clickable rotating crowns (but their rotation still does not produce any action) or excessive outlines like this OnePlus Watch 2 Nordic Edition– Attract undecided customers

For our part, we are not too convinced by this positioning. The price difference between the two watches is ultimately not that great: 329 euros for the Watch 2 and 279 euros for the Watch 2R. Of course, OnePlus promises similar performance, allowing the same monitoring (health, sports, sleep, etc.), but with a lighter casing and, above all, a less high-quality bracelet. Interest? We still find it hard to perceive it.

The OnePlus Watch 2R is available from today in Gunmetal Grey (roughly black) and Forest Green (roughly green) for €279.

Very good quality tablet

this OnePlus Pad The first name convinced us with its performance. It’s functional enough for professional use, especially with its accessories (keyboard and stylus), and we can’t wait for its successor after the release of a more affordable version (this OnePlus Pad Go) last April. The wait is finally over with the official launch OnePlus Pad 2 2 in Europe. If the OnePlus Pad is still perfectly usable and efficient at the moment, the upgrade of the technical sheet to have a tablet that meets the standards of 2024 is pleasant. Thanks to the new generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the OnePlus Pad 2 has improved performance, has a larger screen (12.1 inches) and can now run up to three applications simultaneously. Especially in terms of accessories, the status of the tablet has been enhanced, since we now have a keyboard (more elegant) that doubles the surface of the trackpad (8,640 mm²), or an NFC reader that allows sharing the phone directly to the tablet, allowing more precise operation. OnePlus Stylo 2 is also a case … which is no longer directly connected to the keyboard and allows more possible inclinations. You can therefore use both together or separately, especially since the keyboard can now be used via Bluetooth.

If the tablet costs more than its predecessor, it is still affordable (549 euros). On the other hand, in terms of accessories, there is no increase, which is (already) a small victory.

• OnePlus Pad 2 (12GB RAM + 256GB storage) is now available for pre-order (released on August 1, 2024) for 549 euros
• The OnePlus Stylo 2 is priced at 99 euros.
• The OnePlus Pad 2 Keyboard is priced at 149 euros.
• The OnePlus Pad 2 case is priced at 59 euros.

Promises to keep

Although we still have to test most of the products, the new products launched by OnePlus seem to be very good devices with well-balanced prices. All the announced prices are certainly not affordable, but they are in line with the product claims and their technical sheets. We even found technologies that we would not normally have the right to get at these prices.

OnePlus Nord 4, OnePlus Pad 2, OnePlus Watch 2R and OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro above all reinforce the ecosystem that the brand sought to develop as quickly as possible. This desire has actually been fulfilled, since we now have alternatives to more premium devices in every product category.