Samsung recently launched the Galaxy M51 with the tagline- Meanest Monster. It arrives with a powerful mid-range chipset, a massive monster battery, versatile amazing cameras, and a vibrant Super Amoled+ 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 value-added smartphone at this price; the OnePlus Nord is an ideal challenger. So, I'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
Design
Samsung Galaxy M51 has the similar design to its predecessor M31s. 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
On the performance front, 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 we have to wait for a longer period to use the 5G network 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 Galaxy M51 outperform OnePlus Nord in the camera department. One plus camera has very good hardware but it's camera software is not very optimise so you can't click great pictures with with OnePlus Nord if we compare the pictures of Galaxy M51. OnePlus Nord failed to get the advantage of OIS. 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.