OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G vs Realme 9 Pro+ 5G – which mid-range phone should you buy?

• The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G and Realme 9 Pro+ 5G are two new smartphones in the sub-₹25,000 price segment.
• Both the smartphones compete neck-to-neck with each other in all aspects.
• If you are in the market for a new mid-range smartphone, we compare the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G with the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G to help you make an informed decision.

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is the latest smartphone to debut in the mid-range, as smartphone prices keep edging upwards each generation. It competes with not just its rivals from Xiaomi, Samsung and others, but it is also close on the heels of its own siblings like the OnePlus Nord 2.

With the sub-₹25,000 price segment getting crowded, it can get a little difficult to understand which smartphone offers the best value for money. In this comparison today, we take two new sub-₹25,000 smartphones, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G and the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G, to help you understand which one might be more suited to your needs.

Let’s find out.

Price

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is the more affordable smartphone of the two, starting at a price of ₹23,999 for the 6GB + 128GB version and ₹24,999 for the 8GB + 128GB version.

The Realme 9 Pro+ 5G, on the other hand, starts at a price of ₹24,999 for the 6GB + 128GB version, ₹26,999 for the 8GB + 128GB version and ₹28,999 for the 8GB + 256GB version.

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G does not come in a 256GB option.

Processor, RAM and storage

Both the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G and the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G are neck-to-neck when it comes to the processor – the Nord CE 2 5G is powered by the octa-core Dimensity 900 chipset, while the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G is powered by the octa-core Dimensity 920 chipset.



The difference between the two is minor – the two Cortex A78 cores are clocked slightly higher on the Realme smartphone, at 2.5GHz versus 2.4GHz on the OnePlus.

Apart from that, both phones offer up to 8GB of LPDDR4X memory. The storage on the Nord CE 2 5G is limited to 128GB, but it is of the same type – UFS 2.2 – as on the Realme, which offers up to 256GB storage.

On the other hand, the OnePlus smartphone offers microSD card support which is missing on its Realme rival.

Display

Both the OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G and the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G feature a 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate.

There is one minor difference, though – while the Nord’s display supports HDR10+ for an enhanced visual experience, especially while watching videos, the Realme smartphone supports heart rate monitoring via the in-display fingerprint sensor.

Cameras

Both the smartphones feature triple camera setups on the back, but the sensors used are different.


The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G features a 64MP primary camera with electronic image stabilization (EIS), an 8MP ultrawide angle snapper and a 2MP macro camera. On the front, it has a 16MP camera for selfies and video recording.


The Realme 9 Pro+ 5G, on the other hand, has a 50MP primary camera with Sony IMX766 sensor and optical image stabilization (OIS), which is superior to EIS. It has an 8MP ultrawide angle snapper and a 2MP macro camera, along with a 16MP camera on the front.

Battery and fast charging

Both the smartphones are powered by a 4,500mAh battery. However, the Nord CE 2 5G supports 65W SuperVOOC fast charging while the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G supports 60W SuperDART fast charging.

Conclusion

Both the smartphones compete neck-to-neck with each other, but the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G takes an edge over the Nord CE 2 5G in terms of cameras, and marginally faster processor. It also comes in a 256GB variant while the Nord CE 2 5G is limited to 128GB, which is noteworthy for those who want faster built-in storage.
SEE ALSO:

Realme 9 Pro+ 5G vs Realme 9 Pro 5G — What’s different?

Realme 9 Pro+ 5G review — Decent all-round performance

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G review – Fan edition, round two, still affordable