The $228 OnePlus Nord N300, which is simply out there by way of T-Mobile, is without doubt one of the best-looking telephones I’ve seen on this worth vary. It even has some premium options like 33-watt quick charging and a 90Hz refresh charge show for smoother scrolling. But when you get previous the appears and considerably flashy options, it turns into clear that that is certainly a finances gadget. Those nice-looking rear cameras, for instance, do not all the time take good images. The fast-charging energy adapter is sort of cumbersome and nonetheless takes about an hour to energy up the cellphone from zero to full. The cellphone solely comes with 64GB of onboard storage (which is virtually nothing), however fortunately features a microSD card slot for added house. And whereas I benefit from the design, that is nonetheless a plastic cellphone, and it’ll really feel that means in your hand until you cowl it with a case. The N300’s greatest shortcoming, nonetheless, is the truth that it is going to solely get one software program improve to the present model of Android. That’s disappointing because it means your cellphone could really feel old-fashioned after only a 12 months. 

LikeNice designGood video high quality for the worthIncluded 33W charger

Don’t LikeLimited software program replace timelinePhotography is combined, software program would not assist muchOnly out there on T-Mobile

All that mentioned, the N300 prices a fraction of what you’d usually pay for the standard flagship cellphone just like the Galaxy S22 or iPhone 14. As lengthy as you do not anticipate it to deal with difficult duties like nighttime images and intend on sticking with T-Mobile, it may serve you fairly properly. The cellphone’s lower-end MediaTek Dimensity 810 processor is not quick nevertheless it helps Android 12 fairly properly, giving this cellphone a bonus over some equally priced gadgets that typically wrestle with multitasking. There’s additionally a headphone jack, which is a uncommon discover on costlier telephones. The N300 may even be a greater decide than the corporate’s costlier $300 OnePlus N20, relying on how you are feeling concerning the tradeoffs required to realize that cheaper price. 
The rear of the OnePlus N300.
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OnePlus N300 design, show and software programThe OnePlus N300 has two massive cameras on its again headlined by a 48-megapixel important digicam. The again of the cellphone has a glossy black matte design with a delicate OnePlus image within the middle. For a cellphone this low-cost, there is a welcome sense of favor.The OnePlus N300 has a lower-resolution 6.5-inch show, however the 90Hz refresh charge helped make up for that with clean scrolling and animations. This is not a vivid show, however legibility is nice. It was ample for my rounds of YouTube streaming and light-weight gaming.The cellphone makes use of a teardrop fashion notch for the front-facing digicam, which is straightforward to disregard. But OnePlus does embody the choice to cover the notch with a black bar utilizing the settings menu. In addition to having fun with the cellphone’s rear design, I additionally just like the boxy really feel. It would not arise by itself, however the form lends itself to a sturdiness that I recognize.There’s a aspect key that doubles as an influence button and fingerprint reader, which I choose over in-screen sensors like what’s used within the $300 OnePlus Nord N20 5G. I typically discover in-screen fingerprint readers to be slower.The cameras on the OnePlus N300.
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The N300 contains twin audio system, which is an enchancment over the N20’s single speaker. You can learn my colleague Eli Blumenthal’s evaluation of the OnePlus N20 for extra comparisons. The N20’s greater worth exhibits in different methods, similar to its Snapdragon 695 chip, 6GB of RAM and 64-megapixel important digicam in comparison with the N300’s 4GB and a 48-megapixel important digicam. But the OnePlus N300’s implementation of Android 12 contains a few of the identical options seen on the costlier OnePlus 10T and 10 Pro — a few of which really feel awkward on an entry-level gadget like this. When launching a sport, as an illustration, OnePlus contains the power to tug up statistics on how the sport is working in an overlay — one thing I’d usually discover on a gaming cellphone. A OnePlus consultant mentioned this characteristic carries over from earlier variations of Oxygen OS, which explains quite a bit. The inclusion of this characteristic on the OnePlus N300 appears odd given it might doubtless expose the efficiency hole between its lower-end MediaTek chip and the extra highly effective processors discovered on different OnePlus telephones. The gaming panel on the OnePlus N300.
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The sport statistics widget and different OnePlus customizations are simple sufficient to show off within the settings menu. For instance, I instantly deactivated a widgets display screen which you can entry by flattening from the highest proper nook of the display screen that bought in the best way of viewing notifications. Since the OnePlus N300 is presently unique to T-Mobile, the gadget has a T-Mobile Play feed that lives alongside Google’s Discover feed. It’s simple to disregard, however I’d be comfortable to cease seeing it. Unfortunately there are not any plans for an unlocked model of the OnePlus N300 within the US, so these T-Mobile skins aren’t prone to go away.The OnePlus N300 will obtain one main working system replace to Android 13 and two years of safety updates. That’s on par with the $258 TCL Stylus 5G, however lower than comparable telephones bought by Motorola and Samsung. Those telephones supply not less than three years of safety updates along with not less than one main system replace. OnePlus N300 digicam The OnePlus N300 digicam bump jogs my memory of the iPhone 11’s twin cameras in look. But the images from the principle 48-megapixel digicam and the 2-megapixel depth lens doesn’t come near what the iPhone can output. Whether open air or indoors, images have been a combination between first rate to noticeably pixelated relying on the scene and digital zoom degree. OnePlus flaunts AI-based options tailor-made to seize surroundings, meals and nighttime images, however I did not see a lot enchancment with these photos both. A OnePlus consultant solely instructed me that the cellphone makes use of state of affairs detection expertise to optimize for issues like a sundown, blue sky or inexperienced grass. Night mode additionally would not appear to make a lot of a distinction. I took a photograph of my good friend’s cat Kai utilizing the digicam’s normal mode and evening mode, and the images seemed virtually similar. The solely noticeable discrepancy was that the picture of Kai’s fur seemed barely whiter within the evening mode photograph however particulars and textures seem smooth in each photos. Kai the cat in a standard photograph on the OnePlus N300.
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Kai the cat shot on the OnePlus N300 with evening mode turned on.
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The cellphone’s digicam has a really shallow depth of area and struggled to concentrate on the complete scene in sure eventualities. For instance, within the photograph under of my dinner, the sashimi is in-focus and the opposite sushi rolls are blurry.Sushi photograph taken on OnePlus N300.
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But in case you’re not explicit about evening mode or zoom high quality, you’Il doubtless benefit from the N300’s images. When I took the N300 on a visit to the San Diego Zoo on a beautiful barely overcast day, images have been advantageous so long as I did not zoom. You can see noticeable strands of fur on a polar bear that was having its lunch. Giraffes and zebras that have been principally stationary additionally seemed good.Polar bear on the San Diego Zoo, shot on the OnePlus Nord N300.
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Zebra at San Diego Zoo, shot on the OnePlus N300.
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Giraffe at San Diego Zoo, shot on OnePlus N300.
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But there’s a noticeable degradation when utilizing the cellphone’s digital zoom. Notice how the pink panda seemed within the photograph under appears distorted. Red panda photograph shot on the OnePlus N300.
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Video, alternatively, is definitely fairly good for a cellphone on this worth vary. My footage from the rear digicam has a passable quantity of element. It’s nothing remotely near the iPhone’s Cinematic Mode, after all, however my clips seemed surprisingly sharp for a $200 cellphone. Video is often a weak level on telephones that price $400 and fewer, with apparent blurriness and artifacting even in nice lighting situations. But I might be comfortable to save lots of and share video clips taken by the N300 with different folks, which I would not usually say with telephones on this worth vary.

The cellphone’s 16-megapixel selfie digicam additionally does a great job throughout video calls and when taking selfies. That is likely to be extra essential than the rear cameras for many individuals. My outside selfies taken close to San Diego’s Balboa Park have been particularly good, and my indoor ones taken at The Museum of Us have been OK. I additionally seemed clear in each single and group video calls.Outdoor selfie at San Diego Zoo, taken on OnePlus N300.
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Indoor selfie at The Museum of Us, taken on the OnePlus N300.
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I would not name this an ideal finances cellphone digicam by any means. But it’s a stable starter cellphone for somebody who primarily desires clear selfies and video calls. The OnePlus N300 ships with a 33W charger.
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OnePlus N300 battery life and chargingThe OnePlus N300’s 5,000mAh battery has greater than sufficient energy to get by way of a day. I sometimes discovered the cellphone to final a complete day with each heavy utilization and occasional utilization, with roughly 3 hours display screen time leaving me at about 35% of battery life. Power saving settings offered by OnePlus’s Oxygen OS are additionally appreciated, exhibiting estimates of how a lot battery life I may save by turning down the refresh charge or switching off GPS. The OnePlus N300 can cost at a velocity of as much as 33 watts, and by chance the required energy adapter is included within the field. That’s uncommon now that almost all cellphone makers now not embody charging bricks of their telephones’ packaging, which means you often have to purchase a appropriate quick charger individually. But this explicit charger is huge in comparison with different adapters that assist this wattage.Most of my charging assessments have been quick for a cellphone of this worth, however they weren’t mind-blowingly quick like what chances are you’ll expertise on the OnePlus 10T and 10 Pro. I used to be typically capable of cost the N300 from a low battery proportion (sometimes between 2% to 11%) to 93% to 96% inside 55 minutes. When there’s much less time, the N300 would get to roughly 30% after 15 minutes of charging.These charging speeds are nice for a finances cellphone, however I’m extra impressed by the power-saving options that assist stretch extra out of the battery.Photos on the OnePlus N300.
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OnePlus N300: Bottom lineThe OnePlus N300 would possibly really feel like a $228 cellphone when utilizing it, however that is not essentially a foul factor. Especially contemplating the cellphone appears good and has a stable 16-megapixel entrance digicam. The battery financial savings options are helpful for maximizing the gadget’s battery life. Even although I’m not loopy about the principle digicam, images look advantageous in good lighting as long as you are not counting on the digital zoom or AI options in Oxygen OS. Video seize can also be surprisingly good for a cellphone at this worth, which is significant since that is often a serious shortcoming of finances telephones.The greatest points with the N300 are its restricted Android software program improve assist and availability. The cellphone launches with Android 12 and solely will get one improve to the present model of Android, which means you may miss out on main future updates. It’s additionally solely out there on T-Mobile, so that you’re out of luck in case you use a special service. Otherwise it could possibly be an ideal choice for somebody that desires to spend lower than $250 with out committing to a service settlement.

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