OnePlus is introducing a brand new smartphone to its midrange Nord lineup immediately, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite. It’s received a horrible title however some attention-grabbing specs contemplating its comparatively reasonably priced €329 (£299) value level. It’ll be obtainable on the market in Europe on April twentieth and also will be bought in choose markets throughout Asia however not the US.

There’s additionally a brand new pair of Nord-branded true wi-fi earbuds which are happening sale immediately known as the OnePlus Nord Buds 2. They’ll be obtainable within the US along with European and Asian markets.

Top of the Nord CE 3 Lite’s record of eye-catching inclusions is the 108-megapixel sensor in its important digicam. That’s the identical decision (although not the identical precise {hardware}) as what Samsung included in its top-of-the-line flagship Galaxy S20 Ultra in 2020, although the corporate has since gone on to incorporate a 200-megapixel sensor in this year’s flagship. Obviously, megapixels are removed from the be-all and end-all of digicam high quality, however high-resolution sensors are more than just a marketing gimmick.

The second spec value listening to is the Nord CE 3 Lite’s fast-charging speeds, which go as much as 67W. That’s sufficient to cost its 5,000mAh battery to 80 % in half-hour, which isn’t too shabby at this value level. It’s a bit of over double the 33W quick charging supplied by final yr’s Nord CE 2 Lite, and it’s even larger than the 65W supplied by final yr’s step-up mannequin, the OnePlus Nord CE 2.

If you assume the naming of OnePlus’ Nord lineup is getting a bit complicated, I don’t blame you. In Europe at the least, the vary now consists of three tiers, the usual numbered Nord (like the unique Nord, Nord 2, and Nord 2T), the step-down Nord “Core Edition,” or CE, after which the much more reasonably priced “CE Lite” gadgets. Meanwhile, US Nord gadgets get a special naming scheme that leads to gadgets just like the Nord N300 and Nord N20. “OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite,” as a reputation, is only a mess, particularly since most individuals received’t have that background.

Anyway, again to the Nord CE 3 Lite (whose title is technically the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, however come on). It’s powered by a midrange Snapdragon 695 processor with 8GB of RAM and, in Europe, comes with 128GB of storage. There’s additionally microSD assist for as much as 1TB playing cards. Although it’s technically received a triple digicam setup, the secondary cameras are a much less thrilling two-megapixel macro and two-megapixel depth help. OnePlus says the decision of the principle sensor means it could actually supply a “3x lossless zoom” without having a separate telephoto lens. It’s obtainable in grey or lime inexperienced, and can get two years of Android software program updates plus an extra yr of safety updates.

The Nord CE 3 Lite comes with a headphone jack, however there are additionally stereo audio system outfitted with expertise that lets them “be increased up to 200 percent,” in keeping with OnePlus. It sounds about as absurd as Spinal Tap’s notorious amps that turn up to 11. Apparently, this declare refers back to the optimizations OnePlus has finished to double the perceived loudness of the Nord CE 3 Lite’s speaker {hardware}. Over on the visible aspect, the Nord CE 3 Lite’s LCD display screen is 6.72 inches in measurement, with a 1080p decision and a 120Hz refresh charge.

Alongside the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, OnePlus has additionally introduced a follow-up to final yr’s OnePlus Nord Buds known as the OnePlus Nord Buds 2. The large new function right here is assist for energetic noise cancellation. The Nord 2 earbuds can be found immediately throughout each the US and Europe priced at $59 / €69 / £69, which is a slight value bump from the $39 / €49 / £49 pricing final time round.

Outside of ANC, the Nord Buds 2 supply an identical set of options to the unique Nord Buds. You get 5 hours of battery life from the buds themselves with ANC on, rising to 27 together with the case. Turn ANC off, and also you get seven hours from the buds (identical as final time) or 36 together with the case (up from 30 hours). There’s an IP55 score for mud and water resistance, and the buds can be found in grey or white.

While OnePlus’ latest flagship telephones have been a bit hit or miss, its Nord lineup has been strong, with flaws which are extra forgivable at their midrange value factors. I’ll have an interest to see if the Nord CE 3 Lite continues this development.