Speedy charging. The Nord N30 is a mid-range smartphone which is marketed as the Nord CE 3 Lite in certain countries. Some aspects of what originally made OnePlus so unique as a brand have sadly been lost. Find out whether the smartphone is still worth purchasing in this review.
Florian Schmitt, 👁 Florian Schmitt (translated by Daisy Dickson), Published 06/25/2023 🇩🇪
For a long time, OnePlus was regarded as a brand for people searching for an alternative to mainstream manufacturers such as Samsung or Apple. What made the brand so successful was its individuality and close contact to its community in particular. The OnePlus smartphones’ independence has gotten much more limited in the past few years – for example, they now use their sister brands’ software: realme, Oppo and Vivo.
The OnePlus Nord N30 is a mid-range phone being sold below the $300 threshold – a rare achievement when you look at this year’s other releases. The device is also sold under the name OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G in other countries, the only difference being that the Nord N30 has a slightly slower charger.
Can the OnePlus Nord N30 still prove itself to be a high-quality alternative to other mid-range smartphones? Or have OnePlus’ phones become replaceable in the meantime?
Display
6.72 inch 20:9, 2400 x 1080 pixel 392 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, 240Hz sampling rate, glossy: yes, 120 Hz
Storage
128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash, 128 GB
, 99 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), Audio Connections: 3.5mm, Card Reader: microSD up to 1 TB, shared, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n=Wi-Fi 4/ac=Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.1, 2G (850/900/1800/1900), 3G (B1/B2/B4/B5/B6/B8/B19), 4G (B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B13/B17/B18/B19/B20/B26/B28/B38/B39/B40/B41/B66), 5G (n1/n3/n5/n7/n8/n20/n28/n38/n40/n41/n66/n77/n78), Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.3 x 165.5 x 76 (=0.33 x 6.52 x 2.99 in)
Battery
5000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 67 Watt charging
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 13
Camera
Primary Camera: 108 MPix f/1.7, phase comparison-AF, contrast-AF, LED-flash, Videos @1080p/30fps (Camera 1); 2.0MP, f/2.4, macro lens (Camera 2); 2.0MP, f/2.4, depth of field (Camera 3)
Secondary Camera: 16 MPix f/2.4, Videos @1080p/30fps
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, charger, USB cable, SIM tool, silicone bumpter, 24 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
195 g (= 6.88 oz / 0.43 pounds) (= 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.
Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Best Price
81.4 %
06/2023
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
SD 695 5G, Adreno 619195 g128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.72″2400×108081.4 %
05/2023
Xiaomi Poco X5
SD 695 5G, Adreno 619190 g128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.67″2400×108079.2 %
01/2023
Realme 10
Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2178 g128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.40″2400×108079.1 %
03/2023
Motorola Moto G53
SD 480+, Adreno 619183 g128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.50″1600×72080.8 %
07/2022
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
SD 695 5G, Adreno 619195 g128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.59″2412×1080
The OnePlus Nord N30 comes in black and light green – the back of the phone’s case is shiny, which means that grease or fingerprint marks quickly become a real problem for the device. Both camera openings are identical in size and are positioned below one other. A matte plastic frame surrounds the phone’s case.
The front side features a small “chin” below the screen – in general, the device has quite slim bezels, meaning that 87 % of its surface is taken up by the display. Gorilla Glass 5 protects the Nord N30’s screen.
Corners are nicely rounded off and all-in-all, the phone feels quite ergonomic. If you feel the corners on the front of the device, the transition does feel a little rough, which overall worsens the feel of the build quality a bit. At 195 grams, the phone weighs the exact same as its predecessor, the Nord CE 2 Lite. There are definitely lighter phones in this price category, but with regard to its screen size, we find the weight to be acceptable.
The phone’s case is stable, can hardly be twisted and only strong pressure gets through to the liquid crystal. In total, the phone has a high-quality feel.
Xiaomi Poco X5 OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G Motorola Moto G53 Realme 10 DIN A6 ❌
165.88 mm / 6.53 inch
76.21 mm / 3 inch
7.98 mm / 0.3142 inch
190 g0.4189 lbs165.5 mm / 6.52 inch
76 mm / 2.99 inch
8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch
195 g0.4299 lbs164.3 mm / 6.47 inch
75.6 mm / 2.98 inch
8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch
195 g0.4299 lbs162.7 mm / 6.41 inch
74.7 mm / 2.94 inch
8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch
183 g0.4034 lbs159.9 mm / 6.3 inch
73.3 mm / 2.89 inch
8 mm / 0.315 inch
178 g0.3924 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch
105 mm / 4.13 inch
1 mm / 0.03937 inch
1.5 g0.00331 lbs
The OnePlus phone retails for $299.99 – something rarely achieved by phones in this price range released in the last year. For the money, you get 128 GB UFS 2.2 flash storage and 8 GB RAM.
The smartphone also features a 3.5-mm jack, NFC and Dual-SIM. Although, one of the two Nano SIM slots is also occupied by the microSD card, which means you have to choose between the two.
The microSD card reader supports cards up to 1 TB and it was a little slower than other phones in our copying test. In the CPDT, the phone also achieved slightly below-average transfer rates. In everyday use, this shouldn’t be terribly noticeable.
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird V60)
29.7 MB/s ∼100% +21%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird V60)
28.9 MB/s ∼97% +17%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird AV Pro V60)
27.13 MB/s ∼91% +10%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash (Angelbird V60)
26.8 MB/s ∼90% +9%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash (Angelbird V60)
24.6 MB/s ∼83%
05101520253035404550556065707580Tooltip
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø37 (28.7-44.4)
Xiaomi Poco X5 Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird AV Pro V60: Ø40 (29.3-50.7)
Realme 10 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø37.5 (26.5-44)
Motorola Moto G53 Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø38.9 (28.3-49.6)
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø36.2 (29.8-46.8)
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø68.6 (26.9-79.1)
Xiaomi Poco X5 Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird AV Pro V60: Ø73.4 (32.4-80)
Realme 10 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø76.5 (36.7-80.5)
Motorola Moto G53 Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø76.1 (26.1-84.4)
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø76.1 (42.7-84.9)
OxygenOS 13.1 is based on Android 13 and shares a software base with ColorOS, FuntouchOS and the realme UI. At the time of testing, the last safety patch was from May 2023, so relatively up-to-date. The device is set to receive two big Android updates and 3 years of smaller patches.
Many of the pre-installed apps are doubles of functions taken care of by Google apps, such as the photo gallery or the proprietary browser. You can deactivate some of them, but you can’t delete them entirely. Even so, the manufacturer has chosen to not install any third-party sponsored apps.
The phone supports WiFi5 and thus, it has similar transfer rates to those of its competitors. During our test, data was transferred consistently and without any hitches. Near the router, the phone keeps a good signal and internet pages are loaded quickly. With a ten-metre distance to the router and with three walls in between, however, you only get about half of the original signal and it takes quite a bit longer to load pages.
The Nord N30 is a 5G smartphone that supports lots of frequencies, meaning it is perfect for taking with you on trips. Although, it isn’t entirely a world phone. Its signal strength always lay a little behind that of high-end smartphones – but the signal never cut out entirely in bigger cities.
Average of class Smartphone
(34.8 – 1875, n=170, last 2 years)
627 MBit/s ∼100% +90%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
352 (339min – 360max) MBit/s ∼56% +7%
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
346 (316min – 353max) MBit/s ∼55% +5%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
345 (317min – 350max) MBit/s ∼55% +5%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
344 (173min – 351max) MBit/s ∼55% +4%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
330 (290min – 348max) MBit/s ∼53%
Average of class Smartphone
(40.5 – 1810, n=171, last 2 years)
663 MBit/s ∼100% +86%
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
370 (345min – 381max) MBit/s ∼56% +4%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
364 (183min – 386max) MBit/s ∼55% +2%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
363 (354min – 376max) MBit/s ∼55% +2%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
358 (319min – 374max) MBit/s ∼54% 0%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
357 (269min – 374max) MBit/s ∼54%
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340360Tooltip
Outside, our phone was quickly located within a 3-metre accuracy. All the big satellite networks used for locating are supported, as well as SBAS for even more precise locating.
During our test bike trip and using the Garmin Venu 2 as a comparison device, the Nord N30’s performance was a little disappointing when it came to determining our position. The phone recorded our route in a way that suggested we sometimes cycled straight through houses and gardens, instead of on the road.
In tight alleyways within the Old Town, this worked a little better and the phone’s accuracy was acceptable. If you occasionally use your phone to navigate, you will be just fine with the Nord N30. If you require extremely precise locating, then you will likely need to turn to using a different device for this.
The OnePlus Nord N30 uses Android’s standard telephone app.
While on a call, you can turn the internal earpiece’s volume up quite far, but voices never quite sound totally clear and you also start to hear a bit of background noise. Even so, you can still understand the person you are talking to and the microphone transmits your voice well, even when you talk quietly.
The built-in speaker outputs callers’ voices much more clearly and precisely. The hands-free microphone also does a great job.
Compared to its predecessor, the OnePlus Nord N30 has a much stronger main camera: Now it features a striking 108 megapixels – however, the aperture remains to be f/1.7, meaning the camera isn’t any more light-sensitive.
Images taken using the main camera struggle a little with lacklustre color depiction. Especially very light and very dark areas lose a lot of detail. On the landscape image, we liked the sharpness of some of the details and in total, it left a good impression on us. In lower lighting conditions, you have to expect more gloomy-looking photos. You can still see some of the lighter areas, but darker areas remain completely black.
Videos can be recorded in a maximum of Full HD and at 30 fps. Within this price range, you can’t really expect any more. The autofocus works a little less consistently: Sometimes, it reacts quickly and other times there is quite a delay. However, the camera adapts quickly and reliably to different lighting conditions.
The phone still doesn’t have a wide-angle lens – only a low-resolution macro camera and a lens to support a higher depth-of-field effect.
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 camera flowerMain camera landscapeMain camera low light
click to load images
In terms of image sharpness, the main camera did well in our laboratory test – at only 1 lux lighting brightness, the subject was still just recognizable, but it was very grainy.
16.3 ∆E
14.1 ∆E
16.7 ∆E
18.3 ∆E
14.3 ∆E
11.7 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
14.4 ∆E
10.8 ∆E
8 ∆E
12.6 ∆E
11.1 ∆E
10.8 ∆E
15 ∆E
11.2 ∆E
7.5 ∆E
11.2 ∆E
16.9 ∆E
7.4 ∆E
10.4 ∆E
15.3 ∆E
15.9 ∆E
11 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
ColorChecker OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G: 12.33 ∆E min: 3.14 – max: 18.28 ∆E
27.7 ∆E
46 ∆E
36.6 ∆E
32.8 ∆E
41.2 ∆E
55.5 ∆E
45 ∆E
31.7 ∆E
32.3 ∆E
26 ∆E
56.9 ∆E
54.8 ∆E
28.8 ∆E
43.2 ∆E
27.9 ∆E
63.1 ∆E
34.8 ∆E
39 ∆E
65.4 ∆E
64.2 ∆E
47.2 ∆E
34.8 ∆E
22.8 ∆E
13.5 ∆E
ColorChecker OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G: 40.47 ∆E min: 13.46 – max: 65.38 ∆E
Next to a USB cable and a fast charger, the phone also comes with a SIM tool and a silicone bumper. On OnePlus’ website, you can buy the iconic sandstone bumper case which the brand is well-known for.
The phone comes with a standard one-year warranty in the US.
The OnePlus Nord N30 can be operated very smoothly thanks to its 120-Hz display, which samples the screen for touch inputs up to 240 times a second. The whole display is sensitive right up to the corners and inputs are acted upon quickly.
You can also choose to unlock the phone biometrically. The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the standby button and practically unlocks the phone instantaneously, even if it was in standby mode before. You can also unlock the phone via a facial recognition function which uses the phone’s front-facing camera. It works quickly and reliably, but it isn’t quite as safe.
The Nord N30’s IPS screen is 6.72 inches in size, has a 20:9 Full HD resolution and is considerably brighter than its predecessor’s screen. Compared to many other phones within this price range, our test device provides better brightness levels with an average of 656 cd/m² more.
And no need to worry: We didn’t measure any PWM on our test device – even at very low brightness levels.
628
cd/m²667
cd/m²683
cd/m²615
cd/m²672
cd/m²679
cd/m²623
cd/m²664
cd/m²671
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 683 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 655.8 cd/m² Minimum: 2.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 672 cd/m²
Contrast: 1723:1 (Black: 0.39 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.88 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.1
ΔE Greyscale 5.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
95.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.218
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
IPS, 2400×1080, 6.72Xiaomi Poco X5
AMOLED, 2400×1080, 6.67Realme 10
AMOLED, 2400×1080, 6.40Motorola Moto G53
IPS, 1600×720, 6.50OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
IPS, 2412×1080, 6.59Brightness middle
672
674
0%
553
-18%
587
-13%
590
-12%
Brightness
656
683
4%
553
-16%
559
-15%
561
-14%
Brightness Distribution
90
98
9%
91
1%
91
1%
92
2%
Black Level *
0.39
0.4
-3%
0.38
3%
Contrast
1723
1468
-15%
1553
-10%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.88
1.6
59%
4.23
-9%
2.6
33%
5.15
-33%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.89
5.3
33%
10.83
-37%
5.62
29%
10.35
-31%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.2
2.5
52%
3.6
31%
3.3
37%
7.1
-37%
Gamma
2.218 99%
2.21 100%
2.24 98%
2.463 89%
2.143 103%
CCT
7734 84%
6346 102%
7171 91%
6288 103%
8540 76%
* … smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession – a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19025 (minimum: 5 – maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.
According to our measurements using CalMAN and a spectrophotometer, the phone’s color reproduction is not on the typical level of OLED displays and shows a slight blue cast in light gray tones. Especially bright blue tones are depicted somewhat distorted, but its overall color accuracy is sufficient for private use.
Display Response Times
ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
Outside, the display struggles with reflections – in the sun, the screen is very difficult to read from. In bright conditions without direct light, it works just fine.
The viewing-angle images show no color or brightness differences when you view the display from flat angles.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 shows no progress over the phone’s predecessor, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite, as this processor was already used in the last phone. Our test device was about the same as other phones within this price range in our benchmarks.
In everyday use, this should prove to be enough power for almost all apps. Only using lots of programs at the same time could push the phone toward its limits.
Average of class Smartphone
(119 – 1885, n=238, last 2 years)
827 Points ∼100% +22%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
687 Points ∼83% +1%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
678 Points ∼82%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(659 – 697, n=18)
677 Points ∼82% 0%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
674 Points ∼81% -1%
Realme 10
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 8192
576 Points ∼70% -15%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
558 Points ∼67% -18%
Average of class Smartphone
(473 – 5538, n=238, last 2 years)
2651 Points ∼100% +38%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1998 Points ∼75% +4%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1963 Points ∼74% +2%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
1925 Points ∼73%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(1663 – 2038, n=18)
1918 Points ∼72% 0%
Realme 10
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 8192
1767 Points ∼67% -8%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1632 Points ∼62% -15%
Average of class Smartphone
(111952 – 1322448, n=164, last 2 years)
660692 Points ∼100% +63%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
404106 Points ∼61%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
399726 Points ∼61% -1%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
398336 Points ∼60% -1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(344344 – 409358, n=13)
389336 Points ∼59% -4%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
317725 Points ∼48% -21%
Average of class Smartphone
(4780 – 28378, n=226, last 2 years)
10703 Points ∼100% +6%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
10634 Points ∼99% +6%
Realme 10
Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 8192
10328 Points ∼96% +3%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
10093 Points ∼94% 0%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
10055 Points ∼94%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(6897 – 10834, n=17)
9405 Points ∼88% -6%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
9363 Points ∼87% -7%
Average of class Smartphone
(226 – 1356, n=135, last 2 years)
795 Points ∼100% +36%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
593 Points ∼75% +2%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
591 Points ∼74% +1%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
583 Points ∼73%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(521 – 604, n=14)
580 Points ∼73% -1%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
546 Points ∼69% -6%
Average of class Smartphone
(411 – 9585, n=164, last 2 years)
5137 Points ∼100% +35%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
3819 Points ∼74%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(3171 – 3848, n=14)
3634 Points ∼71% -5%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3596 Points ∼70% -6%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3333 Points ∼65% -13%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3236 Points ∼63% -15%
Average of class Smartphone
(2565 – 19657, n=164, last 2 years)
8894 Points ∼100% +15%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
7976 Points ∼90% +3%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
7745 Points ∼87%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(6789 – 8072, n=14)
7708 Points ∼87% 0%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
6958 Points ∼78% -10%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
6157 Points ∼69% -21%
Average of class Smartphone
(670 – 11617, n=164, last 2 years)
5636 Points ∼100% +24%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
4560 Points ∼81%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
4311 Points ∼76% -5%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(3167 – 4836, n=14)
4278 Points ∼76% -6%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3782 Points ∼67% -17%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3623 Points ∼64% -21%
Average of class Smartphone
(697 – 30125, n=164, last 2 years)
11228 Points ∼100% +158%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
4360 Points ∼39%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(3975 – 4426, n=14)
4330 Points ∼39% -1%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
4323 Points ∼39% -1%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3975 Points ∼35% -9%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2876 Points ∼26% -34%
Average of class Smartphone
(10 – 2392, n=164, last 2 years)
1446 Points ∼100% +5%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
1382 Points ∼96%
Motorola Moto G53
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 Plus 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1263 Points ∼87% -9%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1232 Points ∼85% -11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(1078 – 1382, n=14)
1224 Points ∼85% -11%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1125 Points ∼78% -19%
Average of class Smartphone
(438 – 1806, n=7, last 2 years)
1171 Points ∼100% +31%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(893 – 903, n=2)
898 Points ∼77% +1%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
893 Points ∼76%
Average of class Smartphone
(1217 – 4656, n=7, last 2 years)
2838 Points ∼100% +38%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
2064 Points ∼73%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
(2064 – 2064, n=2)
2064 Points ∼73% 0%
In our graphics benchmarks, the phone behaved just like a typical mid-range phone: Average benchmarks in Full HD were completed at 30 fps but rendering in 4K was only possible to do very slowly.
If you just want to game occasionally using the phone’s native resolution, then you will have no problems if you use medium settings. The phone doesn’t have much more in reserve.
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
20 fps ∼100% +67%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
12 fps ∼60% 0%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
12 fps ∼60% 0%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
12 fps ∼60%
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
10 fps ∼50% -17%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
8.9 fps ∼100% +14%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
8.1 fps ∼91% +4%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
8 fps ∼90% +3%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
7.8 fps ∼88%
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
6.5 fps ∼73% -17%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
31 fps ∼100% +63%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
19 fps ∼61% 0%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
19 fps ∼61% 0%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
19 fps ∼61%
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
16 fps ∼52% -16%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
22 fps ∼100% +5%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
22 fps ∼100% +5%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
21 fps ∼95%
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
18 fps ∼82% -14%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
18 fps ∼82% -14%
Xiaomi Poco X5
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
4 fps ∼100% +14%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3.6 fps ∼90% +3%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
3.5 fps ∼88%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
2.9 fps ∼73% -17%
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
2.8 fps ∼70% -20%
Internet pages load quite quickly, but you occasionally have to wait for pictures. Scrolling through the pages works very smoothly thanks to the 120-Hz display.
The phone was also very fast in our browser benchmarks, which might partly be due to the newer version of the Chrome browser.
Modern UFS 2.2 memory can be found in many mid-range phones. However, the storage controller has to be able to use the high possible data throughput rates of the flash devices, which only works really well in realme 10. The OnePlus Nord N30 is on par with many similarly priced phones, but it cannot stand out in terms of storage speed.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5GXiaomi Poco X5Realme 10Motorola Moto G53OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5GAverage 128 GB UFS 2.2 FlashAverage of class Smartphone Sequential Read 256KB
506.1
522.64
3%
881
74%
474.6
-6%
509.21
1%
713 ?(303 – 1009, n=49)
41%
1187 ?(215 – 4512, n=232, last 2 years)
135%
Sequential Write 256KB
466.6
497.38
7%
530.1
14%
243.87
-48%
482.15
3%
512 ?(105.3 – 884, n=49)
10%
762 ?(57.5 – 3062, n=232, last 2 years)
63%
Random Read 4KB
162.5
185.09
14%
200.5
23%
166.24
2%
179.02
10%
182.4 ?(89.3 – 261, n=49)
12%
209 ?(22.2 – 543, n=232, last 2 years)
29%
Random Write 4KB
134.9
168.49
25%
257.7
91%
139.83
4%
147.46
9%
176 ?(70.5 – 258, n=49)
30%
220 ?(13 – 572, n=233, last 2 years)
63%
60-fps gaming is possible on the Nord N30, but only when playing simple games such as Armajet. PUBG Mobile can be run at 40 fps using low settings; in Diablo: Immortal, there is only a 30-fps option to pick. We tested the frame rates using software from GameBench.
For a mid-range device, the rates we measured were acceptable – there weren’t any major drops. If you just want to play games occasionally on the phone, then you will be sure to have fun with the Nord N30. For more demanding games, you will likely have to look elsewhere.
051015202530354045505560Tooltip
The phone heats up to 44.1 °C at room temperature, which can definitely be felt – but that in itself isn’t too problematic. It is only in higher surrounding temperatures and when demanding more from the phone that things might start to get a bit tricky.
A raise in temperature certainly didn’t affect the phone’s performance, as the 3DMark stress test confirmed: After 20 runs, the phone had the same amount of power available as it did at the beginning of the test.
44.1 °C
111 F39.3 °C
103 F37.8 °C
100 F 43.5 °C
110 F39.4 °C
103 F37.8 °C
100 F 43.1 °C
110 F39.3 °C
103 F38 °C
100 F
Maximum: 44.1 °C=111 F
Average: 40.3 °C=105 F
35.6 °C
96 F39.3 °C
103 F39 °C
102 F36.3 °C
97 F39.4 °C
103 F41.7 °C
107 F36.7 °C
98 F39.6 °C
103 F41.4 °C
107 F
Maximum: 41.7 °C=107 F
Average: 38.8 °C=102 F
Power Supply (max.) 43.6 °C=110 F | Room Temperature 20.5 °C=69 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.3 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.1 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 34.9 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 55.8 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.7 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.3 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
99.7 % ∼100%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
99.6 % ∼100% 0%
Realme 10
Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
99.4 % ∼100% 0%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
96.9 % ∼97% -3%
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
99.2 % ∼100%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash
99.1 % ∼100% 0%
Motorola Moto G53
Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
98.8 % ∼100% 0%
012345678Tooltip
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.1.0.2: Ø2.17 (2.16-2.18)
Motorola Moto G53 Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.1.0.2: Ø1.755 (1.744-1.766)
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Extreme Stress Test; 1.0.9.1: Ø2.15 (2.14-2.16)
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø7.26 (7.24-7.27)
Realme 10 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø8.19 (8.16-8.21)
Motorola Moto G53 Adreno 619, SD 480+, 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø5.87 (5.72-5.9)
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G Adreno 619, SD 695 5G, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; Wild Life Stress Test Stability; 0.0.0.0: Ø7.21 (7.21-7.23)
The OnePlus phone’s sound system consists of only one mono speaker, but it can get quite loud (up to 84.9 dB(A)) and still sounds pleasant. Even very high sounds aren’t overemphasized and varied types of music all sound different.
Of course, real audio enthusiasts will still need to use headphones or external speakers. These can either be connected via the 3.5 mm jack or via Bluetooth 5.1. If you choose the wireless option, a good selection of codecs is available. At most, we miss very high-quality (but not yet widely used) codecs like LDHC.
dB(A)
0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.2352537.539.53130.630.64034.531.25037.138.16330.928.78017.225.410020.230.812518.835.616017.241.220012.143.125013.348.531512.652.440010.157.750010.563.663010.566.180012.964.7100011.667.6125015.469.2160011.475.720001174.8250011.371.831501267.5400012.966.3500013.472.9630014.176.1800014.978.11000015.777.11250016.5691600017.357.1SPL25.384.9N0.658.8median 12.9median 66.3Delta2.49.843.942.434.535.827.731.428.530.133.233.326.328.623.417.222.519.715.418.814.629.212.338.313.346.611.650.27.555.511.462.315.26414.767.311.870.6127110.3729.36910.86814.762.514.370.214.970.31567.815.467.616.861.516.167.61751.225.980.70.747.4median 14.6median 64210.8hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseOnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5GOnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.9 dB)
Bass 100 – 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass – on average 24.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 – 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids – only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 – 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs – on average 6.5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 – 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 23% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 49% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 43% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (80.7 dB)
Bass 100 – 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass – on average 30.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 – 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids – on average 5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 – 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs – only 4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 – 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 54% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 34% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 72% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
The OnePlus Nord N30 doesn’t have to shy away when it comes to power consumption – in total, it is about on the same level as other similarly priced devices. Although, its predecessor was a little more frugal. Especially when the system is under relatively little load, its base consumption is quite high.
It is great that the OnePlus smartphone can be charged at up to 65 watts; the matching power adapter can be found in the package. Thus, it takes about 40 minutes until the 5,000 mAh battery is fully charged again from 0%. At the same time, the Nord CE 3 Lite can be connected to the charger for a short time if you do not have much time, and you will have enough power for several hours of operation after a few minutes.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
5000 mAhXiaomi Poco X5
5000 mAhMotorola Moto G53
5000 mAhOnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
5000 mAhAverage Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
Average of class Smartphone
Idle Minimum *
1.1
0.96
13%
0.8
27%
0.8
27%
0.861 ?(0.56 – 1.1, n=13)
22%
0.877 ?(0.12 – 2.37, n=172, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Average *
1.5
1.49
1%
1.5
-0%
1
33%
1.678 ?(1 – 2.47, n=13)
-12%
1.498 ?(0.65 – 4.26, n=172, last 2 years)
-0%
Idle Maximum *
1.7
1.53
10%
2
-18%
1.4
18%
1.822 ?(1.4 – 2.52, n=13)
-7%
1.706 ?(0.69 – 4.45, n=172, last 2 years)
-0%
Load Average *
4.1
3.52
14%
4.6
-12%
2.4
41%
3.41 ?(2.4 – 4.83, n=13)
17%
4.32 ?(2.1 – 10.1, n=172, last 2 years)
-5%
Load Maximum *
5.8
4.32
26%
6.3
-9%
4.6
21%
5.18 ?(4.32 – 6.5, n=13)
11%
7.17 ?(3.56 – 13.7, n=172, last 2 years)
-24%
* … smaller is better
In fact, the phone’s slightly higher power consumption is noticeable in the form of slightly shorter battery runtimes compared to its predecessor. Nevertheless, our test device lasted for 16:26 hours while surfing using WLAN, which is a good result.
This should easily last for a full work day – and it should even prove to be enough for two days if used sparingly.
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
36h 05min
WiFi Websurfing
16h 26min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
17h 9min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 14min
Pros
+ attractive, stable case
+ great charging technique
+ quick fingerprint sensor
+ bright display
+ no PWM
+ no throttling under load
+ good loudspeaker sound
+ practical runtimes
Cons
– inaccurate locating at times
– screen has rough corners
– no wide-angle camera
– muffled phoning sound
The OnePlus Nord N30 features a good main camera, bright screen, decent sound system and mid-range performance levels.
Slight weaknesses can be found in the phone’s locating functions: Despite supporting SBAS, our recorded routes were sometimes quite far off the routes we actually took. A wide-angle camera is also missing, and the incoming sound could be a little clearer when phoning.
Operating the phone is easy and reliable, its runtimes are sufficient for everyday use and it can be charged quickly.
But – does the Nord N30 still feel like a OnePlus phone? Well, its case is sleek and stable, and this relatively cheap OnePlus series never did feature an alert slider. Its new software is now fast and intuitive. However, it is understandable that many fans miss previous models’ high-quality and community-developed OxygenOS.
The OnePlus Nord N30 is a good mid-range phone for an affordable price of under $300. Its main camera is capable of taking quite good photos.
Its predecessor, the Nord CE 2 Lite, can now be found for quite a bit cheaper. However, it features slower charging times and shorter updates – apart from that, its changes are minimal. It is also worth taking a look at the realme 10, which features a very quick storage controller.
Currently, the OnePlus Nord N30 can be found on Amazon for $299.99.
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
–
06/21/2023 v7
Florian Schmitt
Connectivity
51 / 70 → 72%
Games Performance
30 / 64 → 47%
Application Performance
74 / 86 → 86%
Smartphone – Weighted Average
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.
Editor of the original article: Florian Schmitt – Managing Editor Mobile – 1039 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2009
I initially wrote about gaming laptops when I joined Notebookcheck in 2009. I was then involved with the setup of the comparison portal Notebookinfo and worked with social media concepts for large companies like BMW and Adidas, while also returning to work for Notebookcheck in 2012. Nowadays, I focus on smartphones, tablets, and future technologies. Since 2018 I have been Managing Editor for mobile device reviews, working alongside my colleague Daniel Schmidt.
Translator: Daisy Dickson – Translator – 49 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2023
Originally from Scotland, I grew up and lived in Germany until I completed my high school qualifications before moving back to Scotland to complete my university studies. Growing up bilingual led me to form a close relationship with the English and German languages, often working in the fields of teaching and translation. Most of my childhood was shaped by playing around on new consoles, computers and gadgets and getting to grips with the new craze of the internet and smartphones. This interest has stayed with me well into adulthood. Nowadays, I live in Glasgow and work as a freelance translator and digital media coordinator. I have been translating for Notebookcheck since early 2023.
Florian Schmitt, 2023-06-25 (Update: 2023-06-25)
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