Every once in a while, you come across a smartphone which is easy to recommend. The newly launched OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is one of those cases. It looks like OnePlus is continuing its winning streak at least in India with the launch of the 11 and 11R series devices and now with this budget winner. So what exactly works with the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite? Pretty much everything, for the prize! Let’s dive in and explore the latest budget offering by OnePlus and why it has the potential to become the next big thing in the Indian market –
Design
The ‘CE’ in the OnePlus lineup stands for ‘Core Edition’ It could be simply written off as a marketing gimmick designed to package a budget device. But the CE aspect in Nord CE 3 Lite shines especially when it comes to the design. As much of the budget devices go, it also comes with a plastic back but the colour scheme here can be called this device’s USP. The variant I am using is the Pastel Lime colour which is aesthetically pleasing to look at. The company says that the vibrancy of nature inspired the new Pastel Lime variant which honestly translates very well in real-time usage of the device. At the front, we have a big 6.72-inch 120Hz FHD+ display which is not AMOLED, making it the only drawback of the Nord CE 3 Lite in my opinion. However, the colour production and overall performance of the LCD screen took me by surprise as it was a treat to look at. Interestingly, the device does not come with a Gorilla Glass at the front but rocks an Asahi Dragontail Star Glass which easily survived a few drops from a nominal height during my testing. The fingerprint sensor here rests on the right side of the device with the left side housing the volume rockers and a hybrid slim slot. The camera design for the new device is also unique in more than just one way. Overall, the design of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is a winner.
Camera
Now, this is where most budget devices lose their ground. The expectation with cameras in this price category is usually whether the performance is passable. Luckily, the image output for the Nord CE 3 Lite with its 108MP primary lens is beyond just passable. The camera is capable of shooting some crisp images with the exception of a few shots where it misses out on key details of the subject in place. The primary shooter is coupled with a 2MP depth-assist lens and a 2MP macro lens. OnePlus claims that the device is capable of shooting 3x lossless zoom images which is arguable, to say the least. During my testing of the device, a lot of details were missed out while clicking photos on 3x zoom. The selfies here can be clicked with a 16MP shooter which produces average shots. The camera boasts a number of features like AI Scene Enhancement, Slow Motion Video, Dual Video Mode, and much more. Sadly, it cannot shoot videos in 60 frames being restrained to 1080P and 720P video at 30 fps only. Overall, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite brings in a stable camera setup which is reliable. Check out some camera samples below –
Performance
The greatness of the Snapdragon 695 chipset strikes again! If I had a dollar for every time a smartphone manufacturer relied on this chipset for optimum performance in the budget section then I’d be wealthy. The powerful chipset is backed by a 5000 mAh battery which can be juiced up with a 67W SUPERVOOC charger. During my testing, the device would juice up around 80 to 85% in half an hour. The combination of a big battery with fast charging is a treat for people on the go, thus making this device an ideal choice for many. We also get a 3.5mm headphone jack here which produced decent audio quality during long music sessions. The variant I tested came with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB storage. It runs on OxygenOS 13.1 which promises a smooth gaming experience. However, one does not truly think of gaming graphics extensive games on a budget device like this. Still, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite holds its ground during extensive gaming sessions without heating up noticeably. Overall, the performance of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is smooth and commendable.
Verdict
If you’re looking to get into the OnePlus ecosystem without having to shell out the premium midrange pricing of the OnePlus 11 then this is definitely the device for you. It comes with good performance and an above-average camera system making it a complete package.