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OnePlus smartphones have been a cult favourite since its birth, culminating in the success of the OnePlus 6 and Oneplus 7 Pro, which our video editor proclaimed as “the best phone ever”.
Back then, there weren’t so many lines and ranges in OnePlus’ repertoire; it was only in 2020 that the Nord series, OnePlus’ midrange line, emerged, and from it, the budget CE line. Last year’s OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G saw mild success in Malaysia, and this year, the OnePlus has launched the follow-up OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Specifications
- Processor: Snapdragon 695 5G
- Display: 6.72”, 2400 x 1080, 120Hz
- Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Rear Camera: Triple camera, 108MP Main + 2MP Depth + 2MP Macro
- Front Camera: 12MP Selfie Camera with
- Battery: 5000 mAh with 67mAh SUPERVOOC
- Operating System: Android 13, OxygenOS
- Weight: 195g
- Dimensions: 165.5x76x8.3mm
What’s In The Box?
- OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
- 67W SUPERVOOC Power Adapter
- Type-C Cable (supports USB 2.0)
- Phone Case
- Screen Protector (pre-applied)
- SIM Tray Ejector
- Quick Guide & Safety Guide
Display & Design
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is certainly eye-catching enough. Our review model came in Pastel Lime, which is a really bright, almost-neon colour that I’m personally not quite a fan of, but some of our colleagues (mostly the younger interns) really liked. The colour is frankly way too loud for my old eyes, and if you’re anything like me, you’d probably prefer the more sensible Chromatic Gray version.
Colour aside, the back is made out of glossy plastic, which gives it a sophisticated, made-of-glass look when it’s really not. One thing I really did not like about it was how easily it catches dust, grease, and fingerprints. It’s also not exactly scratchproof, as it managed to get tiny scratches here and there even though I’ve only ever had it in my pocket, bag, or on the table.
All this is just to say that you’ll definitely make use of the clear phone case that’s included in the box.
One pleasant surprise is the inclusion of the 3.5mm headphone jack; most smartphones have chosen to do away with this, as most of us are moving toward TWS and wireless headphones nowadays — OnePlus even included a pair of Nord Buds2 for us to review. However, wired earphones are still very much around, which makes the headphone jack a welcome inclusion to this.
On to the front; the screen on the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G didn’t exactly blow me away, but it’s pretty sufficient for a phone in its price range. Bright enough, clear enough, and smooth enough, but also a little stuttery at times, especially when you have too many things open in the background, which should be expected.
Performance
OnePlus didn’t see anything wrong with the Snapdragon 695 on the Nord CE 2 Lite 5G last year, so this year’s Nord CE 3 Lite 5G came with the exact same processor. It doesn’t change the fact that the chipset, while still popular, can also be found on many other cheaper models.
With the older processor powering the phone, you can expect a decent daily driver but not an amazing gaming device. Everyday social media browsing works well enough, and Genshin Impact runs well on low to medium settings with slightly glitchy graphics.
Cameras
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G saw an upgrade in this area, going from 64MP to 108MP in the main camera. This is also the first OnePlus phone to get a 108MP main camera, which sounded promising on paper.
In practice, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G took pretty nice and detailed photos, provided the lighting is perfect. The colours are pretty natural, albeit a little washed out, but overall good for general social media photos.
However, the opposite can be said for low-light conditions. The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G doesn’t have OIS, which makes low-light photos very noisy and grainy, even when Night Mode is turned on.
Battery
The battery is probably the most impressive and redeeming quality in the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G. With a 5,000mAh battery that’s more commonly found in midrange phones nowadays, the phone is able to last for a little over 24 hours on moderate usage between charges with an 8-hour standby.
Plus, we’ve also got the 67W quick charging going on for rejuicing, which was pretty impressive, getting the phone from less than 10% to 50% in just 15 minutes. The charger is also included in the box, which is also great, as you won’t need to hunt down an adapter that can support fast charging.
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