[Review] Impressive mid-range upgrades - OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Pros | Cons |
+ 120Hz refresh rate | - Poor Low-light photography |
+ 67W Fast Charge | - LCD Display |
+ Affordable | |
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Price: RM1099
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is the latest entry in the Nord family. This time, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G now introduces a larger-than-life upgrade from its predecessor, featuring a 5000mAh battery, 67W fast charge, and 108MP Camera System. Without wasting any time, let’s jump right into the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G review.
Design
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is available in two colorways: Pastel Lime & Chromatic Gray. My review unit is the Chromatic Gray with a glossy shine as the back material, somehow I feel that the back of the device looks kind of emerald green (illusion) without putting the casing on.
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G comes with a polished texture side frame which is very comfortable and keeps the minimalist design with a subtle curve to the camera bump.
Besides, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G retained the 3.5mm headphone jack to allow users to comfortably use wireless & wired headphones according to their preferences.
Display
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G features a 6.72-inch IPS LCD Display with a 91.4% screen-to-body ratio. Although the device sports a huge display, it would be good if OnePlus had given the AMOLED display for this device. It also sports a common punch-hole notch on the display.
Despite the LCD Display, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G also supports up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate which will automatically adjust the refresh rate according to the user’s habit to preserve battery while providing a seamless viewing experience.
Camera
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G comes with a triple-camera setup on the back, starting with a 108MP main camera with electronic image stabilization (EIS), a 2MP Macro camera, and a 2MP Depth-assist camera.
The main camera delivers a 3x Lossless Zoom to capture higher-clarity images even when zoomed-in on the subject you wanted to capture.
(Pigeon)
While taking photos during the day, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is capable of capturing vibrant and clear images. As you can see in the sample pictures taken below with the device, the colors of the subjects are as close as real life.
However, the night shots on the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G are not crispy as could be given the fact that no optical image stabilization (OIS) supports the main camera. Thus, the pictures taken in low-light conditions will most likely be losing out on the details.
Performance
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G uses a Snapdragon 695 5G chipset that provides increased power efficiency while being battery-saving at the same time. It is the most popular hardware choice for mid-range devices in the market.
Therefore, we must run the AnTuTu Benchmark to find out the score of Snapdragon 695 5G on the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G. As a result, the device is able to score a total of 419174, which is enough to tackle your daily routine tasks.
The Nord CE 3 Lite 5G comes with a purpose-built gaming optimization to reduce lag and screen tearing. Thus, it's time for the Genshin Impact game test. Even with the Pro Gamer mode on, the device can only run the game on Low settings with 29~30 FPS and stuttering while out of combat or exploring.
As for the RAM, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is equipped with 8GB RAM that can be expanded to another 8GB Virtual RAM (a total of 16GB RAM) to allow more apps to run in the background, especially in this fast-paced environment.
Storage-wise, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is packed with 256GB UFS 2.2 storage that is enough to keep your images, files, applications, and games all in one place.
Moreover, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G houses a 5000mAh big battery with a 67W SUPERVOOC Endurance Edition Fast Charge. Additionally, the SUPERVOOC Endurance Edition provides smart adaptive charging technology that matches users charging/sleeping habits to prevent over-charging to increase its battery lifespan.
OnePlus Nord Buds 2
Price: RM329
The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 is a new budget wireless earbud on the market. It is available in two colorways: Lighting White, and Thunder Grey whilst the unit I received was the Thunder Grey Nord Buds 2. The casing of the Nord Buds 2 is covered with a cosmic elements design which is very eye appealing.
You may find these items inside the box:
OnePlus Nord Buds 2
Type-C Cable
User Guides & Safety Guides
Ear tip fit (Small & Large size)
Sticker
In order to get access to the functions on the Nord Buds 2, you will need to download the dedicated HeyMelody application on the Google PlayStore. After that, you will see the battery level, noise control (Noise cancellation, Transparency mode), Earbuds controls, etc.
Other than that, the Nord Buds 2 charging case houses a 480mAh battery capacity which can last up to 27 hours with AAC and ANC with the case. This is especially useful when it comes to going on a long trip, daily commutes, and gaming.
Buy or no buy?
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is a robust midrange device that will not break the bank while being able to deliver smooth performance on a regular basis. Despite the device having an LCD display, the 67W fast charge and high refresh rates won’t lose out much value compared to the competitors.
Likewise, you may consider picking up the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 if you’re looking for budget-friendly wireless earbuds with Dolby Atmos & Dirac Audio Tuner. The Nord Buds 2 will be available to purchase for under RM300 for the upcoming sale to pair with the OnePlusNord CE 3 Lite 5G device.
The Pre-order for both OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G and OnePlus Nord Buds 2 starts today, 11th April 2023 until 17th April 2023. Customers will enjoy free gifts such as Free OnePlus Nords Buds (1st gen), a Free 1-year Extended Warranty, and Free 1-year Screen Protection for preordering the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G; RM30 Off with every pre-order for the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 special promotion.
🔴 Lazada: http://bit.ly/3nO46ja
🔴 Official OnePlus Web Store: bit.ly/40JpJzP
