The OnePlus Nord CE 3 lite is a premium budget smartphone with starting price $272. Many user are confused why this smartphones provide premium features and specs including 8GB ram and 108 MP main camera.
Build and Design
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite built very well and the design is a little different, it’s looks a little different. Otherwise, I always say that if you look at OnePlus phones from a distance, you’ll know that it’s not with this one.
And the lime color looks very different and buoyant. I’d like to say that OnePlus needs an alert slider which is not there in this phone, but that should be there. The colors in this phone are pastel, if you want it to be flashy, you can look at it or it’s also chromatic grey, which is a subtle color and it has a plastic back.
Display and Speakers
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite display is square with thin bezels, as mentioned before, the brightness used over the last 10 days is good, reaching 680 Nits even outdoors. Despite not having AMOLED the IPS LCD with a 120Hz display offers quality. The 120Hz fast refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate contribute to an excellent display experience.
Moving on to the phone’s weight, the mid frame, constituting nearly 50% of the phone’s weight, houses the display. The haptic feedback is provided by a small battery serving as a haptic motor.
Multimedia features stereo speakers alongside the display, offering good quality. After 10-15 days, the initial impression of it being a good phone for multimedia persists.
Performance and Software
Discussing performance the CPU matches that of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite. Notably it achieved an AnTuTu score of 4.22L, the highest among all 695 phones tested in the last year. It’s crucial to emphasize that this includes numerous 695 phones over the past 12 months.
The base variant offers 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, an upgrade from the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 6GB variant under $300. The RAM type is LPDDR4X, and storage utilizes UFS 2.2. In terms of regular usage and gaming, the phone performs exceptionally well.
We tested games such as COD Lite and PUBG, playing smoothly on medium to high settings, The performance is top-notch with no issues encountered.
Connectivity is reliable particularly with 5G and all sensors work well. The phone operates on OxygenOS 13.1 built on Android 13, offering a promising prospect of 2 years of updates, although not officially confirmed.
While the overall software experience is positive, there may be room for some optimization. For instance, during YouTube playback, the refresh rate was observed at 60Hz despite the shopping app displaying 120Hz. Consistent smoothness at 120Hz across all applications is an area that could see improvement.
Battery Life Performance
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite boasts a significant advancement in battery charging and speed, equipped with an 80W adapter, the phone supports 67W charging, nearly double the capability of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite, which supported 33W. Despite having a 5000mAh battery, it charges in less than an hour.
Notably a software feature called Battery Health allows users to customize charging preferences, setting limits such as 80% or 100% during overnight charging. Additionally a battery booster feature contributes to increased battery life and overall health. In terms of charging speed, it stands out as the fastest charging phone under $300.
Moving on to the physical aspects, the it houses a 5000mAh large thin battery, making it the fastest charging phone in its price range with a 67W USB Type-C. The charging board is visibly integrated for efficiency.
Camera Test
Compared to the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite, which had a 64MP 2.2 camera, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite boasts a 108MP 2.2 primary sensor. It’s provide dynamic range, sharper images, and accurate depth detection in portrait mode. One standout aspect is the natural color reproduction, distinguishing from other phones in this price range that often produce vibrant yet unnatural colors.
The photos here strike a balance offering a touch of vibrancy without compromising on natural tones. The 108MP capability enables a 3x lossless zoom, allowing for detailed cropping without significant quality loss.
However there’s a limitation due to the 695 SoC, as it doesn’t support 4K video recording. And the OnePlus Nord CE 3 lite is limited to 1080p at 30FPS for video capture. If 4K video capability is a priority, alternative options might be worth considering.
Moving on to selfies, the 16MP sensor delivers pleasing colors, good dynamic range, and improved sharpness and clarity compared to the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite.
The 108MP camera stands out as the primary camera, showcasing a noticeable size difference from the 2MP cameras. On the selfie side the sensor is compactly placed for effective front-facing photography.
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is a solid choice for those on a budget who still want a premium OnePlus experience. The device excels in various aspects, and while it has some minor drawbacks, its overall value for money makes it a worthwhile consideration.
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Design9
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Display8
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Performance8.5
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Software7.5
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Camera8
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Value for Money8.5
