OnePlus Nord CE 5G

Build Quality

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G, released on June 11, 2021, presents a slim profile with dimensions of 159.2 mm in height, 73.5 mm in width, and 7.9 mm in depth. Weighing in at 170 grams, it feels reasonably light in hand. The device is available in three color options: Blue Void, Charkoal Ink, and Silver Ray. Its construction, while not explicitly detailed, suggests a standard unibody design common in its price category. It's not a foldable phone and features a standard candybar form factor.

Screen Quality

The Nord CE 5G features a 6.43-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 409 ppi. The display offers a 90 Hz refresh rate, enhancing the smoothness of scrolling and animations. While it lacks HDR10, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision support, it provides a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. The screen also features a hole-punch notch for the selfie camera, a 180 Hz touch sampling rate, and a typical brightness of 430 cd/m² with a peak brightness of 700 cd/m². It supports DCI-P3 and full sRGB color standards and is scratch-resistant, capacitive, and multi-touch, with a frameless design.

Camera Performance

The rear camera system includes a 64MP main lens (Omnivision OV64B sensor with f/1.79 aperture, 0.70 µm pixels, 1/2" sensor, and pixel binning), an 8MP wide-angle lens (f/2.25), and a 2MP black and white sensor (f/2.4). It offers features like 4K video recording at 30fps and 1080p recording at 30fps, 60fps, and 120fps, all with EIS. The main camera's sensor includes phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and contrast detection autofocus (CDAF). It also supports features like digital zoom, continuous shooting, geotagging, panorama, HDR, face detection, and various manual settings. The front-facing 16MP selfie camera (Sony IMX471 sensor with f/2.45 aperture, 1.00 µm pixels, 1/3.13" sensor, and pixel binning) also has EIS and captures images with good detail. The DXOMARK score for mobile is 84 with 89 for photo and 80 for video.

Software Experience

The device launches with Android 11, with an upgrade path to Android 13. The user interface is likely the OxygenOS skin, offering a clean and near-stock Android experience. The phone supports a full array of sensors such as an under-display fingerprint scanner, proximity sensor, light sensor, accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope. It also supports noise cancellation microphone.

Battery Performance

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is powered by a 4500 mAh Li-Polymer battery, offering a reasonable capacity for a day of moderate use. It supports 30W fast charging, which should allow for a relatively quick recharge. The battery is non-removable.

Value for Money

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is positioned in the medium price range. Different configurations offer varying prices with the 8GB/128GB model ranging from $249.22 to $363.95 and the 12GB/256GB model priced at $306.64. The inclusion of a 90Hz AMOLED display, 5G connectivity, a decent camera system, and fast charging contribute to its value proposition. It is important to note that storage capacity cannot be expanded through SD card as it does not have a microSD slot. The device supports dual SIM Dual Standby, dual band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and full array of GPS systems. It is USB-C 2.0 with OTG and does not have a display port or video output over USB-C. It is also worth noting the phone has 5G support with an array of bands for multiple regions.