release date, price, tech sheet, all about the flagship killer

The OnePlus Nord 3 takes over from the OnePlus Nord 2 which was very well received by press and consumers. For this new smartphone, the manufacturer remains true to the line it has set itself: pursuing a very attractive value for money by offering good services at an affordable price, as the manufacturer did when it started.

In the mobile market, OnePlus popularized the term flagship killer. The smartphones of its main line were recognized for their high-quality technical characteristics, but sold at a lower price than the giants that ruled the industry at the time: Apple, Samsung, Sony, LG, HTC… Then gradually, faced with fierce competition from other Chinese brands, such as Xiaomi, Huawei or Honor, then OPPO and vivo, OnePlus turned to the premium segment where smartphones became much more expensive. In order not to lose customers who are not willing to spend a fortune on a mobile phone, the manufacturer then decided to launch a new range, Nord, betting everything on the value for your money. The first three models (OnePlus Nord, Nord 2 and Nord 2T) reminded us of the good old days of the brand’s flagship killers, and the OnePlus Nord 3 is in that vein.

When will the OnePlus Nord 3 be released?

OnePlus hasn’t yet confirmed the existence of the OnePlus Nord 3, so we don’t have an official release date or window to look forward to. However, the resurgence of leaks about the smartphone indicates that the development of the device is well advanced and the start of mass production is imminent. According to the publication MySlimPrice, the OnePlus Nord 3 should launch in June or July in India, OnePlus’ priority market. It should arrive in Europe shortly after.

The first OnePlus Nord of the name launched in France in early August, while the OnePlus Nord 2 launched from the end of July. We can therefore expect a mid-summer release for this new iteration, unless the brand shakes up its schedule. 2023 should be a special year for the manufacturer, which would not release a OnePlus 11T or OnePlus 11 Pro in the second half, but its first foldable mobile (s).

According to leaker Max Jambor, a OnePlus Ace 2V is expected to launch in China in March, which may be rebranded as OnePlus Nord 3 for international markets.

How much does the OnePlus Nord 3 cost?

We can only speculate about OnePlus’ pricing policy for its Nord 3 at this point. The Nords are successful thanks to their controlled mid-range prices: 399 euros for the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage version and 499 euros for the configuration with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal memory for the first two generations. But it would not be surprising if the manufacturer increased its prices in this context of inflation, especially since the 2022 OnePlus 2T was already sold at a higher price: 429 euros And 529 euros for the same amount of RAM and storage as its predecessors. And if certain improvements that we detail later in this article are confirmed, the price could still go up.

What is the design of the OnePlus Nord 3?

So far, no renders have been leaked for a smartphone that would be called OnePlus Nord 3. But as mentioned above, the mobile phone would have the design of a particular OnePlus Ace 2V, of which we have images. Forget the design of the OnePlus Nord 2, the manufacturer would have revised its copy for this new model. It’s a trend on the latest Android smartphones, designers are getting rid of the imposing photoblock, which was a short-lived fashion, for a more natural integration of sensors. Despite the disappearance of the block, OnePlus takes over the layout of the OnePlus 2T, with two large modules, one housing the main camera and the second housing the other two sensors. Two flash LEDs accompany them.

The edges of the OnePlus Nord 3 seem flatter than those of previous models. Again, the brand follows the codes of the moment, Apple and Samsung opt for a design of this type on their latest flagships. The OnePlus Nord 3 still stands out from the competition with its physical Alert Slider button, iconic to OnePlus. We feared it would disappear in mid-range smartphones, but it should definitely make a comeback. As a reminder, it is used to quickly switch between silent mode, vibrate and ringtone, and also allows you to adjust the focus while taking photos.

The front camera is still in one fell swoop, but it’s been moved from the top left corner to the centerline of the screen. We expect an optical fingerprint reader under the screen and glass on the front and back of the terminal. However, to keep costs down we would have to settle for a plastic frame and the lack of IP certification for protection against water and dust.

Is the screen of the OnePlus Nord 3 120Hz?

During our review of the OnePlus Nord 2, we regretted that the device was not satisfied with a screen with a refresh rate of 90 Hz, while several mid-range competitors had already moved to 120 Hz. the anomaly has been rectified and we have finally provided a OnePlus Nord 3 with a 120 Hz AMOLED screen. However, it does not benefit from LTPO technology and the adaptive refresh function.

For the rest of the specifications related to the plate, different sources share conflicting information. Gadgets data is calling one 6.5-inch screen with Full HD+ definition, so at 1080p. This seems like the most logical option, since the OnePlus 2 and 2T have a 6.43-inch FHD+ screen. The leaker assures that another leak claiming the smartphone will offer 1.5K definition (1240p, halfway between FHD+ and QHD+) is false. This would be a feature of the OnePlus Ace 2V planned for China. As mentioned, it is not yet clear whether the OnePlus Nord 3 will be the international version of this smartphone. To add to the blurriness, the renowned OnLeaks predicts a screen size of 6.72 inches, which would be a significant increase. Once again, this format is also announced for this well-known OnePlus Ace V2.

How does the OnePlus Nord 3 perform?

OnePlus equips its best smartphones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips, but opts for MediaTek SoCs for its cheaper devices. Previously limited to equipping entry-level smartphones, the vendor has long had a bad reputation for the performance of its components, but in recent years has offered much more compelling products with its Dimensity family of chips. A blessing for mobile manufacturers, who thus have a better option for their terminals aimed at value for money.

It’s still a MediaTek SoC that we’ll find in the OnePlus Nord 3, but it remains to be seen which one. Gadgetsdata is counting on a Dimensity 8100 Max or Dimensity 8200. OnLeaks is counting on a more powerful SoC, the Dimensity 9000, a premium chip from MediaTek engraved in 4 nm, which will be announced in the OnePlus Ace 2V.

OnLeaks reports that the smartphone comes in one configuration with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage, and another with 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Again, these are the specs planned for this famous OnePlus Ace 2V in China. It seems amazing to see a mid-range smartphone offer 16GB of RAM like the OnePlus 11, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the OnePlus Nord 3 stick with 12GB of LPDDR5.

What is the battery life and charging speed of the OnePlus Nord 3?

This OnePlus Nord 3 is definitely surrounded by mysteries: the speakers also disagree on the technical characteristics related to the battery. Gadgetsdata hesitates between a capacity of 4500 mAh (as on the OnePlus Nord 2 and Nord 2T) and an increase to 5000 mAh, while OnLeaks only communicates one figure: 5000mAh. If confirmed, we should see a serious boost in autonomy. Digital Chat Station, another well-known leaker with a full CV, is less optimistic and announces a 4500 mAh battery.

For payload we have a new disagreement. OnLeaks claims it will remain stable, i.e. at 80W, a speed already seen on the OnePlus 2T. Gadgetsdata estimates that OnePlus will slightly improve its charging technology by increasing it to 100W with the OnePlus Nord 3. Don’t forget that OPPO is a pioneer in charging, and OnePlus has been taking advantage of it for years.

And that’s not all, as Digital Chat Station explains that the OnePlus Nord 3 will be the brand’s first smartphone with a 150W charging capacity, capable of charging the battery from 0 to 100% in just 15 minutes. This information should be taken with a grain of salt as it would be unusual to see the introduction of such a feature in a mid-range smartphone rather than a premium smartphone. The OnePlus 11 itself is “limited” to 100W. The SuperVOOC 150W was presented a year ago at MWC Barcelona 2022.

Everyone agrees on one point: wireless charging will not be added, reserved for the most expensive smartphones of the brand.

Does the OnePlus Nord 3 have a good camera?

You can often see the biggest differences in the photo between a decent mid-range smartphone and a real premium product. On this point, the various sources agree: the optical configuration of the OnePlus Nord 3 should only change slightly. We would witness a return of the 50 MP IMX766 main photo sensor (f/1.9 aperture, 24mm focal length, 1/1.56″ sensor size and 1.0µm pixels), already working on the OnePlus 2 and 2T. An 8 MP ultra-wide-angle lens, f/2.3 aperture and 120˚ field of view, as well as a not very usable 2 MP monochrome lens dedicated to depth of field, complete the device.

The same video capabilities are expected as on the older models, capturing in 4K at 30 frames per second or in 1080p at up to 120 frames per second. Doubts remain for the front camera responsible for selfies: will the OnePlus Nord 3 adopt the 32 MP sensor of the OnePlus Nord 2 and Nord 2T or switch to a 16 MP definition, but with a better diaphragm?

OnePlus Nord 3: Android yes, but with OxygenOS?

The future of OxygenOS has long been up in the air. After the absorption of OnePlus by OPPO (the two brands already belonged to the same consortium, but the development teams were getting closer), there was talk of eliminating the very popular OxygenOS, yet symbol of the brand’s smartphones and adored by the community . But the merger with OPPO’s ColorsOS eventually fell apart and OxygenOS development resumed with a vengeance.

The OnePlus Nord 3 will therefore benefit from an OxygenOS interface, more precisely from the version Oxygen OS 13.1 based on Android 13. Recently, OnePlus promised to provide 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security patches to its devices coming out in 2023, but we’re not yet sure if this promise will apply to models from the Nord range or only to devices from the premium range.