The top inexpensive 5G phones last year was the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite. It provided consumers with a few high-end features at a reasonably low cost, including a 120Hz display, a 64MP main camera, and a sizable battery with 33W wired fast charging. With a slightly higher price tag and an improved camera system, its replacement, the recently unveiled OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, ups the ante.
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite isn't the finest phone in this price bracket, but I've been using it for a little over two weeks and do appreciate several aspects of it. The smartphone, which costs £300, appears to be a wonderful deal given its 120Hz display, 108MP primary camera, and 67W rapid charging. In contrast to similarly priced handsets like the Redmi Note 12 5G and the Google Pixel 6a, it is hard to suggest this one due to the outdated SoC and choppy performance it causes. The Pixel 6a's camera and performance are unmatched in this category, while the Redmi Note 12 5G's 120Hz AMOLED display and more recent Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC are much superior.
Quality of construction and design:
fashion over substanceClose-up of the cameras of a OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite with a bag in the backdrop.The design of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is one of the few things that is new. With two new colours and a modified camera module design, OnePlus has given its most recent low-cost handset a new appearance. The Nord CE 3 Lite now features two sizable circular pieces containing its triple-camera arrangement with an LED flash to the side, as opposed to the rectangular camera island of its predecessor.
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite's front sports a flat display with a hole-punch cutout in the centre for the selfie camera and thick bezels on the top and bottom characteristic of low-cost handsets. Flat sides of the phone make it easy to hold, and it includes a power button that serves as a fingerprint scanner on the right side, a volume rocker and SIM tray on the left, a USB-C connector and 3.5mm headphone socket at the bottom.
Should you buy the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G?
You should buy the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite if:
- You want great battery life and 67W wired fast charging.
- You're a OnePlus fan and want the new OxygenOS experience.
You shouldn't buy the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite if:
- You want a great, responsive display.
- You want lag-free performance in day-to-day use.
On paper, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite looks like a solid bundle, but because to the several drawbacks I've mentioned above, I find it difficult to recommend it above other products at a comparable price point, such as the Google Pixel 6a and the Redmi Note 12 5G. If the product had been less expensive, I would have forgiven the problems, but 20000 INR is a lot to pay for a phone that only shines in battery life. In spite of the fact that there are a few alternative phones in this price range that provide greater value for your money, you may still get it if you really require the 67W fast charging capability or if you're a die-hard OnePlus fan.
Google's Tensor processor gives the Pixel 6a superior performance despite its slower charging speed and 60Hz display. Despite having a 12.2MP camera, the Pixel 6a also takes stunning images, provides you access to Pixel-only features, and has extended software support for less than INR 20000/-. With a price tag of roughly INR 20000/-, the Redmi Note 12 5G is more affordable and has a 120Hz AMOLED display that is substantially better, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor, a useful 8MP wide-angle camera, Gorilla Glass 3, and an IP53 rating. Unfortunately, it only supports 33W fast charging and uses MIUI 14 on top of Android 12.