In Short:
OnePlus has launched the Nord CE 4 Lite in India, an upgrade to the Nord CE 3 Lite. The phone has better specs, including an OLED display and a primary camera with OIS. It runs on the Snapdragon 695 chipset, but faces tough competition in the budget segment. With a starting price of Rs. 19,999, it competes with other smartphones like the Poco X6 5G and Realme 12+.
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite has been introduced in the Indian market as the next iteration of the Nord CE 3 Lite model released the previous year. This new OnePlus Nord phone features upgraded specifications and an updated design. It enters the highly competitive budget segment in India, where most smartphones are equipped with OLED screens, support 5G connectivity, and offer fast charging support. We’ve had the opportunity to spend some time with this smartphone to assess its value in this category.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite price in India
The starting price of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite in India is Rs. 19,999 for the 8GB+128GB RAM and storage variant, with the 256GB storage option priced at Rs. 22,999. The phone is available in Mega Blue, Super Silver, and Ultra Orange color options.
Our review unit spanned the 8GB+256GB variant of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite, which came with a TPU case, an 80W SuperVOOC charging brick, a USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable, and a SIM ejector tool.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite Review: Design
The ‘Mega Blue’ variant of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite boasts a plastic rear panel with flat plastic edges sporting a metal-like finish. The phone’s slightly rounded corners and flat edges provide a comfortable grip. Although weighing 191g, the handset does not cause fatigue even without the included TPU case.
The smooth rear panel is reflective and resists fingerprints and smudges
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The bottom edge of the Nord CE 4 Lite houses a 3.5mm audio jack, a microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grille. It also features an additional speaker on the top edge, with the power and volume buttons on the right side and the SIM card tray on the left. The Nord CE 4 Lite boasts an IP54 rating, and the transparent case includes built-in covers for the audio and charging ports.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite Review: Specifications and software
Incrementing over its predecessor, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite brings two key upgrades – an OLED display and a primary camera with optical image stabilization. The smartphone sports a 6.67-inch full-HD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Snapdragon 695 chipset powers the device and is complemented by 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite offers a few features added by the company, but also some bloatware
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The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite runs on Android 14 with OxygenOS 14 overlay. It supports various connectivity options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, 5G, 4G LTE, GPS, and a USB Type-C port. The device flaunts a 5,500mAh battery with 80W SuperVOOC charging support and an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite: Performance
The Snapdragon 695 chipset on the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite offers satisfactory performance for daily tasks, competitive with devices sporting MediaTek’s Dimensity 7050 chipset. Gaming and app usage were smooth, with noted performance dips under strenuous scenarios.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite benchmark results
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Our testing of the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite revealed stability in OxygenOS 14. The device preserved app memory for extended periods, facilitated smooth app transitioning (especially with navigation gestures), and was swift in app launches. The phone ships with preloaded bloatware which can be uninstalled if desired.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite Review: Cameras
The camera system on the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite comprises a 50-megapixel primary shooter and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. While the primary camera captures satisfactory images, the device supports optical and electronic image stabilization. Images shot during our testing were clear and suitable for social media, but lacked detail upon zooming in.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite shots during the day
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Moreover, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite offers a dedicated night mode for low-light photography. While the night mode enhances image visibility and detail, it introduces a slight lag and over-brightening of nighttime scenes. Selfies captured by the 16-megapixel front camera varied in quality based on lighting conditions.
OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite Review: Verdict
The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite ups the ante over its predecessor, focusing on display and camera improvements. However, the device faces tough competition in the sub-Rs. 20,000 segment from rival brands and previous OnePlus models offering superior camera performance or more powerful chipsets. The price fluctuations of OnePlus’ prior handset, the OnePlus Nord CE 3, make it a compelling alternative considering its discounted offerings on platforms like Amazon.
Thus, while the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite is a viable budget option from OnePlus, there are several competitive alternatives available in the same price range, including devices like the Poco X6 5G, Realme 12+, iQoo Z9, Realme P1 Pro 5G, Vivo T3, and Tecno Pova 6 Pro.
