OnePlus Nord CE4 Review: A Feature-packed Mid-range Smartphone
Introduction
With the release of the new Nord CE4, the company OnePlus is shifting its focus to the opposite end of its product spectrum following the release of the flagship OnePlus 12. Though the Nord CE4 Lite, if it were to ever emerge, would be the cheapest product the firm offers technically, the CE4 is still a step above and often represents the sweet spot in the three-device Nord line.
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 is expected to fulfill the brand’s “Core Experience” concept by becoming a reliable mid-range handset. Even while the Nord CE series was initially a scaled-down version of the numbered Nord series, over time, OnePlus has been introducing intriguing improvements that, in some way, seem to close the difference between the CE and non-CE Nord models. In contrast to prior launches, OnePlus is launching the new Nord CE 4 ahead of the Nord 4 this year. The OnePlus Nord CE 4 appears to have enough new hardware to justify an upgrade from its predecessor, the Nord CE 3, even if there is no sign that OnePlus will launch a Nord 4 this year.
Key Features
OnePlus Nord CE4 Review: Design
A distinctive design, previously anticipated for the higher-end Nord CE4, is introduced by the OnePlus Nord CE4. It keeps its dimensions of 162.5 mm by 75.3 mm by 8.4 mm, along with a glossy polycarbonate rear panel and a unique marble-like texture. Its 186g weight puts it in the middle of the not too light not too heavy range.
Its rear cameras appear to be submerged in a drop of water because they are contained in a transparent, capsule-shaped module. The back of the device has curved edges, while the polycarbonate frame has flat, beveled edges. It provides a balance between ergonomics and beauty.
Additionally, the Nord CE4 has an IP54 classification for water and dust resistance, which guarantees rudimentary splash protection. Its AquaTouch technology, which enables screen operation with wet fingers, improves usability. The Nord CE 4 feels premium thanks to its useful features and well-thought-out design elements, even though it is priced in the middle.
OnePlus Nord CE4 Review: Display
RainTouch and AquaTouch technologies are also present on the screen, enabling contact with wet fingers. The Nord CE4’s 2160Hz PWM dimming and TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification make it an aesthetically beautiful and eye-friendly display, solidifying its position as a top-tier model in the mid-range market.
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OnePlus Nord CE4 Review: Cameras
OnePlus has upgraded the primary camera to a 50-megapixel LYT600 ½-inch type sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, replacing the previous Sony IMX890 sensor (from the Nord CE3). Optical image stabilization (OIS) is one of its features. The previous model’s 16-megapixel selfie camera and 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera (Sony IMX355) are still present. The Nord CE3’s specialized 2-megapixel macro camera is also missing from this new camera arrangement. OnePlus usually has a very customizable camera UI with a wide range of photo options.
In bright settings, the primary camera issues with lens flare and exposure, but in daylight, it takes vivid, detailed pictures and does okay in low light. Pleasant photos are produced by the ultra-wide lens, but color constancy may differ from that of the primary sensor.
The camera configuration has a maximum digital zoom of 20x, with optimal performance at 2x zoom, despite the absence of a telephoto lens.
The 16MP (f/2.4) front camera is sufficient for taking selfies.
The device’s rear camera can capture up to 4K footage at 30 frames per second. Moreover, it can record 1080p video at 30 frames per second, 60 frames per second, and 120 frames per second. It has both OIS and gyro-EIS.
However, the front camera can only record video at 30 frames per second at 1080 pixels.
Nevertheless, there are occasions when the Portrait mode’s focussing is erratic and the camera app is sluggish.
But unlike the preceding Nord CE3, photographing really close-ups is not possible with this phone because it lacks a specialized macro camera. The large f/1.8 aperture allows you to get rather near to subjects (15–20 cm), and the natural bokeh behind these subjects is enhanced.
In low light, details suffer, textures seem a little flat, and sections with dim lighting wind up looking like paintings. When photographing street-lit situations, the dynamic range is on the lower side, meaning that the shadows and dark areas have less clarity. The images don’t depict true colors and seem quite washed out. With next changes, perhaps additional optimization is required.
When using the ultra-wide camera, the images appear a little soft but have a respectable dynamic range and good detail in the shadows. For a smartphone at this pricing range, the texture details are mediocre at best. Images shot in low light tend to be mushy and blurry.
While utilizing the Portrait mode, selfies taken during the day display average edge detection but poor facial details. Selfies in low light have less facial definition and need using the flash to capture good shots.
1080p (30 and 60 frames per second) video seemed pixelated and devoid of detail. But when it comes to stabilization, these outperform the 4K 30 frames per second video. Better quality and detail are available with 4K 30 frames per second, however the footage looks excessively unsteady when panning or moving. Sadly, even when recording in broad daylight, noise is audible in the 4K footage. Any resolution of low light video recording is too noisy to be of any use.
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OnePlus Nord CE 4 Review: Performance and Software
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 4nm SoC, which was developed on a 4nm process for improved battery efficiency and performance, powers the OnePlus Nord CE4. On top of Android 14, it is powered by ColorOS 14.
Combining 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM with up to 256GB of UFS3.1 storage allows it to run demanding games like Call of Duty and BGMI smoothly while multitasking.
Up to 1TB of extra storage can be supported by the hybrid SIM slot, which supports two SIM cards or a SIM plus microSD card.
Robust performance is ensured by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. The Nord CE4’s Qualcomm AI engine effectively handles AI and machine learning activities, offering a powerful and responsive user experience in a range of applications.
In AnTuTu, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 scored 8,14,981 points, while in Geekbench’s single and multi-core test programs, it scored 1,154 and 3,000 points, respectively. The phone achieved 5,423 points in 3DMark’s Wild Life and 5,553 points in the Wild Life Unlimited test suites for graphics benchmarks. GFXBench’s T-Rex, Manhattan 3.1, and Car Chase test suites yielded 60 FPS, 60 FPS, and 39 FPS results, respectively.
The phone’s 6.7-inch AMOLED 120Hz display is still HDR10 certified and is identical to the one on the previous edition. Additionally, it has stereo speakers, which I found to be adequate for watching movies and playing games. Streaming applications like as Netflix also support HDR10, and when viewing HDR10-enabled content, the images are strikingly bright and have a good dynamic range. In addition to having good colors in its Natural screen color mode, the display’s brightness is well than adequate to combat direct sunlight. Despite its full-HD+ resolution, text and graphics looked sharp. Furthermore, the in-display fingerprint reader functioned well.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Review: Battery and Charger
Thanks to the large battery, there is decent battery life. The 5500 mAh battery of the Nord CE4 holds out well even under demanding conditions like watching videos or playing graphically demanding games. The phone may easily survive the entire day without needing to be recharged with moderate use.
Additionally, it supports a 100W SuperVOOC charger, which takes only 20 minutes to fully charge a phone that is only 20% charged.
With light use, the phone can run for around a day and a half on a single charge. This incredible amount of time includes an hour of 3D gaming, two hours of streaming videos, and fifteen to twenty minutes of camera use. Even with frequent and intense use, the phone’s battery lasted almost a full day and even longer. This phone can run for two days on a single charge if it isn’t used for gaming or taking pictures.
Additionally, the phone may be recharged using 100W of cable charging in the event that the battery runs out. In comparison to other smartphones at this price range, the device’s 39-minute full charge time is excellent.
Pros and Cons of OnePlus Nord CE4
Pros
- Expandable storage
- Large battery with fast charging
- NFC and 5G support
- 4K video recording with stabilization
- Fluid AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate
- Runs on Android 14 with ColorOS 14 UI
- Smooth performance with high-end games
- IP54 dust and splash resistance
- Stereo speakers.
Cons
- No alert slider
- No reverse or wireless charging
- Lacks optical zoom camera
- Shared microSD card slot
- Average brightness
- Selfie camera limited to 1080p video
- No Gorilla Glass protection
- No audio jack.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Review: Our Verdict
The OnePlus CE4 is a deserving replacement for the OnePlus Nord CE3, which it replaced. The Nord CE 4 is a good bundle, featuring a strong Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, a decent 50MP camera, and a stylish Celadon Marble design. Not everything works flawlessly; Oneplus no longer supports NFC, and the new camera sensor has trouble taking pictures in low light. Poco X6 Pro and Moto Edge 40 are two fierce competitors in terms of gaming and hardcore performance. There are no software challenges for the Phone 2a.
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