Although OnePlus is best known for its reasonably priced flagships, the firm is making every effort to win over more consumers who are on a tight budget. In order to do this, the company just unveiled the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite, which aims to stir up some controversy in the fiercely competitive sub-Rs 20K pricing range. So, is the product worth your money, or would a phone from Redmi or Realme's lineup serve you better? Let's investigate that in this review.
Pros
- Good design
- Decent performanceÂ
- Clean UI
Cons
- Cameras are not the best
- Mobile gamers should look elsewhere
- Lacks stereo speakers
For fans of OnePlus, the Nord CE 2 Lite is a good option. The Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus, which, incidentally, comes with an AMOLED display and a dual speaker arrangement as well, is just one of many more fully-rounded handsets in the Nord CE 2 Lite's price range that consumers who don't have a preference for OxygenOS will discover.
The latest Android phone from OnePlus continues the company's tradition of producing fashionable devices. A velvety polycarbonate back with a two-tone finish is used on the Nord CE 2 Lite. I received the Blue Tide model for review, which has a glossier veneer on the top portion of the phone (the parts next to the camera module), and a matte veneer on three-quarters of the rear panel. Overall, the smartphone has a classy appearance and the matte coating does an excellent job of preventing smudges. The smartphone's camera system comprises of two vertical camera lenses, a macro sensor, and an LED flash module on either side. The design of the smartphone really has a few Realme and Vivo phone similarities. Whatever the case, there are many people who will like the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite's stylish design. It also helps that the smartphone's frame doesn't bend or flex and that the device's chassis provides enough toughness.
It's unfortunate that OnePlus has abandoned its iconic alert slider for the Nord CE 2 Lite. Additionally, the smartphone comes with a side-mounted fingerprint reader that is integrated into the power button, unlike other rival products. Additionally, the gadget does not come with dual speakers. That's frustrating because most products in the same price range as the Nord CE 2 Lite have a dual-speaker configuration. On the plus side, the smartphone has a headphone jack, which can be located beside the USB Type-C connector near the bottom of the device.
The IPS LCD screen of the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite has a refresh rate of 120Hz and an FHD+ resolution. It is sense that rival firms that include OLED panels with their products would lure potential customers. These screens provide consumers much higher viewing angles, greater contrast ratios, and even exhibit brilliant colours. Now, credit where credit is due, the LCD implementation on the Nord CE 2 Lite is not too shoddy and the display is plenty bright for outdoor use as well.
OnePlus also provides a wide range of display customization options, including as the ability to switch between different colour profiles, a temperature slider, and an eye-comfort toggle. The panel is WideVine L1 certified for HD content on OTT services as well, although it is unable to transmit HDR material from Netflix or other applications. The phone's punch-hole notch makes problems worse because it exhibits backlight leakage, which might be annoying while watching films on the device. The gadget keeps the surfing experience as smooth as possible and the screen refreshes flawlessly at 120Hz.
For its starting price of Rs 19,999, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite offers a number of alluring features in the area of low-cost devices. Despite this, there are certain flaws with the smartphone, like its mono speaker arrangement and LCD display, which will disappoint media enthusiasts.