Aside from a couple of deviations, OnePlus has a penchant for worth merchandise. The premium OnePlus 12 gives a (principally) superior set of options and a refined expertise over similarly-priced flagships such because the Galaxy S24 Plus or the Pixel 8 Professional. Equally, the $500 OnePlus 12R gives distinctive efficiency and a flagship-like expertise for its value. The OnePlus Nord 4, which sits in a value bracket proper underneath the 12R, has its personal advantages, however one which stands out is its steel again.
The OnePlus Nord 4 is the primary and at present the one 5G cellphone to characteristic a steel again panel. Not solely is it a putting design nevertheless it additionally has one other trait that perceivably makes it extra thrilling than different telephones: Its steel physique doubtlessly helps enhance efficiency.
Steel is a greater conductor of warmth than glass or plastic and is superior at radiating warmth outward — which means the Nord 4 ought to run cooler than different telephones. The effectiveness at cooling can also be anticipated to enhance the chipset driving the Nord 4 (the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3). Regardless of being a sufferer of Qualcomm’s complicated naming, the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 is potent sufficient to run most demanding duties and is probably going geared to run AI functions sooner or later.
So, does the Nord 4’s steel again assist its Snapdragon chip run higher and cooler? I discovered.
How I examined Nord 4’s cooling
Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
The largest perceived advantage of the steel again on the subject of gaming. Along with the vapor cooling chamber contained in the cellphone, the steel again helps radiate internal warmth generated from the chipset or the battery — the 2 main sources of warmth contained in the cellphone. I performed round (actually) with the OnePlus Nord 4 extensively to see if the idea holds up in observe.
To guage the steel again’s results on the Nord 4’s efficiency, I got down to check how successfully it prevents warmth buildup contained in the physique. The analysis was divided into three components, or potential contributors of warmth era and trapping contained in the cellphone. Aside from gaming, I additionally examined difficult situations, reminiscent of 4K video recording and high-speed charging, that may result in the cellphone getting sizzling.
For every of those exams, I ran the duties for half-hour to let the warmth construct up contained in the physique and on the floor. After the completion of every job, I waited for the cellphone to chill all the way down to the unique temperatures utilizing an infrared thermal digicam and famous the time taken in every case. Right here’s how the exams panned out.
Heating whereas 4K video recording
Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
Video recording consistently engages a number of components, which, in addition to the digicam itself, embody the cellphone’s chipset, storage, and picture sign processor (ISP). The show being consistently engaged is but one more reason for the {hardware} to really feel burdened — and, due to this fact, warmth up in consequence. So, for my evaluation, I set the OnePlus Nord 4 to document a 4K video at 60 frames per second. The remainder of the settings, reminiscent of white stability, had been left to automated. Though the video was shot indoors, my canine contributed to some affordable movement capturing and, in consequence, occasional refocusing of the sensor.
The video was shot in an air-conditioned room, regardless of which the cellphone’s exterior floor heated up considerably. After I ended the recording, I left the cellphone to chill down. Listed below are my main findings:
Ambient temperature: 82 levels Fahrenheit
Beginning temperature (earlier than video recording): 88 levels F
Temperature after half-hour: 102 levels F
Time taken to return to authentic temperature: 17 minutes
Whereas the 17-minute span could appear harrowing, the heat subsided inside 5 minutes, and the cellphone began to really feel chilly.
How cool is quick charging?
Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
The Nord 4 fees at 100W, which is commendably quick. Though the cellphone fees absolutely inside 35 to 40 minutes, that warrants some warmth era within the course of. I adopted an identical course of because the final time however with one key change. The cellphone was charged and subsequently left to chill down with none air-con.
Here’s what I discovered:
Ambient temperature: 91 levels Fahrenheit
Beginning temperature: 95 levels F
Temperature after half-hour: 104 levels F
Time taken to return to authentic temperature: 28 minutes
It took longer to return to its authentic temperature (which nonetheless appeared harmful as a result of heat room). Nevertheless, to my shock, the nice and cozy room didn’t considerably decelerate charging as I assumed it will. Maybe it will if the cellphone reached temperatures within the vary of 120 levels or larger, which, fortunately, it didn’t.
This additionally goes on to again my preliminary speculation {that a} steel again would cool sooner in an air-conditioned room than one with out. However to verify my findings, I ran an intensive sequence of exams with variations to see how every impacts the Nord 4.
The Nord 4’s final check — gaming
Genshin Influence working on the OnePlus Nord 4 at 60 fps. Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
Gaming is definitely probably the most demanding duties for a cellphone. Moreover, its propensity to warmth is sure to extend if the {hardware} struggles to maintain up with the calls for of the sport — and that’s what makes the Nord 4, a non-flagship cellphone, the best candidate to review the consequences of heating.
For this sequence of exams, I ran one of many graphically heaviest cross-platform video games, Genshin Influence, on the Highest graphics settings with textures set to Excessive and the meant body price set to 60 fps. These settings make the most effective of {hardware} sweat, so testing how the Nord 4 holds up would have given us the insights we had been searching for.
Moreover turning to the best settings, I additionally used OnePlus’ personal HyperHDR characteristic that upscales customary content material to HDR for higher visibility, particularly in darker scenes. But it surely additionally will increase the brightness and, due to this fact, calls for extra of the cellphone’s {hardware}.
Along with the temperatures, I recorded the Nord 4’s efficiency utilizing GameBench, knowledgeable game-benchmarking software. I need to disclose that whereas GameBench helped me with a free journalists’ license for the app’s Professional model, it didn’t have enter on my findings.
The check is subdivided into 4 components, including one attribute at a time to assist consolidate the findings higher.
Half 1
Thermal photographs of the OnePlus Nord 4 heating up from gaming (left) and having cooled down subsequently Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
The primary one begins with me working Genshin Influence on the Nord 4 by means of its paces however in an air-conditioned ambiance. This might permit the cellphone to chill successfully whereas I recreation after which depart the cellphone to chill down. Listed below are my findings from the check:
Ambient temperature: 82 levels Fahrenheit
Beginning temperature: 86 levels F
Temperature after half-hour: 104 levels F
Time taken to return to authentic temperature: 13 minutes
Curiously, the cellphone cooled extra successfully than it did within the case 4K recording check I ran above, additional solidifying my perception {that a} cooled atmosphere can enhance its cooling. For more often than not, the cellphone remained heat to the contact however by no means obtained uncomfortably sizzling. The inner temperature of the CPU, as per GameBench, stayed round 108 levels F, which doesn’t present a big distinction from the temperature on the exterior floor.
Whereas enjoying, the sport persistently ran with none notable stutters. GameBench recognized it to ship a constant 57 frames per second over the course of half-hour, with the occasional body drops attributed to cooking meals, cutscenes whereas talking to unplayable characters, and loading screens.
Half 2
Thermal photographs of the OnePlus Nord 4 heating up from gaming (left) and being left to chill with out AC Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
For the subsequent half, I examined with none exterior cooling. I performed the sport on the OnePlus Nord 4 whereas sitting in a room with out AC to see how sizzling the cellphone will get.
As I famous in Half 1 of this check, the Nord 4’s exterior temperature pretty matches its inside temperature. So, I anticipated it to warmth up rather more with out releasing warmth attributable to sitting in a warmer room. However I used to be shocked when the cellphone obtained considerably hotter than typical.
Ambient temperature: 91 levels Fahrenheit
Beginning temperature: 96 levels F
Temperature after half-hour: 113 levels F
Time taken to return to authentic temperature: 25 minutes
About quarter-hour into the sport, the Nord 4 began to warmth up considerably. It reached a temperature that I would like my sizzling bathe to be at on a chilly day. Whereas I may endure the warmth as a result of it was nonetheless in need of scalding, I would like to not comply. On the finish of the half-hour, I used to be glad it was over.
Throughout a lot of the gameplay, the inner temperatures floated round 120 levels Fahrenheit, so the outward channeling was anticipated. With temperatures hovering so excessive, the Nord 4 additionally threw a warning whereas turning off the HyperHDR characteristic. Findings from this half prompted me to vary another bit about this check.
Half 3
Thermal photographs of the OnePlus Nord 4 heating up from gaming (left) and being left to chill in an AC room Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
On this half, I performed the sport with out air-con however set the cellphone to chill down in an air-conditioned room, assuming that if my principle was correct, it will assist the cellphone cool sooner regardless of the upper temperature.
As soon as once more, the cellphone obtained disadvantageously sizzling. However setting it down in a cooler room than used to play the sport actually helped pace up the cooling course of. Right here’s what I discovered:
Beginning ambient temperature: 91 levels Fahrenheit
Cooling ambient temperature: 82 levels F
Beginning temperature: 96 levels F
Temperature after half-hour: 113 levels F
Time taken to return to authentic temperature: 10 minutes
Time taken to return to chill down utterly: 20 minutes
Within the AC room, the Nord 4 returned to a cooler temperature 5 minutes sooner than the final check. In actual fact, it achieved its preliminary temperature in underneath 10 minutes, lastly returning to 88 levels in about 20 minutes of complete time.
By now, I used to be fairly satisfied my principle holds. However I couldn’t conclude with out one remaining check — involving supplies aside from glass.
Half 4
Heatmaps of Realme GT 6 (left) and OnePlus 12R after half-hour of intense gaming. The Realme is noticeably hotter. Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
For the final and remaining a part of my gaming check, I roped in two extra telephones aside from the OnePlus Nord 4. The duo contains the Realme GT 6, which comes with a plastic again and body made out of plastic. It runs the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, a chip corresponding to the Nord 4’s Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3. Moreover the Realme with a plastic again, I selected the OnePlus 12R with a glass again and steel facet body. Though the OnePlus 12R runs a extra highly effective Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, I selected it for the shortage of a glass cellphone with efficiency matching the opposite two. All of those telephones had been examined with air-con to examine how shortly every materials cools.
The next summarizes the findings from working the identical occasion of Genshin Influence on the three telephones:
OnePlus Nord 4
(Steel, values from Half 1 above)
Realme GT 6
(Plastic)
OnePlus 12R
(Glass)
Ambient temperature
82° F
82° F
82° F
Beginning temperature
86° F
89° F
88° F
Floor temperature after half-hour
104° F
113° F
108° F
Inner temperature after half-hour
108° F
120° F
117° F
Time taken to return to authentic temperature
13 minutes
23 minutes
20 minutes
The outcomes couldn’t be clearer and present a convincing image of the Nord 4’s capacity to dissipate warmth higher than the opposite two gadgets. The Realme GT 6, with a plastic again, retains probably the most warmth internally and takes the longest to return to its authentic temperature. The OnePlus 12R understandably generated much less warmth internally because the extra highly effective chipset requires much less effort to attain the identical efficiency. Nevertheless, it additionally traps a big quantity of warmth contained in the physique, taking solely barely much less time to chill down.
Had an exterior cooling supply been absent, we will think about the Nord 4 to really feel the most popular whereas the opposite two gadgets would entice extra warmth inside and throttle in consequence.
The Nord 4’s steel again actually works
Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
Whereas I admit the strategy I exploit above will not be sometimes the stuff from science labs and educational journals, it will get the purpose throughout pretty nicely. It clearly conveys that steel helps efficient cooling of the smartphone, particularly when utilizing it for demanding duties reminiscent of gaming.
The OnePlus Nord 4’s steel casing acts as a big radiator for the tiny CPU, and I can’t assist however draw a parallel with a PC that makes use of a passive cooler a lot greater than the CPU. After all, an energetic cooling answer reminiscent of a fan — both built-in or as an adjunct — would extremely amp up the cooling spree. Notably, whereas I attempted out the black version, the cellphone’s coloration may additionally impact its cooling. The No. 1 cause why which will occur is as a result of black is healthier at radiating warmth to the ambiance than another coloration. The second cause applies extra particularly to the Nord 4, whose silver end has microscopic textures that give it a wave-like sample.
In the meantime, warmth buildup inside different gadgets cannot solely throttle efficiency but additionally danger the internals getting cooked, particularly if you happen to are likely to overclock recreation settings on midrange telephones. This calls for simpler cooling options past the now plateauing vapor cooling chambers, and that is the place steel turns into efficient.
Tushar Mehta / Digital Traits
Concurrently, there are drawbacks to steel constructions that we will’t ignore. Firstly, it may possibly impede 5G alerts — although OnePlus has seemingly discovered a treatment by slicing down the dimensions and upping the variety of antennas. Secondly, the cellphone is sure to warmth up extra when used open air, within the solar, and this may be particularly tiresome whereas touring to hotter locations. Thirdly, it limits options reminiscent of wi-fi charging and hinders capabilities like MagSafe, which is why we could not see steel changing glass on dearer telephones.
For all it’s price, although, steel, coupled with more and more highly effective midrange chips, generally is a breakthrough in cellphone efficiency, as we see on the OnePlus Nord 4.
