OnePlus Nord 3 5G Review with Pros and Cons

OnePlus Nord 2 wasn’t the best launch for the OnePlus in India because it was blasting all over India, I mean, some of the users even got some serious injuries.

That being said, OnePlus has fixed all those issues in the newly launched OnePlus Nord 3 which comes with powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC.

OnePlus Nord 3 Prices: 

The price in India starts from Rs 33,999 (€449) for 8GB of Ram and 128GB storage while the 16GB of Ram and 256GB variant is available at Rs 37,999 (€499). It comes in Aqua Surge and Shimmer Gray color options.

So let’s find out in this OnePlus Nord 3 Review whether it’s worth Rs 33,999 (€449) or just another OnePlus Phone with a higher price tag.

OnePlus Nord 3 Review

Yes, The OnePlus Nord 3 is worth buying but it is a bit pricey in India, it does offer powerful performance and even better cameras but we also have phones like IQOO Neo 7 Pro and even POCO F5 5G which offer the same performance. So, If you want Oxygen OS then consider the OnePlus Nord 3 otherwise, skip it.

Also, Oxygen OS is the same as Color OS, so there is nothing new here.

It would have been better if OnePlus had launched this phone at Rs 29,999 or even at Rs 30,999 but at Rs 33,999, it’s a bit pricey for what they’re offering.

Related: Best Smartphones Under Rs 25,000

In short, if you’re okay with paying Rs 4000 extra for the OnePlus Brand then go for it otherwise, we have better options too.

Display and Build

The 6.74-inch flat AMOLED display is beautiful and it does give you a good viewing experience whether it’s on Netflix or even on YouTube.

Also, the 1,450 nits peak brightness will ensure that you see everything outdoors without any sort of problems. You will even be able to play games under the sunlight without any issues.

One more thing, the 120hz refresh rate works the best but the Auto mode doesn’t work well. 

For example, if you keep the refresh rate on Auto then most of the time, the phone uses the 60Hz refresh rate whether it’s on YouTube or even Twitter.

This is a software issue and I’m hoping that OnePlus will fix this soon till then make sure to keep the refresh rate on High, so you can get a smooth experience. 

Now, here comes the cost-cutting, 

The front is protected with Dragontrail glass while the back has Gorilla Glass 5 and the frames are made from plastic. It is IP54 certified which means, this is dust and water splash resistant.

Related: 5 Best Smartphones Under Rs 30000

We don’t know which version of Dragontrail glass OnePlus has used, so can’t comment on it but it’s not durable as Gorilla Glass 5.

While the frame is made from plastic, so make sure you don’t sit on the phone otherwise, there is a chance that, the device might break.

The OnePlus Nord 3 is priced at Rs 33,999, so OnePlus should have gone with a Metal build but hey, this is what it is now.

Overall, the OnePlus Nord 3 has solid display quality which will give you the premium experience but the same can’t be said for the Build because of the Plastic frames.

Performance and Software

The Mediatek Dimensity 9000 is a powerful processor which can handle almost all mobile games without any problem but don’t try to play Genshin Impact Mobile because the phone gets hot after 20 minutes of gameplay.

Other games like BGMI or even COD Mobile work the best.

The Mediatek Dimensity 9000 is comparable to the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, it’s not as powerful but it’s very close.

So what I’m saying is, performance is not the issue in OnePlus Nord 3.

The Oxygen OS 13 is basically ColorOS with some adjustments, so yes, if you’re hoping to get OLD OxygenOS then you won’t get it here.

Also, there are no ads in the UI but yes, by default enhanced intelligent service is enabled which means, OnePlus can spy on you 24/7, I mean they can even read your message and calls.

So kindly follow this step to disable the enhanced intelligent services, 

• Open Settings and go to additional settings.
• Now, scroll to the bottom and Tap on system services.
• There you will see “enhanced intelligent services”, so disable it right away.
• That’s it.

The OnePlus Nord runs on Oxygen OS 13 based on Android 13, OnePlus has promised 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security updates.

Overall, the performance is solid on the OnePlus Nord 3 due to the Mediatek Dimensity 9000  and the software is ad-free which is another plus point as other brands are adding too many ads within the UI.

Cameras

The OnePlus Nord 3 comes with 50MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide lens, and 2MP macro sensor while there is a 16MP selfie shooter on the front.

The rear cameras can shoot videos up to 4k@30fps while the front can only shoot at 1080p@30fps.

The 50 MP Sony IMX890 sensor is a great sensor but this is a OnePlus, so I can’t expect the best image quality.

The sensor is doing its job but OnePlus is adding a bit of saturated colors to everything, 

For example, if you’re taking a photo of the tree then the tree will look greener than it is in real life. 

Also, when it comes to a human subject, it’s a hit-or-miss kind of situation. Sometimes, the sensor takes the best images but sometimes, it doesn’t feel like Rs 33,999 smartphone from any angle.

This is an optimization issue and I feel, OnePlus will fix this but no one knows when they gonna fix it.

At the same, the images will come out a bit contrasty.

The 8MP ultra-wide lens is there but don’t use it under low light as it doesn’t provide good details, use it under sunlight.

That 2MP macro is added for looks, so let’s move to the 16MP selfie shooter.

This is a typical front camera with a white tone and saturated colors and an issue with dynamic range.

The dynamic range issue is there, for example, if you’re taking a selfie of yourself and if there is light behind you then the sensor will have a hard time adjusting the colors and focus.

Still, you will get a social media-ready image.

Again this is an optimization issue.

The videos also come out very good but the OIS or even EIS doesn’t work in 4k video, you have to shift to 1080p to get stable videos.

The OIS does work but again, the quality of the videos is not as good as the Rs 33,999 price tag. 

The videos have that saturated look to them which doesn’t feel good from any angles but yes, it will look great when you post the same on social media.

The reason is simple, people love the saturated look, so if you’re one of them then this is not the big issue but if you’re like me, who loves the natural look then you might hate the videos.

Overall, The OnePlus Nord 3 has the best primary sensor but it needs optimization while the OIS or even EIS doesn’t work at all in 4k. The front camera produces a white tone which is good for social media but it’s far-far away from the neutral look. 

Check out the raw camera samples of the OnePlus Nord 3 (G-Drive Link)

Audio and Battery

The stereo speakers are great and just like other phones, the 40% volume comes from the top speaker and the remaining comes from the bottom.

What I’m saying is, you will be more than happy with the quality.

There is no 3.5mm Audio jack present, so you either use the type-C earphones or Bluetooth.

The 5,000mAh battery will easily last for a day without any problems but keep in mind if you’re a heavy user who plays games for hours and even uses social media then you will have to charge the device twice a day.

The good news is, the 80MP wired charger is supplied in the box which will take only 32 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%.

Alternatives to OnePlus Nord 3

We have quite a few options if you don’t want to buy the OnePlus Nord 3. So let’s take a look at them.

1. iQOO Neo 7 Pro: It starts at Rs 34,999 and is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 SoC. The cameras are also similar to the OnePlus Nord 3 but the problem is, this comes with ads where OnePlus Nord 3 doesn’t have any.
2. POCO F5: For the price of Rs 29,999, the POCO F5 5G is solid for gaming and is powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen2 chipset. The cameras are also similar to the OnePlus Nord.
3. Nothing Phone (2)-upcoming:  This too will come with Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 SoC but this is yet to come, so we don’t know the price but it will come under Rs 40,000.

OnePlus Nord 3 Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
120Hz Smooth AMOLED Display	Bit Pricey
Superbright 1450 nits brightness	Auto refresh rate needs optimizations
80W superfast wired charging support	The primary sensor needs improvement
Decent Cameras	Plastic Frames
The Best for Gaming	OIS and EIS doesn’t work in 4k
Loud Speakers	Same old design
IR Blaster Supported
OxygenOS without ads
9 5G Bands

Verdict

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OnePlus Nord 3 Full Specifications

Price	8GB Ram + 128GB Storage: Rs 33,999 (€449) 16GB Ram + 256GB Storage: Rs 37,999 (€499)
Display	6.74-inches FHD+ AMOLED Display 450 PPI Density 10-Bit Panel HDR10+ Support 1,450 nits pick the brightness 1240 x 2772 pixels Resolution 1000hz toch response rate 120Hz Screen Refresh Rate 93.50 screen-to-body ratio
Dimensions	162 x 75.1 x 8.2 mm Weight: 194g
Build	Glass front (Dragontrail Glass), Glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), Plastic frame IP54, dust and water resistant
OS	Oxygen OS – Android 13 3 Years of OS Updates. 4 Years of Security Updates.
RAM and Storage Speed	LPDDR5 Ram UFS 3.10 Storage
Chipset	Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 9000 (4 nm) CPU: Octa-core (1×3.05 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.85 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) GPU: Mali-G710 MC10
SD-Card Slot	No
Rear Cameras	50MP Primary Sensor (OIS) – Sony IMX890, 8MP Ultra-Wide Lens 2MP Macro Video 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps.
Front Camera	16MP Selfie Shooter. Video 1080p@30fps.
5G Bands	9 5G Bands (n1, n3, n5, n8, n28A, n40, n41, n77, and n78)
3.5mm Jack	No.
Speakers	Dual Speakers.
Bluetooth Version	5.3 Version.
FM Radio	No.
NFC	Yes.
Sensors	In-display Fingerprint Sensor Accelerometer Electronic Compass Gyroscope Ambient Light Sensor Proximity Sensor Sensor Core Rear Color Temperature Sensor Infrared Blaster
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes, In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
Battery	5,000mAh (non-removable). 80W Wired Charging. (USB 2.0, Type-C) 0% to 100% in 32 Minutes
Weight	194g
Colors	Tempest Gray Misty Green
In the Box	OnePlus Nord 3 5G 80W SUPERVOOC Power Adapter Type-C Cable (supports USB 2.0) Phone case Screen protector (pre-applied) SIM tray ejector Welcome letter Quick guide Red Cable Club Membership card Safety guide

Images by Tech in Kannada