OnePlus Nord SE with 65W charging tipped to launch in early 2021

OnePlus logo
(Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

Budget smartphones were a big part of OnePlus’ plans in 2020, and new developments suggest that trend will continue into next year in the form of the launch of the OnePlus Nord SE.

Codenamed 'Ebba', the existence of the OnePlus Nord SE was tipped by Android Central, which has historically been accurate with sharing insider OnePlus information.

As the name suggests, it will build upon the first-gen Nord with a few upgrades. A talking point may be the inclusion of Warp Charge 65, the 65W charging tech that debuted on the OnePlus 8T and it should be able to fill the phone's rumored 4,500mAh battery in under 40 minutes.

It is also expected to sport an AMOLED display, unlike the Nord N10 and N100. We also expect the Nord SE to have a refresh rate of at least 90Hz. 

Apart from its numeric flagship series, OnePlus launched a series of mid-range devices under the Nord branding throughout 2020. It started with the OnePlus Nord in July, followed by the Nord N10 and N100 in October.

We're expecting the OnePlus 9 series and the OnePlus Nord SE in the first quarter of 2021.

Warp Charge 65

(Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

The exact launch date was not mentioned in the leak but it shouldn’t be too far from that of the OnePlus 9, which is supposedly slated for March. This could mean that OnePlus is looking at following a nine-month refresh cycle for the Nord series.

Pricing info was not included either, and some other specifications of the OnePlus Nord SE continue to remain unknown such as the chipset. Will the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G make another appearance or will it move to a more recent chip?

With the Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit scheduled for early December, we could see it get upgraded. 

Details around the cameras on the phone are also unclear currently. The Nord opted for a 48MP quad-camera system, while the Nord N10 got a 64MP primary shooter.

Aakash Jhaveri

Aakash is the engine that keeps TechRadar India running, using his experience and ideas to help consumers get to the right products via reviews, buying guides and explainers. Apart from phones, computers and cameras, he is obsessed with electric vehicles.