One of IrishMirror’s favourite smartphone brands OnePlus has introduced a new handset to its ever expanding OnePlus Nord family of mid-range and budget-price devices.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G was launched alongside OnePlus Nord Buds 2 earphones and come hot on the heels of the firm’s flagship smartphone OnePlus 11 which is one of the best phones of 2023 so far.
The CE in the new smartphone’s moniker stands for Core Edition.
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This phone is a compelling alternative to more expensive mid-range options such as Samsung's Galaxy A54 which costs almost €200 more for the same 128GB/8GB configuration.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G in detail
The headline features of this smartphone are a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset, a 108MP main camera and a long-lasting 5000mAh battery capacity with 67W SUPERVOOC ultra-fast charging.
The glossy plastic rear of the handset houses two discrete circular camera modules.
In one of these is the company’s first 108MP camera sensor and its high resolution enables what the firm calls 3x lossless zoom. In essence, this aims to replicate the zooming capabilities of a telephoto lens by, essentially, cropping into the image.
In general, still images from the 108MP sensor are regularly pleasing with colours that are natural looking and have well-balanced exposure. I took test shots in a range of lighting conditions.
Video is capped at full HD resolution and 30 frames per second and footage is nicely stabilised.
There is also a 2MP depth-assist camera to adjust depth of field to improve the results in portrait mode. On the front is a 16MP selfie camera.
One thing which jumps out immediately is the quality of the 6.72in 120Hz FHD+ display.
It’s got a 91.4 percent screen-to-body ratio, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and Global DC Dimming.
The latter is an enhanced screen backlight system that allows you to view more content for a longer time under low light environment. It does this by reducing eye strain
The 67W SUPERVOOC Endurance Edition charger can reach 80 percent capacity from zero in less than 30 minutes.
The superfast charger doubles the charging cycles and works to increase the battery’s lifespan and overall battery health in the long run.
By fitting 12 sensors into the smartphone, temperature can be monitored to keep the device from overheating.
Battery life is decent from the 5000mAh power pack. This will last most users a full day every day.
Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is nippy enough in everyday use with apps opening promptly thanks to its octa-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset.
While the 120Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling through social media feeds super smooth.
The device also includes a dual-speaker system with a volume level that can be increased up to 200 per cent for those moments when turning it up to 11 just won’t suffice.
And you get a dual-SIM tray which can either take two SIM cards or one alongside a microSD card up to 1TB.
Available in Pastel Lime and Chromatic Gray colour options, Nord CE 3 Lite 5G also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack for superior wired audio connections.
There is just one spec configuration of 128GB storage and 8GB RAM.
Verdict
The second OnePlus smartphone of what looks like being a busy 2023 for the firm is a solid budget-priced device with a surprisingly decent camera and excellent battery life.
Pricing and availability
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G costs €329 from OnePlus.com and Amazon.co.uk
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