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MagyarOnePlus Nord 3 Smartphone Review: Near-flagship experience that doesn't break the bank
The OnePlus Nord 3 5G joins a slew of new releases from the company this year, including the OnePlus 11, 11R, OnePlus Pad, and the Nord CE 3 Lite.
Our OnePlus Nord 3 unit is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC and features a generous 16 GB LPDDR5 RAM together with 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage encased in a Misty Green back panel. This configuration will set you back by ₹37,999 (US$463), while the base 8 GB/128 GB variant costs ₹33,999 (US$414).
In Europe, OnePlus is offering the Nord 3 starting at €449 for the 8 GB/128 GB version while charging €549 for the 16 GB/256 GB tier. Early bird buyers in Europe can get the Nord 3 16 GB/256 GB variant at a discounted price of €499 till July 31.
In this review, we evaluate whether the OnePlus Nord 3 has what it takes to truly stand out amidst the fiercely competitive mid-range Android smartphone market.
Potential competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88.2 % | 07/2023 | OnePlus Nord 3 Dimensity 9000, Mali-G710 MP10 | 193.5 g | 8.1 mm | 6.74" | 1240x2772 | |
| 87.9 % | 03/2022 | Motorola Edge 30 Pro SD 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730 | 196 g | 8.8 mm | 6.70" | 2400x1080 | |
| 85.6 % | 07/2022 | Nothing Phone (1) SD 778G+ 5G, Adreno 642L | 193.5 g | 8.3 mm | 6.55" | 2400x1080 | |
| 86 % | 05/2023 | Samsung Galaxy A54 5G Exynos 1380, Mali-G68 MP5 | 202 g | 8.2 mm | 6.40" | 2340x1080 | |
| 86.1 % | 04/2022 | Apple iPhone SE 2022 A15, A15 GPU 5-Core | 144 g | 7.3 mm | 4.70" | 1334x750 | |
| 86.8 % | 07/2023 | Motorola Edge 40 Dimensity 8020, Mali-G77 MP9 | 171 g | 7.49 mm | 6.55" | 2400x1080 | |
| 85.4 % | 04/2023 | Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L | 181 g | 7.9 mm | 6.67" | 2400x1080 |
Case: IP54-rated construction feels great in hand
Distinguishing the Nord 3 5G from the Nord CE 3 Lite can be challenging at first glance. OnePlus presents the Nord 3 in two color choices: a glossy Misty Green (our unit) and Tempest Gray with a matte finish.
The Nord 3 incorporates Dragontrail glass to protect the screen together with a pre-applied screen protector. The back panel uses Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The phone (sans the protective case) fell several times onto a tiled floor from desk height and survived without any scratches or visible signs of damage.
The glossy back panel of the Nord 3 makes it susceptible to fingerprints. The smartphone continues to sport a matte plastic frame like its predecessors, the Nord 2 and Nord 2T, but it still exudes a premium feel.
With an IP54 rating, the Nord 3 offers limited resistance against dust and water. The absence of sharp corners contributes to a comfortable grip and, despite weighing around 194 g, the phone feels lightweight due to its well-balanced weight distribution.
Overall, the Nord 3 exhibits solid build quality, providing a pleasant tactile experience and remaining sturdy even when subjected to significant pressure.
Hardware: Alert slider and IR blaster on board
The Nord 3 5G inherits some of OnePlus' notable features and idiosyncrasies. On the positive side, it incorporates the signature alert slider positioned on the right side of the frame, just above the power button.
At the top of the device, you'll find an IR blaster, along with a microphone and a speaker vent. On the left side, there is a volume rocker.
Moving towards the bottom, you'll come across the speaker grill and a USB Type-C port. The port only operates at USB 2.0 speeds internally, but it does support OTG (On-The-Go) functionality.
The microphone is positioned adjacent to the SIM tray at the bottom, so caution is advised to avoid mistakenly inserting the ejector tool into the wrong hole.
Unfortunately, the Nord 3 lacks the option for microSD storage expansion, which could have been a valuable addition at this price point.
Software: Oxygen OS 13.1 with three major Android updates
The Nord 3 5G comes with Oxygen OS 13.1 out-of-the-box. The latest OTA update at the time of publication comes bundled with security patches for June 2023. OnePlus is promising three years of Android OS updates and four years of security updates.
Although derived from ColorOS, Oxygen OS 13.1 is nearly devoid of bloatware and feels quite light in day-to-day use. Pre-installed applications are kept to a minimum, featuring the customary OnePlus apps, along with popular services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Spotify.
It is worth noting that OnePlus has yet to address the persistent issue of maintaining a consistent 120 Hz refresh rate in the operating system. For instance, opening any Google app, including the Play Store, drops the refresh rate to 90 Hz, while performing tasks such as photo editing further reduces it to 60 Hz.
Nevertheless, the transitions between refresh rates occur seamlessly without any perceivable delays or disruptions. The Nord 3 is also Widevine L1-certified, enabling high-resolution DRM video streaming.
Communication and GNSS: Fast Wi-Fi 6 and accurate navigation
The Dimensity 9000 SoC offers excellent Wi-Fi 6 networking that is way ahead of the competition. Wi-Fi throughput seemed reasonably stable at a distance of 1 m from our reference Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 router in a clear line of sight.
| Networking / iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Average 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (305 - 1757, n=97) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Average of class Smartphone (40.5 - 1810, n=212, last 2 years) | |
| Networking / iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Average 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (234 - 1696, n=97) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (34.8 - 1875, n=211, last 2 years) | |
The Nord 3 supports GPS (L1), BDS (B1, B1C), GLONASS, GALILEO (E1), QZSS (L1), and NavIC (L1) satellite constellations for navigation.
The smartphone has some trouble in quickly latching onto a GNSS signal indoors, but outdoor reception is very good.
GPS tracking is fairly accurate in comparison with an Apple iPhone 14 Pro, though we do see both devices showing navigation through buildings in certain places.
Telephony and Voice quality: Calls not loud enough
While the Nord 3 lacks eSIM support, it does offer the convenience of utilizing two physical nano SIM cards. Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Wi-Fi calling are fully supported.
We did not encounter any reception issues during our testing on the AirTel 5G network. However, we noticed that the call volume seemed lower than expected even at the highest setting. The loudness of the speakerphone also seemed inadequate, which can be frustrating when trying to communicate in a noisy environment.
Google Phone is the default call and contacts management app. The app permits call recording in the Indian variant, but all parties involved in the call are informed before the recording commences.
The Nord 3 lacks the extensive LTE and 5G sub-6 GHz band support found in the OnePlus 11, but most common global cellular bands are covered.
Cameras: Inherits the OnePlus 11's main shooter sans Hasselblad
The 16 MP selfie camera takes good selfies in proper lighting conditions. Skin tones and finer facial details are well-reproduced. Portrait results are generally satisfactory, although the bokeh effect could be more pronounced. Videos from the front-facing camera are capped at 1080p 30 fps.
Even without the Hasselblad branding, the Nord 3's 50 MP Sony IMX890 primary camera produces results that are quite similar to that of the OnePlus 11. Details are nicely represented with good color saturation. Noise isn't very noticeable unless viewed at 100% crop.
Unlike the Apple iPhone 14 Pro, the Nord 3 is able to preserve a good amount of detail in shadows as well. The main camera performs 12.5 MP pixel binning by default, but you also get the option to shoot in 50 MP directly.
In normal mode, the camera is capable of doing a 2x optical zoom. The zoomed photos are serviceable for regular use with decent color reproduction and clarity. However, we observe that the camera finds it difficult to resolve some of the finer details, such as on the wall behind the car in the photo below.
In addition to the primary camera, the 8 MP Sony IMX355 ultra-wide camera on the Nord 3 also delivers good results. However, the colors appear slightly muted compared to the main camera. OnePlus has reduced the ultra-wide angle from 120° in the Nord 2 to 112° in the Nord 3 apparently to minimize lens distortion.
In the photos below, both the Nord 3 and OnePlus 11 exhibit color fringing at the edges of the buildings. This is not the case with the iPhone 14 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The main camera and ultra-wide automatically switch to Night mode in low light with no way to turn this off. However, night mode needs to be manually activated when using the 2x zoom mode.
Low light photos come out surprisingly well on the Nord 3 with low noise and good resolution of details such as the teddy bear's fur and text on its shirt.
The main camera supports video recording up to 4K 60 fps, but EIS is only available in 1080p settings.
Unfortunately, the macro sensor on the Nord 3 falls short in terms of performance. It utilizes the GalaxyCore GC02M1 sensor, which was originally used as a depth sensor in the Nord 2 but has now been repurposed as a macro lens.
The images captured with the macro sensor suffer from significant noise and lack of detail. The color reproduction can be a hit or miss, depending on the scene. OnePlus seems to have included this camera just check off an item in the spec sheet with no tangible benefit to the end user.
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.
Main CameraMain Camera2x ZoomUltra-wide 0.6xLow light
The Nord 3 shows a maximum Delta E of 9.33 in reproducing the X-Rite ColorChecker passport in good ambient light. Higher deviations are particularly seen in Blue Sky, Purplish Blue, White, and Black patches.
The camera somewhat struggles at 1 lux, resulting in high deviations in many of the colors.
Details in the test chart are adequately reproduced in both perfect light and 1 lux ambient conditions.
Accessories and Warranty: 80 W SuperVOOC charger for India and Europe
Indian variants of the Nord 3 5G come with an 80 W SuperVOOC charger, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a phone case, pre-applied screen protector, SIM tray ejector, and the usual paperwork. The box also includes a welcome letter, brand sticker, and a Red Cable Club membership card.
European variants of the Nord 3 also offer a similar set of accessories, excluding the phone case and the Red Cable Club membership.
OnePlus offers a standard one-year warranty for the Nord 3 5G in India. The company also offers several addon protection plans including:
- 12-month warranty extension for ₹799
- 24 months OnePlus Care including 12 months of additional warranty for ₹4,499
- 12-month Accidental Damage Protection Plan for ₹3,299
- 12-month Screen Protection Plan for ₹2,399
Input Devices and Operation: Fast under-display fingerprint sensor
In day-to-day use, the Nord 3 performs smoothly and efficiently. Inputs are promptly recognized without any noticeable delays. OnePlus has incorporated Oppo's O-Haptics feature, which enables users to customize and fine-tune the haptic feedback according to their preferences.
For biometric authentication, the Nord 3 features a fast and responsive optical fingerprint reader. Users also have the option to set up a less secure 2D face unlock for convenience.
Display: 10-bit 120 Hz AMOLED with HDR10+ and PWM
The Nord 3's 6.74-inch Fluid AMOLED display features a 1240 x 2772 resolution, 450 ppi pixel density, and a 40 Hz to 120 Hz dynamic refresh rate. We never encountered the 40 Hz refresh rate, even in idle.
Together with the thin bezels, support for 10-bit HDR10+, and a touch response rate of up to 1000 Hz, the Nord 3's display makes for a very good viewing and interaction experience.
We measured a good 91% brightness distribution and luminance values not too far from the rated 500 nits when manually set to the highest brightness level. According to OnePlus, the Nord 3's screen is capable of achieving a peak brightness of 1,450 nits and supports 8,192 brightness levels.
We were able to measure a peak brightness of 1,023 nits when subjecting the sensor to intense illumination.
OnePlus offers several display modes to choose from including Vivid, Natural, Cinematic, and Brilliant.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 481 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.4 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.28
Natural mode with default color temperature (Color space target: sRGB)
Testing with the X-Rite i1Basic Pro 3 spectrophotometer and Calman Ultimate color calibration software from Portrait Displays shows the natural mode to offer the least Delta E values.
Brilliant mode with default color temperature (Color space target: DCI-P3)
Brilliant mode offers the widest color gamut coverage, but this results in high Delta E deviations.
Brilliant mode with warm color temperature (Color space target: DCI-P3)
Increasing the color temperature in Brilliant mode does improve the average Delta E values, but they are still higher than what we've observed in the Natural mode.
| OnePlus Nord 3 AMOLED, 1240x2772, 6.74 | Motorola Edge 30 Pro AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.70 | Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.67 | Nothing Phone (1) OLED, 2400x1080, 6.55 | Samsung Galaxy A54 5G Super AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.40 | Apple iPhone SE 2022 Retina HD, IPS, 1334x750, 4.70 | Motorola Edge 40 OLED, 2400x1080, 6.55 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response Times | -428% | -15% | -6% | -4% | -2989% | 3% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 0.93 ? | 13 ? -1298% | 1.57 ? -69% | 1.3 ? -40% | 1.55 ? -67% | 56 ? -5922% | 1.14 ? -23% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 12.8 ? | 6 ? 53% | 1.32 ? 90% | 1.3 ? 90% | 1.67 ? 87% | 20 ? -56% | 0.89 ? 93% |
| PWM Frequency | 366.58 ? | 221.2 -40% | 120 -67% | 119.7 -67% | 253 -31% | 144 -61% | |
| Screen | 31% | 24% | 26% | 27% | 14% | 33% | |
| Brightness middle | 481 | 649 35% | 770 60% | 620 29% | 940 95% | 662 38% | 1023 113% |
| Brightness | 478 | 649 36% | 778 63% | 625 31% | 935 96% | 647 35% | 1042 118% |
| Brightness Distribution | 91 | 98 8% | 97 7% | 98 8% | 99 9% | 92 1% | 90 -1% |
| Black Level * | 0.4 | ||||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.4 | 1.18 16% | 1.6 -14% | 1.24 11% | 2.4 -71% | 1.44 -3% | 1.6 -14% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.87 | 2.07 47% | 3.3 15% | 2.31 40% | 3.2 17% | 4.74 -22% | 4.3 -11% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.6 | 1.5 42% | 2.2 15% | 1.7 35% | 2.2 15% | 1.7 35% | 2.8 -8% |
| Gamma | 2.28 96% | 2.236 98% | 2.23 99% | 2.318 95% | 2.05 107% | 2.179 101% | 2.27 97% |
| CCT | 6395 102% | 2538 256% | 6882 94% | 6325 103% | 6422 101% | 6746 96% | 6457 101% |
| Contrast | 1655 | ||||||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -199% /
-122% | 5% /
11% | 10% /
15% | 12% /
17% | -1488% /
-737% | 18% /
23% |
* ... smaller is better
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 12.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 11.6 ms rise |   |
| ↘ 1.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 28 % 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 | ||
| 0.93 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 0.43 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 0.5 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. » 1 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 366.58 Hz | ≤ 100 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 366.58 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 100 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 366.58 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. | |||
The Nord 3's display seems to be having trouble in attaining a full rise in the first pulse in the 100% white to 100% black transition. The 50% grey to 80% grey response times are particularly fast.
OnePlus does not offer a DC Dimming mode for the phone. We observed PWM at all brightness levels as shown below.
Refer to our primer, "Why PWM is such a headache" and also our PWM Ranking table for more information on PWM and comparisons across tested devices.
The Nord 3 offers a satisfying outdoor viewing experience, even in bright sunlight, as the Auto mode is capable of increasing the brightness to appropriate levels.
When it comes to viewing angles, the display maintains stability, with minimal loss of brightness and color information observed only at the extreme angles.
Performance: Dimensity 9000 impresses in High Perf mode
OnePlus artificially limits SoC performance by default. Therefore, we used the High Performance mode for all benchmarks and measurements except for battery tests. Comparatively, the normal mode results in 30% and 25% lower Geekbench 5.4 single and multi-core scores, respectively.
Despite being a couple of years old, the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC is being seen only in recent launches. In CPU benchmarks, the Dimensity 9000 performs impressively, surpassing all other smartphones in this segment by a significant margin in cumulative CPU tests.
The A15 Bionic chip found in the Apple iPhone SE 2022 still maintains a raw power advantage, leading the Dimensity 9000 by as much as 44% in Geekbench 5.4 single-core tests.
However, the Nord 3 manages to narrow the performance delta in Geekbench 5.4 multi-core and CrossMark tests.
| CPU Performance Rating - Percent | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 9000 | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 -10! | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro -5! | |
| Average of class Smartphone | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (1) -3! | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| UL Procyon AI Inference for Android - Overall Score NNAPI | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 9000 (29236 - 30392, n=3) | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Average of class Smartphone (207 - 84787, n=150, last 2 years) | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
Check out our MediaTek Dimensity 9000 page for more information and performance comparisons.
The Dimensity 9000's 10-core Mali-G710 MP10 is within striking distance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1's Adreno 730 in the Motorola Edge 30 Pro.
This GPU also outperforms the 5-core A15 GPU in the iPhone SE 2022 by a tangible 9% margin in overall GPU tests.
Unfortunately, onscreen GFXBench tests top out at 60 fps. This is a limitation of Oxygen OS and is also reflected in gaming benchmarks as we'll see shortly.
3DMark: Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | Wild Life Extreme | Wild Life Unlimited Score | 2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics | 2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics | 2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7: T-Rex Onscreen | 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen
GFXBench 3.0: on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL | 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen
GFXBench 3.1: on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen
GFXBench: on screen Car Chase Onscreen | 1920x1080 Car Chase Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | 2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | 1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | 3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
| GPU Performance Rating | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro -4! | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 -4! | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme Unlimited | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Extreme | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Wild Life Unlimited Score | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| 3DMark / Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Onscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 / T-Rex Offscreen | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / Manhattan Onscreen OGL | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| GFXBench 3.0 / 1080p Manhattan Offscreen | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| GFXBench 3.1 / Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Onscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| GFXBench / Car Chase Offscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| GFXBench / Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| GFXBench / 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
Basemark GPUScore
More information and benchmark comparisons can be found in our dedicated ARM Mali-G710 MP10 page.
The Nord 3 leads the pack in overall web browsing performance, coming second only to the iPhone SE 2022.
The 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage performs on expected lines. The Motorola Edge 30 Pro and Edge 40 demonstrate better sequential I/O, but the Nord 3 makes up for it in 4KB random reads and writes.
| Browser Performance Rating - Percent | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 -1! | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 9000 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro -1! | |
| Average of class Smartphone | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 (Chrome 99) | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 (Chrome 114) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 9000 (127.2 - 148.6, n=3) | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro (Chrome 99) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=173, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G (Chrome 112) | |
| Nothing Phone (1) (Chrome 103) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 (Chrome 114.0.5735.57) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro (Chrome 111) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 (Chome 99) | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 (Chrome 114) | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro (Chome 99) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 9000 (110 - 151, n=3) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=157, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G (Chrome 112) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 (Chrome 114.0.5735.57) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro (Chrome 111) | |
| Nothing Phone (1) (Chome 103) | |
| WebXPRT 4 - Overall | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 (Chrome 114) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 9000 (100 - 158, n=3) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 202, n=160, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G (Chrome 112) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 (Chrome 114.0.5735.57) | |
| Nothing Phone (1) (Chrome 103) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro (Chrome 111) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 (Chrome 99) | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 (Chrome 114) | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro (Chrome 99) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 9000 (47420 - 50714, n=3) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G (Chrome 112) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 89112, n=214, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 (Chrome 114.0.5735.57) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro (Chrome 111) | |
| Nothing Phone (1) (Chrome 103) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Nothing Phone (1) (Chrome 103) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro (Chrome 111) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 (Chrome 114.0.5735.57) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=173, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G (Chrome 112) | |
| Average MediaTek Dimensity 9000 (798 - 1103, n=3) | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 (Chrome 114) | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro (Chrome 99) | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 (Chrome 99) | |
* ... smaller is better
| OnePlus Nord 3 | Motorola Edge 30 Pro | Nothing Phone (1) | Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | Motorola Edge 40 | Average 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -10% | -18% | -33% | -62% | -11% | -11% | -21% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 1617.78 | 1832 13% | 1638 1% | 1008.77 -38% | 528.32 -67% | 1876.88 16% | 1760 ? 9% | 1508 ? -7% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 1525.8 | 1028 -33% | 1351.9 -11% | 878.9 -42% | 335.39 -78% | 1587.93 4% | 1134 ? -26% | 1118 ? -27% |
| Random Read 4KB | 308.68 | 277.7 -10% | 240.6 -22% | 244.85 -21% | 236.23 -23% | 235.66 -24% | 281 ? -9% | 247 ? -20% |
| Random Write 4KB | 376.9 | 339.5 -10% | 228.2 -39% | 267.41 -29% | 70.52 -81% | 229.44 -39% | 311 ? -17% | 272 ? -28% |
Gaming: Tops out at 60 fps
Consistent with our findings from the GFXBench onscreen tests mentioned earlier, game performance on the Nord 3 is also limited to a maximum of 60 fps.
OnePlus definitely needs to work with game publishers and optimize Oxygen OS so that users can fully harness the potential of the device.
Emissions: Vapor chamber does not fully eliminate throttling
Temperature
According to OnePlus, the Nord 3 employs a vapor chamber with sizeable 4,129 mm2 cooling area. The cooling system seems to be doing a decent job overall, though we do observe throttling in the 3DMark Wild Life Stress test.
The cooling system runs into limitations when the Nord 3 is pushed to the hilt, resulting in high surface temperatures up to 49.2 °C on the front and 46.2 °C on the back of the device. Day-to-day usage, however, is unlikely to stress the internals as much.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 49.2 °C / 121 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 46.2 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.9 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy A54 5G | |
| Motorola Edge 40 | |
| OnePlus Nord 3 | |
| Nothing Phone (1) | |
| Apple iPhone SE 2022 | |
| Motorola Edge 30 Pro | |
Speakers
OnePlus includes Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res audio-certified stereo speakers with Dirac drivers in the Nord 3. The ~79 dB(A) loudness is decent for an average-sized room but might not be adequate in noisy environments. Bass response is practically non-existent, but the mids and highs are reproduced well.
Those desiring better audio can hook up external speakers or headphones via the USB Type-C port or Bluetooth. Bluetooth audio codec support includes SBC, AAC, Qualcomm aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, and aptX TWS+, LDAC, and LHDC.
OnePlus Nord 3 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 18% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 39% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 53% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (1.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 18% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 78% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Energy Management: Low idle power draws and good battery life
Power Consumption
Power consumption in idle is much lower than the OnePlus Pad that uses the same SoC. Overall power draws under load are on the higher side compared to the competition.
| Off / Standby |   / 0.59 Watt |
| Idle |  1.46 / 1.84 / 2.14 Watt |
| Load |
8.64 / 9.99 Watt |
    
| |
| OnePlus Nord 3 Dimensity 9000, Mali-G710 MP10, 5000 mAh | Motorola Edge 30 Pro SD 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 4800 mAh | Nothing Phone (1) SD 778G+ 5G, Adreno 642L, 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L, 5000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A54 5G Exynos 1380, Mali-G68 MP5, 5000 mAh | Apple iPhone SE 2022 A15, A15 GPU 5-Core, 2018 mAh | Motorola Edge 40 Dimensity 8020, Mali-G77 MP9, 4400 mAh | Average ARM Mali-G710 MP10 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 10% | 35% | 41% | 29% | 31% | 32% | -33% | 27% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 1.46 | 1.2 18% | 1 32% | 0.97 34% | 0.75 49% | 0.6 59% | 0.62 58% | 1.86 ? -27% | 0.897 ? 39% |
| Idle Average * | 1.84 | 1.6 13% | 1.2 35% | 1.13 39% | 1.51 18% | 0.9 51% | 1.78 3% | 2.94 ? -60% | 1.452 ? 21% |
| Idle Maximum * | 2.14 | 2.5 -17% | 1.5 30% | 1.44 33% | 1.62 24% | 1.5 30% | 1.85 14% | 3.38 ? -58% | 1.629 ? 24% |
| Load Average * | 8.64 | 5.2 40% | 4.2 51% | 3.26 62% | 4.91 43% | 6.5 25% | 3.02 65% | 8.3 ? 4% | 5.55 ? 36% |
| Load Maximum * | 9.99 | 10.4 -4% | 7.4 26% | 6.29 37% | 8.93 11% | 11 -10% | 8.23 18% | 12.5 ? -25% | 8.31 ? 17% |
* ... smaller is better
Power Consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power Consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Battery Life
The Nord 3 features a 5,000 mAh battery that offers good run times, considering the powerful hardware. While the smartphone runs out of juice a tad sooner during idle, video playback and web browsing at 150 nits still yield relatively long run times.
Interestingly, battery run times are significantly higher than what we've seen with the OnePlus Pad that also features the same SoC and a much larger 9,510 mAh battery.
The supplied 80 W SuperVOOC charger can charge the phone from zero to 100% in about 35 minutes.
| OnePlus Nord 3 Dimensity 9000, Mali-G710 MP10, 5000 mAh | Motorola Edge 30 Pro SD 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730, 4800 mAh | Nothing Phone (1) SD 778G+ 5G, Adreno 642L, 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro SD 778G 5G, Adreno 642L, 5000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A54 5G Exynos 1380, Mali-G68 MP5, 5000 mAh | Apple iPhone SE 2022 A15, A15 GPU 5-Core, 2018 mAh | Motorola Edge 40 Dimensity 8020, Mali-G77 MP9, 4400 mAh | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -11% | -12% | -19% | 8% | -24% | 0% | -3% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1755 | 1985 13% | 1813 3% | 1297 -26% | 2591 48% | 2049 17% | 2272 29% | 2062 ? 17% |
| H.264 | 1725 | 1006 -42% | 1059 -39% | 1067 -38% | 1508 -13% | 797 -54% | 1235 -28% | 1227 ? -29% |
| WiFi v1.3 | 815 | 816 0% | 926 14% | 827 1% | 941 15% | 769 -6% | 924 13% | 914 ? 12% |
| Load | 350 | 306 -13% | 259 -26% | 311 -11% | 284 -19% | 164 -53% | 304 -13% | 308 ? -12% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict: A remarkable improvement over the Nord 2
The OnePlus Nord 3 impresses at its ₹33,999 starting price, excelling in various aspects in the fiercely competitive Android mid-range segment. It improves upon the OnePlus Nord 2 in almost all departments.
Notable improvements include an IP54-rated case, the addition of an IR blaster, excellent Wi-Fi throughput, a higher-resolution display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and a 50 MP Sony IMX890 sensor inherited from the OnePlus 11.
The OnePlus Nord 3 offers a lot of hardware and performance in the heavily contested sub-₹35,000 (sub-€500) segment. The Nord 3 is not without glaring deficiencies, but the whole experience is greater than the sum of its parts."
While the Nord 3 makes all the right noises, it also has several shortcomings in order to keep the price competitive. Prominent among them include the extremely poor macro sensor, inconsistent refresh rate across apps and limited game frame rates due to Oxygen OS restrictions, performance throttling in the default settings, and lack of EIS for 4K video.
The Nord 3 is not without competition, though. The Apple iPhone SE 2022 still leads when it comes to raw single-core performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-based Motorola Edge 30 Pro makes for a viable competitor to the Nord 3, especially at its now-discounted price. The Edge 40 even comes with a 144 Hz display.
The Samsung Galaxy A54 may not possess the Nord 3's processing prowess, but it offers a capable triple-camera setup, a microSD card slot, and eSIM support.
If you are not chasing performance numbers, the Poco X5 Pro (also known as the Redmi Note 12 Pro Speed Edition) comes across as a more budget-friendly option to the Nord 3.
Price and Availability
In India, the OnePlus Nord 3 will become available from July 15 on oneplus.in and Amazon India with prices starting from ₹33,999. The smartphone will also be available in Europe from July 12 at a starting price of €449.
OnePlus Nord 3
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07/24/2023 v7
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam
Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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