The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G: A Worthy Upgrade?

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G marks a welcome return to the popular Nord CE series. We’ve spent the last week diving deep into every feature and putting the phone through its paces. But is it worth the upgrade? Let’s find out.

Design and Utility

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite in Super Silver is a real head-turner! It gleams with a reflective surface, though keep in mind that this finish does show fingerprints easily. The back is crafted from sturdy plastic but it feels sturdy in the hand thanks to its boxy design and reassuringly solid build quality.

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite in Super Silver

The clicky and tactile volume buttons add a nice touch, and the dual-camera setup with a dual LED flash on the back keeps things clean and simple. For audio, the stereo speakers are perfectly suitable for casual listening, offering plenty of volume to crank things up 300% if needed.

Display

The display is one area where OnePlus has improved significantly. The device has a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth scrolling and a vibrant visual experience. The display supports an 8-bit color depth and achieves a peak brightness of 2100 nits, making it easy to read even under direct sunlight.

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite Display

Performance

Under the hood, the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite is powered by the Snapdragon 695 chipset, which has not been upgraded from the previous model, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite. This processor choice leads to occasional lags, especially when multitasking or running demanding apps.

Battery and Software

One of the standout features of this device is its large 5,500mAh battery, which supports 80W Supervooc fast charging, a notable improvement that is not commonly seen in this price segment. The fast charger, included in the box, powers the phone from 1% to 100% in just over an hour.

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite Battery

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite runs on Android 14 with OxygenOS 14.0, providing a user-friendly interface known for its simplicity. Despite some pre-installed bloatware, most unwanted apps can be uninstalled, allowing for a more personalized and smooth user experience.

Camera Performance

The camera setup on the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite features a main 50MP Sony LYT 600 sensor along with a 2MP depth sensor and a 16MP front camera for selfies. While the main camera captures decent images, its performance suffers significantly in low-light conditions, where images might lack detail and clarity.

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite Camera

Verdict

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite offers good battery life and display for the price, but performance and cameras could be better. For brand enthusiasts with a budget of around ₹20,000, this device might be appealing. However, for those prioritizing performance and gaming, the iQOO Z9 could be a solid pick in this price segment.

“The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite is a decent option for those looking for a budget-friendly device with good battery life and display, but it falls short in terms of performance and camera capabilities.”