OnePlus Nord CE 4 Review – Everyday Performance on a Budget

OnePlus has made a big impact in the smartphone industry by offering high-quality specifications at competitive prices, earning the reputation as a “flagship killer” brand. However, with the Nord series, they decided to enter the crowded mid-range market, once again shaking things up.

Now, they introduce the OnePlus Nord CE 4, the newest addition to this well-known lineup. This mid-range marvel promises significant improvements compared to its predecessor. It comes with a redesigned display, the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC, a larger 5,500mAh battery, and an upgraded Sony camera sensor. But does it still have the allure that made the original Nord devices popular among consumers? Join us as we explore the strengths and weaknesses of the OnePlus Nord CE 4.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 : Design & Display

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 takes a subtle yet intentional step forward in its design compared to its predecessor. While previous Nord models heavily relied on plastic, the CE 4 introduces a textured plastic back with a glossy finish. Although it may not immediately convey a “premium” feel to the most discerning eye, this upgrade enhances the phone’s aesthetics, transitioning it from purely functional to something that feels more polished. Importantly, the textured finish provides a surprising amount of grip, ensuring the phone feels secure in your hand and less likely to accidentally slip.

For those who are accident-prone or lead active lifestyles, the IP54 rating is a welcome addition. This offers protection against dust ingress and splashes of water, providing everyday peace of mind. The back camera module houses a triple-lens system with a tasteful layout that avoids excessive protrusion. Overall, the rear design strikes a balance between practicality and aesthetics.

Flipping the phone over, we are greeted by a large 6.7-inch display with minimal bezels, creating a sleek and modern look. This maximizes the screen real estate, delivering an immersive viewing experience. The punch-hole selfie camera sits discreetly in the center, ensuring that the display remains the main focus.

The display is a critical area of improvement on the Nord CE 4, featuring an enhanced OLED panel. This results in deeper colors, richer viewing experiences, and improved battery efficiency. The phone boasts a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, noticeably enhancing scrolling, animations, and overall responsiveness. This is particularly noticeable when browsing social media feeds, playing games, or watching videos – everything feels more fluid and visually pleasing.

Brightness is another area where the Nord CE 4 excels. The display is plenty bright, even on sunny days, with content appearing vibrant and colors popping. This makes it ideal for watching movies, browsing photos, and enjoying multimedia content. Gamers will also appreciate the smooth visuals and fast response times.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 : Software & Performance

When it comes to the software experience, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 runs on OxygenOS 14, which is the latest version of OnePlus’ custom skin based on Android 14. OxygenOS has always been praised for its minimalist and bloatware-free approach, and the Nord CE 4 continues this tradition.

OxygenOS 14 offers a clean and intuitive user interface. Out of the box, there are minimal pre-installed apps, allowing you to personalize your phone with the tools and services that you actually use.

In terms of performance, OxygenOS 14 is snappy and responsive. Animations are smooth, and there is minimal lag during everyday tasks. The inclusion of Android 14 features adds value, particularly in terms of enhanced privacy controls and app permission management.

However, one notable concern regarding the software experience on the Nord CE 4 is OnePlus’ update policy. The company only guarantees two major Android OS updates and three years of security patches for this device. This falls short compared to some competitors, especially in the mid-range segment where software longevity is increasingly important.

Moving on to performance, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, which is a mid-range processor commonly found in the Rs 30,000 market. Paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, the Snapdragon chip ensures smooth operation across various tasks.

Whether you’re scrolling through social media, managing emails, streaming videos, or engaging in light gaming, the Nord CE 4 handles these activities with ease. Multitasking is seamless, and app launches are quick without any noticeable stuttering.

However, for power users who play demanding games or engage in intensive multitasking with resource-hungry apps like video editing, the Nord CE 4 may struggle. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, while capable for mid-range use, is not optimized for the most graphically demanding tasks. As a result, you may experience occasional frame rate drops or lag, especially on higher settings during graphically intense gaming sessions.

In synthetic benchmarks, the Nord CE 4 demonstrates competitive scores compared to devices in and above its price range. Many of these devices are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 SoC. With an AnTuTu score of 8,12,582 points and Geekbench single and multi-core scores of 1,164 and 3,050 respectively, the Nord CE 4 holds its own.

One noteworthy aspect is the device’s thermal performance. Under normal usage scenarios, the Nord CE 4 remains relatively cool. However, during prolonged heavy usage such as gaming or benchmarking, the device may warm up noticeably. While this may not necessarily be a dealbreaker, it is worth noting, especially for users in warmer climates.

Turning our attention to battery life, the Nord CE 4 exceeds expectations. With its substantial 5,500mAh battery, the device sets a new benchmark for OnePlus products. Under typical usage, users can expect around 7 hours of screen-on-time (SOT) with a solid 36 hours of overall usage.

Furthermore, the phone comes with a 100W charging brick, which allows for a remarkable 0 to 100% charge in under 40 minutes. This stands out compared to other smartphones in the same price range, providing users with fast charging capabilities.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 : Camera

OnePlus has made significant changes to the optics department of the Nord CE 4. The brand has chosen the new Sony LYT-600 sensor, replacing last year’s Sony IMX890, which is a noticeable upgrade. Additionally, the phone now has a dual-camera setup on the back, with the 2MP sensor being phased out.

The camera system is centered around a 50MP main sensor, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor. For selfies, the phone uses a 16MP front-facing camera, which is the same as the Nord CE 3.

In terms of camera performance, the primary camera excels at capturing vibrant images with saturated colors. The dynamic range is impressive, ensuring good detail in shadows when shooting in bright daylight. The autofocus system is generally quick and accurate, ensuring sharp subjects. However, in low-light conditions, the camera struggles. Photos tend to be noticeably noisier, details get lost, and sharpness diminishes.

The ultra-wide sensor allows users to capture expansive landscapes or fit more elements into a single shot, providing versatility. However, it has limitations. The image quality is not as robust as the main sensor, with noticeable softness around the edges of ultra-wide photos.

The front-facing camera takes acceptable selfies in well-lit conditions. However, similar to the rear camera, details can appear smudged in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. Portrait mode with background blur is available, but edge detection can be inconsistent, resulting in unnatural-looking separations between the subject and the background.

The Nord CE 4 supports video recording in up to 4K resolution at 30fps. However, the stabilization is limited to electronic image stabilization (EIS), which may not be sufficient for shaky footage. Video recorded at 1080p (30fps and 60fps) produces much better results, ensuring smoother and more stable footage.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Review – The Verdict

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 stands out in the crowded mid-range smartphone market by offering significant improvements over its predecessor, the Nord CE3. It boasts a trusted brand name and an impressive value proposition, both of which have played crucial roles in the success and expansion of the Nord lineup.

In conclusion, if you prioritize a captivating display, user-friendly software, and consistent performance in your day-to-day usage, all at a competitive price, the Nord CE 4 is a compelling choice. However, if camera capabilities or long-term software support are your top priorities, it may be worth considering other options within the mid-range segment.

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