5 things the OnePlus Nord 4 teaches us about mid-range phones

The OnePlus Nord 4 is here, and spoiler alert, it’s a very good phone.

In fact, it’s up there with the very best mid-range handsets, combining top-quality hardware with slick software and long support.

And as our OnePlus Nord 4 review shows, there are a long list of key strengths, including the affordable £429 price tag (no US availability, sadly).

However, extended usage also reveals some useful insights about the category more generally. Here are five things the Nord 4 teaches us about mid-range phones and what they should aim to be moving forward.

1. Don’t compromise on build quality

On most mid-range phones, the materials used to make them are one of the first things to be compromised. Often, this means ditching the glass back for something made of cheap-looking plastic instead.

However, OnePlus has proven that doesn’t need to be the case. The Nord 4 features a stunning metal unibody design that looks and feels just like a flagship. Rather than a compromise, swapping glass for metal should be considered an upgrade, especially when it comes to durability.

What’s more, OnePlus has managed to achieve this without making the phone too heavy – the Nord 4 weighs just 199.5g.

2. Ditch the ultrawide lens rather than the telephoto

Compared to the best camera phones, a drop-off in image quality on mid-range phones is inevitable.

However, companies can be smart with where they make those compromises. On the Nord 4, OnePlus makes the mistake of ditching a telephoto lens, meaning you have no access to optical zoom.

The digital version is very disappointing, with a big drop-off in quality as soon as you start zooming in.

Meanwhile, the Nord 4 retains an ultrawide lens, yet the poor 8Mp sensor doesn’t add much to the overall camera experience. If a mid-range phone needs to drop one of these main lenses, the ultrawide is a much better choice.

The Nord 4 doesn’t have one, but it’s worth emphasising that no mid-range phone should bother with a 2Mp macro camera, which is functionally useless.

3. Prioritise battery life over charging speeds

Many mid-range phones use fast charging as a key marketing tool, advertising that their device can go from 0-100% in a matter of minutes.

Unfortunately, this is often to cover up sub-par battery life. If you’re out and about when your phone runs out of battery, the fact that it can charge quickly is irrelevant.

Instead, phone makers should follow OnePlus’ lead and make sure of at least a full day of battery life on a single charge.

The Nord 4’s 5500mAh cell pretty much guarantees that, even on the most demanding days. And with less heavy usage, you can often get it to stretch to two days.

4. Don’t bother with an under-display fingerprint sensor

One premium feature that has quickly spread to cheaper smartphones is the under-display fingerprint sensor.

It’s a clear win for convenience and aesthetics, meaning you can make the front of the phone almost all screen.

The problem? Many of these optical sensors simply aren’t very good at unlocking your phone. The one on the OnePlus Nord 4 is in keeping with many rivals, meaning it’s frustratingly slow and only unlocks if you angle your finger in a very specific way.

Right now, the only way to guarantee a great under-display fingerprint sensor is to go for an ultrasonic version, such as the one found in the Samsung Galaxy S24 series.

That more expensive technology is unlikely to come to mid-range phones anytime soon, so in the meantime, just use a superior physical one built into the power button. It adds no bulk to the device while significantly improving speed and reliability.

5. Commit to long software support

On modern smartphones, the length of software support is a hot topic.

Some Samsung and Google handsets, including the mid-range Pixel 8a, offer seven years of both major OS updates and security patches.

The Nord 4 is the next best at the time of writing, offering four OS updates and six years of security patches, beating even the flagship OnePlus 12.

Some cheaper Samsung phones, including the Galaxy A55 offer four and five respectively, but many other mid-range phones are still lacking in this area, or offer no specific commitment at all.

In 2024, there’s no excuse for sub-par software support. Consumers deserve to know that their phone will get new features and be safe to use for several years after release.