Comparing OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite and OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite: what are the upgrades?

Published On: June 25, 2024

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite has officially made its debut in India as the successor of the OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite. It offers decent upgrades over its predecessor in the display, battery, charging speed, and software departments.

However, you might be wondering if it would be worth it to upgrade your OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite with the successor. In this article, we’ll compare the OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite with the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite to see if it’s worth upgrading.

Table of Contents

OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite: specs at a glance

Specs	OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite	OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite
Display	6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 2100 nits, 394ppi, 1080×2400 resolution	6.72-inch FHD+ IPS LCD, 120Hz refresh rate, 680 nits, 391ppi, 1080×2400 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass
Dimensions	162.9 x 75.6 x 8.1 mm	165.5 x 76 x 8.3 mm
Weight	191g	195g
Software	Android 14-based OxygenOS 14.0	Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.1
Rear camera	50MP primary OIS, 2MP depth	108MP primary, 2MP macro, 2MP depth
Selfie camera	16MP snapper	16MP shooter
Video	1080p at 30fps	1080p at 30fps
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 695	Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
Battery & charging	5,500mAh battery, 80W charging	5,000mAh battery, 67W charging
Storage	8GB RAM, 128GB/512GB storage	8GB RAM, 128GB/256GB storage
Colours	Super Silver, Mega Blue, Ultra Orange	Pastel Lime, Chromatic Gray

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite: price in India

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite	OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite
Rs 19,999 for 8GB RAM and 128GB storage	Rs 17,999 for 8GB RAM and 128GB storage
Rs 21,999 for 8GB RAM and 256GB storage	Rs 19,999 for 8GB RAM and 256GB storage

OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite: design

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite comes with flat edges and an IP54 rating for protection against water splashes and dust particles. The back panel houses the brand logo in the middle and a pill-shaped rear camera island featuring dual sensors and flashes.

On the other hand, the Nord CE3 Lite has better IP55 protection against water splashes and derbies. At the back, it has the OnePlus logo and triple rear-camera setup tucked in a circular module alongside a flash.

Both devices have a flat display with a cutout for the front camera at the top centre. While looks can be subjective, neither of the devices is suitable to use in heavy rain or under water.

OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite: display

OnePlus refreshed the display on the Nord CE4 Lite with an AMOLED panel. The latest Nord CE4 Lite offers a better panel, resulting in an improved viewing experience compared to the IPS LCD panel you get with the Nord CE3 Lite.

While both phones offer a 120Hz refresh rate, the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite provides better brightness (1200nits) than its predecessor (550nits), making viewing content in sunny conditions easier.

However, the OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite comes with Corning Gorilla Glass for protection against scratches and potential impacts, enhancing the screen’s durability.

OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite: performance

What hasn’t changed with the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite is the SoC under the hood. It still packs the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G SoC as the Nord CE3 Lite and the Nord CE2 Lite before that. Moreover, the RAM and storage options for the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite are the same as those for the OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite.

While these hardware configurations can easily handle basic tasks such as browsing, scrolling on social media apps, and watching videos, you shouldn’t have high hopes for gaming and heavy usage. Anyway, expect similar performance from either smartphone for every task that you throw at them.

OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite: cameras

Surprisingly, the cameras of the latest Nord CE4 Lite are a downgrade in megapixels compared to their predecessors. The Nord CE4 Lite has a 50MP primary shooter with a 2MP depth sensor compared to the OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite’s 108MP main snapper with 2MP macro and 2MP depth sensors.

However, the Nord CE4 Lite gets an upgraded Sony LYT-600 sensor and optical image stabilisation support. At the front, both devices have a 16MP snapper for clicking decent selfies or video calls. Check out our detailed review of the OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite and OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite to see their real-world camera performance.

OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite: battery and charging

The OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite has slightly better battery and charging speed support than its predecessor. The slight 500mAh battery boost can result in better battery life, and the faster 80W charger should be quicker to refuel the device than the OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite’s 67W charger.

However, that doesn’t mean that the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite’s battery life and charging speed are terrible. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite still offers a robust battery life and fast charging, but it falls slightly behind the Nord CE 4 Lite.

OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite vs OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite: software

The OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite offers the latest software experience right out of the box with Android 14 and OxygenOS 14.0, offering the latest features and improvements. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, while initially running Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.1, is upgradable to Android 14-based OxygenOS 14.

While both phones will get two years of OS upgrades and three years of security patches, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite already ships with the latest Android version and will get two more major OS upgrades. The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite will only get one more major OS upgrade after Android 14.

Both devices come with some pre-loaded third-party apps, but you can remove them for a cleaner experience. Thus, you will get the same software experience from either device.

Verdict

Both models offer decent hardware specifications under the hood. However, the only benefits that you get with upgrading to the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite from its predecessor is an advanced display, a bigger battery, faster charging speed, and better software support. Both phones have the same front camera as well as SoC, RAM, and storage at the helm.

The choice comes down to your usage and needs. If you want an improved viewing experience, better battery life, and longer software support, consider upgrading to the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite.