If you’re not a T-Mobile customer or simply aren't worried about 5G connectivity, the $350 Google Pixel 4a is a strong LTE alternative that works on every carrier. But when it comes to reasonably priced 5G phones in 2021, the N10 is our top pick. We noticed a few skipped frames when playing Alto’s Odyssey for an hour, but it didn’t effect the overall experience. On more resource-hungry games such as Genshin Impact, we experienced long load times and plenty of dropped frames.
Nearly all of our test shots taken with LED panels in this temperature range featured over-aggressive noise cancellation, flattening, and blurring. Distortion also reared its ugly head on test shots taken with the businesswarelist ultra-wide lens. Low-light performance is inconsistent even with Night mode enabled. Our best test shots with both lenses had significant light flares and a loss of fine detail; the worst were flat and muddy.
There’s also a microSD slot should you need more storage. The N10’s stereo speakers, which top out at 97dB, fail to impress. Bass is non-existent and mids are aggressively pushed forward. Highs are airy with significant distortion at higher volumes. With a maximum volume of 86dB, the earpiece is loud enough to hear in almost any environment.
Sign up for Fully Mobilized newsletter to get our top mobile tech stories delivered right to your inbox. With the exception of some minor boot lag, the N10 feels snappy and responsive. It handles multitasking with ease, and its 90Hz refresh rate means you won’t experience any stutters when scrolling through your Instagram feed. The N10 ups the ante in just about every way when compared with the Moto G Power. It has a more powerful processor, double the storage, and extra RAM to prevent bottlenecks.
Slight differences in its measurements and weight make it more comfortable to hold than the G Power. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. The N10 ships with Android 10 with OnePlus’s Oxygen OS skin. If you’re not familiar with Oxygen OS, it’s a light-handed, very helpful update to Android's stock UI. Our lab tests suggest the image processing on the OnePlus Nord N10 5G struggles with photos taken in warm, low light.
If you're concerned about running out of battery midday, a USB-C power bank will give you peace of mind. The volume rocker and SIM/MicroSD slot are on the left side of the phone; the Power button is on bestofboosters the right. The buttons provide a satisfying click when tapped and are pretty easy to reach with small hands. The headphone jack, USB-C charging port, and speaker grille sit on the bottom of the phone.
In daylight, the 16MP shooter takes a crisp and vivid shot. If you prefer Portrait mode, you’ll be happy to know the N10 does an excellent job of image mapping and creating a natural bokeh. Low-light photos tell much the same story, though you'll likely notice some loss of fine detail. On the front of the phone you’ll find a bezel-less 6.5-inch hole punch display.
Call quality is clear and noise cancellation works without a hitch. Our test speeds averaged 168Mbps down and 78.8Mbps up, which is faster than many broadband connections. The rectangular rear camera bump, in the top left corner, juts out just enough to give the phone a little wobble when it's sitting on a desk. You’ll also find a fingerprint sensor back there that’s quick and accurate.
The OnePlus Nord N10 5G tops our list of budget phones thanks to its strong performance and gorgeous 90Hz display. There are also a few customized apps, such as Gallery and Messages, that feel more refined than what you’ll find on stock Android. The macro lens on the N10 does a decent job with good light and a steady hand. After taking hundreds of photos in our lab trying to isolate the issue, we believe we finally found the culprit. The N10 struggles specifically with low light in the 3,000–4,000K range—the color temperature used for most indoor ambient lighting.
It handily wins our Editors’ Choice award for budget phones. The display is constructed of Gorilla Glass 3 and should handle small drops and dings without much damage. There’s no IP rating for water resistance, so if you drop it in the tub, be prepared to pay for a new phone.
The 2,400-by-1,080-pixel 90Hz LCD is punchy with excellent color accuracy for the price, and is easy to see in direct sunlight. Low-light photos taken under cooler lights, on the other hand, are acceptable. Our test shots still looked soft, and there were large light flares, but noise cancellation worked as intended and there was less noise and blurring overall. OnePlus said it will update the N10 to Android 11 later this year. Samsung's A-series and Android One phones offer multi-year Android updates, and we hope OnePlus and other budget phone makers will follow suit in the future. The primary and ultra-wide lenses on the OnePlus Nord N10 5G both take good photos in good light.
Posted on 2022-06-20 08:55:51
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