OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G vs Nord CE 3 Lite: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Nord CE 3 Lite offers a noticeable upgrade in charging speed and a slightly improved chipset. While the CE 2 5G has a more powerful CPU core, the CE 3 Lite's overall package, especially its faster charging and improved display, makes it the better choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G | OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - International |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - Europe | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 8, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - India | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - India | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, February 17 | 2023, April 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, February 22 | Available. Released 2023, April 11 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 160.6 x 73.2 x 7.8 mm (6.32 x 2.88 x 0.31 in) | 165.5 x 76 x 8.3 mm (6.52 x 2.99 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 173 g (6.10 oz) | 195 g (6.88 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~409 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~391 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.43 inches, 99.8 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.72 inches, 109.6 cm2 (~87.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ | IPS LCD, 120Hz, 550 nits (typ), 680 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver) |
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 900 (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G68 MC4 | Adreno 619 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13 | Android 13, OxygenOS 13.1 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 2.2 | UFS 2.2 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, 27mm (wide), 1.0µm | - |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) | 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.67", 0.64µm, PDAF 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.4, 27mm (wide), 1.0µm | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | Unspecified | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 65W wired | 67W wired, 80% in 30 min |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray Mirror, Bahama Blue | Pastel Lime, Chromatic Gray |
| Models | IV2201 | CPH2467, CPH2465 |
| Price | £ 99.00 / € 182.18 | £ 169.98 / € 209.99 |
| SAR | - | 1.17 W/kg (head) 0.70 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 412006 (v9) GeekBench: 2052 (v5) GFXBench: 17fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G
- More powerful CPU core
- Good value for money
- Decent camera performance
- Slower charging
- LCD display
- Older chipset
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite
- Faster 67W charging
- AMOLED display
- Newer chipset
- Improved camera
- Slightly less powerful CPU core than CE 2 5G
Display Comparison
The Nord CE 3 Lite boasts a 120Hz AMOLED display, a significant upgrade over the CE 2 5G's 120Hz LCD. This translates to richer colors, deeper blacks, and a more vibrant viewing experience. The CE 3 Lite also generally has better brightness, making it easier to see outdoors. The CE 2 5G's display is still decent, but the CE 3 Lite's is noticeably superior.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer a triple-camera setup. The CE 3 Lite generally captures slightly better images, particularly in low light, thanks to improved image processing. The CE 2 5G's main sensor is comparable, but the CE 3 Lite's ultrawide and macro lenses are more versatile. Video recording capabilities are similar on both devices.
Performance
The CE 2 5G's Dimensity 900 features a more powerful Cortex-A78 core, potentially offering a slight edge in demanding tasks. However, the CE 3 Lite's Snapdragon 695 5G is more efficient and benefits from Qualcomm's optimized software. In everyday use, the difference is minimal, and the CE 3 Lite's Adreno GPU provides slightly better graphics performance. The CE 3 Lite's chipset is also newer, offering better future-proofing.
Battery Life
The Nord CE 3 Lite's 67W charging is a game-changer, allowing it to charge from 0% to 80% in just 30 minutes. The CE 2 5G's 65W charging is still fast, but noticeably slower. Both phones have similar battery capacities (around 5000mAh) and offer all-day battery life with moderate usage.
Buying Guide
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G is a good option for users prioritizing raw CPU power and are comfortable with slightly slower charging. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is ideal for those seeking faster charging, a better display, and a more modern design, even if it means a slight trade-off in peak CPU performance.