Introduction: The OnePlus Nord CE 5G – A New Era of Budget 5G Smartphones
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G has made a significant impact in the smartphone market as a budget-friendly 5G option that doesn’t compromise on performance, design, or features. Launched as part of OnePlus’s Nord series, the Nord CE 5G (Core Edition) is positioned as a more affordable version of the original OnePlus Nord while maintaining the brand’s core principles: performance, quality, and value. This smartphone is aimed at users who want the benefits of 5G connectivity without spending a premium price.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the OnePlus Nord CE 5G’s design, performance, camera quality, display, software experience, battery life, and more. By the end of this review, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether this device is worth considering in today’s competitive smartphone market.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G-Design and Build Quality: Stylish Yet Practical
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G comes with a clean and elegant design that fits the brand’s signature aesthetic. The device sports a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a hole-punch camera cutout in the top left corner. The bezels are slim, and the device is lightweight, making it comfortable to hold in one hand. OnePlus has also ensured that the device feels premium despite being in the mid-range segment, thanks to its glass front and back, paired with a plastic frame.
The Nord CE 5G is available in multiple color options, including Charcoal Ink, Blue Void, and Silver Ray. These colors provide a sleek and modern look, catering to different consumer preferences. The back panel is relatively simple, with the triple-camera module arranged vertically in the top left corner. The camera module is modestly sized and does not protrude too much, giving the phone a smooth and symmetrical appearance.
The phone is IP53 rated for water and dust resistance, offering some protection against splashes and dust, although it is not fully waterproof. This makes it suitable for daily usage, but you may want to be cautious around water.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G-Display: Vibrant AMOLED Panel with Smooth 90Hz Refresh Rate
One of the standout features of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is its 6.43-inch Fluid AMOLED display. With a Full HD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels), the screen offers sharp and vibrant visuals, ensuring that your content looks crisp and clear. The colors pop with excellent contrast, and the blacks are deep, thanks to the AMOLED technology. This is a big plus for users who enjoy watching videos, playing games, or scrolling through social media.
The screen’s 90Hz refresh rate adds an extra layer of fluidity when navigating the device. Whether you’re scrolling through apps, swiping between screens, or playing games, the higher refresh rate provides a smooth and enjoyable experience. While it’s not as high as the 120Hz displays found on some flagship devices, the 90Hz refresh rate is still a notable upgrade compared to the standard 60Hz refresh rate that many budget phones offer.
The display is also HDR10+ certified, making it ideal for streaming high-definition content. Whether you’re watching your favorite TV shows or movies, the vivid colors and dynamic range of the display will make for an immersive viewing experience.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G-Performance: Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G
Under the hood, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G chipset. This mid-range processor is built on an 8nm process and includes an octa-core CPU with two high-performance Kryo 570 cores running at up to 2.2 GHz, paired with six power-efficient Kryo 570 cores running at 1.8 GHz. The Snapdragon 750G is designed to balance power efficiency and performance, making it ideal for everyday tasks, gaming, and multitasking.
The processor is coupled with the Adreno 619 GPU, which handles graphical tasks such as gaming and video playback. While it is not the most powerful chipset in the market, it offers a solid performance for a mid-range device, ensuring that the Nord CE 5G runs smoothly under most circumstances.
In terms of RAM and storage, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G comes with multiple configurations, including 6GB, 8GB, and 12GB of RAM, as well as 128GB and 256GB of internal storage. This allows users to choose a variant that best fits their usage habits. The device supports UFS 2.1 storage, which ensures fast read and write speeds for app launches and file transfers.
During everyday use, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G handles tasks such as browsing, social media, and messaging without any issues. The device can also handle light to medium gaming, although it may struggle with more graphically intensive games at the highest settings.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G-Camera Setup: A Triple-Camera Array for All Your Photography Needs
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is equipped with a triple-camera setup on the back. The primary camera is a 64MP sensor, which captures detailed and sharp images in well-lit conditions. This high-resolution camera ensures that your photos are vibrant, with good color reproduction and contrast. The primary camera also supports PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus) for fast and accurate focusing.
The secondary camera is an 8MP ultra-wide sensor with a 119-degree field of view. This allows users to capture wide-angle shots, perfect for landscapes and group photos. The ultra-wide camera does a decent job, though it may struggle with distortion around the edges of the frame.
The third camera in the setup is a 2MP monochrome sensor, which helps in capturing better depth and contrast for black-and-white photography. While the monochrome sensor adds some creative possibilities, its contribution to everyday photography is limited.
On the front, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G features a 16MP camera housed in the hole-punch display. The front camera delivers clear and detailed selfies, with good skin tone accuracy and decent low-light performance. It also supports features like AI Beautification and Portrait Mode, which can help enhance your selfies.
The rear camera setup offers several photography modes, including Nightscape, UltraShot HDR, and Super Macro, to help improve the quality of images in different lighting conditions. The Nightscape mode is particularly useful for low-light photography, ensuring that photos are well-exposed with minimal noise.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G-Battery Life: A 4500mAh Battery for All-Day Usage
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G comes with a 4500mAh battery, which is a solid size for a mid-range smartphone. The combination of a power-efficient Snapdragon 750G chipset and a 90Hz AMOLED display ensures that the device offers all-day battery life for most users. In real-world usage, the phone can easily last a full day on a single charge, even with moderate to heavy usage.
The device also supports Warp Charge 30T, OnePlus’s fast charging technology. With Warp Charge 30T, the Nord CE 5G can charge up to 70% in just 30 minutes and reach a full charge in under an hour. This makes it one of the faster-charging phones in its price range, ensuring that you don’t have to spend too much time tethered to the charger.
While the battery life is impressive, it is important to note that the Nord CE 5G lacks wireless charging, which is becoming increasingly common in mid-range smartphones. This may be a downside for users who prioritize the convenience of wireless charging.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G-Software Experience: OxygenOS 11 on Top of Android 11
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G runs on OxygenOS 11, which is based on Android 11. OxygenOS is known for its clean and near-stock Android experience, offering a simple and intuitive interface with minimal bloatware. The operating system is responsive, with smooth animations and quick app launches.
OxygenOS offers several customization options, including an easy-to-navigate dark mode, an ambient display, and customizable icon packs. The device also comes with useful features such as the Zen Mode, which allows you to take a break from your phone, and the Gaming Mode, which enhances the gaming experience by reducing distractions and optimizing performance.
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is also promised to receive regular software updates, which is a big advantage of using a OnePlus device. This includes both security updates and major Android version updates, ensuring that the device remains up-to-date with the latest features and improvements.
OnePlus Nord CE-5G Connectivity: Future-Proof for the Next Generation
One of the biggest selling points of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is its 5G support. With the Snapdragon 750G chipset, the device supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G bands, making it future-proof as 5G networks continue to roll out worldwide. This ensures faster download and upload speeds, lower latency, and a more reliable network connection when 5G becomes available in your region.
While 5G networks are still being deployed globally, the Nord CE 5G provides users with the ability to take full advantage of 5G speeds as they become more accessible. This is a valuable feature for anyone who wants a phone that can keep up with future network advancements.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G-Pricing and Availability: Affordable 5G for the Masses
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is positioned as a more affordable option compared to other OnePlus devices, making it an attractive choice for users who want the performance and design of OnePlus without the flagship price tag. The device is available in multiple variants, allowing users to choose between different RAM and storage options to suit their needs.
Pricing varies by region, but it typically starts at a competitive price point, making it one of the best value-for-money
devices in the mid-range category. The phone is available through major online retailers and OnePlus’s official website.
Conclusion: Is the OnePlus Nord CE 5G Worth Your Money?
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G offers a compelling combination of performance, design, camera quality, and value for money. With 5G support, a smooth 90Hz AMOLED display, a capable Snapdragon 750G processor, and fast charging, it offers everything you could want from a mid-range smartphone.
While there are some trade-offs, such as the lack of wireless charging and a slightly underwhelming ultra-wide camera, the Nord CE 5G excels in many areas, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking for an affordable 5G device. If you’re in the market for a smartphone that offers great value without breaking the bank, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is certainly worth considering.
