Highlights
- Nord CE 4 Lite has a 6.67-inch AMOLED with 2100 nits, Nord CE 3 Lite features a 6.72-inch IPS LCD with 680 nits
- Nord CE 4 Lite offers 5500 mAh and 80W charging, Nord CE 3 Lite has 5000 mAh and 67W charging
- Nord CE 4 Lite sports a 50 MP main camera, Nord CE 3 Lite has a 108 MP primary camera
- Nord CE 4 Lite runs on OxygenOS Android 14, Nord CE 3 Lite on Android 13
OnePlus announced its latest budget offering for the Indian market yesterday: the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite.
Going by the specifications, I am sure you would have many doubts.
What is this 3-year-old chipset doing on a 2024-introduced smartphone?
How does it stand against its predecessor?
What changes have been made?
Well then, let’s take two models from the northern family, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, and the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G, to make this comparison.
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G has only recently found its way into the market as a previous big-headed player in the 5G mid-range jungle in April 2023.
And what’s the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite to do about that?
Now the price difference of about Rs. 2,000 where the CE 3 Lite comes for Rs. 17,743 and the CE 4 Lite for Rs. 19,999, now one needs to know what does the new model offer so differently from the old one and whether the changes are worth such a price increase.
This comparison will delve into various aspects of both devices, including design, display, camera capabilities, performance, software, battery life, and charging speeds.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of how these two smartphones stack up against each other, helping you make an informed decision based on your needs and budget.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite: Key Specs
| Specification | OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite | OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite |
| Price | Rs. 19,999 | Rs. 17,743 |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 |
| Display | 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz, 2100 nits | 6.72-inch FHD+ IPS LCD, 120Hz, 680 nits |
| RAM | 8 GB LPDDR4X | 8 GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128 GB / 256 GB, expandable up to 2 TB | 128 GB, expandable up to 1 TB |
| Rear Camera | 50 MP + 2 MP (Dual) | 108 MP + 2 MP + 2 MP (Triple) |
| Battery | 5500 mAh, 80W SUPERVOOC charging | 5000 mAh, 67W SUPERVOOC charging |
| Operating System | Oxygen OS based on Android 14 | Oxygen OS based on Android 13 |
Design and display
The design language of both the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G and the Nord CE 4 Lite 5G is pretty much similar: a plastic back and a modern bezel-less display along with the punch-hole camera.
There are, however, some noteworthy differences in their display specifications.
The CE 3 Lite comes with a slightly larger 6.72-inch IPS LCD display whereas the CE 4 Lite had a 6.67-inch AMOLED display.
Both devices support Full HD+ resolution of 1080×2400 pixels to ensure sharp images.
The CE 3 Lite has a 91.4 per cent screen-to-body ratio while the CE 4 Lite was tipped to have a marginally bigger ratio at 92.2 per cent for a better view.
Probably the single most significant boost in the CE 4 Lite is its peak brightness, bumped up now to a respectable 2100 nits, as opposed to the CE 3 Lite’s 680 nits.
This change should make a big difference when watching HDR content or using the projector outdoors.
Both models feature a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and animations.
In terms of dimensions, the CE 4 Lite is slightly more compact and lighter, weighing 191 grams compared to the CE 3 Lite’s 195 grams.
Color options differ, with the CE 3 Lite available in Pastel Lime and Chromatic Gray, while the CE 4 Lite comes in Mega Blue, Ultra Orange, and Super Silver.
Cameras
On the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, there is a triple camera system led by a high-resolution 108MP main sensor, accompanied by a 2MP depth and a 2MP macro camera.
This layout therefore attempts to bring versatility to those detailed shots and a few creative options with the featured depth effects and close-ups.
On the other hand, the Nord CE 4 Lite 5G has a dual camera setup: a 50 MP primary sensor and a 2 MP depth camera.
While the main camera comes with lesser megapixels, it integrates a bigger sensor size of 1.95″ against 1.67″, which might result in better low-light performance and dynamic range.
Conveniently, both devices have a 16MP front-facing camera for selfies, although the CE 4 Lite has a slight advantage with its wide-angle 24 millimeter focal length.
Video did appear to be similar, though, with both phones capable of recording 1080p video at 30fps.
The CE 3 Lite offers features like 6x digital zoom, while the CE 4 Lite improves this to 10x digital zoom.
Both models include standard features like HDR, continuous shooting, and various shooting modes to enhance the photography experience.
Performance and Features
While the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G and Nord CE 4 Lite 5G will share a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, it also has an octa-core CPU with two high-performance Kryo 660 cores running at 2.2 GHz and six efficiency cores at 1.7 GHz.
This will be the processor that packs 5G and decent performance for everyday tasks along with light gaming.
Both of them have 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, which can smoothly sustain multitasking.
The internal storage is 128GB with UFS 2.2, and it is expandable up to 2TB in the CE 4 Lite; in its predecessor, it was limited to a maximum of 1TB.
Connectivity options are, however, basically identical; they share 5G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, and GPS.
Both phones have the USB Type-C port and, surprisingly, still have a 3.5mm headphone jack—something of a rarity these days in smartphones.
One notable difference is the fingerprint sensor placement.
The CE 3 Lite features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, while the CE 4 Lite has an in-display fingerprint sensor, potentially offering a more seamless user experience.
Software
OnePlus has maintained its commitment to providing a clean, user-friendly interface across both devices, but with some key differences in the underlying Android version.
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G launched with OxygenOS based on Android 13, offering a near-stock Android experience with useful customizations and optimizations from OnePlus.
The Nord CE 4 Lite 5G comes with OxygenOS based on the more recent Android 14.
This update should bring several improvements in terms of privacy features, system optimizations, and user interface refinements.
Both versions of OxygenOS retain popular features and a range of performance optimization tools.
However, the CE 4 Lite might benefit from additional AI-enhanced features and improvements that come with the newer Android version.
Battery and Charging
Improvements in the new model include better battery life and charging capabilities.
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G comes fitted with a pretty significant 5000mAh battery that works easily for a full day on heavy to moderate usage.
The Nord CE 4 Lite 5G model packs a slightly larger battery size of 5500mAh, which might further improve the overall endurance.
This increase may amount to noticeably longer battery life for power users or those hammering their devices frequently with resource-intensive tasks like gaming or video streaming.
Charing speeds find improvements as well.
Where the CE 3 Lite boasts of a 67W Super VOOC charging that fills up its battery to 80% in just 30 minutes, the CE 4 Lite packs an 80W Super VOOC charging solution – it can refill its battery fully in just 52 minutes.
Although it is not much faster than its predecessor for the charge time, the larger battery capacity makes up for this fact.
Both devices utilize USB Type-C ports for charging and data transfer, maintaining compatibility with modern accessories.
Final Verdict
While the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G and Nord CE 4 Lite 5G are two generations of excellence at an affordable budget, each has different contributions to make.
The CE 3 Lite still holds up well even at this point in time—the same reasons shake out for budget-sensitive buyers: it has a large display, a capable camera system, and decent performance for a more reachable price of Rs. 17,743.
The Nord CE 4 Lite 5G will want to bring in some tangible upgrades to justify that Rs. 19,999 price tag.
This could be a brighter display, possibly improved low-light camera performance, expandable storage, and a larger battery with faster charging.
Those who want better display brightness, battery life, and future-proofing through the latest Android versions would rather go for a CE 4 Lite.
Improved software support combined with some other minor feature upgrades only help give it better long-term value.
However, if budget is a primary concern and you’re looking for a reliable smartphone with 5G capabilities and good overall performance, the CE 3 Lite still holds its ground as a competitive option in its price range.
FAQs
What are the main differences between the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite and Nord CE 3 Lite?
The Nord CE 4 Lite offers an AMOLED display with higher peak brightness, a larger battery with faster charging, and runs on the latest OxygenOS based on Android 14.
It also features a dual-camera setup with a 50 MP primary sensor.
Is the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite worth the price increase compared to the Nord CE 3 Lite?
Yes, the Nord CE 4 Lite provides several upgrades, including a brighter AMOLED display, better camera performance in low light, a larger battery, and faster charging, which justify the price increase.
Can I expand the storage on the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite?
Yes, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite supports expandable storage up to 2 TB, compared to the 1 TB expansion limit on the Nord CE 3 Lite.
How does the camera performance compare between the Nord CE 4 Lite and Nord CE 3 Lite?
The Nord CE 4 Lite has a 50 MP main camera with a larger sensor size for improved low-light performance, whereas the Nord CE 3 Lite features a 108 MP primary camera.
The CE 4 Lite also offers up to 10x digital zoom, compared to 6x on the CE 3 Lite.
What are the charging speeds and battery capacities of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite and Nord CE 3 Lite?
The Nord CE 4 Lite comes with a 5500 mAh battery and supports 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging, while the Nord CE 3 Lite has a 5000 mAh battery with 67W SUPERVOOC charging.
What are the best features of oneplus nord Ce 3 lite ?
- 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
What are 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
Should I buy the OnePlus Nord Ce 3 Lite 5G?
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.
What are the top 3 reasons to buy OnePlus Nord CE 4 5G?
Vibrant 120Hz AMOLED
- Display:Enjoy smooth scrolling and vivid visuals on the 6.67-inch screen with 2100 nits peak brightness.
- Long-lasting Battery with Fast Charging:5,500 mAh capacity keeps you powered all day, while 80W SUPERVOOC charging quickly tops up the battery.
- Capable Camera System:50MP main camera with OIS captures detailed photos, complemented by various shooting modes for creativity.
Also Read: OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G Launched in India
Also Read: OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite Set to Launch in India: Budget-Friendly 50MP Dual Camera Smartphone
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