Last year OnePlus Nord 3 5G was one of the most interesting devices in my opinion because it was sold at an affordable price but it still came with interesting specifications. After reviewing the OnePlus Nord 4 for two weeks I can say that this device with up to 28GB of RAM still repeats the greatness of last year's device with a few minor changes.
SPECIFICATIONS
OnePlus Nord 3 5G
6.74″ Fluid AMOLED screen
FHD+, 120Hz, HDR10+
Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor (4nm)
1 X 2.8 GHz Cortex X4 chip
4 X 2.6 GHz Cortex A720
3 X 1.9 GHz Cortex A520
Adreno 732 Graphics Chip
RAM 16GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 512GB UFS 4.0
Main Camera 50MP f/1.8 OIS (Wide Angle)
8MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide Angle)
4K 60p
Selfie Camera 16 Megapixel f/2.4
5500 mAh battery
100W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof IP65
Scan System Under-screen fingerprint scanner
Sale Price RM 2599 (16/512GB)
SCREEN
The 6.74″ screen is of Fluid AMOLED type with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz support. It is not of the LTPO type but the refresh rate can change dynamically between 40-120Hz depending on the application. In terms of durability, the screen is of the Panda Glass type which is different from last year's Dragontrail technology.
Despite being advertised with a 120Hz screen, in 90% of situations the screen only operates at a 90Hz refresh rate. The screen is only in 120Hz mode when on the home page and certain OnePlus apps. This is through auto settings. The device can still be forced to use 120Hz mode all the time but this will consume battery.
I don't know much about Panda Glass but after two weeks the screen glass is still not scratched even after being scratched a few times with the car keys in the pocket. It can display HDR10+ content and HD resolution throughout the review period it is officially supported on Netflix and Prime Video apps. A little disappointing there is no Dolby Vision support on this device.
The description and viewing angle of the screen are satisfactory. Under bright sunlight, content isn't as bright on larger screens like the S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max. But all the shortcomings I mentioned above can be forgiven when considering the selling price of the Nord 4.
FINGERPRINT SCANNER
The fingerprint scanner is built under the screen but its position is quite low because it is right near the bezel on the chin of the screen. It is of optical type but still quite fast with unlocking can be done almost in an instant. As usual there is also an option to scan using the face.
DESIGN
The body design is the same as the Nord 3 where the sides are made of metal and are flat. Only the back panel is slightly different as the majority is made of metal with only the top being made of glass. This results in a two-tone design that looks interesting with the illusion of the metal parts having a wavy effect. But don't be fooled because it's still flat to ensure it's comfortable in the user's hand.
The two camera humps are not so tall that they are surrounded by metal rings. Because the device does not tip badly when placed on the table. This year the cameras are arranged horizontally and no longer horizontally. It looks a bit strange and I think the Nord 3 camera arrangement looks more beautiful.
There is a drop-down button to turn notifications off and on and activate vibration only mode. This is a tradition OnePlus still maintains. On the right side there is an audio and power adjustment button made of metal. Its solid build ensures the Nord 4 doesn't feel like a cheap device.
At the top there is a microphone hole, a speaker hole and an infrared transmitter allowing the device to be used as a remote control. Meanwhile, at the bottom there is a USB-C charging port, a speaker hole and a tray for dual nano SIMs. There is no space for a micro SD card so the device storage cannot be increased.
The device is very comfortable in the hand, the metal frame finish taps and the back panel is not slippery when compared to glass paneled devices. The use of metal materials also avoids the issue of the body of the device quickly looking dirty due to trapping fingerprints. Another improvement that OnePlus has made is that this year the Nord 4 passes the better IP65 standard compared to only IP54 on the Nord 3.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE – OxygenOS 14.1
OxygenOS 14.1 is used with it based on Android 14. New version but when I look at screenshot of OxygenOS 13.1 no major changes can be seen. Still using a minimalist design that is easy to understand and use even without a manual. I have no issue with the interface not having major changes but I know there are some readers who feel that changes need to be made so that the interface doesn't look boring.
During the two weeks of use I did not experience any issues. Everything is fast and smooth helped by the large size of 16GB of RAM and a powerful processor. If you feel that 16GB is still not enough, the RAM Expansion feature can add up to 12GB more RAM virtually. This phone can have up to 28GB of RAM like the Nord 3.
I feel the basic 16GB of memory provided is more than enough. Active installation is also fast due to the memory usage of the UFS 4.0 type used on Android 2024 flagship devices.
For those looking for extra value there is Kid's Mode, Zen Mode, O Relax, Smart Sidebar, Simple Mode, various quick gestures and one-handed mode. No 2024 device is complete if artificial intelligence (AI) features are not included. The most interesting feature is that audio recording applications can produce long audio transcripts and summaries within seconds. Very useful for those who may not have time to re-listen to a long recording of an interview.
AI Writer provides writing recommendations with Concise, Detailed and Polite tones that can be chosen by the user. AI Eraser automatically edits the image based on the area to be deleted. The system is still not perfect because sometimes the AI generated parts look a little weird. It is most compatible used to delete people and vehicles. When a large area is selected the generated object looks a bit fake.
AI Speak will read the web page open on the device. Don't know why this feature is labeled "AI" when it's just a normal screen reading feature. Finally is the AI Summary which summarizes the articles opened in the web browser. The process of creating a summary takes a few seconds with important topics listed for ease of understanding.
The Nord4 will be given four Android version updates and six years of security patches. This is good long-term support for a mid-range device.
BENCHMARK – Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3
The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chip is a flagship mid-range chip equipped with the same Cortex X4 core as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. So it has relatively high processing capabilities.
I have already done the usual benchmark tests which are Geekbench 6, Antutu 3D and 3D Mark. The test results are as below. We compare it with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chips (OnePlus 11), Tensor G4 (Pixel 9 Pro XL), Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 (Vivi V40 Pro), Dimensity 8300 Ultra (Poco X6 Pro), and Dimensity 7350 Pro (Nothing Phone ( 2a) Plus).
Antutu 3D
OnePlus Nord 4 – 1,049,461
Vivo V40 Pro -1,524,100
Poco X6 Pro – 1,199,162
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus – 774,822
OnePlus 11 – 1,104,135
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL – 1,016,712
Geekbench 6
OnePlus Nord 4 – 1384/3932
Vivo V40 Pro – 1798/5177
Poco X6 Pro – 1311/4033
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus – 1175/2604
OnePlus 11 – 1495/4805
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL – 1916/4644
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
OnePlus Nord 4 – 2713
Vivo V40 Pro – 3,824
Poco X6 Pro – 2,053
Nothing Phone (2a) Plus – 1172
OnePlus 11 – 3712
Google Pixel 9 Pro XL – 2567
The score recorded is quite high as it is better than the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and only slightly lower than the OnePlus 11. The majority of titles such as COD Mobile, Diablo Immortal and Asphalt 9 can be run at high graphics settings and resolutions. Only heavier games like COD Warzone Mobile and Genshin Impact cannot be played at the highest settings with a stable frame rate.
TELEPHONY And GPS
We can enjoy the 5G network with speeds reaching 1.4 Gbps in tests conducted using the CelcomDigi network. Cellular calls sound particularly clear through VoLTE and VoWiFi. As many as two nano-sized 5G SIMs can be used on the device simultaneously. The WiFi performance is also fast with support up to WiFi 6. The GPS performance also does not disappoint with the location being tracked in the application in just a few seconds.
CAMERA
The main camera system on the back only consists of a 50MP wide-angle lens with OIS, and an 8MP ultra-angle. On the front, a 16MP sensor is used for the selfie camera. The main 50MP sensor on the back is the Sony Lytia LYT-600 sensor replacing the Sony IMX890 sensor on the Nord 3. This year's sensor is smaller even though it's newer. No more macro sensor on the back. I'm not lamenting the loss of the macro sensor because last year it was a feature I felt was gimmicky due to poor image quality.
The camera capabilities are excellent with vivid color reproduction, sharp images and a fast working camera. With OIS, images always look sharp especially in night mode. But I noticed the color reproduction and night mode looked more alive on the Nord 3. The LYT-600 sensor is partly the reason why this happened.
The ultra-wide-angle photos are just satisfactory because the sensor size is only 8MP. For good picture quality I recommend using a wide angle camera only.
Zoom performance is average with image quality still quite good up to 5X zoom. Below are sample images at 1X, 2X, 10x and 20X zoom settings.
BATTERY
The 5500 mAh battery is huge for a mid-range device. In normal use I find the Nord 4 can last all day. If the charger is unplugged in the morning before leaving for the office, there is still around 15-20% battery before I go to bed around 11pm. This is a very good battery life.
Even better is that 80W charging allows the battery to be fully charged from 0-100% in just 30 minutes. It's a shame that OnePlus Malaysia doesn't offer a charger in the box because it only provides a USB-A to USB-C cable.
AUDIO
Audio from the stereo speakers is assisted by the OReality audio system. This is a change that may be less popular because the Nord 3 still has Dolby Atmos support. The sound produced is balanced because there are speaker holes shooting to the sides on the top and bottom. Overall the speaker quality is satisfactory.
IN THE BOX
Here is what is received in the box with purchase.
1x OnePlus Nord 3 5G
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
CONCLUSION
The OnePlus Nord 4 is a device that brings us more positive changes than negatives compared to the Nord 3. I like the more powerful processor, the camera without the macro gimmick lens, the more durable battery and the faster charging. The use of a metal body is also better because it does not trap dirt coupled with the ability to resist water and dust to IP65.
But changes also come with a smaller camera sensor on a wide-angle lens and an audio system that now no longer has Dolby Atmos. I'm also less fond of the camera arrangement which is now horizontal instead of vertical. It looks less beautiful compared to the Nord 3. Finally the device is now more expensive at RM2599 but with double the storage compared to the Nord 3.
Pro
Smooth 120Hz AMOLED screen.
The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is a powerful mid-range chip.
The size of 16GB RAM can be increased to 28GB virtually.
100W fast charging.
IP65 waterproof and dustproof.
Support 4 Android versions and 6 years of security patches.
Cons
The horizontal camera arrangement is less interesting.
No more Dolby Atmos.
In most situations the screen is just 90Hz.
No charger in the box.