The new OnePlus Nord CE 5G is making news, and as the device goes up for sale, should you even consider buying the new Nord? It’s the most affordable 5G phone in India by OnePlus starting at Rs 22,999. OnePlus Nord CE comes in 6GB, 8GB and 12GB RAM options. As far as the claims go, the company says the OnePlus Nord CE has been built in line with what the Nord series stand for, the same OnePlus experience at an affordable price point. The CE in OnePlus Nord CE 5G stands for Core Edition.
We have the device, and we covered all the aspects possible in a short period, but it’s quite enough to make a decision whether you should buy it or not.
Here’s our quick OnePlus Nord CE 5G review, whether you should buy or not.
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OnePlus Nord CE 5G Review (Quick): All In 5 Points
The new Nord CE 5G has some good features onboard such as the 64-megapixel primary camera, a mid-range 5G chip, Warp 30T Plus fast charging, bigger 4,500mAh battery and an AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate.
Let’s dig in a little deep.
Display, Design: Good Enough?
The new Nord phone features a 6.43-inch AMOLED display offering a screen resolution of 1080×2400 pixels and 410 PPI pixel density. The display has a 20:9 aspect ratio with 90Hz refresh rate and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The display is good enough with very slim bezels on sides and a thin chin. The device is handy, and you won’t be disappointed with the display, though you may face some frame drops.
Coming to the design, the plastic build is a definite downgrade, but again it feels premium.
Hardware, Gaming: Snapdragon 750G Making It Up?
The latest OnePlus Nord CE 5G is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G processor coupled with Adreno 619 GPU. The chip is powerful enough for your day to day tasks, and even for gaming. We didn’t face any issues with multitasking or running through different apps at the same time. The Snapdragon chip is quite good if you are looking for a daily driver without any hiccups to face.
Nothing to complain here again, but you get the same chip for smartphones starting at around Rs 18,000 in the country.
Cameras: 64MP Clicking Through Well?
In terms of optics, OnePlus Nord CE 5G features a triple camera array with a 64-megapixel primary sensor alongside EIS, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a mono-lens 2-megapixel sensor. It supports multi autofocus, a combination of PDAF and CAF. The 64MP Omnivision lens is not a bummer, neither something extraordinary. In good light, the pictures have enough details with almost accurate colours.
The wide-angle sensor lacks details, and is just above average. Video recording is poor, it has no OIS. Don’t expect anything wonders with the camera, it’s just okay to sum up in short.
Software, Connectivity: The Good & Bad
OnePlus Nord CE 5G will run on OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11. OxygenOS is probably the only silver lining on the list of specifications. The company has promised two years of guaranteed software updates and three years of security updates. For connectivity, the OnePlus smartphone will support 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS GLONASS and NFC
There’s a 3.5mm audio jack making a comeback alongside a USB Type-C. Though OnePlus calls it a 5G phone, the device only supports one band of 5G compared to 12 bands on the European model.
Battery, Fast Charging: Really Good!
OnePlus Nord CE 5G is backed by a sizable 4,500mAh battery with support for Warp 30T Plus fast charging. Just like the original Nord, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G can be juiced up to 70 percent in 30 minutes, a real deal breaker for the price here. OnePlus Nord CE 5G charging time is somewhat less than an hour, and the device does offer excellent battery backup.
Expect somewhere around upto 7 hours of screen-on time on the OnePlus Nord CE 5G on moderate usage.
CONCLUSION: Should You Buy OnePlus Nord CE 5G?
Entirely depends on what you are looking for. There are other smartphones in the same price range offering much better hardware and specifications. The only things to look out for are the battery and software. If you wish to experience OxygenOS at a mid-range pricing, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G isn’t a bad buy. But if you are looking for a over-all device with really good specifications, then it’s a no.
Coming to negatives, the new OnePlus Nord has an average camera, plastic body and an AMOLED 90Hz display with no Gorilla Glass protection.
Going on, the price neither justifies the device. Given OnePlus Nord’s reputation, whether the base model costing Rs 22,999 will be available or not, remains a big question. So, if you wish to shell out 25,000 bucks on a mid-range device like this only for the OnePlus branding and OxygenOS, it’s your call.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G sale starts tomorrow, June 16. It will be available online via OnePlus.in and Amazon India. The colour options include: Blue Void, Charcoal Ink, and Silver Ray. The device starts at Rs 22,999 for the base model with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage model, the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage model is priced at Rs 24,999 and the top-of-line model with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage will cost Rs 27,999.