OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G review: A capable middle child

OnePlus lent me the 12/256 Aqua Surge variant for review.

The smartphone comes bundled with an 80W charging brick with OnePlus' proprietary SUPERVOOC quick-charging technology, in case you need a quick top-up that could last you hours, a case, and all other expected peripherals. The CE 3 runs Android 13-based Oxygen OS 13.1 out of the box.

It is seriously impressive how consistent OnePlus has been with its devices this year. The OnePlus 11 has an outstanding display, the Nord 3 too has an excellent display and the CE 3 Lite, despite sporting an LCD panel, too has a great display. The CE 3 is no different. It has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display capable of 120 Hz refresh rate and supports HDR10+. And it really shows, especially on supporting apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The dual-firing stereo speakers are loud and crisp, though the bass could use a boost, and do justice to the content you're watching.

What else can you expect from a 5,000 mAh battery packed into a OnePlus smartphone? The CE 3's battery, on a full charge, lasts at least a day and a half on heavy usage, and probably more if you're a moderate user. Add to that the quick-charging option — you can go from 0 to about 60 percent in 15 minutes — and you never really have to worry about running out of charge. Even at full brightness (with auto brightness turned off) and with resource-hogging apps like Slack, Outlook, and Google Chrome running constantly, the battery never gave up.

Here's where things get a little interesting. The Nord CE 3 boasts a 50-megapixel (MP) Sony IMX 890 sensor as its primary camera. This is the same sensor as on the flagship OnePlus 11 and the results, as with the top-of-the-line 11, are quite excellent. The rear camera array also comprises a 12 MP ultrawide lens and a 2 MP macro lens, which I honestly don't get the point of. Most smartphones these days have smartly incorporated the macro mode into their main cameras, which allows you to shoot a macro image by simply getting closer to the subject. A 2 MP photograph will neither look great nor serve any purpose other than taking up space that could be used for something else.

On the front, housed in a centred hole-punch cutout, is a 16 MP selfie camera that also doubles as a face unlock sensor, though not the most secure.

There are a plethora of shooting options to choose from, and the CE 3's camera system, and honestly, none of them disappoint. If your aim is to buy an affordable-yet-dependable smartphone that shoots good photos, then the Nord CE 3 is for you.

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 is the latest attempt at OnePlus to regain its spot as a company that makes reliable, exciting smartphones. It's packed with features, a good camera system, an excellent screen, and comes with exceptional battery life. OnePlus promises at least three years of OS updates, so you should get Android 16 on the Nord CE 3. If your sweet spot is the sub-30,000 price point, then the OnePlus Nord CE 3 is certainly something you could consider.