OnePlus has published a new OnePlus Nord video on its YouTube channel, showing off the manual assembly process of the phone, done by none other than co-founder Carl Pei. All of the internals are assembled inside the OnePlus Nord casing, showing off neat additions like a copper heat dissipation pipe that helps to keep the smartphone cool during gaming. The video, called a ‘tear-up’ instead of a teardown, details the whole assembly process right from the camera to the mainboard to the battery, showing exactly what goes where inside the device.
Pei starts off by showing all of the components placed on a table, ready for assembly. He notes that the OnePlus Nord display is already installed inside the chassis of the phone, and he begins by assembling the receiver and the camera flash. He then assembles the main board of the phone with two screws on the top portion of the device. The dual selfie cameras are then placed in their respective holes, along with the rear camera bracket that has about four sensors. Pei takes his time to ensure every sensor is secured into its position before moving on.
The executive then goes on to install the vibration motor and the in-display fingerprint scanner. In the same vein, Pei connects the USB port and installs the SIM tray as well. He then attaches radio frequency cables and three connective ribbons as well. Pei reveals that the secondary speaker box is integrated into the PCB cover laid at the bottom portion of the OnePlus Nord. In the video, Pei is seen locking everything with multiple screws and putting tamper evident seals to ensure no third-party repairs are done with the phone. He then attaches the battery and puts a main board cover for added protection. All of this is then hidden behind the OnePlus Nord glass rear panel on top. Parts of the assembly process are normally carried out by machine, but it is interesting to watch the manual process as well. The entire assembly can be watched below:
OnePlus Nord was also recently put through the durability test wherein it failed miserably in the bend test. The device completely broke when sufficient hand pressure was put on the device. It even failed in the fire test, where the Pixels failed to recover after about 20 seconds of flame was exposed to it.
Is Nord the iPhone SE of the OnePlus world? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.