The mid-range smartphone market is overflowing with choices, but the OnePlus Nord CE4 5G stands out by getting the balance right between design, performance, battery, and cameras.
After using it as my daily driver for the past two weeks, here’s a practical, real-world breakdown of how it actually performs.
Design
The Nord CE4 immediately feels like a step up from its earlier versions. OnePlus introduced a new material called Liquid Glass for the back panel — it’s not actual glass, but a high-grade polymer composite that mimics glass while staying lighter and more resistant to drops.
The shimmering finish on the Obsidian Navy model looks fantastic, subtly shifting shades under different lighting. There’s also a Super Silver option for anyone who prefers a cleaner, brighter look.
At just 7.7mm thick and weighing 186 grams, it’s nicely balanced — substantial enough to feel premium, yet light and comfortable in the hand. The softly curved edges make it easy to hold for long stretches, and I was especially happy to see the alert slider make a return, allowing quick toggles between ring, vibrate, and silent.
The matte-finished aluminum frame does a good job repelling fingerprints, adding to the overall clean, high-end feel.
Display
The 6.67-inch AMOLED panel delivers sharp, vibrant visuals with a 2400×1080 resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. OnePlus bumped peak brightness up to 1100 nits, and it makes a noticeable difference outdoors compared to older Nord CE models.
In default Vivid mode, colors are punchy without veering into oversaturation, while the Natural profile tones things down for those who prefer a more realistic palette.
The LTPO tech adjusts the refresh rate as needed, helping with battery life, and the 240Hz touch sampling rate makes swiping, typing, and gaming feel especially snappy. Gorilla Glass 5 protects the screen, and after two weeks — including a few pockets shared with keys — it’s held up without a scratch, even without a screen protector.
Performance
Powering it all is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, paired with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM and UFS 3.1 storage options of 128GB or 256GB (plus microSD expansion). In everyday use, the phone feels fast and consistent.
Apps launch quickly, multitasking is smooth, and it handles having a bunch of apps open without noticeable slowdowns.
Gaming performance is solid for the price bracket. PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile both run smoothly on high settings, and while Genshin Impact needed its graphics dialed down for consistent frame rates, gameplay remained fluid.
I was impressed by the improved cooling — long gaming sessions didn’t lead to overheating, and there was no noticeable throttling.
Benchmarks back up these real-world results too, with a 713,456 score on AnTuTu v10, 1,127 single-core and 3,203 multi-core on Geekbench 6, 3,849 on 3DMark Wild Life, and 11,785 on PCMark Work 3.0. Solid mid-range numbers, all around.
Camera
OnePlus wisely stuck with a quality-over-quantity approach here. The rear setup includes a 50MP Sony IMX890 main sensor with f/1.8 aperture and OIS, alongside an 8MP ultra-wide lens offering a 112-degree field of view. Up front, a 16MP selfie camera takes care of video calls and selfies.
In good lighting, the main camera captures sharp, well-balanced shots with vivid but natural colors. Dynamic range is excellent for this segment, and it handles tricky backlighting better than expected.
Low-light performance benefits from the OIS, enabling slower shutter speeds without introducing blur. Night mode steps in nicely too, keeping noise in check and delivering brighter, detailed images.
The ultra-wide lens keeps colors consistent with the main sensor, though sharpness drops a bit at the edges. Portrait mode does a convincing job of separating subjects with a pleasant background blur. Video maxes out at 4K 30fps with good stabilization.
Battery
Battery life turned out to be one of this phone’s biggest strengths. The 5,500mAh cell consistently delivered between seven to eight hours of screen-on time for me, even on heavy-use days filled with gaming, camera use, and social media scrolling.
Even with extensive video streaming and back-to-back games, it comfortably lasted from morning to late evening.
Charging’s quick too. The bundled 80W SUPERVOOC charger gets the phone from zero to full in around 45 minutes, and a quick 15-minute top-up easily adds 40% charge — a lifesaver on busy days when you’re short on time.
Software
OxygenOS 14, built on Android 14, keeps things clean, quick, and refreshingly free of unnecessary apps. OnePlus promises two major Android updates and three years of security patches.
The interface feels snappy, with thoughtful additions that actually improve usability. There’s barely any bloatware, and anything unnecessary can be uninstalled. System apps are useful and well-designed, with polished, fluid animations throughout.
Significant
Priced at ₹26,999 for the 8GB/128GB model and ₹29,999 for the 12GB/256GB option, the OnePlus Nord CE4 5G punches above its weight. It combines a bright AMOLED display, reliable cameras, strong battery life, fast charging, and consistently good performance in a sleek, comfortable package.
It feels more premium than its price suggests and avoids the glaring compromises you sometimes find at this price point. If you’re in the market for a mid-range phone, the Nord CE4 deserves to be high on your shortlist.
FAQs
Does OnePlus Nord CE4 5G support fast charging?
Yes, it comes with 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging included.
What processor powers the Nord CE4?
It uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset.
How good is the Nord CE4’s battery life?
It consistently delivers 7–8 hours of screen-on time.
Does the Nord CE4 have an alert slider?
Yes, OnePlus brought back the alert slider on this model.
What’s the starting price of the OnePlus Nord CE4 5G?
It starts at ₹26,999 in India for the 8GB/128GB model.
