OnePlus Nord 3 5G: Flagship Features and Impressive Performance

The OnePlus Nord 3 5G has been launched in India with a starting price of Rs. 33,999. It serves as the successor to the Nord 2T and comes with significant upgrades compared to its predecessor. OnePlus has equipped the Nord 3 with the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC, which is a flagship-grade chipset. Additionally, it features a primary camera sensor from the OnePlus 11 and retains the SuperVOOC charging, a large battery, and a 120Hz AMOLED display. However, these improvements come at a higher cost than the previous model.

To determine if the OnePlus Nord 3 5G offers good value for money, let's delve into a comprehensive review.

The OnePlus Nord 3 5G is available in two storage configurations in India. The base model offers 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, priced at Rs. 33,999. The variant under review comes with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, priced at Rs. 37,999.

In terms of design, the OnePlus Nord 3 5G resembles a premium version of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, which was released earlier in the year. It features slightly curved edges for the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 back panel, offering a sleek appearance. The Misty Green color option looks attractive, although it is prone to fingerprints and smudges due to its glossy finish. The Tempest Grey color, on the other hand, has a matte-textured finish that is more resistant to fingerprints. Both color options come with an IP54 rating for basic water and dust resistance, an improvement from the previous model.

The OnePlus Nord 3 5G sports a flat plastic frame with a matte finish. The right side houses the popular Alert slider and the power button, while the volume rocker is located on the left side. The bottom edge houses a USB Type-C port, primary speaker grille, microphone, and a dual-SIM slot. Additionally, there is an IR emitter at the top, which can be used for controlling home appliances.

The overall feel of the OnePlus Nord 3 5G is comfortable, with the slight curvature of the rear panel ensuring that the frame doesn't feel sharp during extended use or gaming sessions. The weight distribution is well-balanced, and the device does not feel top-heavy. The Nord 3 5G weighs 193.5g and measures 8.15mm in thickness.

The device features a tall 6.74-inch 'Super Fluid' AMOLED display with a flat design, distinguishing it from slightly more affordable models such as the Realme 11 Pro+ 5G and Motorola Edge 40. The bezels are thin, including the chin, providing a larger screen area and an immersive viewing experience.

The 10-bit AMOLED panel of the OnePlus Nord 3 5G with a 1.5K resolution (2772x1240 pixels) offers crisp content viewing. The display produces vibrant colors and, with HDR10+ support on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, it delivers deep blacks. The dual speakers with Dolby Atmos enhancement provide rich sound and sufficient volume to fill a small room.

The display of the OnePlus Nord 3 5G has a touch sampling rate of up to 1,000Hz and a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and animations.

For biometric authentication, the device features an in-display fingerprint scanner, which quickly unlocks the phone. However, the scanner's placement is a bit low for some users' liking. Alternatively, users can opt for AI-based face recognition, which is less secure but more convenient.

Under the hood, the OnePlus Nord 3 5G is

powered by the flagship-grade MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC, manufactured using a 4nm fabrication process. The SoC is accompanied by a Mali G-710 GPU and is paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. Unfortunately, there is no provision for expandable storage or a headphone jack. The device supports eight 5G bands, Bluetooth 5.3, and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. It is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery and supports 80W fast charging.

Software-wise, the OnePlus Nord 3 5G runs OxygenOS 13.1 based on Android 13. OxygenOS offers a range of personalization and customization options, allowing users to modify wallpapers, themes, icon shape, size, and fonts. It also supports Android's Material You theme, enabling users to match the system and UI colors with their wallpaper. The device comes preloaded with several OnePlus and Oppo apps, along with a few third-party apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Spotify.

OnePlus has committed to providing three major Android updates and four years of security patches for the Nord 3 5G, marking the longest support period for a Nord smartphone at launch.

In terms of performance, the OnePlus Nord 3 5G offers a smooth experience across various tasks and gaming. Apps load quickly, and gaming performance is excellent. Games like Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) and Asphalt 9: Legends run smoothly on the device. RAM management on the 16GB variant is impressive, with apps staying in memory and resuming where they were left off. However, heavy games like BGMI may reload after switching back to them after a while. The area around the camera module may get slightly warm during extended gaming sessions, but it's not a cause for concern.

Benchmark scores for the OnePlus Nord 3 5G are as follows: 8,47,115 in AnTuTu (v10), 863 and 2,978 points in Geekbench 6's single-core and multi-core tests, respectively. Comparatively, the Poco F5, which is priced lower, scores 10,94,798 points in AnTuTu and 10,94,798 points in Geekbench 6. Another device to consider is the iQoo Neo 7 Pro, which features a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and scores 12,63,884 points in AnTuTu and 1,727 and 4,459 points in Geekbench 6's single-core and multi-core tests, respectively.

Battery life on the OnePlus Nord 3 5G is satisfactory, with the device lasting a full day on a single charge. With medium usage, the average screen-on time (SoT) is around eight hours and 30 minutes, while it drops to seven hours and 15 minutes on days with gaming, photography, and video recording. In the HD video loop test, the device lasted approximately 21 hours and 12 minutes. The bundled adapter charges the phone from 1% to 100% in about 40 minutes.

The OnePlus Nord 3 5G boasts a triple-camera setup on the rear. It includes a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 primary camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera.

The primary camera performs impressively in daylight conditions, capturing detailed shots with good dynamic range and vibrant colors, even in cloudy or rainy weather. However, the Photo mode tends to add a pink hue to human skin tones, while the Portrait mode offers a good background blur and accurate skin tones. In low light

situations, the camera maintains a balanced exposure between highlights and shadows, with the night sky appearing gray rather than dark blue. Overall, the primary camera of the OnePlus Nord 3 5G delivers one of the best performances in its segment.

On the other hand, the ultra-wide camera produces average results. The color temperature differs slightly from the main camera, with cooler tones. Details are weaker, especially around the edges. The 16-megapixel front camera performs well in daylight, considering its price range.

The OnePlus Nord 3 5G offers an impressive set of features, including a powerful processor, ample RAM, a vibrant display, and a capable camera system. It provides a smooth user experience, whether it be for multitasking or gaming. The battery life is satisfactory, and the fast charging support ensures minimal downtime.

However, it faces tough competition from other devices in a similar price range, such as the Poco F5 and iQoo Neo 7 Pro, which offer strong performance and comparable features. Ultimately, the OnePlus Nord 3 5G provides a solid overall package, but individuals should consider their specific needs and preferences before making a purchasing decision.