OnePlus Nord 4 vs OnePlus Nord 3: What's the difference, which one should you buy?

OnePlus wrapped off the OnePlus Nord 4 on Tuesday, succeeding the OnePlus Nord 3 from last year. The Nord 4 boasts a metal unibody design, a 120Hz OLED screen, and a new Snapdragon chipset. While you may think that the Nord 4 is evidently a good smartphone, you may want to reconsider your decision after knowing the price of its predecessor. The OnePlus Nord 3 recently received a price cut and you can buy it for around Rs 23,000. That said, is last year’s Nord 3 a better deal than the new Nord 4, or the latest Nord 4 is the right choice? We will try to answer the question in this specs comparison article, giving you a clear idea of what’s the best device for you.

OnePlus Nord 4 vs OnePlus Nord 3: Design and display

There’s no denying that the Nord 4 has a polarizing design, which means you either like it or you don’t. There’s no in-between. OnePlus has fully revamped the design of the Nord 4, making it a fresh choice for those looking for something new. It has a metal unibody construction that makes it premium and durable. The camera placement is horizontal this time. The older Nord 3, on the other hand, has a standard design with vertical camera placement. It has a glass back, which is again premium, however, prone to getting cracked.

As for the display, the screen size stays the same, i.e. a 6.74-inch Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and higher 2150 nits of peak brightness. It also has slimmer bezels than the Nord 3. The Nord 3 has a similar screen size of 6.74 inches with 1450 nits of park brightness. It also has Dragontrail Glass. OnePlus hasn’t confirmed the exact protection it has used on the Nord 4. However, interestingly, the Nord 4 gets 2160Hz PWM dimming mode, making it comfortable for your eyes.

Overall, the Nord 4 stands tall in the design and display segment. But of course, the design is subjective as always.

OnePlus Nord 4 vs OnePlus Nord 3: Cameras

In terms of the cameras, the Nord 4 on paper is indeed a downgrade as it gets only dual cameras – a 50MP Sony LYTIA-600 main lens and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The Nord 3 has a triple-rear camera system with a 50MP Sony IMX890 main lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro unit. The sensor used on the Nord 3 is more premium on paper and is well-tested. The LYTIA-600 with the new Snapdragon chipset that the Nord 4 has is yet to be tested, so we can’t say sure about the final camera output now.

Apart from that, the main lens on both phones has Optical Image Stabilization support, so you are sure to get a stabilized video with any of the phones. The front camera stays the same, i.e. a 16MP selfie snapper.

OnePlus Nord 4 vs OnePlus Nord 3: Performance

Coming to the performance bit, the OnePlus Nord 4 is powered by a 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.  The Nord 3 packs a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 9000 chipset coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Since the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 SoC is a new chipset, it has yet to be properly tested. However, on paper, the Snapdragon chip performs exceptionally. It manages to reach around 14 lakh points on AnTuTu, as opposed to around 10 lakh AnTuTu points of  Nord 3.

In terms of the battery, the Nord 4 marches ahead with a massive 5,500mAh battery with 100W fast charging. The device can offer a full charge in around half an hour. The Nord 3 houses a slightly smaller 5,000mAh cell and has 80W fast charging. The Nord 4 has Android 14 and is eligible to receive 4 years of OS and 6 years of security updates, as opposed to the Nord 3, which has Android 13 out of the box and supports 3 years of OS and 4 years of security updates.

What’s the best device for you?

Overall, the OnePlus Nord 4 is a better device when compared to the OnePlus Nord 3. It has a refreshed design, new chipset, bigger battery, fast charging, and the latest operating system with more years of software support. As for the pricing, the Nord 4 starts at Rs 29,999, whereas, the Nord 3 can be purchased for around Rs 23,000 to Rs 24,000 right now. If you can grab last year’s Nord 3 at around Rs 20,000, you can save Rs 10,000, making it a value for money deal. But if you have the budget and can spend anywhere around Rs 30,000, the latest Nord 4 is a better deal. You can perhaps also look at some of its alternatives in the range.