OnePlus Nord 4: A Competitive Mid-Range Smartphone in the Indian Market

OnePlus Nord 4 vs Realme GT 6T: Which Should You Buy?

OnePlus has finally launched its Nord 4 in India, but there's a twist. After the OnePlus 5T, the brand is going back to its metal roots with the Nord 4. The design is also very different from its Chinese counterpart. However, the specifications and pricing of the phone make it directly go against the Realme GT 6T in the segment. So, if you're in the market for a powerful mid-ranger, should you get the GT 6T or settle for the latest Nord? I spent almost a week with the two, and here's my detailed comparison of the OnePlus Nord 4 and Realme GT 6T. When it comes to box contents, both the Nord 4 and GT 6T keep you heavily sorted on that front. Alongside the units themselves, you get the following things in the retail box of the two phones: Talking about the phones, I have with me the Nord 4's Obsidian Midnight and GT 6T's Fluid Silver color variants. Now, I was a bit disappointed to see the Nord 4 arrive with a transparent case in the box. I wish it had a color-matching case instead, like other OnePlus phones. I have always had a soft spot for phones with an all-metal build. So, the Nord 4's clever mixture of glass and metal certainly and instantly stands out in comparison to the GT 6T. The metal frame extends into the back panel in a more durable unibody fashion. Meanwhile, the individual camera sensors are placed on a super-reflective glass that doubles down as a mini mirror. On the other hand, the Realme GT 6T instantly felt slightly lighter and sleeker in hand. It's gripper too, thanks to the curvier design. However, the in-hand feel takes a hit due to the all-plastic build. I don't like the dual-tone design of the 6T. At least the Realme GT 6 (Review) had better build quality going for it, thereby negating this design choice by a bit. Thanks to the metal body of the Nord 4, the back panel is not a fingerprint magnet. But, the GT 6T's glass-mimicking plastic panel certainly is, and since I was using it without a case, I found myself constantly wiping off the smudges. I was particularly impressed by the overall weight balance and smart design choices of the Nord 4. Despite being a glass and metal phone, it didn't feel all that hefty in comparison. Moreover, when placed flat on a desk, it doesn't wobble from any angle. A very aggressive tapping test concluded it. Whereas, the GT 6T has poor weight balance, with the camera module side pulling it down a bit. There's also terrible wobbling. I'm not fond of the one-sided button placement on the two phones either. However, the Nord 4's metal buttons certainly felt more durable with no rattling whatsoever. The GT 6T's buttons felt cheaper to the touch, although tactile enough. The Nord 4 also has the alert slider advantage, retaining the OG left-side placement of it. The silver variant also has this orange accent on it, like iPhones do, which I'm sad the other variants don't sport. Moving on to the display, I instantly noticed that the Realme GT 6T's 6.78-inch display is significantly brighter than the Nord 4's 6.74-inch panel. So, I had to do a quick test using the Lux Meter at the office, and the GT 6T reached 2,700 nits of its local 6,000 nits peak brightness. On the other hand, the Nord 4 hit around 2,000 nits of its claimed 2,150 nits peak brightness. Overall, both indoors and outdoors, the GT 6T appears way brighter. However, the Nord 4 is plenty bright and while it fades away in comparison, it doesn't cause any visibility issues. While the viewing angles are good on both, the extra brightness on the GT 6T does help. The GT 6T also softens incoming light sources, thereby appearing less reflective than the Nord 4. While both the panels are 120Hz AMOLED panels, the GT 6T is backed by LTPO tech. That is certainly a big advantage, especially in terms of power efficiency, which we'll talk about later. In terms of color reproduction, the blacks look deeper too on the GT 6T. While both panels are backed by 100% DCI-P3, there is a certain richness in the GT 6T's colors, making the Nord look paler in comparison. Most importantly, the GT 6T's curved display makes viewing content an absolute pleasure. Bezels are sleeker on the GT 6T as well. There's also Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on top of the GT 6T, while the Nord 4 uses Panda Glass. I'd definitely not lose sleep over dropping the GT 6T a couple of times. However, the speakers are where the Nord 4 takes the crown. While both are stereo speakers with a dedicated grille for the second speaker, the Nord 4's audio output is louder and richer. Meanwhile, the GT 6T's speakers are loud enough but flat, with scrambled mids and lows. When it comes to performance, both phones are powered by the 4nm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3. The processor is paired with up to 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage on the Nord 4, while the GT 6T offers a 512GB variant as well with the same RAM and storage types. With that out of the way, here's a quick rundown of how the phones fared in daily usage, benchmarks, and gaming performance: Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 coupled with top-of-the-line RAM and storage type basically means that you will barely see any lag on either of the devices. On top of that, both Realme UI and OxygenOS are seamless and often top-tier software experiences as well (more on this later). From having 30 different apps running in the background to who knows how many tabs open in Chrome, I tried pushing the devices to their limits. However, they didn't break and consistently performed well throughout. RAM management is also stellar on the two, with most apps conveniently resuming from where I had left them. Next up, I ran a series of tests, from AnTuTu and Geekbench to CPU throttling and 3DMark. Take a look: The best thing is that neither of the two phones went over 38 degrees when running these benchmarks in an AC environment, which is very impressive. I was particularly impressed with the Nord 4 since it sports an all-metal body and I sure did expect it to get warmer. The heat dissipation is also rather quick on the Nord 4, while the GT 6T takes its sweet time to cool down. Don't let the lower benchmark scores of the Nord 4 throw you off, as it doesn't falter in games. From BGMI and CoD Mobile to the more graphic-intensive Genshin Impact and Warzone Mobile, I ran a wide variety of titles on both phones. Here's a quick rundown of the settings in games you get out of them: In terms of software, the Nord 4's Android 14-based OxygenOS is very similar to that of the GT 6T's Realme UI running on the same Android version. From the app icons to the settings panel, everything looks and feels the same. But.... There's a big problem with the Nord 4 - it has a lot of bloatware. We are talking about 11 preloaded apps to be specific. This is more than even the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite's (Review) 9 bloatware apps. I don't understand why OnePlus went ahead and finalized this choice. On the other hand, the Realme GT 6T has just 4 bloatware apps. But, OnePlus gets a major one-up by providing a whopping 6 years of software update support (4 years of OS updates, and 6 years of security patches). On the other hand, the Realme GT 6T provides you with 3 years of major OS updates and 4 years of security patches. The Nord 4 also brings a good number of useful AI features like AI Note Summary, AI Audio Summary, AI Writer, AI Linkboost, and AI Best Face (much like Google's Best Take). All of these features are not available on the GT 6T as of now. However, you do get the AI Eraser on both phones. The haptic feedback on the two phones is also similar, and I could barely tell them apart. UI animations looked slightly better on the Nord 4 though, thanks to the latest OxygenOS 14.1 changes. And, that wraps up the software department, pretty much! The camera setup of the two phones is also very similar. Both mid-rangers sport a 50MP Sony LYT 600 at the helm, coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide sensor. At the front, however, the GT 6T features a 32MP sensor, while the Nord 4 brings a 16MP shooter. Keeping these on-paper details aside, I took the two setups out on a real-world test, and here's a rundown: During the day, there's an odd yellow tinge in the GT 6T's shots, while the Nord 4 captures more natural colors. The GT 6T also has some trouble handling light sources well, causing pictures to turn up darker in comparison to the Nord 4's shots. The dynamic range is okay on both phones, although not the best. There's also not much of a color disparity between the primary sensor and the ultra-wide of the two phones. At night as well, the Nord 4 captures slightly better photos, thanks to its good lighting control. The GT 6T doesn't just boost the colors, but also overly brightens light sources at night, making shots look unnaturally bright. While it may appeal to some aesthetically, I like the more earthy tones of the Nord 4. Shadows are also better captured by the Nord 4. Details are maintained well by both phones though, and there's very little noise. Both the Nord 4 and GT 6T capture good selfies, but again, the Nord 4 captures more natural skin tones. And, yet again, the GT 6T can be seen boosting each and every color unnecessarily. Detail retention is more or less the same on both phones. As for videos, both phones let you capture at up to 4K 60FPS through the primary setup. Meanwhile, the front sensor is limited to 4K 30FPS. I liked the Nord 4's video quality better, thanks to slightly more stabilization and natural colors. Lately, we've been seeing a lot of 5,500mAh battery units in phones, and both the Nord 4 and GT 6T pack the same capacity as well. The Nord 4 is backed by 100W fast charging support, while the GT 6T offers 120W. While both are excellent choices in the Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 segment, I would personally choose the Nord 4. The all-metal body's premium look and feel stand out in a sea of plastic phones. The alert slider makes things very convenient as well. What impressed me more is that, despite the metal body, there is no throttling or overheating of sorts, keeping me from nitpicking. If you want a better multimedia experience, the Realme GT 6T's stunning display makes it the more practical option. The battery life is also better, thanks to the LTPO tech this display brings. But, keep those things aside and the Nord 4 just feels like a better phone throughout. Besides, with the phones carrying the same processor under the hood, you get identical performance. The software experience is also pretty much the same, minus the additional bloatware you get on the Nord 4. However, the Nord 4's 6 years of software updates is a big advantage, making it more future-proof. The Nord 4's better camera performance makes it an ideal phone for budding shutterbugs as well. All things considered, the Nord 4 is emerging victorious as the more well-balanced device. Check out our complete review of the OnePlus Nord 4 for in-depth information about the latest mid-ranger. Now, if you have any other queries, do take to the comments down below and I'll get back to you in a jiffy!

OnePlus Nord 4 vs Motorola Edge 50 Pro: Mid-Range Battle Winner?

The newly launched OnePlus Nord 4 starting at Rs 29,999 directly goes against the Motorola Edge 50 Pro in that segment. Both phones are meant for conversely different kinds of users. So, if you're unsure about which phone to lean on, this detailed comparison I've crafted should clear all your doubts. I've spent a good whole week testing the two phones. So, if you're shopping around for a smartphone under Rs 30,000, which is the better option - OnePlus Nord 4 or Motorola Edge 50 Pro? Let's find out! If you're worried about the box contents of the two phones, don't worry. From the compatible respective fast chargers and Type-C cables right in the box to a case and SIM ejector tool, everything's right there in the box. However, this time, OnePlus provided an ordinary transparent silicone case for the Nord 4, and I'd have liked to see a color-matched case instead like the Edge 50 Pro's. After quite some time, OnePlus has used an all-metal body with the Nord 4. I have with me the Obsidian Midnight color of the Nord 4, and I really liked the brushed gunmetal design at the back. It also feels very smooth to the touch, and the metal heft feels very premium in hand. On the other hand, Motorola's love for vegan leather is well-reflected with the Egde 50 Pro. I have the Lux Lavender color option of the phone. The phone instantly feels lighter and sleeker in hand. If you prefer leather backs, you'll instantly develop a soft spot for the Edge 50 Pro. But, the frame is plastic here. However, I noticed that the frame does not meet the back panel at the edges entirely. Due to this, the phone feels sharp and uncomfortable in hand. Besides, in just the three months that we've had the Edge 50 Pro, the vegan leather at the back has started scraping off. So, you will definitely need to put on a cover to protect that. Besides, the camera module placement of the Edge 50 Pro makes it wobble like a water ripple, while the Nord 4 stays completely stable. Both phones have an awkward button placement though, stuffing it all on the right. But, the Nord 4's buttons are more reliable than that of the Edge 50 Pro's plastic buttons, although tactile enough. Taking the overall design of the two phones into consideration, I will easily give the Nord 4 a win here. In terms of display size, the Nord 4's 6.74-inch AMOLED panel is not much bigger than the Edge 50 Pro's 6.7-inch pOLED panel. Both displays offer very similar and adequately bright visibility indoors and outdoors. The two panels offer 1.5K resolution as well, with the Nord 4 sporting slightly more pixels. So, what's the difference? Now, while the Nord 4 offers Panda Glass protection on top, Motorola hasn't revealed anything about the Edge 50 Pro's display protection. I'm guessing there isn't any, for the display collected scratches too easily. Here's a look: It's a curved display as well, so you will have to be extra careful with it. As for speakers, both pack a dual-speaker setup, with the Nord 4 having a dedicated grille for the second speaker while the Edge 50 Pro's receiver doubles down as one. Talking about the audio output quality, the Nord 4 offers a richer output. The highs, lows, and mids are well-defined, delivering a better listening experience. The Edge 50 Pro's Dolby Atmos comes in handy when using earphones. Overall, the multimedia experience is definitely better on the Nord 4. Out of the box, while the Nord 4 runs on the Android 14-based OxygenOS, the Edge 50 Pro runs on Hello UI. Not too long ago, Motorola dumped its MyUX skin to transition to the Hello UI, and I have been liking it big time, lately. The more seamless UI animations and a revamped Control Center bring a whole new feel to the bloatware-free skin. On the other hand, the Nord 4 comes with a disappointing 11 pre-installed apps. However, OxygenOS 14.1 brings smooth UI animations throughout and the overall experience is not cheap. It's just that, in comparison, the Hello UI just looks and feels better. Hello UI shines brighter in terms of features as well. I'm particularly fond of Hello UI's Smart Connect, which is much like Samsung Dex. It works extremely well and helps you create your very own ecosystem with your devices. While you can use Multi-Screen Connect with Oppo and OnePlus devices, it's not as intuitive and has its own limitations. There are two areas where Hello UI loses to OxygenOS - software support and AI features. The Nord 4's OxygenOS 14.1 brings AI Eraser, AI Writer, AI Audio Summary, and whatnot. Most importantly, I used these features and they worked really well. That really did make me wonder why Hello UI's terrible Made by AI generative wallpapers feature even exists. The haptic feedback integration with the UI is better on OxygenOS though. Hello UI is very inconsistent with haptic integration, and it can get very uncomfortably harsh at times. The most impressive thing is the Nord 4's 4 years of major OS updates and 6 years of security patches. On the other hand, you get a 3+4 combo with the Edge 50 Pro, given that Motorola even rolls out those updates timely. So far, the Nord 4 has mostly been ahead of the Edge 50 Pro in this comparison race. But, the performance department is where it uses nitro and boosts off way ahead. Comparing the Edge 50 Pro's Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 to the Nord 4's Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is actually unfair, the latter is just that powerful. The Edge 50 Pro also brings you slower UFS 2.2 storage and LPDDR4X RAM types. On the other hand, with the Nord 4, you get UFS 4.0 and LPDDR5X. Both are available in up to the 12GB/256GB variants. This significant difference in performance is clearly visible across all benchmarks, daily performance as well as settings in games. Here's a rundown of it all: While you won't see much of a difference in medium usage on the two phones, the Edge 50 Pro starts succumbing to heavy usage, displaying minor stutters. To particularly test the phones out, I kept around 30 apps running in the background, and that's where I saw these stutters. On the other hand, the Nord 4 handled it all like a charm. RAM management is also better on the Nord 4, while the Edge 50 Pro had a tough time resuming even 5 out of 10 apps from where I'd left them. This difference in performance is all too evident in benchmarks as well. I ran a bunch of them, and here's a quick rundown: The gaming performance of the Nord 4 stands out as well, delivering better frames and more settings in all the games. From CoD Mobile and Warzone Mobile to BGMI and Genshin Impact, I have played all those games on the two phones. Here's a look at the kind of settings you get on the two in these games: The camera department is where the Motorola Edge 50 Pro looks better on paper, finally. While the Nord 4 comes with a 50MP Sony LYT 600 primary rear camera sensor and an 8MP Sony IMX355 secondary ultra-wide sensor, the Edge 50 Pro comes with a triple rear camera setup. While the sensor details are not known, the Moto phone sports a 50MP + 13MP + 10MP combo. The 10MP sensor is a telephoto with 3X optical zoom capabilities. At the front, while the Nord 4 features a 16MP sensor, the Edge 50 Pro brings a 50MP selfie shooter to the table. Enough about the on-paper camera specs of the device. Let's take a look at how it translates in real life! The Nord 4's shots instantly appealed to me more during the day. The Motorola Edge 50 Pro saturates the colors way too much, making them appear very artificial. Plus, you get more details out of the Nord 4. However, the Edge 50 Pro has the telephoto advantage, letting you zoom in quite a bit more. Dynamic range is better on the Nord 4's shots, with shadows and highlights being balanced out better in comparison to the Edge 50 Pro. Human portraits turn out better with the Nord 4 as well, although both phones offer good depth mapping and edge detection. The unnatural processing of the Edge 50 Pro ruins the skin tones and surrounding colors, which doesn't appeal to me one bit. There's some color disparity between the Edge 50 Pro's sensors, while the Nord 4 maintains visibly more parity. At night as well, the Nord 4 captures better details. However, it doesn't handle light sources as well as the Edge 50 Pro. You can see the light sources blowing out by a bit, while the Edge 50 Pro contains them all too well. The Edge 50 Pro doesn't boost the colors at night as much as it does during the day, which allows the shots to look better for a change. When it comes to selfies though, the Edge 50 Pro captures visibly more details owing to its 50MP sensor. However, the Edge 50 Pro's selfie shooter washes out the colors instead, thereby changing the color tones by quite a bit. On the other hand, the Nord 4 captures selfies as is, delivering richer yet unsaturated colors. Talking about videos, the Nord 4's primary sensor can shoot up to 4K 60FPS videos. On the other hand, the Edge 50 Pro is limited to 4K 30FPS. However, at the front, the Nord 4 is limited to 1080p 30FPS, while the Edge 50 Pro can do 4K 30FPS as well as 1080p 60FPS. Since both the setups offer OIS, you get to see stable videos through the rear sensors. However, just like with photos, the Edge 50 Pro slightly boosts colors, which may not appeal to you. When it comes to battery life, the Nord 4 packs a big 5,500mAh battery, while the Edge 50 Pro comes with a much smaller 4,500mAh unit. When testing, in medium usage of playing YouTube videos and playing some games, I got a screen-on-time of 6 hours on the Nord 4. Conversely, the Edge 50 Pro delivers around 6 hours and 43 minutes of screen on time. The Edge 50 Pro's Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 doesn't require as much power as the more capable 7+ Gen 3 powering the Nord 4. So, automatically, the power draw is very low, thereby delivering more SoT. Charging speeds are similar on the two phones. The Nord 4 impressed me by charging its massive battery fully in just around 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro takes around the same time to top off its smaller battery with faster charging. It goes without saying that the Nord 4 is the clear winner of this comparison. From a better multimedia experience and solid metal body to being miles ahead in terms of performance, the Nord 4 dusts off the Edge 50 Pro like it's nothing. BUT, if you're in the market for solely a camera-centric device that also brings a bloatware-free UI along, the Edge 50 Pro makes sense. Then again, the Edge 50 Pro's image saturation may not appeal to everyone, and I like the Nord 4's primary sensor's performance better. The Motorola Edge 50 Pro does capture better selfies though. Also, there's no denying though that the Edge 50 Pro's telephoto sensor has the upper hand. If you need the telephoto sensor and better selfie shooter that badly and don't mind the performance decrement, you can get the Edge 50 Pro. Ultimately, the software experience is another area where the Edge 50 Pro shines. But, the Nord 4 is the better all-rounder and an easier recommendation from my side. Another capable competitor of the Nord 4 is the Realme GT 6T. Check out our OnePlus Nord 4 vs Realme GT 6T comparison.

OnePlus Nord 4 vs IQOO Neo 9 Pro: Best Midrange Phone?

There have been only a couple of midrange devices that have come close to the prowess of the IQOO Neo 9 Pro. So how does it compare to the newly launched OnePlus Nord 4? A device that offers all-around value for money. I have used both devices extensively and this OnePlus Nord 4 vs IQOO Neo 9 Pro comparison should help you decide which device to go for. To start off, both brands don't disappoint when we talk about the unboxing experience. You'll get all the goodies you could ask for within the box itself. This includes the phone itself, the charging brick which is 100 Watts for OnePlus and 120 Watts for IQOO. You also get a transparent silicon case for both devices, a SIM ejector pin, and the manual and warranty papers. OnePlus does take a minor leap with stickers and their Red Cable Club card that comes bundled in. In terms of design, both phones bring something special to the table. The IQOO Neo 9 Pro that we have comes with a Red and white stitched leather-like back while OnePlus Nord 4 brings back the beloved metal design. This has been something that I dearly miss in phones nowadays. As you can tell from the images, both phones rock huge camera sensors at the back. IQOO went for a vertical setup while OnePlus opted for a more spread-out horizontal style. This prevents the Nord 4 from stumbling when laid on a flat table. Apart from their design, both devices have similar placements with power and volume buttons on the right, a USB-C port, a SIM card tray, and a speaker grill at the bottom. OnePlus fan-favorite alert slider is placed on the left this time (like it should be) and the IR blaster at the top. This is missing on the Neo 9 Pro. I have to give this one to OnePlus. While the Neo 9 Pro's false leather back does look cool, the Nord 4 hit it out of the ballpark with its metal + glass design. Its compact size makes it easy to hold, not to forget how much of a premium feeling metal offers. It just invokes the sense that you are holding a quality device in your hands. Winner: OnePlus Nord 4 Now that we have discussed the back, let's talk about the front. Both devices come with a 1.5k Full HD+ display which is a flat panel. Now, the competition is pretty neck-to-neck in this department. But the IQOO has an edge with a higher peak brightness of 3000 nits compared to 2150 nits. Plus a high 144 Hz refresh rate compared to OnePlus' 120 Hz. In regular usage, I can tell that IQOO's screen was more visible as I was taking photos on the bright sunny weekends in Delhi. As someone who often watches content on the go, I often felt the need to crank up the brightness on the OnePlus which wasn't an issue on the other device. The colors also pop out a bit more on the Neo. It takes complete advantage of its 6.78-inch size however, certain objects and colors look better on the Nord 4 thanks to higher pixel density. You can adjust a bunch of display settings of IQOO, but I'd prefer the OnePlus display for consuming content as long as I decide to stay indoors. When you go outside, IQOO is the clear winner. Speakers and Haptics But what's a display without a good set of stereo speakers? Both devices come with a dual stereo setup that gets plenty loud. The audio experience is enjoyable here. But while listening to Sabrina Carpentar's viral hit "Espresso", I noticed that IQOO's speakers sound clear at louder volumes. Whereas OnePlus went for a louder route that added a distorted effect to the audio. For haptics, I think both phones offer a decent experience but the Nord 4 takes the cake in this one. You can thank the O haptics here and how well they are integrated into the UI. It's tactile, precise, and clicky, in comparison with Neo 9's soft vibrations. You feel compelled to keep vibrations enabled on the Nord 4. Winner: IQOO Neo 9 Pro On the software side of things, you will get Android 14 right out of the box on both phones. The IQOO Neo 9 Pro comes with the latest FuntouchOS 14 which will 3 major Android updates. And OxygenOS 14.1 for OnePlus Nord 4 which will get a longer 4-year update cycle. At a glance, most of you would opt for the latter because of its reputation for serving no bloatware. But that is not the case anymore. The Nord 4 comes with 11 pre-installed apps which is way more than IQOO. They have also included a Glance lock screen, ads in Global Search, and a security page when you install apps. If it wasn't for the logo, I would have assumed I was using a budget Oppo or Realme device. You see overall I lean towards FuntouchOS in this scenario. It feels smooth, and snappy and has tons of customizations. OxygenOS also brings in tons of customizations and even AI features. But the state it ships in the Nord 4 spoils the mood. Suffice it to say that if you are looking for a clean experience, neither will serve you right. Winner: IQOO Neo 9 Pro Performance is often the make or break factor for many, especially smartphone gamers when it comes to buying a phone. Now you are getting pretty beefy specs with the two devices here. OnePlus which rocks the latest Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and IQOO that features last year's flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Both are covered by 8 or 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage. You can look at our 7+ Gen 3 vs 8 Gen 2 comparison to check them in detail. But in simple terms, the 8 Gen 2 is the clear winner no matter how you look at it. Here are some benchmark results of the two. Day-to-Day Usage In everyday use, I don't think you would have a bone to pick with either of the devices. Both run pretty smooth overall, though I would say that animations look snappy and the response is faster on the Neo 9 Pro. No matter how much I push the two phones, they were handling it with charm but OnePlus felt like it needed a breather from time to time. This was evident when switching from an ongoing match of Call of Duty Mobile, to WhatsApp to reply to a text. The phone stuttered and took a second to get back in the game. I don't consider it a major problem, and there will be updates to iron out these hiccups. Overall, both phones don't offer much to complain about in everyday use. Gaming Performance This part could be a crucial segment for you if performance is on your top list of priorities. We have laid down a table showing the max FPS and the graphic settings both OnePlus and IQOO were able to run. Have a look at it. If it wasn't clear from the table, let me tell you that IQOO has been the gaming champ no matter what game you throw at it. The phone has been a champ, even as the best value-for-money device in our best gaming phone video. Nord 4's 7+ Gen 3 also does a decent job when you think about it as a mid-ranger. It performs well in most games but demanding titles won't feel as smooth as they do on the Neo 9 Pro. This is the only phone to handle Warzone even in its launch state decently. Even while playing prolonged sessions, the phone shows no signs of major heating. Winner: IQOO Neo 9 Pro Apart from specs, the other important aspect of a phone is its cameras. The OnePlus Nord 4 has a 50 MP Sony LYT 600 main sensor. The IQOO Neo 9 Pro also features a 50 MP primary camera, however, it is Sony's flagship IMX 920 sensor. Both are coupled with an 8 MP ultrawide angle lens and a 16 MP selfie camera. So let's take a look at the results they produce. Daytime During the daylight, both the phones capture good photos but I must say they both have inconsistent results. In most cases, the OnePlus Nord 4 takes the most social media-pleasing photo with popping color tones and at first glance, captures good details. IQOO, as you can see takes more natural-looking photos and preserves better details when you zoom into them. But there are times when the roles reverse and IQOO goes for saturated colors as you can see from the pictures of the grass and the flower. The details also take a hit on the Neo when you take zoomed-in photos while indoors. Night Time The Nord 4 and Neo 9 Pro do a commendable job at handling the nighttime situation, which is also in part thanks to the included OIS. But I think this is where the flagship IMX 920 sensor truly flexes its muscles. You can see from the photos that it captures more details, and does better handling of lights and shadows while preserving details. Selfies and Portraits The 16 MP selfie shooter in the front of both of these phones does a decent enough job. But I think IQOO takes a slight edge here. Both of them blow out the highlights at the back, but IQOO captured more details in my face and the back scenery. This trend continued at night selfies as not only the IQOO was quick enough to capture the photo but also gathered more details in the environment. Nord on the other time took more time to take the photo, yet the result still came out blurred. When it comes to portrait photos, I can blindly rely on OnePlus. The brand, and their post-processing nails portrait photos ever since the Nord 2. This is one aspect of the ColorOS integration that I appreciate a lot. The edges are clear and the effect looks more natural than what you get with Neo. Videos On the Video front, IQOO Neo 9 Pro can capture up to 8K in 30 FPS, and OnePlus Nord 4 can do 4K at 60 FPS. Despite having OIS, but phones struggle to keep videos stable at 4K resolution, but I OnePlus did have more of that wobbly effect. IQOO's footage was a bit more stable in this case, but not by a lot. I would say that when it comes to cameras, its a close call. While IQOO has received numerous updates, OnePlus is till in line for some. So maybe later on the photos will see an improvement but for now I will side with IQOO Neo 9 Pro Winner: IQOO Neo 9 Pro All this gaming and photography will take a toll on your phone's battery so let's talk about that. You'll get a 5500 mAh battery on the OnePlus Nord 4 and a 5160 mAh battery on the IQOO Neo 9 Pro. Given that the Nord 4 sports a mid-range processor, plus the larger capacity means that the Nord should be able to last you a day with continuous usage. I used it throughout the day, for gaming, took it out for camera samples, used it for navigating to scenic spots, and then used it as a WiFi hotspot when my data plan depleted. The phone still had 11% juice left in it going for about 7 hours. IQOO, on the other hand, lasted for about 6 hours with medium usage, so it isn't a long-lasting option. Good thing is when your battery goes in the red, you can refuel it in minutes thanks to the bundled chargers. Both the Nord 4 and the Neo 9 Pro can top up to 100% in about 20 minutes. This was so addictive that I expected the phone to be full by the time I was done with my morning routine. Winner: OnePlus Nord 4 For any gamers or performance enthusiasts reading this comparison, the answer is clear - the IQOO Neo 9 Pro is the way to go. Not only do you get a beefy device, but the cameras, the display, and the speakers make it a device that is hard to keep out of your hands. But if your needs are a little light-hearted, and you want a handy, well-rounded device that focuses on the essentials without digging a hole in your wallet, then the OnePlus Nord 4 should be your choice.