.png)
With its feature-rich Nord series, OnePlus, known for disrupting the mid-range smartphone industry, has continued to dazzle customers with its affordable offers. Due to rising component costs and more high-end capabilities, the Nord CE 3 has a little higher price tag this year. I'll go through every feature of the phone in my review to help you decide whether it's pricey or not.
1. Build and Design
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 stands apart from other smartphones in its class thanks to its appealing appearance, particularly with the unique Bahama Blue color variant. The device has a dual-circle camera setup on the back, and while it has a glossy appearance, it tends to collect fingerprints.
To eliminate this concern, OnePlus does, however, provide a case in the bundle. The phone's plastic build may be a slight drawback for some, but it still feels durable and well-constructed. Although missing of the Alert Slider is only an inconvenience for OnePlus fans, the addition of an IR blaster and two speakers improve the overall user experience.
2. Display
With the Nord CE 3, OnePlus has improved the display with a bigger 6.74-inch AMOLED screen. Scrolling is smooth and fluid thanks to the screen's dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, which dynamically reduces to 60Hz when no activity is detected to preserve battery life.
Vibrant and striking colors on the display make for a satisfying visual experience when watching content, playing games, or binge-watching. Furthermore, it is laudable that OnePlus included support for 2160Hz PWM dimming because it helps to protect users' eyes from screen flickering problems and reduces eye strain in low-light situations.
3. Camera
The smartphone features a versatile triple camera setup on the back. A 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) at its core ensures clear and steady images. An 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2MP macro sensor are included with the primary camera, giving consumers more creative options. The camera performs admirably in daytime, taking pictures with vibrant colors and fine details that are suitable for social media.
Unexpectedly, the low-light performance is excellent, effectively preserving colors and details. The OnePlus Nord CE 3's camera performance in low light pleasantly surprises. The camera system is capable of producing decent images with good color accuracy and maintained details, making it suitable for taking pictures at nighttime events or in environments with low lighting.
4. Software and Updates
OxygenOS 13.1, which is based on Android 13.0, powers the OnePlus Nord CE 3. With some additional changes and features that improve the user experience, OxygenOS is known for offering a close-to-stock Android experience. The optimization of OxygenOS guarantees no lag and a pleasurable user experience.
Users of OnePlus devices frequently like the software's lightweight and basic design, which makes it feel quick and responsive. OnePlus has been praised for providing extended software support to its devices, including regular updates and security patches. Users can anticipate two major Android updates and three years of security support with OxygenOS 13.1, guaranteeing that the phone is always up to date with the newest features and security updates.
5. Processor
The Snapdragon 782G is a mid-range processor from Qualcomm, designed to deliver a balance between performance and power efficiency. It has an octa-core CPU setup with one powerful Kryo 670 Gold core operating at up to 2.7 GHz and three Kryo 670 Gold cores operating at up to 2.4 GHz and four energy-saving Kryo 670 Silver cores operating at up to 1.8 GHz. With this setup, the processor can easily handle demanding tasks as well as routine ones, resulting in a seamless and lag-free user experience.
The Adreno 642 GPU, which is part of the processor, offers respectable graphical performance and facilitates smooth gameplay in several popular mobile games. The Adreno 642 GPU, which is part of the processor, offers respectable graphical performance and provides smooth gameplay in several popular mobile games. It may not be able to compete with top-tier flagship processors, but it can easily handle casual and mid-level gaming, making it ideal for gamers that like mobile gaming on their devices.
6. RAM and Storage
There are two RAM variants for the OnePlus Nord CE 3: 8GB and 12GB. The device's ability to multitask and overall performance are greatly influenced by the RAM. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 can manage multiple apps running at once without noticeably lagging or slowing down thanks to its 8GB or 12GB of RAM. Users may easily switch between programs, and the user interface is quick and fast.
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 provides buyers with plenty of internal storage options to keep their documents, media, apps, and data. There are two storage options for it: 128GB and 256GB. Because of the large internal capacity, buyers can keep their images, videos, apps, and other data without having to frequently clear out their devices. Additionally, customers have the freedom and ease to increase their storage capacity as needed thanks to the expandable storage option using a microSD card of up to 1024GB.
7. Battery and Charger
The 5000mAh non-removable battery that powers the OnePlus Nord CE 3 is in place. The device will comfortably survive through a whole day of intense usage, including messaging, calling, online browsing, and video streaming thanks to the huge battery capacity. With its 5000mAh battery, customers can rely on the smartphone for extensive use without being concerned about running out of power too soon.
The Nord CE 3 offers 80W rapid charging technology thanks to OnePlus. With the help of this feature, users are able to quickly charge their phones, saving time and ensuring that they are always ready to use. According to the review, the included fast charger is capable of charging the battery up to around 95% in just 30 minutes. Rapid charging minimizes downtime and guarantees that the device is always available for use, making it especially helpful for users who are constantly on the go.
8. Design and Colors
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 has an appealing design, particularly in its unique blue color variant. Although the back of the phone has a glossy surface that may attract fingerprints, OnePlus carefully offers a case to remedy this problem.
Because of the thin front bezels, the experience is cleaner, and the screen area is maximized. There are two color options for the phone: Aqua Surge and Gray Shimmer.
9. Sensors and Connectivity
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 has a broad variety of sensors, including an accelerometer, IR Blaster, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, compass/magnetometer, and fingerprint sensor integrated into the side power button.
Additionally, the phone supports SA and NSA modes for all required 5G bands—n1, n3, n5, n8, n28, n40, n41 and n78.
10. Conclusion
In conclusion, with its visually appealing display, powerful camera system, smooth functioning, and superior battery life, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 delivers an appealing package. It is an excellent option in the mid-range segment thanks to its affordable pricing. However, potential buyers need to check the phone's overall capabilities against its slight increase in price compared to earlier Nord phones before making a choice.
Here are full specifications for the OnePlus Nord CE 3.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Announced | Aug 05, 2023 |
| Dimensions | 162.7 x 75.5 x 8.2 mm |
| Weight | 184 g |
| SIM | Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Display | 6.7 inches, Fluid AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2412 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi) |
| OS | Android 13, OxygenOS 13.1 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 782G (6 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.7 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Adreno 642L |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Card Slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Main Camera | Triple: 50 MP (f/1.8) + 8 MP (f/2.2, 112˚ ultrawide) + 2 MP (f/2.4, macro) |
| Front Camera | 16 MP (f/2.4) |
| Battery | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 80W wired, 1-61% in 15 min (advertised) |
| Colors | Aqua Surge, Gray Shimmer |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 2G Bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 |
| 3G Bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G Bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 5G Bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 40, 41, 78 SA/NSA |
| Sound | Loudspeaker with stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm jack: No | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | |
| GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | |
| NFC: Yes | |
| Infrared port: Yes | |
| Radio: No | |
| USB: USB Type-C 2.0 | |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, temperature |
.png)