OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G review – Powerful mid-ranger with sleek design

• The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is the latest offering from the smartphone maker in its Nord series.
• The Nord CE 3 5G is priced starting at ₹26,999 and is available in two variants.
• Here’s my review of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G that will help you decide whether to buy the device or not.

OnePlus recently launched the Nord CE 3 5G, the company’s latest smartphone in the Nord series. The device was launched alongside the Nord 3 5G, the company’s top offering in the Nord series and has been placed between the Nord 3 5G and the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G.

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 is the successor of the Nord CE 2 5G and comes with several improvements over its predecessor, including a revamped design.

I have been using the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G for a few weeks now and here is my review of the latest mid-range offering from the Chinese smartphone maker.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G price and availability

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is priced at ₹26,999 for the 8GB RAM variant and ₹28,999 for the 12GB RAM variant.

The device comes in Aqua Surge and Gray Shimmer colour options and is available from Amazon India, OnePlus online store and offline stores across the country.

In the box

• OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G
• Silicone case
• 80W power adapter
• USB Type-C cable
• Pre-applied screen protector
• SIM tray ejector
• Documentation

OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G specifications

OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G pros and cons

Pros

• Bloatware-free user experience
• Sleek design with a large display

Cons

• Plastic back

Design and display

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G comes with a revamped design compared to its predecessor. The device is available in two colour options – Aqua Surge and Gray Shimmer. Both the devices come with a plastic back.

While the Aqua Surge variant comes with a glass-like feel, the Gray Shimmer variant offers a metallic feel with a textured back. I reviewed the Aqua Surge variant.

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G features two large camera cut-outs at the back and a cut-out for the LED flash. The glossy finish prevents fingerprint smudges on the back. Due to the camera cut-out, the device wobbles when kept on flat surfaces and you will have to use a case with the device.

The device comes with OnePlus branding in the middle. The device comes with a plastic frame.

While the left side is bare, the right side features the volume rockers and the power button.

On the top, the device comes with an IR blaster and a microphone.

On the bottom, the device comes with the SIM tray, a microphone, USB Type-C port and the speaker grille.

Coming to the display, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G features a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2160Hz PWM dimming.

The display comes with HDR10+ support and offers 10-bit colour depth. The device offers good visuals, with proper colour reproduction and accuracy.

Software and performance

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G runs on Android 13 out of the box with the company’s OxygenOS 13.1 skinned on top. The device will offer two years of Android updates and three years of security updates.

OxygenOS 13.1 is a feature-rich UI that comes with several software enhancements. The device comes with the usual Google applications and OnePlus applications. It does not come with any bloatware so you don’t have to worry about uninstalling useless applications.

Coming to performance, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is equipped with the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 782G chipset. The device comes in two variants – 8GB RAM + 128GB storage and 12GB RAM + 256GB storage.

I played popular titles such as Battlegrounds Mobile India and Call of Duty Mobile on the device. The device currently supports HDR graphics, with Ultra HD support in the works. It also supports ultra frame rate, offering a smooth gameplay.

During my testing, the device was able to handle the game without any issues and thanks to the ample RAM, the device is able to handle multi-tasking easily. During extended gaming sessions, the smartphone starts heating a bit but is manageable.

The Nord CE 3 5G is powered by a 5,000mAh battery and comes with 80W fast charging support. The company has claimed that the device can be fully charged in 32 minutes. The 5,000mAh battery lasts a day with normal usage, including light gaming and video streaming.

Camera

Coming to the camera department, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G features a triple camera setup at the back, consisting of a 50MP primary camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 2MP macro sensor.

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G performs well in natural light, capturing image with good detail and accurate colour reproduction. The images captured do not have any noise and no blurring due to OIS.

The device performs decently in low-light conditions, capturing good details with minimal noise. The colours get washed out a little in low-lit images.

On the front, the device sports a 16MP camera for selfies and video calling. Just like the rear camera, the selfie camera is able to capture good images in daylight, with some noise in low-light images.

Verdict

Overall, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G is a feature-packed device, offering good hardware and bloat-free software in the mid-range segment. The device’s display, large battery and performance make it a good option under the ₹30,000 segment.

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