Highlights

• OnePlus has launched the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, the most affordable Nord phone in India at the starting price of Rs 19,999 for its base variant.
• OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G comes with a 6.72-inch IPS LCD display and a triple camera setup on the rear that includes a 108-megapixel, 2-megapixel, and 2-megapixel lens. It also has a 16-megapixel front camera.
• Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset with 6GB RAM and an Adreno 619 GPU for graphics, Nord CE 3 Lite 5G has 128GB internal memory, extendable up to 1TB.
• The phone has a 5000mAh battery with 67W Super VOOC Charging and supports 5G, Wi-Fi, Mobile Hotspot, Bluetooth v5.3, USB Type-C, and more for connectivity.
• In this blog, we are taking a closer look at the device and sharing an in-depth OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G review based on our in-hand experience.

OnePlus has officially launched its most affordable Nord-branded phone, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, in India. The new mainstream 5G smartphone is the successor to the Nord CE 2 Lite 5G and is currently priced at Rs. 19,999 for the base variant.

OnePlus introduced Nord as its budget range, which later came up with its own budget range called Nord CE. That Nord CE also has another budget range called the Nord CE Lite.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is the third release under the Nord CE Lite branding. So, let’s take a closer look at this latest addition before we jump to our in-depth review based on our in-hand experience.

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G sports a 6.72-inch IPS LCD front display featured with a 20:9 aspect ratio, 2400 x 1080 pixels resolution and 392ppi pixel density.
The smartphone display further comes with a 120Hz refresh rate for a smooth scrolling experience.

For an optimum photography experience, OnePlus has packed a triple camera module on the rear side of the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G.
The rear camera setup includes a 108-megapixel wide-angle main camera, 2-megapixel a macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth-assist camera.
You also get a 16-megapixel wide-angle camera on the front side for selfies and video calling.

The device is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, which is accompanied by 6GB RAM and an Eight-core processor featuring a dual Kryo 660 layout. Moreover, in order to facilitate beautiful display visuals, OnePlus has configured an Adreno 619 GPU for graphics.
All of this is supported by 128GB of internal memory, which is extendable by up to 1TB.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G features a 5000mAh battery that is compatible with a 67W Super VOOC Charging mechanism. This is enough to last a day or two for an average smartphone user.

As for the connectivity features, the smartphone supports Wi-Fi, A-GPS with Glonass, 5G, Mobile Hotspot, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth v5.3 and USB Type-C.

Now, before we move to the actual in-depth review of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, let’s take a quick look at what are the key features along with the pros and cons of the device.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Key Features

• 72-inch IPS LCD Display
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 Processor
• 8 GB RAM
• 128 GB Storage
• 108 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP Triple Rear Camera
• 16 MP Front Camera
• 5000 mAh Battery
• Android v13 OS
• 5G support

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Pros & Cons

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Unboxing

The best part of OnePlus devices is that the brand packs a complete package in the retail box and provides everything you might need to use the device. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G come in a dark black retail box with stylish Nord branding on top.

Inside the box, we get the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, 80W SUPERVOOC power adapter, type-c cable (supports USB 2.0), phone case, screen protector (pre-applied), sim tray ejector, welcome letter, brand sticker, quick guide, red cable club membership card and a safety guide.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G  Design

The first thing we noticed when we had the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G  in our hands is now increasingly popular camera islands design.

It is a very unique mix of materials used to design this phone that also grabs attention right away. This camera Island approach has become quite popular recently with the Zenfone 9 and then some Oppo phones adopting it.

The back is a glossy plastic which unfortunately works as a huge fingerprint magnet and it is also extremely reflective.

The sides of the device have this sandstone texture to it. It has this interesting feel when you hold it. While one hand, the palm feels as if holding something smooth and glossy plastic at the back, but at the same time, the fingers feel a rough sandstone texture.

It is evident that OnePlus has tried something new with their use of design materials and we can only say that this entirely depends on individuals’ preference to like it or not.

Apart from the body design, we get the standard stuff. There is a 3.5 mm headphone jack, flat rectangular sides, dual speakers with 200 Ultra volume, and the space for a hybrid SIM tray.

Another thing to note, while we were OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite during this review, we noticed that the edges of the device developed a bit of scuffing. It could be because we repeatedly kept the device on the table without using any cover.

So, just for a note, users should try and use a case in order to avoid that.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Display

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G has got a 6.7-inch display, which makes it an impressively large device. It doesn’t feel as bulky in hand and it’s surprisingly extremely well-balanced design.

However, one-hand use is definitely a stretch for an average person. You will have to use both hands to handle this beast.

Another thing to note about the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is that it is a 120 hertz LCD adaptive screen and not an AMOLED or HD screen. It has got a typical brightness of about 550 nits that peaks at 680 nits.

Surely, this isn’t the best display in this price segment. We get many smartphones in a similar price bracket that offer AMOLED, more brightness or even HDR displays.

So, the display of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G when compared to the competing phone in the market today is decent at best.

We would also like to remind you that if you do use your smartphone outdoors a lot, we would recommend you should consider a brighter smartphone than this one in general.

Moreover, there’s also no in-display fingerprint sensor and the Nord CE 3 Lite has actually packed a sensor with the power button that works as a physical fingerprint sensor.
Although, this isn’t a reason to complain because the sensor works very fast and is very convenient. We didn’t face any particular issue during our use.

Also, just to make a note the face unlock is also perfectly responsive and doesn’t seem to have any evident issues.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Performance

When it comes to performance, the first thing that grabs the attention is obviously the processor. Now, OnePlus has used the same processor that they used in the predecessor Nord CE 2 Lite last year which is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 Processor. This basically means technically they’ve not upgraded the chip in this phone at all.

However, there are no arguments about the capability of the processor as Snapdragon 695 is still one of the very competent hardware in this price segment in 2023.

There are absolutely no concerns in regard to the daily performance of the smartphone with this processor, which is why OnePlus choosing not to upgrade the processor isn’t all that surprising. Everyday multitasking capability of the device reminds top-notch.

The response to touch is amazing of this phone and it doesn’t heat up even when gaming for a longer duration. Moreover, the phone doesn’t consume too much battery either.

It also comes with a gaming mode that optimizes your gameplay experience. Basically, you can choose between various modes based on how much performance you want.

There’s also a very interesting Championship Mode that completely tunes up the phone for an uninterrupted gaming session with no outside interference.

All in all, OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite has got some serious gaming tools that will definitely be appreciated by all gamers out there.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Camera

The cameras in OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite are where things get really subjective. On a closer look at the two camera cutouts and we get one output with a 108-megapixel lens and the second cutout with a 2-megapixel macro lens and a 2-megapixel depth assist sensor.

So, we tried taking a few shots using the primary camera and the results were quite surprising. While these lenses may not be the bests in the price segment but the shot quality is definitely not bad or even average. The few shots we tested came out quite clear and crisp.

The issue we noticed is with the white balance, which is a bit inconsistent. It keeps fluctuating and sometimes appeared too magenta, sometimes a bit too blue.

As for the low-light photos, the results of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite are definitely acceptable for this price segment and no one should expect heavy processing from a phone that is available under 20K.

The camera is well-programmed to pick up even a flicker of light in the frame and provides a great end result. Indoor photo results are also good and we didn’t notice any issues with lighting or colour saturation.

Now, for the 16-megapixel front camera is where we faced a couple of issues. The selfies we tried to take with the device came out with aggressive processing and the lens beautifies the face a little too much keeping it away from the natural image. Also, it seems to not handle the highlights in selfies too well for some reason.

For videos, the Nord CE 3 Lite can shoot only up to 1080p capped at 30 FPS. So, basically, no 4K recording, which is a little disappointing.

However, these rear cameras do come with EIS even though there is no Optical image stabilization feature, which is something quite good.

There’s also a dual video mode for users to shoot Vlog-style content. Moreover, there are some options that give flexibility on how you wish to shoot that provide more reasons to cheer for content creators.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Battery

The battery is where OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite really outperforms a lot of other smartphones in this price segment. So, this has a 5000mAh battery capacity and since it’s powered by the efficient Snapdragon 695, this easily sets out to be a two-day battery phone.

To put it precisely, if you are not using your camera all day long or you are not gaming all day long, you would probably need to charge the Nord CE 3 Lite just once in two days. Now, this we believe is impressive and one of the best features of this device.

Moreover, OnePlus has come up with this smart adaptive feature for the battery, which means the phone when charging and discharging is managed in a way that the battery’s lifespan is kept healthy.

The 5000mAh battery is also compatible with a 67W Super VOOC Charging mechanism, which is again both impressive and unique for a smartphone in this price segment.

Verdict

OnePlus is one of the most innovative and trustworthy smartphone brands active in the Indian smartphone market today and you really can’t go wrong if you decide to go for any of its budget or premium phones.

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite too doesn’t fall far from this deduction and is undoubtedly a pretty safe choice.

In our understanding and experience, we would say if display or cameras are your priority, you could look into some other options while upgrading to a new device.

However, if gaming or battery life is at the top of your priority list then the Nord CE 3 Lite is a definitely really smart and understandable choice.

Overall, for a price segment that this phone caters to, Nord CE 3 Lite is definitely a good phone and worthy of a recommendation for anyone looking for a decent budget-friendly smartphone with 5G support, great battery life and overall good smartphone performance.

Buy OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G for

• Impressive display with 120Hz refresh rate
• The featureful camera setup on the back
• Wide-Angle camera for the front
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset
• 6GB RAM
• 67W Super VOOC Charging
• Internal memory is expandable
• Side-wise fingerprint sensor

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G My Mobile Ratings

Design – 3/5

Display – 3/5

Performance – 3.5/5

Camera – 3/5

Battery – 4/5

Overall – 3.5/5

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Price and Availability

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G price in India starts from Rs. 19,999 for the base variant. This is an 8 GB RAM / 128 GB internal storage variant. The lowest price of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is Rs. 19,999 at Amazon offers.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is available in Pastel Lime and Chromatic Gray colour options.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G In the Box Accessories

• OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
• 80W SUPERVOOC Power Adapter
• Type-C Cable (supports USB 2.0)
• Phone Case
• Screen Protector (pre-applied)
• SIM Tray Ejector
• Welcome Letter
• Brand Sticker
• Quick Guide
• Red Cable Club Membership Card
• Safety Guide

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Full Specification

Performance

Display

Camera

Battery

Network & Connectivity

Sensors

FAQs on OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite

Q1. What is the screen size of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G?

Answer. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G features a 6.72-inch IPS LCD display.

Q2. What is the camera resolution of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G?

Answer. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G comes with a triple rear camera setup including a 108-megapixel main camera and a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.

Q3. What is the battery life of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G?

Answer. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is equipped with a 5000mAh battery that can last up to a day or two for an average smartphone user. It also supports 67W Super VOOC Charging.

Q4. What is the storage capacity of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G?

Answer. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G has 128GB of internal memory which is expandable up to 1TB.

Q5. Does the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G support 5G connectivity?

Answer: Yes, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G supports 5G connectivity, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.3, A-GPS with Glonass, 4G VoLTE, and USB Type-C.

Q6. OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G waterproof?

Answer. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite isn’t waterproof but it comes with IP55 rating which gives the smartphone limited protection from dust and water. So we wouldn’t advise you to take the phone out swimming or in the shower.

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