OnePlus recently launched two new smartphones into their Nord series, including the Nord 3 and this Nord CE 3, targeting mid-range customers with an entire lineup of phones that also has the Nord CE 3 Lite at Rs.20k. While this new OnePlus Nord CE 3 starts at ₹24,999 with bank discount, the Nord 3 5G, we recently reviewed, has a starting price of ₹32,999 with bank discount.
So, if you are looking to have a step up from the Nord CE 3 Lite, this regular Nord CE 3 5G is a good option for buyers to explore, launching in August, we will explore whether should you buy this device or not. I have used this phone for a brief period of time and here’s a short and sweet review to help you make a decision if you are seriously considering which Nord phone to buy in 2023:
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Specifications
| OnePlus Nord CE 3 Specifications | |
| DIMENSIONS | Height: 16.27cm Width: 7.55 cm Thickness: 0.82cm |
| WEIGHT | 184g |
| DISPLAY | 6.7 inches 2412 x 1080 pixels (FHD+) 120Hz Fluid AMOLED, 394 ppi, 20.1:9 aspect ratio, 240Hz touch response, HDR10+ support |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 782G Mobile Platform |
| RAM & STORAGE | 8GB/12GB LPDDR4X, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 |
| BATTERY | 5000mAh (Dual-cell 2,500 mAh, non-removable) |
| CHARGING | 80W SUPERVOOC (100% charge in 32 mins) |
| PRIMARY CAMERA | 50MP Sony IMX890 triple camera setup, 8MP Ultra-Wide, 2MP Macro |
| FRONT CAMERA | 16MP |
| AUDIO | Dual Stereo Speakers | Noise cancellation support Dolby Atmos® | Hi-Res Audio (wired + wireless) |
| 5G BANDS | n1/n3/n5/n8/n28A(703~733MHz)/n40/n41/n78 |
| CONNECTIVITY | Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, WiFi 6(802.11ax) |
In the Box
- OnePlus Nord CE3 5G
- 80W SUPERVOOC Power Adapter
- Type-C Cable (supports USB 2.0)
- Phone Case
- Screen Protector (pre-applied)
- SIM Tray Ejector
- Welcome Letter
- Quick Guide
- Brand Sticker
- Red Cable Club Membership Card
- Safety Guide
Design & Build Quality
This OnePlus Nord CE 3 has a similar design to the Nord 3 with a similar camera design on the back and a boxy shape which is easy to hold onto your hands. This Aqua Surge color looks fantastic and makes you remember the first Nord phone that had insane demand, in terms of look and feel, this new mid-range phone from OnePlus has that essential OnePlus design philosophy alongside a slight premium appeal to it.
Though it’s not that premium compared to a Vegan Leather finish on an iQOO or Narzo 60 series I would say it feels pretty good in your hands and has that essence of exquisite touch. Also, you have a dual stainless steel camera that surrounds that protects your camera lenses, making it look beautiful from the rear end, so you get this glass-like feel though made up of plastic but feels nice. One of the things I really appreciate about this one is the inclusion of the IP54 rating which is rare in this price range.
Display
Coming to the display, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 sports a similar 6.7 inches 120Hz Fluid AMOLED display with a ratio of 2412 x 1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20.1:9, so all your content will look fantastic. Though the display is similar to Nord 3 5G this one has slightly less peak brightness but has this 2160Hz PWM dimming along with a 240Hz touch sampling rate, for a really handsome everyday experience.
Having that 93.4% screen-to-body ratio and very thin side bezels makes the display and the Nord CE 3 as a whole premium and because of it being an AMOLED one you enjoy its display quality as well. I personally enjoyed watching shows, movies, YouTube on the phone thanks to its vibrant and color-accurate display, and unlike the Nord CE 3 Lite, this one has an AMOLED display and so people who want to spend Rs.5k more for this should do.
Performance
I think the biggest step up here is the inclusion of this new Qualcomm Snapdragon 782G SoC, it’s a very capable mid-range chipset that should be a real game changer for those who want to upgrade from the Snapdragon 695 on the Nord CE 3 Lite. Based on the 6nm process, you will be surprised to see how efficient this chip is, I have always loved Snapdragon chipsets for their reliability and here the Snapdragon 782G lives up to the expectation.
You are coupled with up to 12GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1, here we have the top variant, which performs really well in most benchmarks and surpassed my expectations:
In terms of performance, as you see the Snapdragon 782G along with 12GB RAM does post some healthy numbers in Geekbench 6 and in AnTuTu as well, overall, making this device capable enough for day-to-day needs. Though the Wildlife scores are pretty weak when you compare against the OnePlus Nord 3 with Dimensity 9000, the best part is even in High-Performance mode, the CPU throttling is very low.
Even I saw the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 having more throttling issues on the OnePlus 11 than this one, so, for those who are looking for a sustained workload this OnePlus Nord CE 3 could solve the purpose pretty easily. Whether you use it for basic everyday usage or gaming, this Nord CE 3 keeps you pretty much covered for all performance-related issues.
Camera
One of the standout features of this Nord CE 3 has to be the camera because OnePlus has retained the same 50MP Sony IMX890 primary sensor you see on the Nord 3 and even the flagship OnePlus 11. It has a similar 8MP ultra-wide camera which to be fair performs pretty well and the 2MP macro which is needless I would say but makes the camera setup complete.
Let’s look into the camera samples to have a better idea:
As you see in the camera samples, the primary sensor captures crisp photos both in day light and at night, when you have good light, the images are excellent with good natural image processing. From blurring the background to maintaining the natural colors, the primary camera here performs really well most of the time.
Most of the times you will see the camera delivering great performance be it in low light or during day and even indoors as well.
In terms of human subjects the Nord CE 3 does pretty well but when there is too much light, it cannot handle those situations apart from that the skin tones or overall quality of images for human subjects both for the rear and front camera look nice to me.
Also, the 8MP ultra-wide takes some nice shots unexpectedly and solves the need for most users out there I would say.
Lastly, as this Nord CE 3 5G also features OIS, I had to take a video to test the stability as well as overall quality, well even at night, the quality of the movie was amazing, and looked very natural. Overall in terms of camera quality, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G has a good camera overall and is most of the times very reliable at all scenarios.
OS and Software
Yes, you get the stable and reliable OxygenOS 13.1 out-of-the-box which performs pretty well and promises timely updates as well, OnePlus phone lovers will love the OS though its mixed with ColorOS still has a good amount of features with zero bloatware to make it appealing to the gen z.
The Nord CE 3 will receive two major Android software updates and a third year of security updates. The phone’s Aquamorphic design and intuitive iconography contribute to its visually appealing interface, making navigation effortless.
Buttons, Port and Connectivity
In terms of ports, you have both the volume up, down and power on/off buttons on the right-hand side which is again rare to have all buttons on one side. However, you do lack the iconic OnePlus Alert Slider which is present on the slightly expensive Nord 3, but for most users that won’t be much of an issue, yes you have IR Blaster, dual microphones and stereo speakers.
In terms of connectivity, you get Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and WiFi 6(802.11ax) support which in 2023 is very essential I would say, so, doing most daily work feels very smooth. Also, this phone features an X-axis linear vibration motor, a segment-first feature for better haptic vibrations and you do realize that when you use it daily.
Audio, Earpiece and Microphone
Thanks to dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, you get the best audio experience like the Nord 3 5G and you will enjoy listening to music or binge-watching in general on this Nord CE 3. Also, two things that are sometimes looked down upon are the earpiece quality and microphone, which I feel both are OnePlus standards, most will have no issues using it daily.
Battery Life and Charging
While a lot of makers are skipping on providing in-box chargers, OnePlus continues to provide one and here you have a fast 80W SUPERVOOC charger that takes this 5000mAh battery 0 to 100% in only half an hour, which is again a big positive if you are looking for a reliable fast-charging phone with good battery life. Yes, you get a handsome 6-7 hours of screen on time with the Nord CE 3 5G easily and for most people that should last an entire day comfortably.
Verdict
Now, the most important factor here is whether should you buy this new OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G. Well, starting at ₹24,999 with a bank discount makes this phone a really compelling option for those who are targeting the Rs.25k price segment or looking for a bit more premium option than the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G. Much like other OnePlus phones too this phone gives a more reliable experience overall without many hiccups.
From 120Hz AMOLED display to the Snapdragon 782G SoC, this phone gives a very balanced everyday usage for OnePlus fans and mid-range smartphone lovers, with no bloatware and guaranteed software updates, this new Nord CE 3 5G seems to be a good choice overall. While the design and quality could have been better but other aspects pretty much make it up for it, giving users what they want most importantly.
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