Review Verdict: The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G in this review may seem like a mild update over its predecessor. While some things may remain unchanged, the all-new design, higher-resolution cameras, and improved version of OxygenOS can most definitely be considered meaningful upgrades. 

Pros

• Shiny, mirror-like back panel looks premium
• No bloatware
• Camera upgrade

Cons

• Design seems similar to other brands
• Processor is kept the same

Since the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is the most affordable smartphone you can get from the brand today, it embodies the brand’s philosophy when it was founded: the best specs at a fraction of the price. While the cost part has been maintained, is this device competitive with what’s on the market in 2023? That’s what we want to find out in this review.

Design

Our impressions of the smartphone’s design remain largely unchanged from our First Impressions.

We’re in love with the way the back panel looks, especially thanks to its mirror-like finish. The Chromatic Grey color scheme of this unit is just elegant in every way, shape, or form. Add that to the minimalistic OnePlus branding at the center, and the two concentric circles within the camera module. There’s no “x MP” text here – keeping everything clean and tidy.  Sure, this camera design may look very similar to what other BBK sub-brands have been doing, but it’s the execution that got us here.

If there’s one thing we’d change though, that text at the bottom has to go. We don’t need to see the address of the factory that built these smartphones.

Also another thing to note is that the glossy finish does work against it when you’re using this smartphone without a case. It attracts fingerprints, smudges, and dust like no other. You may find yourself consistently wiping down on it or just slapping a case on for good measure. Luckily, there’s one included in the package.

Meanwhile, you’ll find a 3.5mm audio jack and the usual suite of a bottom-firing speaker and USB Type-C port below.

Display and Sound

Up front is a 6.72-inch IPS LCD panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz and 391ppi pixel density. That’s 0.13 inches larger than the previous model, so the PPI has dropped a bit too; but not enough to be recognizable. There’s not much of a chin here, and most importantly, it doesn’t have a notch. Phew. Instead, there’s a punch hole right in the middle so it’s understandably a safer design choice than placing it in the corner.

 

The screen itself gets plenty bright and viewing angles aren’t a concern at all. You can tell that a high-quality LCD panel was sourced for this device. Yes, it’s not AMOLED so you won’t get those ultra-vibrant hues and extra-deep blacks, but this is as good as it gets for LCD tech and we’re all for it. Tones are more natural which some may find more appealing than saturation sliders turned up to the max.

AMOLED burn has been a recurring issue on a lot of devices so heavy users may be better off with these panels instead. Yes, LCDs get burn-in as well, but they’re much less susceptible to it.

This display is also protected by Gorilla Glass 5. It’s an older iteration of the technology, but having that assurance of drops up to 1.2 meters high is still a huge plus in our opinion.

Overall, no one would complain about watching content and going through the motions on this screen.

The same thing can be said about the installed stereo speakers. We’d take this over a single-firing bottom version any day. There is depth to the sound it surely doesn’t come off as tinny. There is admittedly a tiny bit of distortion at the maximum volume setting but it’s barely noticeable. Our team audiophile was the one that called it out.

Cameras

The centerpiece of the camera system here is an all-new 108-megapixel Samsung HM6 sensor. That’s an upgrade over the previous model’s 64-megapixel shooter. We do know that numbers aren’t everything when it comes to performance, so let’s get to the actual testing.

In ideal lighting situations such as those seen above, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G passes with flying colors in this review. If you look closely at the leaves there’s a pinch of oversharpening, but it’s not nearly enough to ruin the photo or appear artificial. Detail, colors, and shadows are all represented accurately which is the most important part here.

Indoor shots are also favorable here. The detail is ever-present as seen in the individual grains of leather on the KARRERA duffel bag. We played around with the focus on the Estrella Galicia wine glass and the background was sufficiently blurred out to give the spotlight to the image’s subject. Admittedly, the cars were parked right under extremely bright lighting and we were worried that the shots might look blown out as a result. The OnePlus overperformed by processing the excessive lighting and just taking what it needed – although the reds could use a little bit less saturation.

Things get a bit spottier in low light, but we aren’t expecting a lot from a mid-range phone here. After all, even flagship camera systems show signs of noise under these challenging conditions. With this in mind, the details are kept in, the grain is managed, and the colors are depicted relatively close to real life. The saturation on the cars and the UpTown Parade signage is just a bit much. We’re okay with it since that’s the effect we were going for, but other people might not find it to be their cup of tea.

The 16-megapixel selfie shooter is alright. We’d be okay with posting these images on social media – and the same can be said about the smartphone’s stat-stuffer 2-megapixel macro and depth sensors. Although these are “just okay” optics, the main camera more than makes up for it.

Internals and Battery Life

What we found in our review period of the OnePlus Nord 3 CE Lite 5G is that it uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset as its predecessor. It’s a tried-and-tested chipset that we’ve seen used on countless other smartphones within this segment.

Thanks to how light OxygenOS 13.1 is, the processor works well in keeping things smooth with everyday use. Opening applications, doing some editing, social media, streaming, and other tasks are capably handled by the chipset. It also helps that none of the 256GB of onboard storage is taken up by bloatware. There’s almost none here, which is one of the best things about this device. Oh, and if that’s not enough, the storage is expandable via microSD card.

Moving from one app to another and multitasking is a breeze. 8GB of RAM is more than sufficient for anyone but extreme power users. While we would have appreciated a mild step up to the Snapdragon 778G instead, this is another one of those “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” situations.

Here are some benchmarks comparing it to the vivo V27e, another well-received darling of the same BBK Group.

The device lasted us through a full workday of moderate use with no difficulty. Inside is an industry-standard 5000 mAh battery with a 67W SUPERVOOC charger included in the box.

Wrap-Up and Conclusions

We’ve noticed enough improvements in our review to justify purchasing the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G. It’s a well-rounded package with a captivating design, ample processing power, an impressive main camera, and the OnePlus ecosystem to keep it in check. The lack of bloatware is another huge win for this device. We’d happily recommend it to anyone who’s not a hardcore mobile gamer and just wants a great-value lifestyle smartphone for the buck.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Review Price

This device will only come in one variant with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. It will be priced at PHP 14,990. It will be available in two colors: Chromatic Grey and a brighter Pastel Lime.