OnePlus Nord 3 review: Should you buy it?

OnePlus Nord 3 review: At a glance

• What is it? The OnePlus Nord 3 is the latest in the company’s mid-range lineup of Android phones outside of the US. It packs a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset, with up to 16GB of RAM and a 120Hz 6.74-inch display. The OnePlus Nord 3 improves upon the OnePlus Nord 2 and OnePlus Nord 2T’s battery with a 5,000mAh cell. Charging speeds, too, are sufficiently speedy at 80W. The phone is priced higher than the OnePlus Nord 2T but offers improved performance, a flagship-grade camera sensor, and a larger display for the money.
• What is the price? The OnePlus Nord 3 starts at €499 (~$555) in selected European markets, and will be sold in the UK for £499. It is also on sale in India starting at Rs. 33,999 (~$412).
• Where can you buy it? The phone is available for sale on Amazon and OnePlus’ website in selected regions, but will not be sold in the US.
• How did we test it? I tested the OnePlus Nord 3 for six days. OnePlus supplied the review unit.
• Is it worth it? The OnePlus Nord 3 delivers on all the core tenets of a good affordable phone, like performance, build quality, and a rather good camera experience for the price. A solid upgrade over the rapidly aging OnePlus Nord 2T, the OnePlus Nord 3 competes with the very best in the saturated mid-range smartphone segment. It doesn’t necessarily pack the right feature set to make it an all-out winner, but there’s merit in being a reliable and performant device.

Should you buy the OnePlus Nord 3?

Credit: Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority

The OnePlus Nord 3 is a predictable, albeit welcome upgrade over the company’s 2022 iteration — the OnePlus Nord 2T. Unlike the whatever-is-in-the-parts-bin approach of prior years, OnePlus has made an effort to bring the Nord 3 in line with expectations from a 2023 mid-ranger. In fact, the Nord 3 is one of the more significant updates to the OnePlus Nord line in recent years and features improvements in all the necessary places. OnePlus is keeping it competitive by upgrading the primary camera sensor to the same flagship module as the OnePlus 11. The phone is consistent in its premium mid-range leanings, be it through the choice of processor or the quality of construction. Glancing at the spec sheet might point towards a relatively boring smartphone, but if our experience is anything to go by, the OnePlus Nord 3 makes up for it with consistency.