OnePlus Nord CE5 Review & Comparison vs Nothing Phone 3a - Best Phone Under Rs 25,000?

Summary

In this detailed review and comparison of the OnePlus Nord CE5 and the Nothing Phone 3A, Ashad from Track and Tech English breaks down key features such as design, performance, battery life, display, cameras, software, and overall value. The Nord CE5 offers superior performance, battery life, and video recording, while the Nothing Phone 3A excels in design, camera hardware, and clean software. Ultimately, Ashad leans toward the Nord CE5 for its future-proof performance, making it the better choice for users prioritizing longevity and power. Both phones have unique strengths, catering to different user needs.

Takeaways

• 😀 The OnePlus Nord CE5 offers a significant upgrade over its predecessor with better design, performance, and battery life.
• 😀 The Nothing Phone 3A has a premium design with a glass back and is more stylish compared to the all-plastic Nord CE5.
• 😀 The Nord CE5 is thinner and more compact despite having a larger 7,100 mAh battery, while the Nothing Phone 3A has a 5,000 mAh battery.
• 😀 Performance-wise, the Nord CE5 is faster with a MediaTek Dimensity 8350, LPDDR 5X RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage, outperforming the Nothing Phone 3A's Snapdragon 7S Gen 3.
• 😀 Battery life on the Nord CE5 is better, offering up to 12.5 hours of screen-on time, compared to the 8.5 hours of the Nothing Phone 3A.
• 😀 The Nord CE5 charges faster, with an included 80W charger that charges the 7,100 mAh battery in 65 minutes, while the Nothing Phone 3A requires a separately purchased charger.
• 😀 The display on both phones is similar in terms of resolution and refresh rate, but the Nord CE5 excels in HDR performance and Netflix HDR support.
• 😀 The Nothing Phone 3A features superior stereo speakers and better haptic feedback, while the Nord CE5 has a mono speaker and lacks an X-axis linear motor.
• 😀 Camera-wise, the Nothing Phone 3A excels in detail retention, low-light performance, and color accuracy, but the Nord CE5 outperforms in video recording and selfies.
• 😀 Both phones offer solid software experiences, but Oxygen OS on the Nord CE5 offers more AI features and modern animations compared to the cleaner, minimalist Nothing OS.

Q & A

What are the key design differences between the OnePlus Nord CE5 and the Nothing Phone 3A?

The OnePlus Nord CE5 has a plastic build with a matte frosted finish, whereas the Nothing Phone 3A features a premium glass back and a plastic frame. The 3A also has a unique transparent back with glyph lights, while the CE5 uses a simpler design.

How does the battery life of the OnePlus Nord CE5 compare to the Nothing Phone 3A?

The OnePlus Nord CE5 has a significantly larger 7,100 mAh battery, offering 12.5 hours of screen-on time in testing. In contrast, the Nothing Phone 3A has a 5,000 mAh battery, with around 8.5 hours of screen-on time.

Which phone has better performance in terms of benchmarks and real-world usage?

The OnePlus Nord CE5 outperforms the Nothing Phone 3A in benchmark scores, with higher processing power due to its MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chip, LPDDR 5X RAM, and UFS 3.1 storage. However, in specific gaming tests like Genshin Impact, the 3A offers more stability.

What is the difference in camera hardware between the two phones?

The Nothing Phone 3A has a triple camera setup, including a telephoto lens, while the OnePlus Nord CE5 only has a dual-camera setup. The 3A also features a 32 MP selfie camera, compared to the CE5's 16 MP.

Which phone has a better display?

Both phones have AMOLED displays with 120 Hz refresh rates. The Nothing Phone 3A has higher HDR peak brightness, but the OnePlus Nord CE5 offers better HDR tuning and is superior for HDR content, supporting Netflix HDR, which the 3A does not.

What are the main software differences between the OnePlus Nord CE5 and the Nothing Phone 3A?

The OnePlus Nord CE5 runs Oxygen OS 15 with modern features like AI tools for photography, parallel animations, and more customization options. The Nothing Phone 3A runs Nothing OS, which offers a clean, bloatware-free experience, but lacks the AI features of Oxygen OS.

How do the speakers on both phones compare?

The Nothing Phone 3A features a stereo speaker setup, providing better sound quality compared to the mono speaker on the OnePlus Nord CE5.

Which phone is better for video recording?

The OnePlus Nord CE5 supports 4K 60 fps video recording, while the Nothing Phone 3A is limited to 4K 30 fps. The CE5 also delivers superior video quality, with better detail retention in both daylight and low light conditions.

Does either phone offer NFC support?

No, the OnePlus Nord CE5 lacks NFC support, while the Nothing Phone 3A includes it.

Which phone is better for users focused on design and camera performance?

The Nothing Phone 3A is better for users who prioritize design, with its unique transparent back and stylish look, along with superior camera performance. It excels in photography, particularly in detail retention, while the OnePlus Nord CE5 is more focused on performance and battery life.