The newly-announced OnePlus Nord is cheaper than the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro and as such, it has made some compromises with materials and components. It uses a less-powerful Snapdragon 765G chipset, has a slightly-smaller display, no telephoto camera and a plastic frame.
The last one is the biggest differentiator to the metal-framed OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro when it comes to durability. The plastic frame cracked during JerryRigEverything’s routine bend test. The frame’s least structurally-sound spot appears to be, like on so many other devices, right underneath the volume rocker.
The rest of the OnePlus Nord durability went as usual – scratches at a level 6, all that sort of stuff.
Now, it would be hard to replicate the durability fail in the real world. Bending the phone like that requires pressure to be applied in a specific way so it’s probably not as big a deal. Still it is good to know, particularly for those planning to keep the OnePlus Nord in tight jeans’ pockets.
