The sub-Rs 30,000 price segment is brewing with options for an all-rounder smartphone. While the more performance-centric OnePlus Nord 3 still wanders around this price range, the newly released OnePlus Nord CE4 looks to cater to an all-rounder experience with some upgrades over its predecessor.
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G
Rs 24,999What Is Good?
- Refreshing design
- Fast and vibrant display
- Capable performer
- Reliable and consistent battery life
- Fast charging
- Good daylight camera performance
What Is Bad?
- Slightly fewer software updates
- Low-light photography could have been better
The Nord CE4 has a refreshed design, a more powerful processor, a bigger battery, and an improved camera setup. But, is all that enough to survive in this competitive segment? Especially with the likes of the Nothing Phone 2a, Redmi Note 13 Pro, and the Realme 12 Pro breathing down its neck. Does the OnePlus Nord CE4 handle daily tasks and more with ease? Let’s find out the answer to all these questions in this review.
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G Pricing and Availability in India
The OnePlus Nord CE4 will be available in India in two different variants. The phone can be bought on Amazon.
| Variants | Pricing |
| 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage | Rs 24,999 |
| 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage | Rs 26,999 |
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G Review: Design and Build Quality
The Nord CE4 comes in two different colour options: Dark Chrome and Celadon Marble. Both the colourways look stunning, but the latter is the one to go for if you want a conversation starter. The marble finish at the back gives it a unique and refreshing look. In fact, it reminds me of the Vivo V30 Pro at times because of the whole holiday vibe. A couple of my friends were very impressed with the colour choice and overall in-hand feel.
| Design | Specifications |
| Weight | 186 grams |
| Thickness | 8.4mm |
| IP Rating | IP54 |
| Port and button placements | Bottom: USB Type-C port (USB 2.0), primary microphone, SIM tray, speaker grille
Top: Secondary microphone, IR blaster |
The Nord CE devices never had an alert slider, so the Nord CE4 also misses out on that, in case you were searching for that in the above table.
Despite the chunky battery, OnePlus has managed to keep the phone slim and lightweight. The plastic sides are also painted in the same colour, so there’s no disparity. The curved edges make it easier to carry around, however, if you have oily hands, the frames tend to be slightly slippery. Using the provided case should help avoid this.
The Nord CE4 is IP54-rated, which can help save the device from accidental water splashes. However, it’s advised not to carry the phone near water bodies.
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G Review: Display and Audio
While many OEMs are opting for a curved display, the Nord CE4 has a flat panel that’s tall and fast. The 120Hz refresh rate gives a smooth experience when scrolling through the UI. While it’s not the brightest display in this price range, consuming content outdoors wouldn’t be too difficult.
| Display | Specifications |
| Size | 6.7-inch |
| Type | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2412×1080 pixels |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1100 nits |
The Nord CE4 comes with Widevine L1 certification and HDR10 support in Netflix out of the box. Watching TV shows such as The Office was a pleasant experience. The colours are vibrant and punchy, but not too over the top.
The picture quality is crisp and clear. If you prefer a more neutral approach for your display, a setting allows you to choose between colour modes. The overall content-watching experience is further elevated with the inclusion of stereo speakers that can get quite loud.
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G Review: Performance and Software
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is a considerable upgrade over the Snapdragon 782G found in the outgoing model. The new chip is based on the 4nm fabrication process and outperforms its predecessor in all the benchmarks. In fact, it even gets an upper edge over the Nothing Phone 2a with the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro.
| Hardware | Specifications |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 |
| RAM | Up to 8GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | Up to 256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Storage Test | 69361 |
| CPU Throttling Test | 81 per cent of its max performance |
| Software version | OxygenOS based on Android 14 |
| Connectivity details | Dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.4 |
These scores are reflected in my daily usage as well. The phone has no problem dealing with daily tasks such as doomscrolling through social media apps, watching a show on Netflix, or even gaming for that matter. I did not encounter any lags or stutters throughout my usage, and multi-tasking with different apps is also not a big deal for the Nord CE4.
In BGMI, the phone can go all the way up to “Ultra HDR” graphics quality and “Ultra” frame rates. This means you can get 40fps without any issues. For 60fps gameplay, you will have to switch to “HDR” and “Extreme” settings. BGMI ran smoothly on the device without any noticeable frame drops. However, its rear panel became a little warm after a couple of games.
The Nord CE4 runs on OxygenOS based on Android 14 out of the box. While the phone does come with some bloatware apps such as Agoda, Zomato, and a few games — you can opt out of installing these during the setup process. These can also be uninstalled later if you miss this step, so that’s still a fairly decent step towards a cleaner experience.
OnePlus promises two years of software updates and three years of security patches, which is a bit low considering the phones from Samsung are setting higher standards in lower price ranges as well.
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G Review: Cameras
While the Nord CE3 had a triple camera setup at the rear, the newer model comes with a dual-camera setup. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The exclusion of a 2-megapixel macro camera should not be a dealbreaker. The megapixel count of the main and secondary cameras remains the same, it’s just the sensors that are changed.
| Cameras | Specifications |
| Primary camera | 50-megapixel, Sony LYT600 sensor with OIS |
| Secondary camera | 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera, Sony IMX355 |
| Selfie camera | 16-megapixel, f/2.0 |
| Video recording capabilities | Up to 4K at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps |
Photos captured using the primary camera in daylight are crisp, detailed, and full of colours. The post-processing of the image does not overdo the saturation or the vibrancy. However, images lean a bit towards warmer tones. The shutter speeds are also quite fast, so if you are capturing your friends playing a high-intense cricket match, this should not disappoint you. The phone also manages to balance the highlights and the shadows of the image well.
The colour disparity between the ultra-wide angle and primary camera is easily evident. The former leans towards the cooler tones. If provided with a good amount of light and no sudden hand movements, the images captured are usable. However, the downgrade in image quality is noticeable.
Portrait mode on the Nord CE4 clicks excellent shots. The edge detection is immaculate in every photo. It also handles the colours of fabric and skin tones well.
Images captured in low-light conditions were decent on the Nord CE4. Photos had a decent amount of detail when provided with good artificial lights. The phone also struggles against bright light sources, such as a street light nearby. In dimly lit conditions, noise around the edges is inevitable. Night mode kicks in automatically, so this helps brighten the photos to a certain level.
Selfies captured using the front camera have good colours and accurate skin tones. However, in low-light conditions, you need to be extremely still for a perfect capture or you might end up with a horrifying picture as above.
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G Review: Battery and Charging
The battery department gets a very nice upgrade in the form of a 5,500mAh battery. This is the same form of upgrade as the OnePlus 12R. The Nord CE4 also gets a better and faster charging solution.
The phone can easily last an entire day with moderate to heavy usage. The Nord CE4 easily lasted for 19 hours and 8 minutes in the PCMark battery test, and these are impressive numbers. The phone can instantly juice up to 100 per cent in about 45 minutes using the 100W charger.
OnePlus Nord CE4 5G Review: Verdict
The OnePlus Nord CE4 is a reliable option at a starting price of Rs 24,999. While the phone isn’t perfect in all its aspects, it manages to tick the correct boxes.
The new design approach gives it a more refreshed look, and the slim profile makes it easy to carry around when travelling. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 inside it also manages daily tasks without a second thought, and gaming on the phone was also not an issue.
The battery department is well handled by the chunky battery and a 100W fast charger, so you never need to worry about leaving your house with a low battery notification. While the cameras perform well in daylight, low light is where they could do with some more improvements. Giving an option to opt out of bloatware apps is the right step, but considering the price at least three years of software upgrades are expected.
As for alternatives, the Nothing Phone 2a, Moto Edge 40 Neo, Redmi Note 13 Pro, and Realme 12 Pro can be good choices with different pros and cons.
Overall, the Nord CE4 is a great phone if you are looking for a reliable phone in the sub-Rs 25,000 price bracket.
