Are you thinking of buying a new smartphone and you can’t decide? If you have between 400 and 500 euros, it is likely that two of the options you are considering are the iPhone SE 2020 and the OnePlus Nord. Both devices were released in 2020 and feature premium mid-range specs. They are high-quality terminals, although they are also very different from each other. With one you can enjoy the advantages that Apple gives to the smartphone industry and with another one of a very good Android experience without too many additions. Today we compare the most important points of each device to offer you a final balance with the terminal that is most worthwhile. Let’s go for the OnePlus Nord vs iPhone SE 2020!
A completely different ecosystem and operating system
You probably know this already, but both devices don’t have the same operating system. With the iPhone SE 2020, you will enjoy IOS 13 and many of the subsequent updates that Apple will release. At ProAndroid.com we are fans of Android, but we also know how to appreciate the quality of Apple’s operating system. IOS is a much more closed operating system than Android, although this does not have to be a problem for you. On iPhone SE 2020 you will enjoy the same operating system as on other Apple devices.
In the OnePlus Nord, you will start with Android 10 and you will also enjoy more updates like Android 11. The system is completely different and the good news is that you will enjoy Android without too many additives: the OnePlus layer quite respects the design and functions of Android Stock. This means that you will have a device with much more open software and that you will be able to customize as you wish.
We are not going to go into what OS is best for the average user, you simply have to take into account your tastes and know if the updates are important to you. The iPhone SE 2020 will have more updates for a longer time, while the OnePlus Nord will update to Android 11 and Android 12 and then stagnate.
We cannot speak completely impartially, but we prefer to have the freedom and design of Android over that of IOS on this device.
The screen, the key and most decisive point to discard one of them
There is something that we criticized a lot the day the iPhone SE 2020 was presented and it is the screen. The screen that Apple has included is small for the use that 90% of users make of the smartphone in 2020. Every time more digital content is consumed from the mobile, so opt for such a small screen ( 4.7 inches ) We believe that it is not ideal.
At ProAndroid.com we believe that the screen is one of the most important components of the device, because whenever you use the device you will be using the screen. For this reason, we believe that you should prioritize a quality screen with a good size before the camera or higher performance. Of course, it is our opinion and yours may be different.
The reality is that they are very different screens: 4.7 inches vs. 6.44 inches. The iPhone SE 2020 is a very compact device with which some basic tasks can be tedious with such a small screen. The OnePlus Nord is the opposite because its screen has a large size to view content, play and perform any type of action.
You must think very carefully why you want the device, because if you are going to be playing, YouTube or watching series all day, the iPhone Se 2020 is not a terminal for you. Not for performance or screen quality, but for size. Really, 4.7 inches is a very small size for average smartphone usage in 2020.
Leaving aside the size we have very different resolutions and more interesting technologies in the OnePlus Nord. The iPhone SE 2020 has a screen with a pixel-per-inch density of 326, while the OnePlus has 408. Buying resolutions on such different screen sizes is not the best, but pixels per inch can help you understand the situation.
Lastly, the OnePlus Nord’s display features a 90Hz screen refresh rate. On the iPhone, we did not find this feature and we believe that it should be almost mandatory when buying a device of this price in 2020.
In performance, there is a clear winner, but with many buts
Apple decided to include its most powerful processor in the iPhone SE 2020. It is the same chip that includes the iPhone 11 Pro, one of the most powerful processors in the entire current scene. No game will resist you, and chances are good that you’ll never have any performance issues.
The OnePlus Nord does not have the most powerful processor on the market, although it does have the best in the mid-range. The Snapdragon 765G is a great processor that can run all Google Play games with some ease. It will also be very difficult to find performance problems on this device.
The direct comparison shows us that the iPhone SE 2020 surpasses the OnePlus Nord in performance. It is much more powerful, but there is a great but in the performance of the iPhone SE 2020. Apple has included the most powerful processor on the market on a 4.7-inch screen. The summary is that you can run all the games on the market, but it will be difficult for you to enjoy them in such a panel.
You must have a balance between power and usability, something that the iPhone is left a little aside with the iPhone SE 2020. The OnePlus is not as powerful, but its screen will allow you to enjoy much more of that performance.
Two very different cameras to choose from
In this section, Apple takes the cat to the water when we talk about quality and final photography. If you are going to take the phone and shoot automatically, the iPhone SE 2020 is the best option. Don’t let the numbers fool you, as the OnePlus’ 48 MP is no better than the iPhone’s 12 MP. Apple has included a good camera and the results are noticeable.
Of course, there are details that you should take into account because with the iPhone SE 2020 you will only have an available sensor and little versatility. On the OnePlus, it lowers the quality of the photography slightly, but you will have many more shooting options: wide-angle, macro and portrait mode support.
The iPhone SE 2020 camera offers better results when it comes to opening the camera app and shooting, but the OnePlus will allow you to take photography a little further. We have not thoroughly tested the OnePlus Nord camera, so we cannot say for sure which device we would choose in this section. At the moment we believe that the iPhone is the best option to take normal or portrait mode photos.
Other details to consider between iPhone SE 2020 and OnePlus Nord
There are certain details that are also important and that you should keep in mind. One of them is fast charging of both devices. The iPhone SE 2020 supports 18W charging, but a 5W charger that isn’t fast is included in the device’s box. With the OnePlus Nord, the opposite happens: it includes a 30W charger that is capable of recharging 70% of the battery in just 30 minutes. The difference is abysmal and to get a fast charge on the iPhone you will have to go through the box. The clear winner here is the OnePlus.
We haven’t talked about storage, but it’s something you should keep in mind. The cheapest version of the iPhone SE 2020 includes 64 GB of storage, while the basic version of the OnePlus Nord doubles this figure to 128 GB.
Is wireless charging important to you? The OnePlus Nord lacks it and the iPhone does include it.
Price and conclusions on which device to buy
They are two very complete mid-range devices, with good performance and quality construction. In price, they differ slightly, but there is a clear winner. The OnePlus Nord currently costs 399 euros ($ 465) in its 8 + 128 GB version, while the iPhone SE 2020 rises to 484 euros ($ 564) on Amazon for the 64 GB version.