Despite looking busier than ever on the product release front, with everything from high-end and ultra-high-end handsets to first-of-a-kind tablets, premium earbuds, and respectable mid-end phones unveiled just in the last few months, OnePlus has yet to roll out a direct sequel to the incredibly well-reviewed and presumably popular Nord 2 5G from all the way back in 2021.
Such a follow-up effort for the reasonably priced 6.43-inch mid-ranger was naturally in the rumor mill last year, at one point disappearing without a trace before returning (in undoubtedly revised form) just a few weeks ago.
Big improvements and a still-distant launch timeline
The OnePlus Nord 3 5G is now expected to see daylight (at last!) around the world "between mid-June and July" 2023 by none other than Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka @OnLeaks) and the folks over at MySmartPrice.
This mobile tech-leaking collaboration, like most other such affairs involving Steve H., has proven reliable more than once in the past, giving us no reason whatsoever to doubt the accuracy of the latest report.
The Nord 3 could well resemble the Nord 2 (pictured here) while sporting a considerably larger screen.
Of course, nothing's official until... it's official, so for the time being, it's probably wise to view the "full" rumored specifications of the Nord 3 (and the aforementioned possible launch window) with a healthy degree of caution. If everything does indeed prove accurate, we're looking at a pretty mighty future contender for the title of best mid-range phone out there with a massive 6.72-inch screen in tow and a fittingly large 5,000mAh battery under the hood capable of charging at up to 80W speeds.
The jumbo-sized display is reportedly of the high-quality AMOLED variety, sporting Full HD+ resolution (just like the smaller Nord 2) and 120Hz refresh rate technology (unlike the 90Hz-only Nord 2).
The 80-watt charging support, meanwhile, is "borrowed" from the US version of the OnePlus 11 flagship, with the Dimensity 9000 processor purportedly running the whole Nord 3 performance show obviously sounding extremely likely to provide a huge raw power upgrade over the Dimensity 1200 inside 2021's Nord 2.
Other details and a few key unanswered questions
After so many remarkable improvements, you shouldn't really be shocked to hear that the 50 + 8 + 2MP triple rear-facing camera system could go virtually unchanged, and at least in terms of megapixels, the single selfie shooter looks set for a downgrade from 32 to 16MP.
Adding to the power of the Dimensity 9000 SoC, the OnePlus Nord 3 is tipped to pack as much as 16 gigs of RAM and 256 gigs of internal storage space while predictably starting at a slightly humbler 8 and 128GB respectively.
The Nord 3 is not the same thing as the Nord CE 3 (depicted here in leaked renders).
Last but certainly not least for hardcore OnePlus fans, the Nord 2's handy alert slider is unsurprisingly not expected to go anywhere, although that's really pretty much all we currently "know" about the Nord 3 design.
This model, by the way, is not to be confused with the Nord CE 3 5G, which will likely go official before the summer sporting a similar but decidedly inferior 6.7-inch IPS LCD panel with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate capabilities, as well as a Snapdragon 695 processor, up to 12GB RAM, a 5,000mAh battery with 67W charging speeds, and a triple rear-facing camera setup headlined by an impressive-sounding 108MP sensor.
Will the two upcoming Nord-branded devices also bid for the title of best budget phone in 2023? That obviously depends (a lot) on their recommended price points, which are not yet etched in stone.
For reference, the OnePlus Nord 2 5G used to cost €399 in an entry-level configuration in Europe while unfortunately never reaching US stores. It's clearly premature to make any firm projections, but both of those things could be true for the Nord 3 this summer as well.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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