With its new Pixel 6 smartphone, Google is targeting the value flagship lovers, a market that OnePlus used to essentially own with its premium phones until just a few years ago. But as OnePlus flagship phones have become pricier, the company introduced its Nord lineup to cater to mid-range and value flagship buyers. So the company’s latest Nord-series flagship—the OnePlus Nord 2—is one of the Google Pixel 6 competitors.

This article will pit the Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus Nord 2 to see how these two phones stack up against each other.

Navigate this guide:

Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus Nord 2: Specifications

Specification Pixel 6 OnePlus Nord 2
Dimensions and Weight
  • 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm
  • 207g
  • 159.12 x 73.31 x 8.25mm
  • 189g
Display
  • 6.4-inch AMOLED
  • FHD+ (1080 x 2340)
  • Centered hole-punch
  • 90Hz display refresh rate
  • HDR10+ support
  • High brightness mode
  • Full 24-bit depth for 16 million colors
  • Gorilla Glass Victus
  • 6.43-inch AMOLED
  • FHD+ (1080 x 2400)
  • Left hole-punch
  • 90Hz display refresh rate
  • HDR10+ support
  • Gorilla Glass 5
SoC
  • Google Tensor octa-core chipset
    • Titan M2 security chip
  • MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC
RAM and Storage
  • 8GB LPDDR5 RAM
  • 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 flash storage
  • 6GB? 8GB/ 12GB LPDDR4X RAM
  • 128GB UFS 3.1 flash storage
Battery & Charging
  • 4,600mAh battery
  • 30W fast charging
  • 21W fast wireless charging
  • 4,500mAh battery
  • 65W fast charging
Rear Cameras
  • Primary: 50MP f/1.8 Samsung GN1 primary camera
  • Secondary: 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, 114-degree FOV
  • Primary: 50MP f/1.88 Sony IMX766 primary camera, OIS
  • Secondary: 8MP f/2.25 ultra-wide camera
  • Tertiary: 2MP monochrome sensor
Front Camera 8MP f/2.0 32MP f/2.45
Ports USB Type-C port
  • USB Type-C port
Connectivity
  • 5G NR (mmWave, Sub-6GHz)
  • NFC
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • WiFi 802.11.b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
  • 5G NR (Sub-6GHz)
  • NFC
  • Bluetooth 5.2
  • WiFi 802.11.b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz + 5GHz)
Software
  • Android 12
  • Three years of OS updates
  • Five years of security updates
  • Android 11
  • Two years of OS updates
  • Three years of security updates
Other features
  • Optical under-display fingerprint reader
  • Stereo speakers
  • IP68 dust and water resistance
  • Under-display fingerprint reader
  • Stereo speakers

Design and Display

Google pixel 6

Despite its pretty aggressive price tag, the Google Pixel 6 looks premium and has the same design as its larger sibling--the Pixel 6 Pro. The phone is basically a glass sandwich with an aluminum frame. The company has also managed to make it IP68 water- and dust-resistant.

On the other hand, the Nord 2 follows the look of the OnePlus 9 series. So it’s also a glass sandwich, but to cut costs, OnePlus has opted for a plastic frame, and the Nord 2 has no IP rating.

The overall footprint of both phones is also very similar, but that plastic frame allows the Nord 2 to be almost 20 grams lighter.

In terms of the screen, you get 90Hz AMOLED panels with Full-HD+ resolution on both the Pixel 6 and Nord 2. But the Pixel panel is 6.4-inch in size, whereas the Nord 2 screen is 6.43 inches.

Overall on the design and display fronts, the Pixel 6 has a slight edge with its IP rating and a tad-more premium design. And don’t forget to check out our recommendations for the best Pixel 6 cases and the best Nord 2 cases to safeguard your phone when you buy it.

Processor, RAM, and Storage

OnePlus Nord 2 front display

Things are slightly more interesting on the SoC front in these two phones. While Google has, for the first time, chosen to go with its own chip—the Tensor—in the Pixel 6, OnePlus has picked MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200 SoC.

Although the Tensor chip can beat Dimensity 1200 in raw benchmarks, in real-like, both the Pixel 6 and the Nord 2 will offer excellent performance, and you won’t have anything to complain.

Among other features, the Pixel 6 packs 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage, whereas you get 6, 8, or 12GB RAM options for Nord 2 along with 128GB of storage.

Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus Nord 2: Cameras

Pixel 6 cameras

Google has a clear advantage on the camera front. The phone packs an industry-leading camera setup that can take fantastic photos in normal and low-light conditions. Its wide-angle shooter isn’t as impressive as the primary camera, but it’ll still beat the underwhelming wide-angle camera on the Nord 2.

In comparison, the Nord 2 takes good photos for a mid-range smartphone, but the Pixel 6 is on another level. So if you take a lot of pictures, the Pixel 6 is a clear choice.

Talking about the raw specifications, there is a 50MP primary camera (takes 12.5MP photos), a 12MP wide-angle shooter, and an 8MP selfie camera on the Pixel 6. On the other hand, you get a 50MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, a 2MP monochrome camera, and a 32MP selfie shooter.

Battery, Connectivity, and Software

The back of the OnePlus Nord 2

The battery capacities of the Pixel 6 and the OnePlus Nord 2 are almost on the same level. There is a 4,614mAh battery on the Pixel, whereas the OnePlus phone packs a 4,500mAh battery. As a result, both phones will easily last through the day on moderate to heavy usage.

That said, Nord 2 has an edge on the fast charging front as the phone support 65W fast charging, compared to 30W (21W in reality) fast charging on the Pixel 6. However, the Nord 2 doesn’t support wireless charging, a feature available on the Google phone.

Coming to connectivity, while the Pixel 6 includes mmWave 5G support, it’s limited to just the US, and in the rest of the markets, the phone will only offer sub-6GHz 5G. OnePlus Nord 2, which is not available in the US, supports just sub-6GHz 5G everywhere. Other connectivity features, like Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, USB Type-C, and Wi-Fi 6 (6E on Pixel), are available on both phones.

Software is another area where the Pixel 6 has an advantage over the Nord 2. Not only does the Pixel runs Android 12 out of the box, but the phone will also get three years of OS updates. In comparison, the Nord 2 runs on Android 11 and will get the Android 12 update in the future. It will also get just two years of OS updates. The security update situation is similar, and Nord 2 will get just three years of security patches, whereas the Pixel is set to get five years of security updates.

Pricing and Color Options

Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13

The OnePlus Nord 2 is significantly cheaper than the Pixel 6. It’s priced at GBP 399 in the UK for the 8GB RAM model, compared to the Pixel 6's starting price tag of GBP 599 in the UK.

You can buy the Nord 2 in Gray Sierra, Blue Haze, and a Pac-Man limited edition, whereas the Pixel 6 comes in Stormy Black, Kinda Coral, and Sorta Seafoam.

Google Pixel 6 vs OnePlus Nord 2: Verdict

OnePlus Nord 2 feature image

Given the price differences between the Pixel 6 and OnePlus Nord 2, picking between the Pixel and Nord comes down to what you’re going to do on your phone. If mobile photography isn’t a huge deal and you are okay not getting the latest version of Android quickly( or at all), the OnePlus Nord 2 is a good option, and it’ll also save you cool GBP 200. But if you want a flagship-grade camera and top-notch software support, the Pixel 6 is a better smartphone.


Which phone are you planning to buy? Let us know in the comments section. Meanwhile, we have also picked the best screen protectors for the Pixel 6 to help you keep your new phone’s screen in pristine condition.

The Pixel 6 comes with Google's new Tensor chip, a modern design, and flagship cameras.
Google Pixel 6

The Pixel 6 comes with Google's new Tensor chip, a modern design, and flagship cameras.

The OnePlus Nord 2 is a great premium mid range device, thanks to the capable Dimensity 1200 SoC, and a great overall package.
OnePlus Nord 2

The OnePlus Nord 2 is a mid-range smartphone that gets a lot of things right. It's got solid performance, good cameras, and extremely fast charging.