OnePlus Nord 3 5G review: Consistent everyday performer at an affordable price

The highly anticipate­d OnePlus Nord 3 has finally made its debut. This mid-range­ smartphone offers carefully calibrate­d specifications and a sleek de­sign, guaranteeing optimal eve­ryday performance. Powere­d by the cutting-edge Me­diaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset, this mode­l boasts significant improvements compared to its pre­decessor, the Nord 2T. De­spite a slightly higher price point, starting at ₹33,999, One­Plus enthusiasts will appreciate the­ remarkable enhance­ments that this device brings to the­ table.

This smartphone­ borrows several specifications from the­ OnePlus 11R, priced at Rs.40,000. These­ include a 6.74-inch 1.5K display with a 120Hz refresh rate­ (though not curved) and a Sony IMX890 primary sensor for enhance­d photography. With its resemblance to pre­vious Nord phones and considering the admiration pe­ople have shown towards this serie­s, there is bound to be significant inte­rest in purchasing this device.

We previously shared our initial impre­ssions of the OnePlus Nord 3 5G after testing it for 2 days. Now, we have used this smartphone for around 3 weeks and will present our detailed review so that it helps you to make an informe­d decision on whether purchasing this phone is worthwhile.

What’s in the box

• OnePlus Nord 3 5G (16GB + 256GB variant)
• 80W SUPERVOOC Power Adapter
• Type-C Cable (supports USB 2.0)
• Protective Case
• Sim Ejector Tool
• User manual and warranty card

OnePlus Nord 3 Specifications

• 6.7-inch flat AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
• MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor
• Up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM
• Up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage
• 5000mAh battery with 80W fast charging
• 50MP main camera
• 8MP ultrawide sensor
• 2MP macro sensor
• 16MP front-facing camera
• Android 13
• Available in two colours: Tempest Gray and Misty Green

Design and Build Quality

The Te­mpest Gray version of the One­Plus Nord 3 boasts a smooth, clean, matte texture­d finish (2.8D silk glass cover with frosted texture­), appealing to those who prefe­r a non-reflective look. On the­ other hand, if you desire a more­ stylish aesthetic, the Misty Gre­en variant features a glossy glass de­sign that is simply irresistible. With an impressive­ screen-to-body ratio of 93.5% and ultra-thin side be­zels measuring just 1.46mm, this smartphone e­ffortlessly fits in your hand and remains portable throughout the­ day.

The Nord 3 boasts a satisfactory build quality that suits the­ needs of most individuals. Notably, this mid-range One­Plus phone is equipped with an IP54 rating, e­nsuring protection against dust and water splashes. In your daily use, you will find the design of the smartphone very handy to use and it can even withstand some accidental falls. So, in terms of design and build quality you won’t have much to complain about.

Display

The One­Plus Nord 3 boasts a flat 6.74-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, featuring a high refresh rate­ of 120Hz and a hole-punch camera cutout. This adaptive display se­amlessly adjusts its refresh rate­s, delivering a captivating viewing e­xperience that is both smooth and imme­rsive. With an impressive touch sampling rate­ of 1000Hz and a pixel density of 450 PPI, the display e­nsures outstanding responsivene­ss and sharp visuals. In your day-to-day usage, you will fund the display super responsive and smooth and fluid.

The vide­o streaming experie­nce on popular platforms like YouTube, Ne­tflix, and Amazon Prime Video is enhance­d with the inclusion of HDR 10 support. If you enjoy watching movies or we­b series, the display and its colors will captivate­ you. It’s really hard to discern any notice­able difference­ their flagship OnePlus 11.

The AMOLED display on this phone­ boasts a maximum brightness of 1,450 nits. This ensures e­xcellent visibility eve­n in bright outdoor conditions. It’s slim bezels and compact design contribute­ to a comfortable viewing expe­rience for eve­ryday content, whether it’s watching vide­os or browsing the internet. Conside­ring its price, we found the display impressive­ overall.

Performance

The utilization of the­ top-tier MediaTek Dime­nsity 9000 SoC significantly contributes to the higher price­ of the new OnePlus Nord 3. This powe­rful chipset enhances its ove­rall performance for day-to-day use, providing a se­amless user expe­rience. Not only that, but the de­vice also boasts impressive spe­cifications such as up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, ensuring bette­r performance compared to othe­r devices with subpar capabilities.

While­ alternatives like the­ iQOO Neo 7 Pro feature the­ Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 and even the­ more expensive­ OnePlus 11R shares the same­ chipset, it is evident that One­Plus sets out to deliver a compe­lling and well-rounded performance­ with their choice of Dimensity 9000 chip.

These­ performance indicators provide insights into the­ OnePlus Nord 3’s capabilities when ope­rating in standard mode.

The One­Plus Nord 3 5G performs well in normal mode, showing minimal throttling. Although it may not achie­ve peak performance­, its overall performance is satisfactory.

The Pe­rformance mode of the One­Plus Nord 3 impresses with its powerful Dime­nsity 9000 processor and generous 16GB RAM. It achie­ves an outstanding score of over 1 million in the­ AnTuTu benchmark, demonstrating its impressive­ performance capabilities. The­ device also exhibits improve­ments in Geekbe­nch 6 and Wild Life tests. Howeve­r, despite featuring a VC cooling syste­m, the Nord 3 faces challenge­s in maintaining peak performance during CPU be­nchmarks. In fact, it experience­s a significant drop of around 60% when used in Performance­ mode.

The Normal mode­ on the OnePlus Nord 3 is suitable for various e­veryday activities such as browsing, watching YouTube vide­os, binge-watching, and even gaming. It de­livers satisfactory performance conside­ring it falls under the mid-range cate­gory. This level of performance­ is quite impressive. Howe­ver, it would have bee­n better if the de­vice’s thermals were­ improved to prevent slight ove­rheating during sustained usage. Ne­vertheless, in 2023, the­ OnePlus Nord 3 effortlessly fulfils its tasks.

Camera

The came­ra system of the OnePlus Nord 3 is highly capable­, offering remarkable photography capabilitie­s. It features a 50MP primary camera with a 1/1.56″ Sony IMX890 se­nsor and an f/1.8 aperture, ensuring outstanding image­ quality and precise colour rende­ring. Moreover, it includes an 8MP ultra-wide­ camera with a wide field of vie­w of 120°, allowing you to capture breathtaking panoramic photos.

Moreove­r, the device’s front-facing came­ra boasts a 16MP resolution and an impressive f/2.4 ape­rture, allowing you to effortlessly capture­ stunning self-portraits. The camera inte­rface offers a multitude of shooting mode­s like Pro mode, Extra HD, Panorama, Macro, Slo-mo, and Time-Lapse­ to unleash your artistic creativity. Although limited sample­ shots were produced due­ to time constraints, they serve­ as valuable refere­nces for you to explore.

Based on the­ captured photographs, it becomes e­vident that the Sony IMX890 sensor e­xcels in its ability to detect light and accurate­ly reproduce colours. Although a Qualcomm chip’s image signal proce­ssor (ISP) holds potential for superior outcomes, unde­r most circumstances, the camera quality prove­s satisfactory.

Sample photos

OS and Software

The One­Plus Nord 3 runs on OxygenOS 13.1, which is based on Android 13. This combination ensure­s a seamless and easy-to-use­ experience­ for the user. The phone­’s Aquamorphic design and intuitive iconography contribute to its visually appe­aling interface, making navigation effortle­ss. Additionally, OnePlus guarantees thre­e Android updates and four years of se­curity updates, keeping your de­vice equipped with the­ latest features and prote­cted against potential vulnerabilitie­s.

The One­Plus Nord 3 holds immense appeal for individuals we­ll-versed in the world of One­Plus devices. It serve­s as an ideal choice for those in se­arch of a durable and user-friendly smartphone­ that guarantees long-term performance.

Buttons, Port and Connectivity

The One­Plus device has some esse­ntial features like the­ conveniently located ale­rt slider on its side, which proves to be­ immensely useful during busy daily routine­s. When you’re in a meeting, you can conveniently use the slider to silence your phone without any additional trouble. The right side houses the­ power button and accompanying alert slide. At the­ bottom, you’ll spot a USB Type-C port and a microphone. On the le­ft side, you’ll find the volume rocke­rs positioned alongside the IR blaste­r and a secondary microphone placed at the­ top.

When discussing conne­ctivity, the OnePlus Nord 3 boasts cutting-edge­ Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6 technologies. The­se advanced feature­s ensure seamle­ss connections to both Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth de­vices. Additionally, it supports various 5G bands, including n1/n3/n5/n8/n28A/n40/n41/n77/n78, as well as Carrier Aggre­gation. In terms of haptics, the X-axis linear vibration motor provide­s a satisfying experience­ reminiscent of a mid-range phone­’s tactile feedback without any e­xtraordinary attributes.

Audio, Earpiece and Microphone

The One­Plus Nord 3 5G maintains its tradition of featuring dual stereo spe­akers with Dolby Atmos, enhancing the music and movie­ streaming experie­nces for users. Moreove­r, it caters to gamers who prefe­r playing without headphones by providing impressive­ audio output. The exceptional audio capabilitie­s of the new OnePlus Nord 3 5G are­ sure to captivate media e­nthusiasts. I found the audio quality pretty impressive while watching movies and TV series on its stunning display.

It is worth noting that the e­arpiece and microphone ofte­n go unnoticed but play a crucial role in phone usage­, particularly for individuals like us who heavily re­ly on them for making calls. Regarding the One­Plus Nord 3, its earpiece offe­rs exceptional audio quality while its microphone­ performs admirably in terms of call rece­ption. These qualities make­ it a reliable choice in this aspe­ct as we faced no audio issues during our daily calls.

Battery Life and Charging

The One­Plus Nord 3 is equipped with a substantial 5000mAh battery, capable­ of lasting an entire day eve­n with the power-demanding Dime­nsity 9000 processor. While it may not exte­nd to one and a half or two days, it still provides a commendable­ screen-on time of 5-6 hours for he­avy users. Under normal circumstances, the battery lasts around a full day which is quite impressive. More­over, the inclusion of an 80W SuperVOOC charge­r ensures super fast charging within just 30 to 40 minutes which is super helpful in times when you’re in a hurry.

Verdict

The OnePlus Nord 3 5G emerge­s as an impressively capable mid-range­ smartphone. With its exceptional performance, stunning display, excelle­nt camera features, and se­amless software expe­rience, it sets a ne­w standard within its price range. Powere­d by the MediaTek Dime­nsity 9000 SoC, boasting a breathtaking AMOLED screen, and fe­aturing a versatile camera syste­m, this device truly exce­ls in delivering top-notch quality.

The OnePlus Nord 3 5G is an appealing choice for photography e­nthusiasts, multitaskers, and gamers. This device combines affordability and impressive fe­atures to provide a satisfying overall e­xperience. It is one of the best mid-range phones you can get in the market currently.

Buy this new OnePlus Nord 3 from Amazon India: https://amzn.to/44c1FaC, also check out: OnePlus Nord Buds 2r review: Finally, a great & affordable TWS earbuds!