OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G : Good Budget Phone with Many Shortcomings
Introduction
OnePlus’s CE4 Lite 5G, the latest budget phone to emerge from the company’s Nord series, has been designed to deliver a premium experience without breaking the bank. It comes with upgrades including an AMOLED display, bigger battery and fast charging, all which should make it a worthy contender in the crowded sub-₹20,000 space. But does it really live up to the hype? In this detailed review, we’ll cover everything from the design, performance and camera capabilities to the price-to-value ratio of the Nord CE4 Lite 5G.
Buy Online :-Amazon.in
Key Specification
- Display: 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate and 2100 nits peak brightness
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 128GB/256GB, microSD expansion
- Camera: 50MP main (Sony LYT-600, OIS) + 2MP depth ; 16MP front
- Battery: 5500mAh, 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging
- OS: OxygenOS 14 (on top of Android 14)
- Build: Plastic frame and rear, IP54-rated
- Colors: Mega Blue, Super Silver, Ultra Orange
Unboxing Experience
The Nord CE4 Lite 5G comes in a signature Nord branded black box. Inside are the phone, an 80W SUPERVOOC charger, a USB-A to USB-C cable, a SIM ejector tool, and a simple TPU case. The case even features flaps for the headphone jack and USB port, which can feel a bit annoying.
Bundled with the box, OnePlus provides:
- OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G mobile phone
- 67W SuperVOOC fast charger
- USB Type-C cable
- SIM ejector tool
- Protective case (regionalized)
- Warrantry card and Users manual
Elsewhere, the packaging remains equally as sleek and eco-friendly as before, with OnePlus continuing its premium unboxing experience.
Looks, Build, And Handling
The Nord CE4 Lite 5G comes with a flat-edged design and rounded corners that make it easy to hold. It’s lightweight from the plastic frame and back, but it doesn’t have the premium feel of glass or metal. The key differences are the very striking Mega Blue variant vs the Super Silver one which is much less loud, although susceptible to fingerprints.
For added durability in daily use, the phone is IP54 rated for dust and splash resistance. The pill-shaped camera module and minimalistic design offer a modern look, but the plastic build may not be for everyone.
Screen, Battery Life, and Charging Speed
It is available in shadow black and glacier blue, and comes with a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen which is a huge improvement from its predecessor, featuring more vibrance, better blacks and a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling. It gets extremely bright at 2100 nits and would be visible even in direct sunlight. Aqua TouchAlso Read: The Additions To The Ford Mustang Range The aqua touch feature enables the screen to respond to touch even when it is wet; very useful in the rain.
Its battery life is also excellent, easily lasting two days on moderate usage courtesy of a 5500mAh battery. Charging at 80W SUPER VOOC, the phone reaches from 0% to 64% in 30 minutes while it charges up to 100% in under an hour.
Software and Performance
Nord CE4 Lite 5G comes with OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14 for a clean, bloatware free experience. Though dated, the Snapdragon 695 chipset manages to run day-to-day tasks quite well. But it struggles with heavy apps and games, sometimes lagging or stuttering.
Performance on benchmarking tests is nothing to write home about, trailing behind contenders like the Realme P1 5G and iQoo Z9 5G, while gaming performance is pretty good on casual games like BGMI and Asphalt 9, but heavy titles like Genshin Impact run best on lower settings to stabilize performance.
Quality of Camera, Photos, and Video
The 50MP primary OIS-enabled camera produces detailed, vibrant photos in good light. Low-light performance, though, is lackluster, with noise and some detail lost in the dark. The 2MP depth sensor is a placeholder, and the lack of an ultra-wide or macro lens is also disappointing.
In terms of video recording, it supports 1080p @ 30fps which isnt as good as some of the rivals that supports 4K recording. The 16MP front camera is decent in sunlight but not quite impressive in low light.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Punchy 120Hz AMOLED display
- Massive 5500mAh battery with 80W fast charging
- Rushed but clean OxygenOS 14 experience
- IP54 dust and splash resistance
Cons:
- Old Snapdragon 695 chip
- Average low-light camera performance
- No ultra-wide or macro camera
- Build quality is a plastic affair, and feels less premium
Price and Availability
Nord CE4 Lite 5G: Price and availability In India, the 8GB+128GB variant of the device is priced at ₹19,999, while the 8GB+256GB model will cost ₹22,999. Mega Blue, Super Silver, and Ultra Orange are the available colors.
Is It Available in India?
Is the Nord CE4 Lite 5G available in India?If Yes, then where?Yes, the Nord CE4 Lite 5G is available in India via OnePlus’s official website, Amazon and other official retailers. There are also trade-in offers and discounts, making it less painful to purchase.
Final Verdict
The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G is a bit of mixed bag. It shines in display quality, battery life and speedy charging, but doesn’t perform as well in terms of performance and camera versatility. It is a decent option for content consumption, but gamers and photo enthusiasts will find other worthy alternatives in the same price segment.
Why Should You Buy?
The Nord CE4 Lite 5G is decent if display, battery life, and charging speed are more important to you. It’s well-suited for casual users who do not have need of top-tier performance or high-end camera capabilities.
Why Should You Not Buy?
Throttled performance and a lack of camera versatility make it difficult to recommend if you’re a gamer or photography enthusiast. Also, competitors such as Realme P1 5G and iQoo Z9 5G are available at similar price points, which has additional performance and more extensive camera arrangements.
Bottom line the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite 5G is a decent budget smartphone with some strengths, but there are also major compromises. It’s something to think about if you prioritize display and battery life over performance and camera quality. But if you want a more complete machine, you might want to consider other possibilities.
