OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite vs Samsung Galaxy A34: The Ultimate Showdown

The mid-range smartphone market is fiercely competitive, and the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite and Samsung Galaxy A34 are two strong contenders. Both offer compelling features at accessible prices, but cater to slightly different needs. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to help you decide which one deserves your money.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A34 emerges as the overall winner thanks to its superior display, camera capabilities, and longer software support. However, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite offers significantly faster charging and a slightly more powerful CPU for gaming, making it a viable option for budget-conscious gamers.

PHONES
Phone Names OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite Samsung Galaxy A34
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - InternationalHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66
5G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - India-
Launch
Announced2023, April 042023, March 14
StatusAvailable. Released 2023, April 11Available. Released 2023, March 24
Body
BuildGlass front, plastic frame, plastic backGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back
Dimensions165.5 x 76 x 8.3 mm (6.52 x 2.99 x 0.33 in)161.3 x 78.1 x 8.2 mm (6.35 x 3.07 x 0.32 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight195 g (6.88 oz)199 g (7.02 oz)
 -IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla GlassCorning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~391 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~390 ppi density)
Size6.72 inches, 109.6 cm2 (~87.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.6 inches, 106.9 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCD, 120Hz, 550 nits (typ), 680 nits (peak)Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 1000 nits (HBM)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver)Octa-core (2x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm)Mediatek Dimensity 1080 (6 nm)
GPUAdreno 619Mali-G68 MC4
OSAndroid 13, OxygenOS 13.1Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
 UFS 2.2-
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLED flash, panorama, HDR
Triple108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.67", 0.64µm, PDAF 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro)
Video1080p@30fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panorama-
Single16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1.0µm13 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm
Video1080p@30fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.3, A2DP, LE
NFCYes (market/region dependent)Yes (market/region dependent)
PositioningGPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-bandWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass
 -Virtual proximity sensing
Battery
Charging67W wired, 80% in 30 min25W wired
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsPastel Lime, Chromatic GrayLime, Graphite, Violet, Silver
ModelsCPH2467, CPH2465SM-A346E, SM-A346B, SM-A346B/DS, SM-A346B/DSN, SM-A346E/DS, SM-A346E/DSN, SM-A346M, SM-A346M/N, SM-A346M/DSN, SM-A3460
Price£ 169.98 / € 209.99€ 169.99 / $ 175.00 / £ 164.99 / ₹ 23,999
SAR1.17 W/kg (head)     0.70 W/kg (body)-
SAR EU-0.55 W/kg (head)     1.49 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 133h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -26.1 LUFS (Good)
Performance AnTuTu: 412006 (v9) GeekBench: 2052 (v5) GFXBench: 17fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 472126 (v9) GeekBench: 2316 (v5.5), 2518 (v6) GFXBench: 23fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite

  • Faster Charging (67W)
  • Slightly more powerful CPU (peak)
  • Competitive Price

  • Less Bright Display
  • Less Versatile Camera
  • Potentially shorter software support

Samsung Galaxy A34

  • Brighter and more vibrant display
  • Better Camera System
  • Longer Software Support (Samsung's promise)
  • Excellent Battery Life

  • Slower Charging (25W)
  • Slightly less powerful CPU (sustained performance)

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy A34 boasts a significantly brighter display (1009 nits peak) with an 'infinite' contrast ratio, offering a more immersive viewing experience. The Nord CE 3 Lite's display is adequate but lacks the vibrancy and brightness of the A34. The A34 also likely has better color accuracy.

Camera Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy A34 is expected to have a more versatile and higher-quality camera system. While specific megapixel counts are not the only factor, Samsung's image processing is generally considered superior. The A34 likely offers better low-light performance and more features.

Performance

While the Snapdragon 695 5G in the Nord CE 3 Lite is a capable chipset, the Dimensity 1080 in the Galaxy A34 generally offers better overall performance, especially in sustained workloads. The Nord CE 3 Lite's CPU has a slightly higher peak clock speed, which *could* translate to a small edge in some games, but the A34's efficiency is likely better.

Battery Life

Both phones offer excellent battery life, with the Galaxy A34 achieving an impressive endurance rating of 133h. The Nord CE 3 Lite's 67W charging is a major advantage, allowing for significantly faster top-ups compared to the A34's 25W charging.

Buying Guide

The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is ideal for users prioritizing fast charging and a smooth gaming experience on a tight budget. The Samsung Galaxy A34 is a better choice for those who value a vibrant display, a versatile camera system, and the peace of mind of Samsung's software support.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better gaming performance?
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite *might* have a slight edge in some games due to its higher peak CPU clock speed, but the Samsung Galaxy A34's Dimensity 1080 generally offers better sustained performance.
❓ How long is Samsung's software support for the Galaxy A34?
Samsung promises 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates for the Galaxy A34, which is a significant advantage over many other Android phones.