OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite seems ideal for a quirky 5G phone with a robust camera. In fact, on the back sits a 108MP large camera. Compared to its predecessor, it is also faster to charge. But does all this outweigh the higher price? Let's figure it out.

Faster with SuperVOOC

OnePlus could come up with some more straightforward names as far as we are concerned. We find Nord CE 3 Lite 5G a bit long to remember. Moreover, given the small differences from its predecessor, we wonder if this CE3 Lite is worth remembering. For example, the chipset and the performance are the same; the battery is still 5000 mAh, with the same battery life. However, the screen is slightly larger, there are now dual speakers for stereo sound, and the battery can be charged much faster. Now at a whopping 67W, faster than many a flagship. In half an hour, the Nord CE3 Lite can be up and running again for a whole day.

Same chipset, but different

The screen on the front of the Nord CE 3 Lite now measures 6.72 inches but still features a sharp FHD+ resolution and smooth 120Hz display. However, this is an LCD panel rather than the colorful AMOLED. Colors splash off the screen a bit less, although it generally delivers more natural-looking images. As mentioned, under the hood is still the same processor, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 695. However, it gets slightly more RAM, 8GB, so that it can handle apps faster. The storage memory is still 128GB but expandable by inserting a microSD memory card. The Nord CE 3 Lite takes cards up to 1TB. Remember that the memory card slot shares its spot with the second SIM card. So you will have to choose.

Main OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G specs

• Larger 6.72-inch LCD screen with smooth 120Hz display
• 108MP camera with 3x lossless zoom + depth and macro lens
• 16MP selfie camera with portrait mode
• Large 5000mAh battery with 67W fast charging (adapter included)
• Stereo speakers and equipped with 3.5mm headphone port
• 5G support for extra fast mobile internet
• Snapdragon 695 processor with 8GB of RAM
• 128GB built-in storage, expandable up to 1TB
• Hybrid Dual SIM, space for second SIM card or memory card

Revised 108MP camera

However, the Nord CE3 Lite's big star is its 108MP primary camera. We see this high resolution more often in this cheap segment. So expect sharp images, although optical image stabilization (OIS) is missing. Unfortunately, you do notice this, but it is reflected in the price. The ideal thing about this high resolution is that you can zoom in on the sensor without immediately losing quality. The other cameras are not spectacular; they have a depth and macro lens. Even video is not very special, with a maximum of Full HD. Handy is the headphone port where you can plug in wired earphones. All in all, a moderate upgrade from the Nord CE 2 Lite 5G is also worth considering because of its lower price.

Pro and cons Nord CE 3 Lite 5G

• Large, smooth screen
• Even faster charging
• Quirky design
• 108MP cam with 3x zoom

• Little difference with cheaper predecessor