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OnePlus Nord CE6 review: Almost everything you want in a mid-range smartphone
If battery and performance and even entertainment is what you are focusing on, the Nord CE6 is second to none. For camera lovers, it leaves you wanting more.
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The ₹30,000 smartphone market has always been a competitive one in India. Buyers today not only expect flagship-like designs, but they also expect bright AMOLED displays, selfie-ready cameras, long-lasting batteries, faster processors and decent software support all without stretching their budget. Brands have responded to this demand by packing their devices with big and flashy specifications. But the real challenge lies not just in packing all these features in a single device but ensuring that no one (or two features) overshadows others and that users get a fairly balanced experience. This is where the OnePlus Nord CE series comes in.
Since the launch of its first device back in 2021, the OnePlus Nord CE series has not only focused on being a more affordable version of the OnePlus Nord series, but also packing all the essential features at a more affordable price point. Over the years, the series has gained a reputation of getting the basics rights and making compromises in some other areas to keep prices in check.
However, OnePlus seems to have taken a slightly different approach with the launch of the OnePlus Nord CE6 this year. This smartphone focuses on being a reliable daily driver rather than offering balanced performance. Now the question remains: Is the OnePlus Nord CE6 the all-rounder that it claims to be or are there areas where it could have done better? We'll find that out in the detailed review below. So, keep reading. But before that, let's take a quick look at its specifications.
OnePlus Nord CE6 specifications
FEATURE | OnePlus Nord CE6 |
| Display | 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display |
| Build & Design | Glass body, Crystal Guard Glass in front, Gorilla Glass Victus+ at the back |
| Water/Dust Resistance | IP66, IP68, IP69, IP69K |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 |
| RAM & Storage | 8GB RAM, up to 256GB storage |
| Operating System | Android 16-based OxygenOS 16 |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Rear Camera | 50MP (primary) + 2MP (secondary) |
| Battery & Charging | 8000mAh with 80W SuperVOOC fast charging, reverse charging |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, Dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS |
| Security | Face unlock, in-display fingerprint sensor |
| Colours | Fresh Blue, Lunar Pearl and Pitch Black |
| Price | ₹35,999 (8GB + 128GB variant), ₹39,999 (8GB + 256GB variant) |
OnePlus Nord CE6 design: Simple and durable
Let’s start with the design. The OnePlus Nord CE6 doesn’t feature a design that is ‘dressed to impress’. Instead, it has a simplistic design that resembles the OnePlus Nord 6 and may seem a bit boring to some. And while it does lack any design flare, it’s elegant in its simplicity. We got the Pitch Black colour variant and it looks like the kind of device that can take a beating or two.
With its MIL-STD-810H military grade certification, and IP66, IP68, IP69, IP69K water and dust resistance, it might just be able to do that. What adds to the overall durability is the Crystal Guard Glass in the front and Gorilla Glass Victus+ at the back. Interestingly enough, the Nord CE6 doesn’t come with a glass back. Instead you get a polycarbonate back that gives a rather premium glass appeal.
Design aside, the OnePlus Nord CE6 is quite comfortable to use despite its tall construction. At 215g, it is a tad bit heavier but the even weight distribution makes it easier to use during longer durations. What I particularly like about this device is that it doesn’t attract any dust or smudge marks. Sure, you do get a silicon cover in the box. But you may opt out of using it simply as it adds more weight to the overall device like I did. Overall, the Nord CE6 is a simple smartphone, one you can rely on.
OnePlus Nord CE6 display: Bright and vibrant
Before we talk about our experience, let's walk you through all the details first. The OnePlus Nord CE6 comes with a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 2772 x 1272 pixels, up to 144Hz of screen refresh rate, up to 3,600 nits of peak brightness, and 100% DCI-P3.
Coming to the experience, display remains one of key focus areas of the Nord CE6 as the company has made noticeable improvements this year. For instance, the overall resolution has improved and so has the screen refresh rate. The company has also improved the peak brightness compared to last year's Nord CE5, which makes this phone a lot easier to use under the harsh Delhi sun. During my time with this phone, I spent a lot of time watching TV series and movies on Netflix and Hotstar and I must say that the presence of HDR10 made the experience quite enjoyable. The colours were sufficiently vibrant and the improved peak brightness levels meant that I could enjoy some of the most action-packed scenes without getting distracted by the ambient light. Additionally, the 144Hz screen refresh rate ensures fluid animations and smooth transitions.
Lastly, the in-display fingerprint sensor too does a good job at unlocking the device. It’s fairly fast and never misses a beat, which adds to the overall experience.
OnePlus Nord CE6 performance and software: Smooth and reliable
First let's talk about the software. The Nord CE6 ships with Android 16-based OxygenOS 16 and it promises to provide two years of OS updates and four years of security updates. On the experience front, this smartphone offers one of the more cleaner Android experiences in its price segment. It is one of few mid-budget smartphones that I have seen in recent times that has minimal bloatware. Just a few extra apps that you can easily delete. Overall, the interface feels lightweight and responsive.
In addition to the OS, you also get an entire suite of AI creative tools with this phone. These tools include features such as AI Portrait Glow, AI Perfect Shot, AI Eraser, AI Unblur, AI Reflection Eraser, AI Reframe and AI Detail Boost -- all of which work smoothly.
Now, let's talk about the performance part of things. The Nord CE6 is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset that is coupled with the Qualcomm Adreno 810 GPU. This CPU is coupled with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage space. Additionally it gets 5,000 mm2 of vapour cooling chamber for thermals. During my time with the device, it handled everyday tasks such as browsing, switching between multiple apps, video streaming, editing images, answering messages and emails and social media easily without any hiccups or lag. The phone didn't show any signs of slowing down or heating up even during the times of peak performance loads. The overall experience felt consistent and fluid.
Apart from this, the phone remained comfortable to hold even after prolonged usage, and features like Bypass Charging help minimise heat while gaming and charging simultaneously owing to the dedicated vapour cooling chamber.
OnePlus Nord CE6 camera: Reliable but not impressive
Camera is the one area where the Nord CE6 has made a compromise compared to the Nord CE5. The Nord CE6 retains the 50MP primary camera at the back but the sensor has been replaced with a smaller OmniVision OV50D40 CMOS sensor. This sensor supports optical image stabalisation (OIS) and electronic image stabalisation (EIS) features. The 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens from CE5 has been replaced by a 2MP secondary lens. Simply put, it's a less versatile setup compared to its predecessor. Despite the downgrade, the 50MP primary camera performs well in daylight and indoor lighting conditions.
In daylight, the camera captures detailed images with accurate colours, balanced dynamic range and fast shutter speeds. In indoor lighting conditions, the camera retains decent details. Though the colours can occasionally appear warmer than the actual image. In low-light conditions, the camera produces brighter images with decent sharpness, but finer details tend to soften. The absence of an ultra-wide camera is a noticeable compromise, especially when compared to rivals that offer greater shooting versatility. Here are some of the rear camera samples:
Coming to the front camera, this one has got a slight upgrade. The CE6 gets a 32MP selfie camera while its processor comes with a 16MP camera. In usage, the front camera is ideal for capturing Insta-ready selfies that capture both the colours and details perfectly, especially in the day-light conditions. Similarly, the images clicked in indoor lighting conditions and low-lighting conditions also retain respectable detail, although clarity is a case of hits and misses.
OnePlus Nord CE6 battery: Lasts all day long
Besides display and performance, battery is another area where the Nord CE6 has made significant advancements this year. To give you some context, the Nord CE5 that was launched last year arrived with a 7,100mAh battery and an 80W fast charger. The Nord CE6, on the other hand, comes with a bigger 8,000mAh battery with 80W fast charger, and 27W wired reverse charging feature. In experience, the battery comfortably powers this phone through a full day of heavy use, including video streaming, photography and navigation, with enough charge left to spare by bedtime. On moderate usage, users can easily stretch the battery life to a day and a half.
While the battery easily lasts an entire day, the 80W fast charger, which ships inside the box, juices up the device within minutes when needed. Overall, the Nord CE6 takes 1.5 hours to go from 0 to 100%.
OnePlus Nord CE6 review: Pros and Cons
Here’s what we liked in theOnePlus Nord CE6 and what could have been better:
Pros
- Vibrant AMOLED display
- Elegant and comfortable design
- Excellent battery life
- Reliable software
Cons
- Cameras could be better
OnePlus Nord CE6 review: Final thoughts
Overall, the OnePlus Nord CE6 is a balanced smartphone that has something for everyone - a vibrant display that beats the sun, a processor that handles toughest workloads with ease and a long battery life that will easily last you an entire. What adds to the overall package is an almost clean software and a sturdy design. Where it could have done better is in terms of the camera. Sure, the 50MP camera works wonderfully on its own but the lack of a wide-angle lens leaves you wanting for more. If battery and performance and even entertainment is what you are focusing on, the Nord CE6 is second to none. However, if your focus is also on the cameras then the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro and the iQOO Neo 10R are also worth considering.
2. Nothing Phone (3a) Lite (Black, 256 GB) (8 GB RAM)
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3. iQOO Neo 10 (Alpine White, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage) | Segment's Fastest Processor* with Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 & Supercomputing chip Q1 | 120W FlashCharge | Segment's Brightest AMOLED Display*
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