OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G Review: A Reliable and Satisfying Choice with Essential Features
OnePlus has been known for its flagship killers, offering high-end features and performance at affordable prices. However, with the increasing competition in the smartphone market, OnePlus has also ventured into the mid-range segment with its Nord series. The latest addition to this series is the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G, which stands for Core Edition. The phone aims to provide the essential features and experience that OnePlus fans expect, without compromising on quality or performance.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G Price Review:
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is priced starting at Rs 26,999 for the 8GB RAM variant and Rs 28,999 for the 12GB RAM option in India. The phone is available in three colors: Charcoal Ink, Blue Void, and Silver Ray. The phone can be purchased from OnePlus’s official website, Amazon India, or other offline and online retailers.
The price of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is reasonable for the features and specifications it offers. The phone is cheaper than some of its competitors in the same price range, such as the Realme 11 Pro+, Samsung Galaxy F54, Moto Edge 40, POCO F5, and iQOO Neo 7. The phone also offers a good value for money for OnePlus fans who want a core-edition phone with useful features.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G Design Review:
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G has a sleek and elegant design, with a plastic back and a metal frame. The phone has a thickness of 7.9mm and a weight of 190g, making it comfortable to hold and use. The phone has a power button on the right side, a volume rocker on the left side, a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom, and a speaker grille at the top. The phone also has an alert slider on the right side, which is a signature feature of OnePlus phones that allows users to switch between silent, vibrate, and ring modes.
The design of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is simple and minimalist, but not very impressive. The phone does not have any distinctive feature that makes it stand out from the crowd. The plastic back of the phone feels cheap and prone to scratches. The phone also lacks an alert slider, which is a useful feature that many OnePlus users appreciate. The phone also does not have any IP rating for water or dust resistance.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Display Review:
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G has a 6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED display, which offers a stunning visual experience with FHD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels), 120Hz refresh rate, 2,160Hz PWM dimming, and HDR10+. The display also has an in-display fingerprint scanner and a punch-hole cutout for the 16MP selfie camera. The display has a peak brightness of 800 nits and a contrast ratio of 1000000:1, making it suitable for viewing in different lighting conditions. The display also supports sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamuts, ensuring accurate and vivid colors.
The display of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is one of the best features of the phone. The display offers a smooth and fluid user experience with its high refresh rate and dimming technology. The display also delivers a sharp and clear picture quality with its high resolution and HDR10+ support. The display also has good viewing angles and touch responsiveness. The display also has an adaptive brightness feature that adjusts the brightness according to the ambient light.
OnePlus Nord CE Features Review:
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G has many features that make it a reliable and satisfying smartphone. Here is a table that summarizes some of the key features of the phone:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED, FHD+, 120Hz, HDR10+, 10-bit colour depth |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G |
| RAM | 8GB or 12GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128GB or 256GB UFS 2.1 |
| Rear Camera | 50MP primary (f/1.8), 8MP ultrawide (f/2.3), 2MP mono (f/2.4) |
| Front Camera | 16MP (f/2.0) |
| Battery | 5000mAh, Warp Charge 80W |
| Software | OxygenOS 12 based on Android 12 |
| Design | Plastic frame and back, dual camera rings, no alert slider, Aqua Surge or Gray Shimmer colour options |
| Price | ₹26,999 for 8GB+128GB, ₹28,999 for 12GB+256GB |
The features of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G are well-balanced and sufficient for most users. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G chipset, which is a capable processor for handling daily tasks and gaming. The phone comes with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and either 128GB or 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage. The phone runs on OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, which is one of the best custom skins in the market. OxygenOS offers a smooth and bloat-free user interface, with useful features and customization options such as Dark Mode, Zen Mode, Always-on Display, Shelf, Game Space, Work-Life Balance, and more.
Camera Review
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G has a triple camera setup at the back, consisting of a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2MP mono camera. The main camera uses a Sony IMX766 sensor, which is also found in the OnePlus 9 series. The camera can capture detailed and vibrant photos in various lighting conditions, with features like Nightscape, Pro mode, Portrait mode, and more. The ultra-wide-angle camera can take shots with a 119-degree field of view, while the mono camera can add depth effects to the photos. The phone can also record videos up to 4K resolution at 30fps, or up to 1080p resolution at 60fps.
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G also has a 16MP selfie camera at the front, which uses a Sony IMX471 sensor. The selfie camera can take clear and natural selfies, with features like Face Unlock, Portrait mode, HDR, Screen Flash, and more. The selfie camera can also record videos up to 1080p resolution at 30fps, or up to 720p resolution at 60fps.
The camera of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is decent but not exceptional. The main camera can take good photos in daylight and indoor conditions, but struggles in lowlight and artificial lighting situations. The main camera also tends to overexpose and oversaturate some scenes, resulting in unnatural colors and loss of details. The ultra-wide-angle camera can take wide shots with minimal distortion, but suffers from low resolution and noise. The mono camera can add some depth effects to the photos, but they are not very accurate or realistic. The video recording quality of the phone is also average, as it lacks stabilization and dynamic range.
The selfie camera of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is better than the rear camera, as it can take clear and natural selfies with good skin tones and details. The selfie camera also has good exposure and dynamic range, and can handle backlighting well. The selfie camera also has some useful features like Face Unlock, Portrait mode, HDR, Screen Flash, and more.
Availability
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G was launched in India on June 10th, 2023. The first sale of the phone was on June 16th for Amazon Prime members and OnePlus Red Cable Club members. The open sale of the phone started on June 17th for all customers.
The availability of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is good for the Indian market. The phone is easily accessible through online and offline channels. The phone also has a good demand and supply balance, as there are no reports of stock shortages or delays. The phone also has a good after-sales service network, as OnePlus has many service centers across India.
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is a worthy contender in the mid-range segment, offering a good combination of hardware and software at a reasonable price. The phone delivers a smooth and satisfying user experience, with a stunning display, a capable processor, a long-lasting battery, and fast charging support.
