OnePlus Nord CE4 hands-on review

Camera

The Nord CE4 has a dual camera system on the back consisting of a 50MP Sony LYT600 wide and an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultra-wide. Fortunately, there are no gimmicky 2MP macro cameras here but consequently, there is no macro capture on this phone at all.

The camera app is a simplified version of what you get on the more expensive models. There is no Hasselblad branding and some of the related features are missing. Also missing are RAW and 10-bit capture. The JPEG/HEIF files are captured in standard 8-bit with P3 color.

Camera app

Starting with the image quality, the main camera impresses with pleasing colors and good detail. Dynamic range is also good as is the white balancing. There's not much to complain about with this camera.

12.5MP main camera

The phone offers a 50MP Hi-Res mode but these are simply the 12.5MP images that are upscaled. There's not much point shooting in this mode as there's no additional detail to obtain.

Similarly, the digital zoom produces subpar results. 2x is usable as long as you don't pinch in but any higher and the quality is visibly poor even on the phone's display.

2x digital zoom main camera

Moving on to the ultra-wide, you get worse detail, worse dynamic range, and worse color reproduction compared to the main camera. The images are still usable but are a notable step down in quality.

8MP ultra-wide camera

When it comes to video, the Nord CE4 can capture up to 4K at 30fps on the main camera and 1080p at 30fps on the ultra-wide. Electronic stabilization is only available at 1080p resolution. There is also a dedicated Ultra Steady mode for further stabilization.

The 4K 30fps footage is richly detailed but terribly shaky as you are only dealing with optical stabilization. This mode is only usable for stabilized recording and shouldn't be used in motion.

The 1080p 30fps footage is much more stable but lacks detail. There is also a minor jello-like shake in the footage at times as it jiggles things around to stabilize it. You also get a heavy crop over the unstabilized 4K mode to the point where it almost feels like a 2x zoom.

The ultra-wide is softer still, and while it is digitally stabilized, it lacks optical stabilization, and the result is notable jitter in the footage.

Lastly, there is the Ultra Steady footage, which is captured on the main camera in a fixed 1080p 60fps mode. This mode has an even more aggressive crop, to the point where you're almost at 3x zoom on the 4K footage. The upside is the best stabilization the phone has to offer.

Conclusion

The Nord CE4 is a somewhat unexciting launch from OnePlus. The truly standout feature is the 100W charging, which is mind-bendingly quick. The only other thing that stuck out to us was the quality of the main camera, which was impressive.

That aside, the phone does little to win you over. It's mostly fine in every other area but has some notable issues that hold it back. The design could have been more interesting if the back didn't feel so plasticky. The display could have been better if it was brighter or better calibrated. The software experience would have been nicer if it wasn't kneecapped by a two major update policy.

The Nord CE4 starts at INR 24,999. Considering the competition, such as the newly launched Nothing Phone (2a), the CE4 doesn't do enough to establish its dominance. If charging speed is your biggest criterion then the Nord CE4 might be the pick but if you value design, display, and software then the Phone (2a) is the superior choice.