Samsung recently added another smartphone to its Galaxy M series in India. The Galaxy M51 is the best and most powerful phone in Samsung's M series to date. It arrives with a powerful mid-range chipset, a massive battery, versatile cameras, and a vibrant display.
Debuting in India's sub-25K segment, the Galaxy M51 offers excellent value for a mid-range smartphone. However, Samsung is not the only OEM with a value-added smartphone at this price; the OnePlus Nord is an ideal challenger. So, we've decided to compare both devices to see which one offers better value at this price.
| Specs | Galaxy M51 | OnePlus Nord |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 730G (8 nm) | Snapdragon 765G (7 nm) |
| Display | 6.7 inches FHD+ Super AMOLED, 60Hz | 6.44 inches FHD+ Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB | 6GB /8GB / 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 64GB / 128GB/ 256GB |
| Rear Camera | 64 MP, f/1.8 + 12 MP, f/2.2 + 5 MP, f/2.4 + 5 MP, f/2.4 | 48 MP, f/1.8 (OIS) + 8 MP, f/2.3 + 5 MP, f/2.4 + 2 MP, f/2.4 |
| Front Camera | 32 MP, f/2.0 | 32 MP, f/2.5 + 8 MP, f/2.5 |
| Software | Android 10, One UI 2.0 | Android 10, OxygenOS 10.0 |
| Battery | 7000 mAh, 25W Fast Charging, Reverse Charging | 4115 mAh, 30W Fast Charging |
| Price (Rs) | 24,999 / 26,999 | 24,999 / 27,999 / 29,999 |
We aren't going to get too wrapped up with the design as it is subjective for the most part. However, the Nord does have a neater vertically aligned camera layout as opposed to the rectangular camera module on the M51. On the front, the Galaxy M51 has one camera, while the Nord has two.
Display
When it comes to the display, the Nord's 90Hz refresh rate certainly gives it an upper hand, especially if you are a gamer. However, the Galaxy M51's larger screen is more preferable for people who use their smartphones for watching videos, movies, and shows.
Performance
In terms of performance, the OnePlus Nord has a clear advantage with its Snapdragon 765G SoC, which is more powerful than the SD730G on the M51. Additionally, the OnePlus Nord's chipset is 5G capable, although that's just a novelty feature in India at the moment. If you are worried about gaming, the OnePlus Nord will offer better performance, but the Galaxy M51 is not far behind.
Software
One UI and Oxygen OS are two of the best Android software skins on the market. There are few skins to rival the user experience and customisations both One UI and Oxygen OS offers. Because these two software skins are arguably the best-of-the-best for Android, we strongly suggest not basing your decision on software.
Battery
In the battery department, there is simply no competition here. The Galaxy M51's battery capacity is almost twice as much as the OnePlus Nord. We are talking about two and half days of battery life for the average users, which is mostly unheard of on smartphones, especially at this price.
Conclusion
Both phones have their advantages and disadvantages if we are nitpicking, here. If you are a mobile gamer, then you will definitely appreciate the OnePlus Nord more. But the Galaxy M51 offers a better overall package because of its massive screen and battery. You'll even get more mileage out of the M51 while gaming.
OnePlus does have a few advantages in terms of camera flexibility, with OIS on the main camera and two front cameras. But you'll have to wait for our full Galaxy M51 review to find out if camera performance is comparable to the OnePlus Nord. Lastly, the Galaxy M51's base variant offers 128GB of storage space, while you will have to pay Rs 3,000 more for the same storage if you opt for the OnePlus Nord.
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