OnePlus surprised the tech world by introducing not just one but two phones during its Summer Launch Event. The event was expected to only see the introduction of a single Nord device but OnePlus threw in another one, the OnePlus Nord CE3 and made matters more interesting. While Nord CE3 received a lot of attention, it was the OnePlus Nord 3 5G which made the bigger headlines. And mostly for the right reasons.
OnePlus Nord 3 Specifications, Price
OnePlus Nord 3 comes with a 6.74-inch tall Super Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, has a dynamic refresh rate which can move between 40Hz to 120Hz and comes with a 93.5 per cent screen-to-body ratio, meaning there are very slim bezels around it.
Running the device is a slightly old but still mighty MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor which OnePlus has paired with 8GB + 128GB and 16GB + 256GB RAM and storage options. This combination is a God-sent for those looking for power on a budget, considering the processor has proved its mettle in the past (it is similar to the chip seen on the OnePlus Pad).
There is a triple camera setup on the back of the device comprising a 50-megapixel main SONY IMX890 sensor with PDAF and OIS, an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro one. Unless OnePlus has used a special software spell on this combination, we suspect the heavy-duty work will be mostly done by the main sensor alone. There is a 16-megapixel selfie sensor on the front.
Powering this is a 5,000mAH battery which comes with support for 80W SuperVOOC fast charging. It will run on Android 13 out-of-the-box, topped with OnePlus’ OxygenOS 13.1. The phone will come with a starting price of Rs 33,999 and will become available starting July 15.
While these specs and numbers do seem impressive, in this budget, there are always competitors lurking around. The OnePlus Nord 3 may be looking like a great device but it will have to contend with some equally good devices in the market. Here are five of the biggest challenges for the latest Nordic Never Settler:
iQoo Neo 7 Pro: Chips & Chops To Fuel Your Gaming Ambition
Price: Rs. 34,999
Launched recently, the iQoo Neo 7 Pro is likely to be the biggest hurdle in the way of the OnePlus Nord 3’s success. If it is power that your heart desires, then the Neo 7 Pro delivers it in spades. The phone is powered by one of Qualcomm’s flagship processors, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. This is paired with 8 GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB RAM and storage options. This pairing is more than enough to get you through the most power-hungry situations, be it gaming or editing videos on the go. There is a 6.78-inch tall AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate on the front, and the back of the phone helps it stand out of the usual smartphone crowd, especially the Fearless Flame colour option that has a very leather-like finish and that squarish-camera unit on the back only helps matters.
There are some spec similarities between the Nord 3 and the Neo 7 Pro. The Neo 7 Pro also has a three-camera arrangement on the back comprising a 50-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro one. The front, too, has a 16-megapixel selfie snapper. The phone also comes with a big 5,000mAh battery, just like the Nord 3 and comes with support for even faster 120W charging support.
The Neo 7 Pro runs on Android 13 out-of-the-box topped with FunTouchOS 13. Those who like a clean interface might find this one a bit cluttered but the Neo 7 Pro claims to fuel your gaming dreams on a budget and that it might very well do with that processor and RAM combination.
Poco F5: A Power-Packed Poco
Price: Rs 29,999
Another smartphone with some serious gaming muscle on the list is the Poco F5. The smartphone is backed by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chipset which has proved to be very capable even under the most power-draining situations and has 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB RAM and storage options. But the Poco F5 is not just a one-trick processor pony.
It comes with a tall 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate. The camera numbers on the Poco F5 are slightly better than those on the OnePlus Nord 3. The triple camera set up on its back carries a 64-megapixel main sensor with PDAF and OIS, while an 8-megapixel ultrawide, 2-megapixel macro sensor and a 16-megapixel sensor on the front almost feel omnipresent in this segment.
Another similar spec is the 5,000mAh battery but it is supported by 67 W fast charging which is fast but not as fast as the one on the Nord 3 or even the Neo 7 Pro. The phone also runs on Android 13 out of the box with MIUI 14 for Poco. This is probably one of the few simple yet feature-rich Android skins out there. It will not impress those looking for stock Android-like UI but it will add a lot to your experience.
To top all this, the phone also features a 3.5mm audio jack for all those who haven’t yet given up on their wired earphones in the face of the TWS strom. The phone might not look as stand out as some of the others in the list but if every penny counts for you, this may be the powerful smartphone you are looking for.
Google Pixel 6a: Old But Still-So-Gold
Price: Rs 27,999
Many might see the Pixel 6a as a space-filling option in the list, as it does not have the intense specs of others in this list. But the Pixel 6a has something that most of the other smartphones in the list lack– a very reliable ecosystem. The comparatively smaller display of 6.1 inches with merely 60Hz refresh rate and only a single 6GB RAM option might not sound exciting but the phone does come with Google’s very own Tensor chipset.
And the Tensor processors do more than just get you through gaming, they enhance your overall smartphone experience, a clear effect of which is often visible in Pixel phones' photography skills. There are two 12-megapixel sensors on the back of the Pixel 6a with an 8-megapixel sensor sitting on the front. With Google’s Tensor chip and its computational photography wizardry, the Pixel 6a actually manages to produce better pictures than phones with far higher megapixel counts.
The cherry on this Pixel cake has to be the pure stock Android experience that you get with the phone and assured updates that often arrive earlier than on any other brand, giving the smartphone a software edge. The design of the Pixel 6a with its distinct camera bar ensures that it cannot be mistaken for anything but a Pixel.
The Pixel 6a might be seen as an old device (especially with the Pixel 7a around) but is still gold for its current price, especially if you are looking for a great photography and software experience.
Redmi Note 12 Pro+: Striking The Right Note For Megapixel Merchants
Price: Rs 29,999 onwards
If you are not obsessed with power and instead wish for a phone that does supremely well in the photography department, you should perhaps shift your focus and think of a Redmi Note. Yes, the Redmi Notes used to be budget propositions but of late Xiaomi has changed that strategy and moved the Note up the price ladder. With that move have come better specs and bigger numbers, and the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is a great example.
The biggest USP of the phone is its 200-megapixel main sensor which lives up to its numerical hype and delivers some really amazing shots. But it is not a lone ranger. There are two more supporting sensors, an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel macro but they are just that, supporting.
The heavy-duty photography lifting is done mainly by the 200-megapixel sensor. There is also a 16-megapixel sensor on the front. Another major number highlight of the 12 Pro+ is the 120 W fast charging support for its almost 5,000 mAh (4,980 to be precise) battery. This level of fast charging support usually appears in the high-end segment and is quite rare in this price band.
The phone has a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with up to 120 Hz refresh rate which is paired with some very good dual stereo speakers and even a 3.5 mm audio jack, making it an entertainment machine.
That said, the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 that powers it is not exactly a gamer's dream. It is paired with an ample amount of RAM and storage, so it can take on most tasks, though it can stutter a little in high-end gaming territory. Another con is that it still comes with Android 12 out of the box but that lost ground is made by the feature-rich MIUI 13 on top, and it is expected to be updated to Android 13 soon.
Nothing Phone (1): Phone (2) Is Coming, But This (1) Ain't Leaving Soon
Price: Rs 31,499
Smartphones these days all look very similar but there is one that stands out of the crowd and gets everyone’s attention no matter how many high-end phones are on the table. This is the Nothing Phone (1).
Yes, we know the Nothing Phone (2) is just around the corner but that does not take away anything from the Phone (1), which is still very good and very much in the market. With the Phone (1), Carl Pei wished to bring back the excitement in the tech world and he did just that. The phone was quite possibly the most talked about device last year and it wasn’t without reason.
The semi-transparent back laden with tiny LED lights that Nothing calls the Glyph UI had heads turning from left, right and centre. Apart from the looks, there was some spec-power to the phone as well. The phone came with a 6.55-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Pei especially mentioned how all four bezels of the phone, even the chin, were of the same size, which usually is not the case. It did come with a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ processor but also had 8GB + 12GB RAM options, making it efficient enough to get through most tasks - even some high-end games on tweaked settings.
There are two 50-megapixel sensors on the back which have had a good track record and have got better with updates, while a 16-megapixel selfie snapper is on the front. The phone comes with Android 12 which can be upgraded to Android 13 and because it is basically stock Android, it will make for a great clean, stock UI phone.
The Nothing Phone (1) is powered by a 4,500mAh battery and brings a mere 33W fast charging support to the table, although it does come with 15W wireless charging support and 5W reverse charging support, which is quite rare in the segment.
It faced a few issues in the beginning but Nothing has made the Phone (1) better, one update at a time, and continues to do so. Yeah, Phone (2) is coming out but this one is not leaving and is still notably good.
