Phone Comparisons: OnePlus Nord 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 8

This time around, we’ll compare two phones that don’t really have all that much in common, but are worth comparing regardless. In this article, we’ll compare the OnePlus Nord 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 8. Why are we comparing the two? Well, the first one is an upper mid-range smartphone, while the latter is a flagship. The difference in price between them isn’t huge, though, and quite frankly, you may be considering both.

We’ll try to help you figure out whether the ASUS ZenFone 8 is worth the price difference or not. These two devices do have some things in common, but not many of them. They do differ quite a bit in the spec department, while they’re also different in regards to the overall build. That’s actually what makes this comparison so interesting. We’ll start by comparing their specs, and then move to a number of other categories. Let’s kick off the OnePlus Nord 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 8 comparison, shall we.

Specs

	OnePlus Nord 2	ASUS ZenFone 8
Screen size	6.43-inch fullHD+ Fluid AMOLED flat display (90Hz refresh rate)	5.9-inch fullHD+ Super AMOLED flat display (120Hz refresh rate)
Screen resolution	2400 x 1080	2400 x 1080
SoC	MediaTek Dimensity 1200	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
RAM	8GB/12GB (LPDDR4X)	6GB/8GB/16GB
Storage	128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1); non-expandable	128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1); non-expandable
Rear cameras	50MP (f/1.9 aperture, wide lens, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS) 8MP (f/2.3 aperture, 119-degree lens) 2MP (f/2.4 aperture, monochrome)	64MP (f/1.8 aperture, 0.8um pixel size, 26mm lens, PDAF, OIS) 12MP (ultra-wide, f/2.2 aperture, 112-degree FoV, 14mm lens, 1.4um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF)
Front cameras	32MP (f/2.5 aperture, 0.8um pixel size)	12MP (f/2.5 aperture, 28mm lens, 1.22um pixel size, dual pixel PDAF)
Battery	4,500mAh, non-removable, 65W wired charging	4,000mAh, non-removable, 30W wired charging, reverse wired charging
Dimensions	158.9 x 73.2 x 8.3mm	148 x 68.5 x 8.9mm
Weight	189 grams	169 grams
Connectivity	5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C	5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C
Security	In-display fingerprint scanner (optical)	In-display fingerprint scanner (optical)
OS	Android 11 OxygenOS	Android 11 ZenUI 8
Price	€439	€599 / €669 / €799 / starting at $629
Buy	OnePlus	ASUS

OnePlus Nord 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 8: Design

Both the OnePlus Nord 2 and ASUS ZenFone 8 come with a glass back. Their frames are different, though. The OnePlus Nord 2’s is made out of plastic, while the ZenFone 8’s is metal-clad. Both phones include flat displays, and a display camera hole in the top-right corner. The bottom bezel on both smartphones is a bit thicker than the rest of the bezels on those two devices.

Their rear cameras are placed in the same spot, in the top-left corner. They do look a bit different, though, of course. Both phones are curved towards the sides, on the back, though the in-hand feel is a bit different. It’s different not only because of those curves, but because of the size of these phones. The OnePlus Nord 2 is considerably larger than the ZenFone 8. It’s quite a bit taller, and wider, while it’s a bit thinner. It’s also heavier than the ZenFone 8, by 20 grams.

The ZenFone 8 includes all its physical keys on the right, while the OnePlus Nord 2’s are separated on both left and right sides. The ASUS ZenFone 8 is easier to use with one hand due to its size and weight. If you do prefer a larger smartphone, with a larger display, the OnePlus Nord 2 is not too big, nor is it too heavy. It’s all a matter of preference, really, as both of these devices do feel kind of premium.

OnePlus Nord 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 8: Display

The OnePlus Nord 2 has a considerably larger display than the ZenFone 8. It comes with a 6.43-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) Fluid AMOLED panel. That display offers a 90Hz refresh rate, and it supports HDR10+ content. This panel is protected by the Gorilla Glass 5, and it’s flat. The ZenFone 8, on the other hand, includes a 5.9-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) Super AMOLED display. This panel comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it also supports HDR10+ content. The ZenFone 8 has newer display protection in form of Gorilla Glass Victus, and this panel is also flat.

Now, both of these displays are really good. They do get bright enough, and the colors are very vivid. The blacks are deep, as they should be, and the viewing angles are excellent. Both phones offer you a chance of tweaking display colors in the settings, as they are a bit different in comparison. The ZenFone 8’s are a bit cooler, but you can change that if you want. The point is, both displays are really good.

The ZenFone 8’s panel is better on paper, though. Not only does it come with better protection (which is not something you’ll necessarily notice), it also offers a higher refresh rate. Most people probably won’t know the difference, but the ZenFone 8’s panel does feel smoother while scrolling, and similar actions. Both panels offer high refresh rates, though, and both feel great to use, so… we’d suggest you choose based on the display size you prefer more.

OnePlus Nord 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 8: Performance

Both devices offer really good performance, needless to say. Both phones offer really powerful chipsets, and the rest of their specs are more than good enough. The OnePlus Nord 2 comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC, the most powerful chipset from the company. The ASUS ZenFone 8 is equipped with the Snapdragon 888, one of the two most powerful processors from Qualcomm.

UFS 3.1 flash storage is included in both phones, while the ZenFone 8 does offer newer and faster RAM. That’s not something you’ll notice in everyday performance, though. The ZenFone 8 is, technically, a more powerful smartphone of the two, but the OnePlus Nord 2 is not far behind. All that power doesn’t mean much if the two phones don’t perform in real life, right? Well, yes. Luckily, they both do.

Everyday tasks such as browsing, taking pictures, consuming multimedia, browsing, messaging, and so on, are not a problem for either device. Both devices shine in such tasks, to say the least. Both run Android 11 with OxygenOS and ZenUI, respectively. Both skins are really well-optimized, and perform great. Even when it comes to gaming both of these phones are great. They can handle pretty much every game out there, though it’s worth noting that the Nord 2 does get a bit warmer than the ZenFone 8 during gaming.

OnePlus Nord 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 8: Battery

The OnePlus Nord 2 comes with a 4,500mAh battery, while the ZenFone 8 has a 4,000mAh pack inside. This is a considerable difference, but do keep in mind that the ZenFone 8 comes with a considerably smaller display. Does it all even out in the end? Well, yes, and then some. The ZenFone 8 was actually able to pull out some more juice for us, though the difference wasn’t all that big.

Both of these phones are capable of hitting around 6 hours of screen-on-time with regular usage, and no games involved. At least those are the numbers we’ve seen. The ZenFone 8 did offer a bit more in regards to battery life, though, at least that was the case with our unit. Your mileage may differ, of course, it’s impossible to predict your usage, and the result you’ll get. Also, gaming does affect battery life quite a bit, so… keep that in mind.

Both of these phones offer fast charging. The OnePlus Nord 2 comes with 65W fast wired charging, while the ZenFone 8 supports 30W fast wired charging. Neither phone supports wireless charging, nor reverse wireless charging. The ZenFone 8 does support reverse wired charging, though.

OnePlus Nord 2 vs ASUS ZenFone 8: Cameras

The camera results on these two phones are quite interesting, to say the least. From the get-go, we’ll say that the ZenFone 8 is more consistent when it comes to pictures. That handset has the same main camera as its predecessor, and yet it manages to provide pictures that are three times better. We don’t know what ASUS did, but the company sure worked on its camera software for this device. The images do turn up really sharp, with great dynamic range, and colors. The white balance is also spot on, and even when you take pictures of foliage, they turn out really good and detailed. This camera also does a great job in low light, it managed to keep a lot of detail, and light up dark spots.

The OnePlus Nord 2 can be great, really great, in the camera department. On the other hand, it has a tendency to mess up as well. The consistency is still this camera’s biggest problem. It can take amazing shots in both daylight, and nighttime, without a doubt. But it can also mess up really simple pictures. The white balance can be an issue, and sometimes glares as well. OnePlus did improve this camera since the phone launched, but further optimizations are needed. Considering the rate it is being improved, we’re hopeful. Both phones do offer really good cameras. They’re not the best around, but they’re still really good.

Audio

When it comes to audio, you’ll be glad to know that both of these phones have stereo speakers. The ZenFone 8 does offer better sound, though. ASUS managed to squeeze in really good speakers in this small chassis, and that is something you’ll notice. The sound is clear, and loud, without noticeable distortion. The Nord 2 is not far behind, as it offers really good sound as well, but the difference is noticeable.

The ZenFone 8 has yet another audio advantage, its audio jack. That’s also something ASUS managed to include here, unlike OnePlus, as the Nord 2 doesn’t offer one. Both phones do offer Bluetooth 5.2, which is great. You can easily connect a good pair of Bluetooth headphones to either phone, and get a really good, and reliable connection, along with a good sound.