OnePlus Nord 3

The OnePlus Nord 3, launched on July 11, 2023, enters the mid-range market with a focus on performance and display quality.

Build Quality

The Nord 3 measures 162mm in height, 75.1mm in width, and 8.2mm in depth, weighing in at 193.5 grams. It is not a foldable phone, opting for a standard monolithic design. The phone comes in two color options: Misty Green and Tempest Gray. The construction uses a 2.5D curved glass screen, contributing to a modern feel, while also being scratch-resistant.

Screen Quality

The device boasts a 6.74-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a resolution of 1240 x 2772 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 451 ppi. The screen supports 1 billion colors, a 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ certification. Peak brightness can reach 1450 nits, with a typical brightness around 500 cd/m². It also features 1440 Hz PWM dimming, 360Hz touch sampling rate (1000Hz instant), a 2000000:1 contrast ratio, and supports DCI-P3, sRGB, and 100% NTSC color gamuts. The display includes a hole-punch notch, an Always-On Display feature, and is capacitive with multi-touch support.

Camera Performance

The Nord 3 has a triple rear camera setup. The main camera utilizes a 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, 1.00µm pixels, and 1/1.56" sensor size, supporting 2x2 pixel binning. The wide-angle camera features an 8MP Sony IMX355 sensor (f/2.2, 1.12µm pixels, 1/2.8" sensor size). A 2MP macro camera with a GalaxyCore GC02M1 sensor (f/2.4, 1.75µm pixels, 1/5" sensor size) completes the trio. The selfie camera is a 16MP Sony IMX471 Exmor RS sensor (f/2.4, 1.00µm pixels, 1/3.13" sensor size) with 2x2 pixel binning. The rear camera system includes Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a dual LED flash, and capabilities for 4K video recording at 30/60fps, 1080p recording at 30/60/120fps, all with Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). Features include autofocus, PDAF, HDR, panorama, face detection, and more.

Software Experience

The Nord 3 ships with Android 13, and is slated to be upgraded to Android 16, offering a multi-year software experience. It uses an Octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset (4nm) consisting of a Cortex-X2 core at 3.05 GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores at 2.85 GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores at 1.80 GHz. Graphics are handled by the Mali-G710 MC10 GPU. The device includes an under-display fingerprint sensor, along with standard sensors like accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass. It supports NFC. The device also includes Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio with stereo speakers, and has a cooling system.

Battery Performance

The Nord 3 is powered by a 5000mAh Li-Polymer battery. It supports 80W fast charging via USB-C, but lacks wireless charging capabilities. The battery is non-removable.

Value for Money

The OnePlus Nord 3 is positioned in the medium-price segment. It's available in multiple configurations including a 8GB RAM and 128GB storage option as well as a 16GB RAM with 256GB storage. Prices range from roughly $359 to $545 depending on the configuration and retailer. Connectivity includes Dual SIM Dual Standby (Nano SIM + Nano SIM), extensive 5G and 4G band support, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 LE with aptX, LDAC, SBC, and AAC codecs, and comprehensive GPS options.