OnePlus Launches New Nord CE 3 Lite Mid-Ranger With Nord Buds 2

OnePlus diverted from its "Never Settle" strategy in 2020 when it launched its first Nord-branded mid-range smartphone. Since then, the company has witnessed several structural and ideological changes, and the extensive diversification of its Nord sub-brand is one of them. Today, the company has announced its newest addition to the series — the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite — along with a new pair of truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds.

OnePlus had officially revealed most of the Nord CE 3 Lite's specifications in the process of teasing it over the past few weeks. The phone is equipped with a 6.72-inch Full HD+ display, sporting a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, meaning the refresh rate of the display changes to synchronize with the frame rate of the content being displayed on the screen.

On the performance front, the Nord CE 3 Lite has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695, a mid-range 5G-enabled chipset. It packs in 8GB of RAM, with support for an additional 8GB of virtual RAM (reserved for very low-priority tasks), as well as 128 GB and 256 GB options for storage. Enhancing the experience is OxygenOS 13.1, OnePlus's latest software based on Android 13.

In terms of cameras, OnePlus is using a 108MP primary camera on the Nord CE 3 Lite — a first for any OnePlus phone. The sensor can capture 12MP shots with 9-in-1 pixel binning, allowing for brighter images with better clarity.

The Nord CE 3 Lite also features two more cameras on the back, but their details were not shared at the time of the launch. A previous leak suggests a 2MP depth sensor and another 2MP camera for macro photography. For selfies, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite uses a 16MP camera.

The phone sports a 5,000mAh battery, and OnePlus claims its 67W SuperVOOC fast charging technology can replenish 80% of the battery in just 30 minutes.

Lastly, the phone comes in Pastel Lime and Chromatic Gray color options. The 8GB/128GB OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite goes on sale starting on April 20 for 329 euros (around $360), available in Europe and select markets in Asia, but not the U.S. The 8GB/256GB variant will also only be available in India, UAE, and Asia Pacific regions.

Along with the Nord CE 3 Lite, OnePlus announced the Nord Buds 2, a pair of lightweight and truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds. They feature the same design as the earlier Nord Buds. The earbuds support Google's Fast Pair technology, along with Bluetooth 5.2. Some other features we expect to be carried over from the first generation include fast charging and an IP55 rating for protection against light rain and sweat. 

Like the first generation, these earbuds have large 12.4mm drivers and are designed for a sound profile with a dynamic bass boost using the same BassWave algorithm as the more premium OnePlus Buds Pro 2. In addition to the enhanced bass output, OnePlus claims the earbuds feature an added titanium layer over the diaphragm to refine the audio output.

The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 are available in black and white colors, and are on sale today for $59.99 on the OnePlus website.