It's easy to think of the best cheap phones as simply diminished versions of a company's flagship product. It's a line of thinking I've often fallen into myself. But the OnePlus Nord 4 is quite adamant that it is its own beast, a uniquely designed smartphone that just so happens to cost under £430.
Aiming to do what the Google Pixel 8a and Samsung Galaxy A55 do, but with an attitude, the Nord 4 offers a unique metal design, a big display and battery longevity that the bards will write songs about. Its cameras aren't quite so spectacular as its competitors, and while its software support is good, it's not best in class. Plus American buyers are getting left out in the cold once more, and for what seems like no good reason.
