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MagyarOnePlus Nord CE 5G Smartphone Review - Focused on the essentials
The smartphones of the OnePlus Nord series traditionally stand out for their good price-performance ratio. The OnePlus Nord CE 5G aka "Core Edition" is no different, but with another special feature.
The mid-range smartphone wants to present itself as a cheaper alternative to the OnePlus Nord from the previous year. At the same time, and that is what the Core Edition stands for, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is supposed to include all core elements of the OnePlus Nord series while making as few compromises as possible. According to OnePlus, this recipe is fully successful because the manufacturer confidently speaks of the new standard for mid-range smartphones.
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G starts at an MSRP of 300 Euros (~$354). It features a 6.43-inch AMOLED panel, the eight-core Snapdragon 750G, a 64 MP triple camera as well as 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. The top model for 400 Euros (~$472) has 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
Possible competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83.1 % | 07/2021 | OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) SD 750G 5G, Adreno 619 | 170 g | 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.43" | 2400x1080 | |
| 82.5 % | 03/2021 | Oppo Find X3 Lite SD 765G, Adreno 620 | 172 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.43" | 2400x1080 | |
| 85.4 % | 05/2021 | Motorola Moto G100 SD 870, Adreno 650 | 207 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2520x1080 | |
| 83 % | 04/2021 | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G SD 750G 5G, Adreno 619 | 189 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.50" | 2400x1080 | |
| 86 % | 05/2021 | Xiaomi Poco F3 SD 870, Adreno 650 | 196 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 | |
| 80.4 % | 06/2021 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G Dimensity 700, Mali-G57 MP2 | 190 g | 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.50" | 2400x1080 |
Case - Lightweight and matte plastic chassis
In terms of design, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G is very similar to the 6.44-inch and 184-gram (~6.5 oz) OnePlus Nord. The Core Edition is slightly smaller at 6.43 inches and belongs to the particularly light specimens of this form factor at 170 grams (~6.0 oz). Its 7.9 millimeter (~0.3 in) thin chassis also makes it the slimmest OnePlus smartphone since the OnePlus 6T. However, it does not have an IP certification.
The lightweight construction is made possible by dispensing with metal and glass. Even if you do not see it on the outside of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G, its casing is made of plastic. However, the omission of "impressive" materials is not a disadvantage because the chassis is high-quality and stable. Moreover, the OnePlus feels good in the hand due to its matte back cover and is largely immune to fingerprints.
OnePlus offers its mid-range smartphone in blue (Blue Void), black (Charcoal Ink) and silver (Silver Ray). The light is reflected slightly differently on the back cover depending on the viewing angle, which causes the blue to turn violet at the long edges of our blue test device, for example. This looks chic and contributes to the good overall appearance.
Features - Up to 12 GB RAM in the mid-range phone
What is essential for a smartphone? At least 6 GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128 GB UFS 2.1 storage are required for the Core Edition, says OnePlus. The smartphone costs 300 Euros (~$354) in this configuration.
Other storage configurations offered in the official webshop are 8 GB + 128 GB for 330 Euro (~$390) and 12 GB + 256 GB for 400 Euro (~$472). The internal storage cannot be expanded because the OnePlus does not have a microSD slot. However, an always-on function for the AMOLED panel is included. However, there is no notification LED.
Other features include an optical fingerprint sensor in the display, a USB 2.0 port with USB OTG support, and a 3.5 mm jack, but without antenna or radio function for connected headsets.
Software - Android 11 and Oxygen OS 11 for the Core Edition
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G runs Android 11, which is supported by OnePlus' in-house user interface Oxygen OS version 11. At the time of testing in early July, the Android security patches were up to date on May 1, 2021, and thus still fairly current.
Oxygen OS is a very clear user interface with many settings for individual customization. OnePlus has largely omitted bloatware. Netflix is the only third-party app that is preinstalled, but it cannot be deleted.
OnePlus' Nord CE 5G understands DRM Widevine L1 and can thus also play back streams in HD quality.
Communication and GNSS - Precise navigation with the OnePlus Nord CE 5G
As the name of the OnePlus smartphone already makes clear, a 5G module is part of its equipment besides NFC and Bluetooth 5.1. This offers a solid frequency coverage with a total of 12 bands. For 4G connections, 19 bands are available. The radiation rates of 0.99 W/kg (head SAR) and 1.28 W/g (body SAR) are neither particularly high nor low.
In WLANs, the OnePlus communicates with WiFi-5 speed on. As the tests with our reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12 show, the data throughput rates are stable but rather low due to the lack of MIMO antenna technology. Among the comparison devices only the Motorola Moto G100 and the Xiaomi Poco F3 have really fast Wi-Fi.
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G determines its location using the satellite navigation services GPS (L1, L5), GLONASS (L1), Galileo (E1, E5a) and BeiDou (B1, B2a). In the test, this works out to an accuracy of 3 meters (~10 feet) indoors and outdoors.
The accuracy remains high in motion, which makes the smartphone a precise navigation tool in everyday use as well. On a 10-kilometer (16 mi) bike tour, the OnePlus tracked the route just as accurately as the professional navigation device Garmin Edge 500, except for small deviations.
Phone features and voice quality
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G offers good voice quality. Voices are clear and understandable via the internal earpiece as well as in hands-free mode. However, you sometimes have to speak a bit louder when the speaker is enabled so that communication works.
VoLTE and VoWiFi are supported.
Cameras - Triple camera with 64 MP
The selfie camera (Sony IMX471) of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G has a resolution of 16 MP and takes decent pictures in bright environments. In portrait mode, the background is blurred and the resolution can be set to up to 1080p at 60 frames per second for video chats. The selfie camera does not cope as well with poor lighting and produces pale pictures.
The triple camera is on the back of the OnePlus. Its main camera has a resolution of 64 MP and is supported by an electronic image stabilization (EIS). It combines 4 neighboring pixels into one via pixel binning and thus shoots 16 MP photos. It can record videos in a maximum of 4K at 30 frames per second, which it manages in decent quality. Despite electronic stabilization, a steady hand is required to avoid blurry pictures.
The other two cameras are an ultra-wide-angle camera with a 119° field of view, EIS and 8 MP, and a monochrome lens with 2 MP as the third lens. Among other things, it supports portrait photos, but cannot be selected in the camera menu, so only the main camera and ultra-wide-angle are available.
The main camera does a pretty good job by mid-range standards. In good light conditions, pictures taken with it convince with vivid and yet natural-looking colors. Contrasts and image details are also good, but the latter only when you do not enlarge the photos. Then it becomes apparent that fine structures are only captured quite roughly. Due to the lack of optical magnification, you should not expect too much from the zoom shots either. They are aggressively sharpened, which is also at the expense of image details. On the other hand, the main camera takes surprisingly good night pictures when you use the special Nightscape mode.
The pictures taken by the ultra-wide-angle camera are acceptable, but cannot keep up with the image quality of the main camera. The colors are a bit stronger, but the level of detail is much lower. The photos are also blurry and noisy at the edges.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Daylight scene 1Daylight scene 2Ultra wide-angle5x ZoomLow-light exposure
Under controlled lighting conditions, we take another closer look at the camera. With optimal illumination (upper color chart), colors are hit pretty accurately with the exception of brown and dark green, and the test chart is photographed sharply. If there is only a little residual light (lower color chart at 1 lux), however, the color precision is over. The elements of the test chart remain more or less visible, but are very blurred.
Accessories and warranty - Many accessories for the OnePlus
The packaging of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G contains a 30-watt power adapter (5V/6A), a USB-C cable (type A to C), a transparent protective cover, a SIM tool as well as warranty information and a quick start guide.
OnePlus offers a number of accessories for the smartphone in its web store, including headphones and other protective cases for 20 Euros (~$24) each. They are only available in black and blue online at the time of testing, but our review sample came with two more in white (EAN 6921815617471) and purple (EAN 6921815617495).
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G comes with a 24-month warranty.
Input devices & operation - Responsive 90 Hz screen
Thanks to its 90 Hz screen and the Snapdragon 750G as the computing center, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G can be operated very quickly in everyday use. At the same time, the AMOLED panel is very responsive and implements inputs with virtually no delay. We also liked the physical buttons that have a crisp pressure point and leave a high-quality impression.
The fingerprint sensor underneath the display does its job well and unlocked the smartphone reliably in the test. Those who prefer to use facial recognition can also do so. This biometric authentication method works well in daylight, but reaches its limits in the dark. In this case, the OnePlus can automatically brighten the screen when logging in, which significantly improves the recognition rate in dim ambient light.
Display - AMOLED panel could be brighter
The AMOLED panel of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G displays 2400 x 1080 pixels and shines brightly at an average of 596.4 cd/m². Like the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G and the Xiaomi Poco F3 even significantly higher panel brightness is no longer a rarity in the mid-range.
The brightness of the AMOLED screen increases up to 766 cd/m² with evenly distributed bright and dark areas (APL50) instead of a pure white background. With the brightness sensor disabled, the maximum brightness is 419 cd/m² at best. In the lowest brightness level, the screen still shines with 3.6 cd/m².
The AMOLED panel relies on pulse width modulation (PWM) for brightness control. Below a screen brightness of 44%, the screen flickers in a relatively high frequency range of 347.2 to 373.1 Hz, which should not annoy even sensitive users. At a brightness higher than 44%, the PWM flickering is a constant 90 Hz.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 97 %
Center on Battery: 590 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.9 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.1 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
91.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.13
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.43 | Oppo Find X3 Lite OLED, 2400x1080, 6.43 | Motorola Moto G100 IPS/LTPS, 2520x1080, 6.70 | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.50 | Xiaomi Poco F3 AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.67 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G IPS, 2400x1080, 6.50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | -40% | -83% | -8% | 40% | -5% | |
| Brightness middle | 590 | 569 -4% | 562 -5% | 744 26% | 889 51% | 550 -7% |
| Brightness | 596 | 572 -4% | 535 -10% | 749 26% | 902 51% | 515 -14% |
| Brightness Distribution | 97 | 97 0% | 90 -7% | 98 1% | 95 -2% | 86 -11% |
| Black Level * | 0.57 | 0.32 | ||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.9 | 3.2 -68% | 3.99 -110% | 2.2 -16% | 0.9 53% | 1.8 5% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.8 | 6 -58% | 9.74 -156% | 7 -84% | 1.9 50% | 3.1 18% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.1 | 4.3 -105% | 6.5 -210% | 2.1 -0% | 1.3 38% | 2.5 -19% |
| Gamma | 2.13 103% | 2.23 99% | 2.174 101% | 2.06 107% | 2.26 97% | 2.28 96% |
| CCT | 6698 97% | 6607 98% | 6882 94% | 6516 100% | 6614 98% | 6326 103% |
| Contrast | 986 | 1719 |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 373.1 Hz | ≤ 44 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 373.1 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 44 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 373.1 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
With "Vivid", "Natural" and "Advanced", three color modes are available in the display settings. In the extended mode, you can also switch to the sRGB or DCI-P3 color space and adjust the color temperature. However, you can save the fine-tuning because the AMOLED panel delivers the best picture quality in the "Natural" color mode. It not only reproduces colors and grayscale very accurately, but also brings color temperature and gamma almost to the ideal line.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 7 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 3.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.6 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G does well in outdoor use. The image remains visible in direct sunlight, but content is then difficult to recognize. In contrast, the legibility is impeccable in the shade. The same is true for the viewing-angle stability. Apart from slight greenish or bluish discolorations, which are typical for an OLED screen in flat side views, the display is unobjectionable from any viewing angle.
Performance - Mid-range SoC with solid performance
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G relies on the eight-core SoC Snapdragon 750G and is supported by up to 12 GB LPDDR4X RAM. Alternatively, the smartphone is available with 6 and 8 GB of RAM. Regardless of the memory configuration, the graphics acceleration is handled by the Adreno 619.
With its Snapdragon 750G, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G lies between the OnePlus Nord (Snapdragon 765G) and the OnePlus Nord N10 5G (Snapdragon 690), whereby the trio shows quite a similar performance. The OnePlus Nord N100 does not stand a chance here because it is already clearly behind this trio due to its significantly weaker Snapdragon 460.
Our test device equipped with 12 GB of RAM cannot really gain an advantage over the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G in the synthetic benchmarks. The latter also uses the Snapdragon 750G, but only has half as much RAM with 6 GB. Nevertheless, the Samsung even scores slightly better in the browser benchmarks apart from Octane 2.0. However, the OnePlus should show its RAM advantage when you want to quickly access many apps that are open at the same time.
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=173, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (40.8 - 67.5, n=7) | |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) (Chrome 91.0.4472.120) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G (Chrome 90) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (82.1 - 94.5, n=5) | |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) (Chrome 91.0.4472.120) | |
| Oppo Find X3 Lite (Chrome 88.0.4324.181) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G (Chrome 90) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=157, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chome 90) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (41.5 - 47.6, n=6) | |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) (Chrome 91.0.4472.120) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G (Chrome 90) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (39 - 304, n=122, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Oppo Find X3 Lite (Chrome 88.0.4324.181) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (54 - 91, n=6) | |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) (Chrome 91.0.4472.120) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G (Chrome 90) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=211, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (17730 - 21566, n=7) | |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) (Chrome 91.0.4472.120) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G (Chrome 90) | |
| Oppo Find X3 Lite (Chrome 88.0.4324.181) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G (Chrome 90) | |
| Oppo Find X3 Lite (Chrome 88.0.4324.181) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (1897 - 2665, n=7) | |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) (Chrome 91.0.4472.120) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=173, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
* ... smaller is better
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G relies on fast UFS 2.1 storage that scores with a high data throughput. Especially in sequential read and write, the Motorola Moto G100 and the Xiaomi Poco F3 are a lot faster, especially in sequential reading and writing.
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) | Oppo Find X3 Lite | Motorola Moto G100 | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | Xiaomi Poco F3 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G | Average 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 1% | 55% | 1% | 26% | -10% | -16% | 73% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 951 | 953 0% | 1730 82% | 927 -3% | 1378 45% | 939 -1% | 826 ? -13% | 1505 ? 58% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 466 | 466.2 0% | 717 54% | 484.6 4% | 684 47% | 398 -15% | 358 ? -23% | 1112 ? 139% |
| Random Read 4KB | 187.6 | 194.7 4% | 253.6 35% | 176.1 -6% | 208 11% | 151.6 -19% | 166.6 ? -11% | 247 ? 32% |
| Random Write 4KB | 168.1 | 166 -1% | 252.9 50% | 179.2 7% | 170.6 1% | 162.8 -3% | 141.5 ? -16% | 271 ? 61% |
Games - Are mostly limited to 30 FPS
The OnePlus performance is good with the Adreno 619, a mid-range graphics unit that runs current games smoothly for the most part. However, it might be necessary to reduce the detail level a bit in demanding games to avoid stutters.
Due to the not very powerful GPU, the OnePlus can only show its 90 Hz display to its full advantage in older titles. However, it does not show any weaknesses in the test games. More than the HD setting cannot be selected in PUBG Mobile, but the shooter runs with almost constant 30 frames per second, just like Armajet.
We determine the frame rates with the tool Gamebench.
Emissions - Full power always available
Temperature
Under load, the OnePlus Nord CE 5G heats up to 42.7 °C (109 °F). Thus, it is far from being in a thermally critical range and does not feel uncomfortably warm. As GFXBench's battery tests and 3DMark's Wild Life Stress Test show, there are no internal temperature issues either. Therefore, the SoC can always deliver its full performance even under permanent load.
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) | |
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.7 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.6 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.6 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Speaker
The speaker of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G delivers the classic smartphone sound: usually perfectly sufficient for everyday use, but rather thin in terms of sound with the practically non-existent basses as well as overemphasized mids and trebles.
A much better sound is achieved by connecting headsets and external speakers via the 3.5 mm jack, which achieves a very good signal-to-noise ratio of 97.81 dBFS, or by pairing them with the smartphone via Bluetooth 5.1. The OnePlus supports the Bluetooth audio codecs aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and AAC.
OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (90.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.3% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 5.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 14% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 78% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 35% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 57% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 6.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 20% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 72% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 41% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery life - The OnePlus is fully charged in 1 hour
Energy consumption
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is very restrained in terms of power consumption. With an average of 1.32 watts in idle and 3.82 watts under load, it shows the comparison devices what frugal operation is. Equipped with the same SoC, the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G does not quite reach the good energy balance of the OnePlus overall, but is just as frugal under load.
The 4500 mAh battery can be charged quickly via the included 30-watt power supply (5V/6A). In the test, it only takes 22 minutes for the previously empty battery to reach 50% and exactly one hour and one minute for it to reach 100%. The OnePlus does not support wireless charging.
| Off / Standby |   0.02 / 0.26 Watt |
| Idle |  0.79 / 1.32 / 1.44 Watt |
| Load |
3.82 / 5.91 Watt |
    
| |
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) 4500 mAh | Oppo Find X3 Lite 4300 mAh | Motorola Moto G100 5000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco F3 4520 mAh | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G 5000 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -18% | -39% | -16% | -13% | -16% | -67% | -25% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.79 | 0.92 -16% | 0.9 -14% | 0.92 -16% | 0.76 4% | 0.71 10% | 1.039 ? -32% | 0.897 ? -14% |
| Idle Average * | 1.32 | 1.97 -49% | 1.5 -14% | 1.78 -35% | 1.29 2% | 2.08 -58% | 2.61 ? -98% | 1.452 ? -10% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.44 | 1.98 -38% | 2.1 -46% | 1.81 -26% | 1.45 -1% | 2.13 -48% | 2.91 ? -102% | 1.629 ? -13% |
| Load Average * | 3.82 | 3.33 13% | 6.7 -75% | 3.86 -1% | 4.6 -20% | 3.44 10% | 6.16 ? -61% | 5.55 ? -45% |
| Load Maximum * | 5.91 | 5.77 2% | 8.5 -44% | 6.14 -4% | 8.87 -50% | 5.58 6% | 8.34 ? -41% | 8.31 ? -41% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Battery life
OnePlus' smartphone achieves above-average runtimes due to its low power consumption, although its battery mAh is not one of the biggest energy providers with 4500 mAh.
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G lasts for more than 15 hours during simulated web surfing and even more than 20 hours during continuous video playback. We determined the times with an enabled 90 Hz display. Even better results should certainly be possible with a refresh rate set to 60 Hz.
Not quite as enduring as the OnePlus are the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G and the Xiaomi Poco F3, both of which have the same size battery. The Motorola Moto G100 and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G achieve the slightly better runtimes overall due to their 5000 mAh batteries.
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition) 4500 mAh | Oppo Find X3 Lite 4300 mAh | Motorola Moto G100 5000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco F3 4520 mAh | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G 5000 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -10% | 10% | -12% | -15% | 11% | |
| Reader / Idle | 2439 | 2846 17% | 1917 -21% | 1562 -36% | 2976 22% | |
| H.264 | 1253 | 1285 3% | 1052 -16% | 918 -27% | 1013 -19% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 924 | 834 -10% | 1049 14% | 710 -23% | 805 -13% | 1113 20% |
| Load | 286 | 302 6% | 324 13% | 329 15% | 341 19% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict: Promises kept
The manufacturer OnePlus also calls the OnePlus Nord CE 5G a "Core Edition". This means that everything important in terms of features is supposed to be on board. Of course, everyone defines what is really important differently, but the OnePlus offers everything that a good mid-range smartphone needs for comparatively little money.
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is a good and inexpensive mid-range smartphone with a chic design and solid features
The 6.43-inch OnePlus scores with a responsive AMOLED panel with 90 Hz, a 5G and NFC module, up to 12 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage, and a 64 MP camera that also takes decent photos in daylight. The energy-saving operation ensures long battery runtimes and a full charge only takes 1 hour. Due to the Snapdragon 750G the system performance is also right.
If you are looking for a mid-range smartphone with upscale features, you cannot go wrong with the OnePlus. Only a few compromises have to be made. However, the lack of a microSD slot, the mediocre Wi-Fi speed, and the AMOLED panel's not too high maximum brightness are definite limitations.
Good alternatives to the OnePlus Nord CE 5G are, for example, the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, Xiaomi Poco F3 and Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G.
Price and availability
The OnePlus Nord CE 5G costs from €300 (~ $354) in OnePlus' web store, and 400 Euros (~$472) in maximum storage configuration (12/256 GB). At the time of the test, the smartphone costs almost the same on Amazon (DE).
OnePlus Nord CE 5G (Nord Core Edition)
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08/31/2022 v7
Manuel Masiero
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