Almost, but not quite. o opens a new window with the selected file, while nerdtree opens the file in the most recently used non-nerdtree window.
Also, there doesn't seem to be a way to tell netrw to create a vertical split rather than a horizontal split, which is inconvenient on modern wide screen monitors.
Also, there doesn't seem to be a way to tell netrw to create a vertical split rather than a horizontal split, which is inconvenient on modern wide screen monitors.