Looking for a phone that offers a little bit of everything without breaking the bank? The OnePlus Nord CE 4 might be just what you’re looking for. But before you hit that buy button, let’s dive deep into this phone and see if it truly lives up to the hype.
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Design
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 boasts a plastic construction, which keeps the price down but might not feel as premium as some competitors. While the Green Marble color was absent in our review unit, the phone comes in a few other options that might suit your style.
One interesting feature is the presence of an IR blaster, allowing you to control your home appliances straight from your phone. However, OnePlus has ditched the alert slider, a favorite amongst OnePlus veterans.
On the positive side, the phone features a Z-axis vibration motor for a more responsive feel, and dual speakers deliver good audio quality, although Dolby Atmos is missing.
Display – A Feast for the Eyes (Mostly)
The Nord CE 4 comes equipped with a stunning 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ support ensures vibrant colors and deep blacks, while the 240Hz touch sampling rate promises a super responsive experience. Watching HDR content on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video is a treat, although some users might find the display to have a slightly blueish tint.
OnePlus has implemented 2160 PWM dimming to reduce eye strain, but the phone’s maximum brightness of 900 nits (1100 nits peak in HDR mode) might feel a tad underwhelming under harsh sunlight. However, the phone’s “Aquatouch” technology allows for smooth operation even with wet fingers, a handy feature for those who frequently use their phone near water.
The in-display fingerprint sensor is positioned a bit lower than ideal, making it less convenient to reach compared to some competitors. Additionally, the exact version remains unclear while Gorilla Glass protection is advertised.
Specs and Performance
The Nord CE 4 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, which offers good performance for everyday tasks and multitasking. It’s paired with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, ensuring smooth app loading and data transfer.
While benchmarks like AnTuTu score around 800,000, some users have reported occasional jitters during 4K HDR playback. However, for most users, the phone should deliver a smooth and responsive experience.
Gamers will be pleased to know that the OnePlus Nord CE 4 handles most games well, supporting extreme 60fps gameplay and even offering HDR mode at 50fps. The phone lacks a dedicated cooling system, but heating during extended gaming sessions stays within acceptable limits (around 42-43 degrees Celsius).
Battery Life
The Nord CE 4 packs a massive 5500mAh battery, easily delivering a full day’s worth of charge for most users. Our usage tests yielded impressive results, with over 7 hours of screen time on the first day. The phone also comes with a powerful 100W charger in the box, which can juice up the phone from 0 to 100% in under 30 minutes.
Software:
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 runs on Android 14, which is good news. However, OnePlus only offers 2 years of major updates and 3 years of security patches, which feels a bit stingy compared to some competitors. The software needs some optimization as some users have reported occasional jitters. A few pre-installed bloatware apps are also present.
Camera – Good Enough, But Not Great
The Nord CE 4 features a dual camera system on the back, consisting of a 50MP Sony IMX600 primary sensor and an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultrawide sensor. Photos taken in daylight are generally good, capturing natural colors without excessive saturation. However, some users have reported occasional issues with low-light performance, where photos can appear slightly dark.
The portrait mode is decent but lacks the versatility of some competitors, offering only a 1x zoom option. Nighttime photography delivers mixed results, with some shots turning out well and others appearing quite dark. The ultrawide sensor does a good job of capturing wide landscapes with decent color reproduction.
The 16MP front camera is adequate for selfies and video calls, offering decent quality for the price point. However, a significant drawback is the lack of 4K video recording capabilities, and there’s no Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) to smoothen out shaky footage.
OnePlus Nord CE 4: Pros and Cons
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 is a mid-range smartphone with a good balance of features and affordability. Here’s a quick breakdown of its pros and cons to help you decide if it’s the right phone for you:
Pros
- Stunning Display: The 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate is a joy to use. It offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and smooth visuals.
- Long-lasting Battery: The 5500mAh battery is a powerhouse and can easily last a full day on a single charge for most users. The included 100W charger is super fast, taking the phone from 0 to 100% in under 30 minutes.
- Good Performance: The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor and LPDDR4x RAM handle everyday tasks and multitasking with ease. Most games run well at high frame rates.
- Other Highlights:
- IR blaster for controlling appliances.
- Z-axis vibration motor for a more responsive feel.
- Dual speakers for good audio quality.
- Aquatouch technology lets you use the phone with wet fingers.
- Expandable storage.
Cons
- Plastic Build: The phone has a plastic construction, which feels less premium compared to metal-clad competitors.
- Camera Inconsistency: While daylight photos are generally good, low-light performance can be inconsistent, and the camera system lacks features like 4K video recording and EIS.
- Limited Software Support: OnePlus only offers 2 years of major OS updates and 3 years of security patches, which is less than some competitors.
- Other Considerations:
- The in-display fingerprint sensor is positioned a bit low.
- No Dolby Atmos support.
- Lacks a dedicated cooling system (may cause slight heating during extended gaming).
- A few pre-installed bloatware apps.
Verdict: Nord CE 4
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 offers a compelling package for the price. It boasts a stunning display, a long-lasting battery, and good overall performance. However, the camera system is a bit of a letdown, and the software needs some refinement.
