OnePlus Nord 3: Here's Everything We Know So Far

Nearly two years after it was announced, it has become evident that the OnePlus Nord lineup has had a fair amount of success. Even though OnePlus did not launch the original Nord devices in the U.S. and instead gave us watered-down (read: unexciting) models like the Nord N10 and the N100, the rest of the world has been luckier in this regard. Markets like India, China, and Europe have seen excellent devices like the original OnePlus Nord, the Nord CE, and the OnePlus Nord 2.

For those unaware, OnePlus announced the "original," first-generation OnePlus Nord back in July 2020 and followed it up with its successor, the OnePlus Nord 2, exactly a year later. With July 2022 fast approaching, it was about time we started hearing about the OnePlus Nord 3 as well.

And that is precisely what happened on March 17, 2022, when famous Chinese leaker DigitalChat Station posted the first-ever details of what he claims to be the OnePlus Nord 3. Our eagle-eyed friends at GSMArena scooped up the details from the original Chinese post and revealed several things surrounding the OnePlus Nord 3.

Here's what we know about the OnePlus Nord 3 so far.

Initial indications are that the OnePlus Nord 3 is likely to be a much larger device compared to its predecessor. The 2022 iteration of the phone is rumored to feature a 6.7-inch display — which is quite a bit bigger than the 6.43-inch display on the OnePlus Nord 2. While we do not know the display type yet, we assume it will be an AMOLED panel. The leak does mention support for a 120Hz refresh rate, though. For comparison, the OnePlus Nord 2 features a 90Hz display. And, lest we forget, the phone is also rumored to integrate an under-display fingerprint scanner.

Normally, an increase in the overall size also translates to a bigger battery. However, initial reports seem to indicate that isn't the case with the OnePlus Nord 3. Instead, the phone is likely to retain the same 4,500 mAh battery we saw on the Nord 2. What is expected to change, however, is the charging speed. Digital Chat Station claims that the OnePlus Nord 3 will support 150W fast charging — making the OnePlus Nord 2 leap ahead of even the flagship OnePlus 10 series in this aspect. What we do not know yet is if OnePlus will ship the phone with a 150W charger in the box.

The OnePlus Nord could be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset — a relatively new 5nm SoC that could power many affordable flagship smartphones in 2022. While the OnePlus Nord 2 could be offered in 6GB and 8GB RAM options, there seems to be a top-end variant that may feature 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.

The OnePlus Nord series is not traditionally known for its camera prowess, but the devices from this range have been capable of capturing perfectly usable, good-quality photos. And this trend is likely to continue with the OnePlus Nord 2.

Initial leaks suggest that the OnePlus Nord 3 will feature identical camera hardware as the existing OnePlus Nord 2. This includes a 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor for the primary camera mated to an f/1.8 lens, a secondary 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP monochrome camera. The front-facing camera supposedly sees a downgrade in terms of resolution — going from 32MP on the Nord 2 to 16MP on the Nord 3.

Needless to say, we have serious doubts about these initial camera specs.

Given the success of the OnePlus Nord 2, there is a good chance that OnePlus has every intention to launch the OnePlus Nord 2. As far as the leaked specifications are concerned, we think it is still too early to for us to talk about these at least until the first leaked renders of the phone are out. While there is a chance of OnePlus opting to make the 2022 OnePlus Nord bigger in size, we doubt if the company will keep the camera hardware on the 2022 iteration identical to that of its predecessor. 

We shall, of course, be tracking the journey of the OnePlus Nord 3 and update this article as and when more information about the phone emerges.