OnePlus Nord 3: Sorry, Galaxy and Pixel - Nothing can stop the new Android flagship-killer!

Mid-range Android phones have been on the rise in the past couple years, and while Samsung and Google have indeed contributed towards this popular segment of devices, it’s usually Chinese phone-makers that tend to push the envelope with some notable, flagship-like offerings at unbelievable prices.

Without a doubt, one of the most respected Chinese phone-makers in the international market is OnePlus. However, if you’re familiar with the company’s recent track record, you’d know that consistency and unmatched value aren’t exactly a given for the OG “flagship-killer” brand. But! I got a feeling you can scratch that off right now, or rather on July 5 when a phone called “OnePlus Nord 3” is expected to launch, and (quite likely) set a new standard for what a mid-range Android phone looks like in 2023-2024.

In case you aren’t familiar, the Nord series is to OnePlus what the “A” and “SE” series are to Samsung and Apple - in other words, their $300-500 mid-range line of phones. And while the original OnePlus Nord, OnePlus Nord 2, and OnePlus Nord 2T offered good price-performance value, the new OnePlus Nord 3 makes it look like vintage OnePlus is back but this time with a “mid-range killer”, which could take phones like the Pixel 7a and Galaxy A54 by surprise.

OnePlus Nord 3: The five star hotel of mid-range Android phones puts Pixel 7a and Galaxy A54 to shame with flagship design, display, camera, processor, and software support

It’s difficult to point out a single feature that stands out in the OnePlus Nord 3, and (thankfully) that’s because OnePlus really is coming in hot this time around. In fact, it might be easier to critique the leaked specs sheet and design of the phone as the weaknesses seem to boil down to a mediocre ultra-wide-angle camera and a lack of wireless charging and official IP rating for water-resistance. And that's if you care about any of those features, and I don't. Not at this price point, and considering the rest of the hardware in the Nord 3.

Of course, when talking about mid-range phones, cutting corners is expected but what’s important is to cut the right corners, and I think OnePlus might’ve nailed it here, as most people will find the Nord 3’s feature set incredibly appealing! Bear in mind, the leak we’re working with comes from someone who’s had the phone for a while and even unboxed it on camera, so the specs and features to expect should be pretty accurate…

• OnePlus Nord 3 Display: 6.74-inch AMOLED, refresh rate: 120Hz
• OnePlus Nord 3 Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 9000, RAM: 16GB, Storage: 256GB
• OnePlus Nord 3 Rear camera: 50MP (OIS) + 8MP + 2MP, front camera: 16MP
• OnePlus Nord 3 Battery and charging: 5,000mAh, 80W fast wired charging
• OnePlus Nord 3 Software and updates: Android 13; expected promise of at least 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security patches
• OnePlus Nord 3 Price: rumored to start at €450-550 in the EU, possibly $450-500 if available in the US

Google Pixel 7a and Samsung's Galaxy A54 can’t compete with the flagship-grade hardware in the OnePlus Nord 3

For starters, the 6.7-inch 120Hz display with up to 1,500 nits of the max brightness would make the Nord 3’s panel one of the best mid-range phone screens ever. Like ever ever. The cherry on top? We seem to have incredibly thin display borders all around, which make the Nord 3 look more premium than some $1,000 phones out there. In contrast (and that’s not a comparison), Google’s Pixel 7a boasts a pretty mediocre 90Hz OLED panel, while the Galaxy A54’s 120Hz screen is surrounded by some of the thickest bezels you’ll see in this price range.

Moving on to the camera, although it’s safe to assume the OnePlus Nord 3’s 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro cameras won’t wow anyone with great quality, OnePlus has concentrated on the primary 50MP camera, which is the exact same one used in the company’s flagship OnePlus 11. You can check out our OnePlus 11 review for samples but this is indeed a flagship-grade shooter, especially in combination with OnePlus’ expert software processing.