The latest addition to the OnePlus Nord range isn’t a device that swings, but it does offer good value for money. Although the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is not without its compromises.

Our tests regularly check the highest quality flagship smartphones. But beneath the bling bling of the top models is a wide selection (and demand for it) of devices that offer a powerful all-in-one package at an affordable price. OnePlus understood this all too well: in the summer of 2020, the Chinese brand launched the OnePlus Nord, a device that revived the company’s reputation as a price-breaker.

The OnePlus Nord line has since expanded significantly and there have even been offshoots within the family. The name of the latest model bears witness to this: OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G. The Nord CE line is the entry-level series from OnePlus, within which devices with the word “Lite” are considered the basic version. In other words, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is the cheapest new device that the manufacturer has on offer today.

pastel green

To make the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite stand out on store shelves, OnePlus is adding a pastel green variant alongside the standard black. So we were particularly excited about the second colour. Opinions in the editorial office were immediately divided. One finds it an interesting choice, the other sticks to less flattering adjectives.

Budget devices are finished with cheaper material to lower the cost price. Unfortunately, the plastic back of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is very sensitive to grease stains and fingerprints, with premium devices sometimes suffering (e.g. the Xiaomi 13 Pro). The display is also made of less stable material than you might be used to. Our test device was scratched within a very short time. Our advice is to definitely put on a screen protector after your purchase.

With OnePlus devices, there’s an eternal debate as to whether the physical alert slider will show up, but after a brief comeback on the OnePlus 11, it’s already gone. The presence of an audio jack is a plus in this price range.

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With a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels and an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite has surprisingly good image data. With a size of 6.72 inches, the screen is even larger than the OnePlus 11, but the device feels good in the hand and the screen is easy to use. In our test, the screen reached a maximum brightness of 434 cd/m²²OnePlus advertises a peak brightness of 680 cd/m². That means as long as you don’t make your screen too dark, you can read it just fine in the sunlight.

You shouldn’t expect a cinematic picture experience, but scrolling through applications feels pleasant. Audio-wise, OnePlus is still trying to lure you in with a “200%” volume mode that the manufacturer claims matches the quality of a Bluetooth speaker, but this doesn’t seem like much more than a marketing ploy. The louder the volume gets, the more the quality degrades, not to mention the annoyance you cause to the surroundings. Unless your neighbors have a dog barking loudly that you don’t want to hear, we recommend keeping it at 100 percent volume.

Not made for heavy work

When it comes to the processor, we can actually be very brief. This is the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 found in the previous CE Lite model. Here we expected a leap forward. The OnePlus Nord CE 2, which is already a year older, achieves better benchmark results with a MediaTek Dimensity 900 chip. Today you have a Nord CE 2 for 359 euros.

You should also have realistic expectations of the GPU, an Adreno 619. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is not a powerhouse for heavy work like video editing or intense 3D gaming. Will the average user notice much of this? No, with 8GB of RAM, this device is richly equipped to run lighter applications and keep them open.

The RAM memory can be expanded virtually to 16 GB via the settings, but this is again a marketing trick that is of little use in practice. 128 GB of storage is also more than enough. As long as you know what to expect and what not to expect from this device, you will have a lot of fun with it.

Fast loading

Since you will rarely fully utilize the processor, the device is also economical with the battery. As a result, the 5,000 mAh battery easily bridges a day, two days is just a bit too much. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite lasts significantly less than the Nord CE 2 on our battery pain bench.

The Nord CE Lite 3’s biggest improvement is fast charging. The cheapest model can now also look forward to SuperVOOC technology, which increases the charging power to 67 W. It goes to fifty percent in 17 minutes and to eighty in half an hour; for a full battery you calculate forty minutes. Your morning ritual will take a little longer than with the Nord CE 2, but owners of a Samsung Galaxy S23 will have to set the alarm much earlier in order to start the day with a full battery.

Mediocre cameras

Next to fast charging, the camera is said to be the main upgrade of the Nord CE 3 Lite. In practice, this is somewhat disappointing. We don’t want to be too strict either, after all the main camera does what it’s supposed to do. The spec list shows an impressive 108 MP camera that shoots photos in 12 MP by default. In good weather conditions, you can take very nice and sharp pictures with it.

Unfortunately, the main camera fails quickly in less light and you get pictures with little color and vibrancy. The main camera is also accompanied by a 2 MP macro lens and a 2 MP depth sensor. You just can’t take sharp pictures with so few pixels. In addition, you can also create portrait effects via software, so that the depth sensor is of little use.

We would have happily ditched the macro lens and depth sensor for a decent wide-angle lens. When we capture vistas or wider buildings, we struggle to do it justice. You will notice this in the following series of photos.

search for uniqueness

Before we make our final judgment, let’s take a quick look at the software and support. The smartphone comes with OxygenOS 13.1, based on Android 13. The OxygenOS shell is increasingly merging with ColorOS from sister brand Oppo, which has not benefited the software. The overview is not always there and applications are constantly open, especially the tray. It will take some searching for OnePlus and Oppo fans. Luckily, you don’t get overloaded with bloatware, which many Android manufacturers are often guilty of.

Luckily, the Nord CE 3 Lite ships with the latest Android software version, so you don’t have to waste one of your two software updates on updating to Android 13. This was the case with the Nord CE 2, for example. That makes an update policy of two major software updates (up to and including Android 15) and three years of security updates much easier to swallow, although we should note that Samsung and HMD Global (Nokia) also offer a more extensive update policy in this price range.

Conclusion: strengths, but also visible limitations

All in all, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is a limited upgrade over the Nord CE 2 Lite. Aside from a larger display, faster charging, and the cameras, there have been few major changes from OnePlus. Fast charging is a plus, but the cameras leave us hungry. There was no leap forward in terms of processor performance either.

All in all, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is simply an excellent device in its price range. With this device, OnePlus proves that you can find a good offer today even below the price level of 350 euros. Whether it is also the best device for its price is up for debate. The word “Lite” in the name means something. The Nord CE 2, which we’ve compared many times, costs just thirty euros more and is the better one on paper, although this device may not live to see Android 14 again.

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is a solid choice for those looking for a budget-friendly device that’s available immediately and can expect software and security updates for a few more years. For those who like it a bit more, we recommend waiting for the Nord 3 to launch later this year or looking at other mid-range brands.

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 has been available in two colors since April 20: pastel green and gray. There is only one variant of the device with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, which goes over the counter for 329 euros including VAT.

Android update policy: OnePlus promises at least two operating system updates (up to and including Android 15) and three years of security updates, beginning with the April 4, 2023 launch.