OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9R vs OnePlus 9: What’s the Difference?

OnePlus Nord 2 is the latest mid-range offering from OnePlus that launched just last week and is the first phone from the company to use a MediaTek SoC. The phone follows the same design language as OnePlus phones of the past and brings the Sony IMX766 sensor to a more budget-friendly offering. The OnePlus 9 series, which is the latest flagship offering from the company, was unveiled in March with three models — OnePlus 9R, OnePlus 9, and OnePlus 9 Pro. The OnePlus 9R and OnePlus 9 are relatively more affordable with the OnePlus 9R being the closest to the price of the OnePlus Nord 2. Let’s take a look at the differences and similarities between the three phones.

OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9R vs OnePlus 9: Price in India

OnePlus Nord 2 5G starts at Rs. 27,999 for the base 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. The phone also has an 8GB + 128GB option that is priced at Rs. 29,999 and a top-of-the-line 12GB RAM + 256GB model priced at Rs. 34,999. It is offered in Blue Haze, Gray Sierra, and Green Wood (India-exclusive) colours.

OnePlus 9R is priced at Rs. 39,999 for the 8GB + 128GB storage model and Rs. 43,999 for the 12GB + 256GB storage model. It is offered in Carbon Black and Lake Blue colour options.

OnePlus 9 starts at Rs. 49,999 for the 8GB + 128GB storage variant and the 12GB + 256GB storage model costs Rs. 54,999. The phone comes in Arctic Sky, Astral Black, and Winter Mist colour options.

OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9R vs OnePlus 9: Specifications

All three phones run OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 but only the OnePlus Nord 2’s OS is based on an integrated codebase of OnePlus and Oppo ColorOS. The OnePlus Nord 2 features a 6.43-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) Fluid AMOLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 90Hz refresh rate. Both the OnePlus 9R and the OnePlus 9 come with a 6.55-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Under the hood, the OnePlus Nord 2 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI SoC, which is an enhanced version of the standard MediaTek Dimensity 1200. The phone is also the first from OnePlus to use an SoC other than that of Qualcomm. The OnePlus 9R is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC while the OnePlus 9 comes with a Snapdragon 888 SoC. All three models come with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage without room for expansion.

For photos and videos, the OnePlus Nord 2 packs a triple rear camera setup that houses a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 primary sensor with an f/1.88 lens and optical image stabalisation (OIS), an 8-megapixel secondary sensor with an f/2.25 ultra-wide lens, and a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor with an f/2.5 lens. At the front, it carries a 32-megapixel Sony IMX615 camera sensor with an f/2.45 lens. The OnePlus 9R features a quad rear camera setup that includes a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 primary sensor with an f/1.7 lens, a 16-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle f/2.2 lens, a 5-megapixel macro shooter, and a 2-megapixel monochrome lens. At the front, there is a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor with an f/2.4 lens for selfies and video calls.

In comparison, the OnePlus 9 features a triple rear camera setup that includes a 48-megapixel Sony IMX689 primary sensor with an f/1.8 lens, a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 sensor with an ultra-wide-angle f/2.2 lens, and a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor. At the front, you get the same sensor as the OnePlus 9R.

Connectivity options on the OnePlus Nord 2 include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.2, GPS/ A-GPS/ NavIC, NFC, and a USB Type-C port. The other two phones feature mostly the same connectivity options with the exception of NavIC, and Bluetooth v5.1 instead of v5.2 on the OnePlus 9R. Sensors onboard the three models include accelerometer, ambient light, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and e-compass. All three phones come with an in-display fingerprint sensor.

OnePlus has packed a 4,500mAh battery in all three phones with support for 65W fast charging. In terms of dimensions, the OnePlus Nord 2 measures 159.1x 73.3×8.2mm and weighs 189 grams. The OnePlus 9R measures 160.7×74.1×8.4mm and weighs 189 grams. Lastly, the OnePlus 9 measures 160×73.9×8.1mm and weighs 183 grams.

OnePlus Nord 2 vs OnePlus 9R vs OnePlus 9 comparison

Ratings
Overall NDTV Rating	–
Design Rating	–
Display Rating	–
Software Rating	–
Performance Rating	–
Battery Life Rating	–
Camera Rating	–
Value for Money Rating	–
GENERAL
Brand	OnePlus	OnePlus	OnePlus
Model	Nord 2	9R	9
Release date	July 22, 2021	March 23, 2021	March 23, 2021
Launched in India	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dimensions (mm)	158.90 x 73.20 x 8.25	161.00 x 74.10 x 8.40	160.00 x 73.90 x 8.10
Weight (g)	189.00	189.00	183.00
Battery capacity (mAh)	4500	4500	4500
Fast charging	Proprietary	Proprietary	Proprietary
Colours	Blue Haze, Gray Seirra, Green Wood	Carbon Black, Lake Blue	Arctic Sky, Winter Mist, Stellar Black
Body type	–	Metal	–
Wireless charging	–	No	–
DISPLAY
Screen size (inches)	6.43	6.55	6.55
Resolution	1080×2400 pixels	1080×2400 pixels	1080×2400 pixels
Aspect ratio	20:9	20:9	20:9
Pixels per inch (PPI)	410	402	402
Protection type	–	Gorilla Glass	Gorilla Glass
HARDWARE
Processor	octa-core	octa-core	octa-core
Processor make	MediaTek Dimensity 1200	Qualcomm Snapdragon 870	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM	6GB	8GB	8GB
Internal storage	128GB	128GB	128GB
Expandable storage	–	No	–
CAMERA
Rear camera	50-megapixel (f/1.88, 1.0-micron) + 8-megapixel (f/2.25) + 2-megapixel (f/2.5)	48-megapixel (f/1.7) + 16-megapixel (f/2.2) + 5-megapixel + 2-megapixel	48-megapixel (f/1.8, 1.12-micron) + 50-megapixel (f/2.2) + 2-megapixel
No. of Rear Cameras	3	4	3
Rear autofocus	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rear flash	Yes	Dual LED	Yes
Front camera	32-megapixel (f/2.45, 0.8-micron)	16-megapixel (f/2.4, 1.0-micron)	16-megapixel (f/2.4, 1.0-micron)
No. of Front Cameras	1	1	1
SOFTWARE
Operating system	Android 11	Android 11	Android 11
Skin	OxygenOS 11.3	Oxygen OS	OxygenOS 11
CONNECTIVITY
Wi-Fi standards supported	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/Yes	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/Yes	802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/Yes
Bluetooth	Yes, v 5.20	Yes, v 5.10	Yes, v 5.20
NFC	Yes	Yes	Yes
USB Type-C	Yes	Yes	Yes
Number of SIMs	2	2	2
SIM 1
SIM Type	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM
4G/ LTE	Yes	Yes	Yes
5G	Yes	Yes	Yes
SIM 2
SIM Type	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM
4G/ LTE	Yes	Yes	Yes
5G	Yes	–	–
SENSORS
Face unlock	Yes	–	–
In-Display Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Compass/ Magnetometer	Yes	Yes	Yes
Proximity sensor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Accelerometer	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ambient light sensor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gyroscope	Yes	Yes	Yes