OnePlus and Oppo are two very closely linked companies. The two are part of the same BKK electronics family, and that means - while they run separately - they generally us a lot of the same technology and features in their phones. So when they launch phones that look the same and feature a lot of the same specs, the obvious comparisons are made. This is one of them. 

Both Oppo and OnePlus have joined in the hotly contested competition in the mid-range smartphone market with their own take on a more affordable phone that almost acts like a flagship, but doesn't cost anywhere near £1,000. For Oppo, that's the Find X2 Neo, and for OnePlus it's the recently launched Nord

OnePlus Nord 5G AC2003 Dual SIM 128GB + 8GB RAM (GSM Only | No CDMA) Factory Unlocked 5G Smartphone (Gray Onyx) - International Version

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Design

  • Oppo: 159.4 x 72.4 x 7.7mm
  • OnePlus: 158.3 x 73.3 x 8.2mm
  • Oppo: 171 grams
  • OnePlus: 184 grams 
  • Oppo: Starry Blue and Moonlight Black colours
  • OnePlus: Blue Marble and Grey Onyx colours
  • Oppo: Curved glass front and back, metal edges
  • OnePlus: Curved glass on the back only, plastic edges

Despite having similar specs internally, the design of these two phones is different enough that it's unlikely you'll get the two confused. It starts with colours. OnePlus has an almost baby blue finish and a dark grey, whereas Oppo has a more royal blue colour gradient and a pure black option. 

Both phones have the camera housing built into the top left corner on the back, but OnePlus has a pill-shaped look while Oppo has a rectangle with rounded corners. Likewise, the Oppo's front glass panel has curved sides, where OnePlus has a completely flat glass panel on the front. 

As for size and weight, the Oppo is thinner and narrower. Plus, it has metal edges all the way around the phone while OnePlus went with plastic. Neither phone has an official IP-rating for water or dust resistance. 

Both phones feature hole-punch camera cutouts in the front for the selfie cameras, but OnePlus has a double cutout and Opp only has the single camera. OnePlus does have a physical alert slider switch on the right side, which Oppo doesn't have. 

Display

  • Oppo: 6.5-inch 1080x2400 AMOLED panel
  • OnePlus: 6.44-inch 1080x2400 AMOLED panel
  • Both: 90Hz refresh rate

Apart from the shape, there's little to separate the two phone screens. The both have fullHD+ (1080 x 2400) resolution AMOLED panels, and that should mean similar performance in terms of sharpness, colours and contrast. They also both have 90Hz refresh rates, and that means smooth animations across the board. 

Where you might see the difference is in the curved edges on the Oppo. A flat screen on the OnePlus should mean less likelihood of the imagery getting distorted near the edges. 

Oppo has a peak brightness of 500 nits, while OnePlus goes up to 1000 nits, so it should be noticeably brighter.  

Hardware and performance

  • Both: Snapdragon 765G processor
  • Oppo:  12GB/256GB storage
  • OnePlus: 8GB/128GB and 12GB/256GB models
  • Oppo: 4025mAh battery
  • OnePlus: 4115mAh battery
  • Both: 30W flash charging (around 70% in 30 mins)

Look at the spec sheet and very little is different between these two in terms of power and internal hardware. They both use the same Snapdragon 765G processor, and that means they're both capable of 5G (presuming you have the coverage). 

In terms of storage, OnePlus does offer a lower 8GB/128GB configuration than Oppo, which in turn means the barrier to entry - or lowest price - is lower (more on that later). Both phones are available with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, so there's parity there. 

As for battery power, there's not a lot of difference here either. It's a case of one phone having 4025mAh (Oppo) and the other having 4115mAh (OnePlus). In the grand scheme of things, that's not a massive difference at all. Both also feature the same 30W flash charging technology to top them up quickly too. 

Software

  • Oppo: ColorOS 7 on Android 10
  • OnePlus: Oxygen OS 10.5 on Android 10

Oppo and OnePlus take different approaches to software. While OnePlus has become closer to stock Android (if there is such a thing now), Oppo has a slightly heavier looking skin to make it look and feel a bit different. 

For instance, Oppo has its own apps for messages, calendar and phone calls, but OnePlus uses the Google default ones that you'd get on a Pixel or Android One device. 

Both phones have their software built on top of Android 10 though, and so the foundations of the software are the same. 

Cameras

  • Oppo: quad-camera system
    • 48MP f/1.7 main with OIS
    • 13MP f/2.4 telephoto
    • 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide
    • 2MP monochrome/B&W
  • OnePlus: quad-camera system
    • 48MP f/1.75 main with OIS
    • 8MP ultrawide f/2.25
    • 2MP macro
    • 5MP depth
  • Oppo: Single 32MP selfie camera
  • OnePlus: Dual selfie camera - 32MP and 8MP ultrawide

Os we often find with Oppo and OnePlus, it's in the camera department where the companies take different paths. Both feature a similar 48-megapixel primary camera with optical image stabilisation. They both also have an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera (although the Oppo has a slightly wider aperture on both of those). 

Where Oppo differs is that instead of having the low-resolution depth and macro sensors that OnePlus has in its Nord phone, the Find X2 is instead equipped with a telephoto zoom for up to 2x optical zoom. It also has a black and white sensor for further visual information. 

On the front, both have a 32-megapixel selfie camera, but OnePlus has added a second 8-megapixel ultrawide one to the mix as well, to give you more versatility in your selfie snaps. 

Price

  • Oppo: £599
  • OnePlus: From £379

If it's value for money you're looking for here, the OnePlus' lower storage/RAM on the entry model could be tempting. It's only £379, compared to the Oppo which has one variant that's more than £200 more expensive. 

Even comparing the two equal 12/256GB models, the OnePlus is still a good £130 cheaper at £469. 

OPPO Find X2 Neo (5G) CPH2009 Single-SIM 256GB + 12GB RAM (GSM Only | No CDMA) Factory Unlocked Smartphone - International Version (Moonlight Black)

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Conclusion

It's hard to look past the OnePlus Nord in this spec comparison, purely because of its price. It's a minimum of £130 cheaper (if you want the maxed-out version), and a hefty £220 cheaper when you go for the lower tier model. Considering most of the specs are very similar, and knowing OnePlus' approach to clean, fluid software, that's a very attractive proposition. 

Oppo does have its attraction here though. It has a more elegant design with premium materials, and the telephoto lens does give it a bit of an edge in the camera department.