Today, OnePlus is adding a new smartphone to its midrange Nord lineup called the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite. Despite its unimpressive name, this phone boasts some interesting features that make it relatively affordable at €329 (£299). It will be available for purchase in Europe starting from April 20th and will also be sold in some Asian markets, but not in the US.
In addition, a new pair of true wireless earbuds under the Nord brand is now available for purchase. They are called the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 and will be sold not only in European and Asian markets but also in the US.
The main feature that catches the eye on the Nord CE 3 Lite is its 108-megapixel sensor in the primary camera. This is the same resolution as Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S20 Ultra in 2020, although Samsung has since upgraded to a 200-megapixel sensor in this year’s flagship. While megapixels alone do not determine camera quality, a high-resolution sensor is more than just a marketing tool.
Another notable specification is the Nord CE 3 Lite’s fast-charging capability, which can reach up to 67W. This can charge its 5,000mAh battery up to 80 percent in just 30 minutes, which is impressive at this price point. This is more than twice as fast as last year’s Nord CE 2 Lite, and even faster than the 65W charging offered by last year’s higher-end model, the OnePlus Nord CE 2.
If you’re finding it difficult to keep up with the naming convention of OnePlus’ Nord lineup, you’re not alone. In Europe, the range consists of three tiers: the numbered Nord series (like Nord, Nord 2, and Nord 2T), the lower-tier Nord “Core Edition” (CE), and the even more affordable “CE Lite” devices. Meanwhile, in the US, the Nord devices have a different naming scheme, resulting in names like Nord N300 and Nord N20. The name “OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite” is particularly confusing, especially for those not familiar with the background.
Regardless of the name, the Nord CE 3 Lite is powered by a midrange Snapdragon 695 processor with 8GB of RAM and comes with 128GB of storage in Europe, with microSD support for up to 1TB cards. While it has a triple camera setup, the secondary cameras are less impressive two-megapixel macro and depth assist lenses. However, OnePlus claims that the high resolution of the main sensor allows for a “3x lossless zoom” without needing a separate telephoto lens. The device is available in gray or lime green and will receive two years of Android software updates and an additional year of security updates.
The Nord CE 3 Lite includes a headphone jack, but it also has stereo speakers that can apparently be increased up to 200 percent using technology developed by OnePlus. This may sound similar to Spinal Tap’s legendary amps that go up to 11, but OnePlus claims that it refers to optimizations that double the perceived loudness of the Nord CE 3 Lite’s speaker hardware. On the visual side, the Nord CE 3 Lite features a 6.72-inch LCD screen with a 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate.
In addition to the Nord CE 3 Lite, OnePlus has also introduced the OnePlus Nord Buds 2, a successor to last year’s OnePlus Nord Buds. The main new feature of the Nord Buds 2 is support for active noise cancellation. They are available now in both the US and Europe at a price of $59 / €69 / £69, which is a slight increase from the previous pricing of $39 / €49 / £49.
Aside from the addition of ANC, the Nord Buds 2 offer similar features to their predecessor. The buds themselves provide five hours of battery life with ANC on, increasing to 27 hours with the case. With ANC off, you get seven hours of use from the buds, with a total of 36 hours including the case. The buds have an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance and are available in gray or white.
While OnePlus’ recent flagship phones have received mixed reviews, the Nord lineup has been dependable, with minor flaws that are more excusable at their midrange price points. It will be interesting to see if the Nord CE 3 Lite continues this trend.