The Nord CE6 doesn't look in any way special at first glance, but that's actually a good thing. | Image by OnePlus
If you needed more evidence those recent reports of OnePlus' imminent death were greatly exaggerated, the company has been building buzz for the last week or so on social media around not one and not two but three exciting new products scheduled to be released in May.
How could you not get excited over these key Nord CE6 features?
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor;
AMOLED display with 1.5K resolution and 144Hz refresh rate technology;
8,000mAh battery;
27W reverse charging support;
IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K water and dust resistance;
MIL-STD-810H durability;
Black, blue, and silver color options.
Yes, that product name is unnecessarily convoluted and instantly forgettable. But that's (in part, at least) because the OnePlus Nord 6 is already a thing, and the Nord CE6 needed a way to distinguish itself from its slightly more advanced "cousin."
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There are no prizes for guessing what the Nord CE6's number one selling point will be. | Image by OnePlus
The somewhat confusing moniker, of course, is not the only distinguishing characteristic between the two devices, as the "regular" Nord 6 packs a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC and a monstrous 9,000mAh cell. The slightly smaller battery and lower-end chipset, however, will undoubtedly allow the Nord CE6 to be even cheaper while rocking a similarly impressive screen, remarkably robust (and somehow also stylish) design, and incredibly fast reverse charging technology.
How important is a phone's battery capacity for you?
Keep in mind that the actual charging capabilities of this fast-approaching budget 5G phone haven't been revealed just yet, and curiously enough, the same goes for things like screen size, camera details, storage variants, and memory options.
We know even less about the Nord CE6 Lite
MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Apex processor;
144Hz refresh rate-capable screen;
7,000mAh battery.
Yes, those are the only confirmed details of the Nord CE6's humbler brother at the time of this writing, but they're certainly enough to build a little hype among the brand's most cash-strapped India-based fans.
Do you really need anything else to look forward to the presumably dirt-cheap Nord CE6 Lite? | Image by OnePlus
After all, there aren't a lot of ultra-affordable handsets in the region (or anywhere else, for that matter) that look as premium at first glance as the OnePlus Nord CE6 Lite. Or that come with silky smooth displays capable of refreshing your content at a blazing fast 144Hz rate.
MediaTek's Dimensity 7400 processor, meanwhile, is currently found inside the likes of Motorola's Edge 60, Edge (2025), Razr 60, and Razr (2025), as well as the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G, and OnePlus actually plans to use an "Apex" version that will probably leave all those phones in the dust in terms of raw power. Oh, and the 7,000mAh battery promises "up to two days" of endurance between (undoubtedly fast) charges, which is pretty awesome... especially for the Nord CE6 Lite's expected price tag.
How much will the two new OnePlus phones cost, and when are they debuting?
For the time being, I can only answer one of those questions and venture some educated (I like to think) guesses for the other one. The Nord CE6 and Nord CE6 Lite are officially scheduled to launch May 7 in India, which means their regional shipments will probably kick off a few days after that date.
The Nord CE6 and Nord CE6 Lite are virtually guaranteed to be ultra-affordable and... even more affordable. | Image by OnePlus
As far as pricing is concerned, I can guarantee that the Nord 6 will be costlier than both these upcoming additions to that popular line of OnePlus mid-rangers, and that recently released model typically starts at a pretty affordable Rs. 38,999 ($416).
Because last year's Nord CE5 normally costs 24,999 rupees ($267) and up, I'd expect the Nord CE6 to start there or thereabouts as well, with the Nord CE6 Lite obviously set to be even cheaper. Unfortunately, US availability is pretty much out of the question for both new devices, and for now, there are no words on a European release either.
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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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