The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, with manufacturers constantly vying for your attention. Today, we're pitting two contenders against each other: the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 and the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite. Both promise a lot for their price point, but which one truly delivers?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite emerges as the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 695 5G chipset, faster charging (67W), and more modern design provide a significantly better overall experience than the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6's older Snapdragon 615.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - International |
| 4G bands | 3, 7, 20 | 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 - International |
| EDGE | Yes | - |
| GPRS | Yes | - |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| | - | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - India |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2015, June. Released 2015, June | 2023, April 04 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, April 11 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 154 x 77 x 8.4 mm (6.06 x 3.03 x 0.33 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 |
| Weight | 159 g (5.61 oz) | 195 g (6.88 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~401 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~391 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~70.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.72 inches, 109.6 cm2 (~87.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD, 120Hz, 550 nits (typ), 680 nits (peak) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.1 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 (28 nm) | Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 405 | Adreno 619 |
| OS | Android 5.0.1 (Lollipop), upgradable to 6.0.1 (Marshmallow) | Android 13, OxygenOS 13.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 16GB 2GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | eMMC 4.5 | UFS 2.2 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, AF | - |
| Triple | - | 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.67", 0.64µm, PDAF
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 5 MP | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1.0µm |
| Video | - | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | No | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 67W wired, 80% in 30 min |
| Type | Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Gray, Silver | Pastel Lime, Chromatic Gray |
| Models | Smart ultra 6 | CPH2467, CPH2465 |
| Price | About 170 EUR | £ 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) |
Vodafone Smart ultra 6
- Affordable
- Decent screen size
- Reliable brand (Vodafone)
- Outdated chipset
- Slow charging
- Lower performance
- Older design
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite
- Powerful Snapdragon 695 5G
- 67W fast charging
- 120Hz display
- Modern design
- 5G connectivity
- Software updates may be less frequent than some competitors
- Camera might not compete with flagship devices
Display Comparison
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite typically features a 6.72-inch 120Hz display, offering a smoother visual experience compared to the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6's likely standard 60Hz display. Resolution and color accuracy are also likely to be better on the Nord CE 3 Lite.
Camera Comparison
While both phones offer multiple rear cameras, the Nord CE 3 Lite's newer sensor technology and image processing algorithms likely result in superior photo and video quality, especially in low-light conditions. Expect better dynamic range and detail.
Performance
The Snapdragon 695 5G in the Nord CE 3 Lite is a substantial upgrade over the Snapdragon 615 in the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6. Expect noticeably faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the Nord CE 3 Lite. The Kryo 660 cores are more efficient and powerful.
Battery Life
The Nord CE 3 Lite's 67W fast charging is a game-changer. It can charge the battery from 0% to 80% in just 30 minutes, a significant advantage over the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6's slower charging speeds. Battery capacity is likely similar, but the charging speed makes a huge difference.
Buying Guide
The Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 might appeal to users deeply entrenched in the Vodafone ecosystem or those seeking a very basic, affordable device. However, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is the better choice for most, offering a more powerful processor, faster charging, and a more contemporary feature set.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 still worth buying?
Only if you're on a very tight budget and primarily need a basic phone for calls and messaging. Otherwise, the Nord CE 3 Lite offers significantly better value.
❓ What is the difference between the Snapdragon 615 and 695 5G?
The Snapdragon 695 5G is a newer and more powerful chipset with improved performance, efficiency, and 5G connectivity compared to the older Snapdragon 615.
