Gadgets
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Review: A Near Premium Phone At Mid-Range Price!
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The OnePlus fans had thoroughly enjoyed the launch of the OnePlus 12 series debut earlier in the year, with some even calling it the premium smartphone of the year. And while not all of us might want to spend as much or have the pockets for it, we might want to get a taste of the premium OnePlus experience when considering a new phone. The OnePlus Nord CE 4 brings just about that fulfilling experience. Despite the smartphone having its own set of pros and cons, we shall take a deeper look at them all in this long-term review.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Review
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 comes in two storage configurations i.e. 128GB and 256 GB. Both of them are bundled with 8GB RAM and are priced at Rs 24,999 and Rs 26,999, respectively. The Nord CE 4 also comes in two colour options – Dark Chrome and Celadon Marble. In this read, I will review the Nord CE 4, 8GB+256GB model and share its findings with you.
Box Contents
Unboxing the Nord CE 4 was a good experience, and here’s what we got inside the OnePlus Nord CE 4 box.
- OnePlus Nord CE 4 smartphone
- Rubber Phone Case
- Pre-applied screen protector
- 100 Watt SUPERVOOC Charger
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- SIM ejector tool
- Quick Guide
- Red Cable Club Membership card
- OnePlus Nord stickers
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Build and Design
The first impression of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 is that it is a stylish marble-finished phone. The build quality feels sturdy in hand, most likely as it is made of durable plastic. However, this doesn’t take over many minus points from the phone.
The Nord CE 4 has an 8.4 mm thickness and a textured or glossy back, depending on the colour variant. The phone weighs 186 grams and feels very comfortable to hold even for longer duration of calls or handheld gaming.
When it comes to protection against dust and water, the Nord CE 4 has an IP54 rating. Moreover, the phone also actually proves to be useful in light rainfall or splashes due to its AquaTouch feature (yes, it does works).
On the top of the phone, you’ll find the secondary speaker grill, an IR blaster, and a secondary mic. For anybody who uses an IR blaster to control their AC, TV or other devices around the house, this feature on the Nord CE 4 is pretty useful.
On the bottom, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 sports the primary speaker grill, USB Type C charging port, the primary mic, and the SIM tray. You can either choose to insert two SIM cards at a time, and let go of the microSD card or have room for one SIM and SD card each.
One thing you could miss in this mid-ranger device is the absence of the Alert Slider. The Nord CE 4 has both volume buttons and the power button on the phone’s right side.
On the back of the phone, you’ll find the main 50 MP camera at the top, an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, and a flash sensor all housed in a single elongated oval capsule. The back has a smooth and glossy feel, elegantly curving into the flat sides of the phone.
Even though the phone has a plastic build, it doesn’t give off a rather cheap feel when used, so that’s great. Overall, the device feels good in the hands; it is not the perfect fit, but it is decent for the price point. P.S. ‘It is not the most stylish phone in terms of design, but it does make up for it in other segments.’
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Display
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 has a solid display indeed. The 6.7 inch AMOLED display is paired up with the 120Hz refresh rate, giving out a rather smooth and colour rich experience. The bezels on the phone are less and balanced out across the screen. You also get an in-display fingerprint scanner on the Nord CE 4.
The phone comes with three options – Standard (60), High (120 Hz) and Auto-Select (switching between the two) modes. You can choose any of these based on your preferences, however, for this review I had set it to High at all times and the refresh rate did not drop, which is good.
The Nord CE 4 also comes with HDR10+ support in popular streaming services (such as Prime Video and Netflix) along with colour options to choose from. Watching movies or playing games was a rich, vibrant, and bright viewing experience. Having said that, the display might get choppy if very graphically intensive games or 4K visuals are played for a long time. But if you switch it down to 2K, you will have a good experience watching on the phone.
The Nord CE 4 comes with 900 nits (HBM) and 1100 nits peak brightness, which in real-life translation means that whenever you go out in the sun, you have absolutely no need to find a shade or cover with an arm to view your phone display. Thanks OnePlus!
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 definitely has the display as its strong point and delivers a solid experience when watching movies, anime, YouTube (@GagdetsToUse :P), and series. So, if you are a binge-watcher or movie lover, this could do justice to the viewing experience you would want your phone to give.
A recent software update caused the fingerprint sensor to become slightly incorrect, but thankfully, a patch fixed that within a week. Also, you must avoid using the phone directly under the sun for too long, as the display gets too hot to touch.
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Sound and Haptics
While the phone does score fifty points for display, the sound quality makes you feel it ‘could be better.’ The OnePlus Nord CE 4 comes with dual stereo speakers, and noise cancellation feature out of the box.
The speakers are loud enough to hear music from across the room and should suffice most of your listening needs. However, the phone could have improved in its bass segment. While the soulful songs were enjoyed thoroughly while singing along with the CE 4’s speakers, I missed grooving on powerful beats on songs.
The Nord CE 4’s dual speakers are backed up by OPPO’s OReality Audio feature and OnePlus’ Holo Audio feature. So, you can select between different sound profiles and spatial settings to get the best immersive audio experience.
You’ll need to pair Bluetooth headphones to enjoy audio, as this device lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Nord CE 4 also has the O-Haptics feature, which gives out lifelike vibrations similar to those of Gaming console controllers. These vibrations work seamlessly with the OxygenOS animations, giving you a fulfilling experience while using your device. Other brands could very well take notes on this one!
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Performance
The Nord CE 4 is backed up by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset. The octa-core processor chipset is based on a 4-nanometer architecture, which is good for saving your phone’s battery. The device has 8 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.
In long-term usage, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 with 8 GB RAM performs well and easily handles more than twelve apps. Below are the benchmark score of the OnePlus Nord CE 4
Benchmarks
While benchmarks may not be an exact representation of the device’s real-world performance, they still help us understand how well it can perform in extreme scenarios. Here are our findings regarding the Nord CE 4’s benchmark scores.
- CPU Throttling and Heating Results: The CPU throttling test helps to measure how much the CPU suffers in performance under continuous stress. We ran the CPU throttling test twice on Nord CE 4, and performance didn’t dip below 80% in the first test. However, upon running the test for close to eleven minutes, there was a slight dip of up to 60% in the performance. This shows that the phone will be able to take things head on with this processor.
Though things take a turn when you enable the High-Performance Mode from battery settings, turning it on boosts the device’s performance, and the stability goes down to 60%.
- Geekbench: Geekbench measures the single-core and multi-core score of the CPU. In Geekbench, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 scored 735 in Single core and 2468 in multi-core, which puts it on par with Snapdragon 888+. It also scored a respectable 5805 in GPU score.
CPU Score
- Antutu 3D Benchmark: Antutu provides an overall performance score measuring the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage. In Antutu, Nord CE 4 scored 812589 in standard mode. This is a massive performance jump over the last year’s Nord 2T.
Gaming Results
For all gaming enthusiasts, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 does decently well in terms of performance. It is important to know that it is not a gaming phone, but it can easily do justice to most games. The phone’s haptic feedback also adds to a more fulfilling experience while gaming.
During my testing, most of the popular competitive shooting titles, such as the PUBG (or BGMI) and Call of Duty Mobile, worked smoothly at their max fps settings. I did win a couple of ranked matches with ease using the Nord CE 4.
However, some demanding titles also had the FPS dropped to 30-20 fps for intense graphic frames (such as Solo Levelling: Arise), which it picked back-up in some time. While this experience was not as smooth, another area of improvement the phone could get is heating up for intense gaming sessions longer than 2 hours.
As for racing games like Asphalt 9, the device supports the 60FPS option, and in general, the gameplay was smooth. The phone did not stutter, even during prolonged sessions.
Heavy games like Genshin Impact were also a breeze on the Nord CE 4. But you can feel the phone heat after a short period, given how stressful the game can be on the device. To battle the heating situation, vapour chamber cooling prevents the phone from overheating.
Everyday Usage
For everyday use, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 provides a hassle-free experience. From gliding through the Oxygen OS animations to scrolling smoothly through social media apps or switching to other tasks, it handles everything like a pro. The 8GB memory can keep most apps open in the background and can be further expanded up to 16 GB if required. The OnePlus Nord CE 4 offers no complaints regarding any casual to mid-level usage at any given time.
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Software Experience
When it comes to the software part, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 comes preloaded with Oxygen OS 14 based on Android 14. The looks and feel are quite similar to OPPO’s ColorOS on Oppo devices, but the customization options in the Oxygen OS 14, like the ability to change icons and edit their names.
Fans would love the software experience, as the Android 14-based OS feels snappy, app openings are fast, and animations give the interface a lively touch. There is also no unnecessary bloatware and junk apps except for a few things like a native internet browser.
However, the main thunder in software experience is stolen by the new AI features, which were previously rolled out in the OnePlus 12 series. These include the AI magic eraser, pixelated sensitive information and cut out feature.
All these new AI features made the OnePlus Nord CE 4 a good contender in the AI race. I personally had a lot of fun with the cut out feature. Moreover, the Zen Space and the O Relax underrated features are available and, in my opinion, actually useful.
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 will receive up to two years of Android updates and up to three years of security patches. This means that this phone will likely get the Android 16 OS (or even 17). It has also received a TUV SUD A rating, meaning the phone should keep up with its fluid performance for at least the next two years.
The OnePlus experience stays pretty much the same with just a few new added features and security patches. Additionally, one can boost RAM up to 16 GB (8+8GB virtual memory) if you feel the need for it.
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Camera Review
OnePlus Nord CE 4 has a dual camera setup at the rear. It consists of a primary 50-megapixel camera with a Sony LYT600 sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens. At the front, you will find a 16-megapixel selfie camera. The primary lens can record up to 4k videos at 30 fps and 60 fps in 1080p.
A few other features include – Night mode, Portrait mode, Panorama, Slow-motion, and Time-lapse.
The Nord CE 4’s primary camera performs well in all scenarios and delivers great results. The 50 MP lens captures good shots in well-lit or daylight situations with a decent level of detail. It handles exposure well enough in most shots. Here are a few samples attached below.
Nord CE 4 Camera Performance Review
The Nord CE 4’s primary camera delivers pretty good results, particularly in well-lit conditions. While night shots can sometimes appear grainy, adjusting exposure and lighting settings can improve captures. Despite initial hype, the AI mode falls short of expectations but has potential for improvement through future software updates.
Portrait Mode
Portrait mode photos on the Nord CE 4 are generally impressive. However, a notable quirk exists where the viewfinder may display portions of the subject out of focus, which the post-processing subsequently corrects. This results in final images that are acceptably sharp and well-defined.
Ultrawide Camera: The 8MP ultrawide camera performs adequately, especially in well-lit environments. Thanks to effective post-processing, night shots can be surprisingly good when sufficient light is available. However, some users might have preferred a higher-resolution 13MP ultrawide lens instead of the included macro lens.
Selfie Camera: The 16MP front-facing camera produces good-quality selfies in daylight and low-light conditions. It’s worth noting that beauty filters are applied by default, which users may want to disable for more natural-looking self-portraits. Portrait mode selfies are impressive, showcasing OnePlus’s improved capabilities in this area since the Nord 2.
While not groundbreaking, the Nord CE 4’s camera system offers solid performance that should satisfy most users. The primary camera is the standout feature, capable of capturing impressive shots in various conditions. Overall, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 is a promising package in this competitive price range.
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Connectivity
OnePlus Nord CE 4 supports up to 7 5G bands which I used with both Jio as well as Airtel SIM cards. No connectivity problems were faced, and the network recovered quite well, even in underground metro stations. The Nord CE 4 achieved a good 5G speed of close to 520 Mbps. The call quality was also adequate, and the other person had no issues hearing my voice.
The phone also supports the latest WiFi 6/6E and Bluetooth 5.3 standards. The provided charging port supports USB 2.0, and the IR blaster can be used to control the TV, set-top box, soundbars, AC, and other devices.
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Battery and Charging
The 5500 mAh battery in the Nord CE 4 is a much-needed upgrade from the 5000 mAh battery we saw in Nord CE 3. This, alongside the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, gives a sufficient battery life that lasts the day. As someone who consumes a lot of online content, constantly checks social media, and plays COD Mobile, Nord CE 4 managed about 25% battery by the end of my day.
When it comes to charging, I could quickly top up the device with the provided 100-watt SUPERVOOC charger. I could charge it up to 50% in under 15 minutes, and it took 30 minutes to charge the phone to 100%.
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Pros and Cons
Now that we have taken a complete overview of the different aspects of the device let us discuss its pros and cons.
Reasons to Buy
- Eye-catching bezel-less 1.5k display
- Great Haptic feedback
- Major performance boost in 5500 mAh battery
- The 50 MP Sony LYT600 sensor makes it a worthy option for a camera phone
- Supports all the latest connectivity standards
- 100W charger gets the phone at 100% in 30 minutes
Reasons Not to Buy
- Some AI features, such as Object Eraser, are a hit or a miss.
- The camera array at the back does not look good
- Choppy frames in intense gaming/long sessions
- The phone gets heated up in long use
- Alert Slider is missing
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Review: Final Verdict
As someone who has used the OnePlus Nord 2T, and Nord CE 3 for the around a year, I can say that the Nord CE 4 is definitely an upgrade in the right direction. From the display to the battery and impressive camera shots, the Nord CE 4 has ticked most boxes, if not all. Even though the device does not look very unique, and the missing alert slider creates a void, the Nord CE 4 makes the phone a good pick in this mid-range segment.
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Abhijay Singh Rawat
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