New features from OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite

OnePlus has gained a place for itself in the affordable smartphone segment with the Nord CE series. The “Lite” label of the CE series shows that it focuses on affordability and maintains the basic features. Finally, the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite builds on the foundations of its predecessors, the Nord CE 2 Lite and Nord CE 3 Lite, offering significant upgrades and improvements. Let’s compare these three models and see how they perform relative to each other.

Nord CE4 Lite has a clear advantage in terms of screen. With its 6.67 inch FHD + OLED panel and 120Hz refresh rate, it offers the user a smoother experience and deeper blacks. This makes a big difference compared to the CE2 Lite and CE3 Lite’s 6.59-inch and 6.72-inch LCD panels with 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, the screen brightness of the CE4 Lite is up to 2100 nits, while the CE3 Lite can go up to 680 nits, and the brightness level of the CE2 Lite is not specified.

In terms of design, all three phones have a similar design language; perforated screen and plastic back cover. However, the CE4 Lite is slightly lighter than its predecessors, weighing 191 grams. In addition, the CE4 Lite has an in-screen fingerprint sensor, this feature is not available in the CE2 Lite and CE3 Lite and they have fingerprint sensors located on the side. The CE4 Lite also has an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, a feature missing from previous models. All three phones have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

In terms of performance, all three models are equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G processor, providing sufficient performance for daily tasks and casual gaming. While the CE2 Lite and CE3 Lite offer up to 8GB of RAM, the CE4 Lite is offered in 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB configurations. In terms of software, CE4 Lite comes with Android 14 and OxygenOS 14, which offers more updated and optimized features over CE2 Lite’s Android 12-based OxygenOS 12.1 and CE3 Lite’s Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.1.

In the camera department, the CE4 Lite offers a change. It abandons the triple rear camera setup and switches to a dual camera system. The main sensor has been updated to 50MP with a 1/1.95 inch Sony LYT-600 sensor and f/1.8 aperture. This offers potentially better low-light performance and overall image quality over the CE2 Lite’s 64MP sensor and the CE3 Lite’s 108MP sensor. While it retains the 2MP macro and depth sensors of the CE2 Lite and CE3 Lite, the CE4 Lite retains only the 2MP depth sensor and has completely removed the macro sensor. The front camera remains 16MP on all three phones.

When it comes to battery and charging, the CE4 Lite offers a significant upgrade with a 5500mAh battery. CE2 Lite and CE3 Lite have a 5000mAh battery. Additionally, the CE4 Lite supports 80W SuperVOOC fast charging, surpassing the 33W fast charging of the CE2 Lite and 67W fast charging of the CE3 Lite.

In terms of pricing, the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite continues its competitive pricing strategy and offers excellent value for its features. The 8GB + 128GB model of Nord CE4 Lite is priced at $240, and the 8GB + 256GB model is priced at $275. This pricing is in line with the launch prices of the Nord CE2 Lite and Nord CE3 Lite.

As a result, OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite stands out with a superior OLED display, improved camera capabilities, larger battery and faster charging compared to its predecessors. While the processor remains the same, the overall package offers a more refined and enjoyable smartphone experience. For those looking for an affordable device with impressive features, OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite stands out as a strong competitor in the market.