OnePlus started 2023 in a good way with its latest flagship, the OnePlus 11. We also got a Nord phone after that in the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite. However, we didn’t get a proper successor to the OnePlus Nord 2 that came out back in 2021. The company FINALLY brings us that very successor in 2023! I’m here to share my OnePlus Nord 3 unboxing and first impressions less than 24 hours since I got the phone!
Disclaimer: OnePlus Philippines sent me the OnePlus Nord 3 in Misty Green with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. As mentioned earlier, I’ve had the phone for less than 24 hours. I intend to use the Nord 3 as my main Android phone throughout the review process.
Unboxing Experience
It’s actually the first time I’ve used a phone from the OnePlus Nord line. Honestly speaking, I’m glad that this is my first exposure to the line because it feels a lot more premium than what its segment suggests. It does come with the usual goodies that typically come with the phone (charger, cable, SIM ejector tool).
It’s nice to see this letter inside the box. Since it has been 2 years since the last Nord, the company added this letter to tell the story of the inspiration behind the Nord 3. Based on what I’m seeing so far with the phone, I think it was worth the wait.
A Nord Full of Goodness!
Holding the OnePlus Nord 3 doesn’t give me the usual midrange vibes. (Only one other upper-midrange phone gave me the same kind of vibes.) Even that phone doesn’t have the famous alert slider that we come to know and love from OnePlus. While this phone does have flat sides, it still manages to have a curved back. This is honestly the best of both worlds from a design and build perspective.
Smooth as Butter
Another thing that really impressed me is how smooth the user experience is. That all starts with its 6.78-inch 120Hz Super Fluid display. It is still AMOLED, so those inky blacks are still there. Having a high refresh rate helps as well, but the real stars of the show are the specs that contribute a lot to its overall performance.
That all starts with the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor. I honestly don’t know how OnePlus managed to get many units of this chip, but this really brings the Nord 3 to a performance level that we see in some flagships last year. It also helps that the Nord 3 variant that’s coming to the Philippines comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage to complete that flagship experience.
In my first few hours of use, it didn’t let me down even once. I even felt like the apps themselves let me down more. I’m not gonna get too deep into this part since I’ll be putting it through its paces in my full review.
Powering all this flagship goodness is a 5000 mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC charging. Like I mentioned up top, I only had this phone for less than 24 hours. Battery life will definitely be a focus of my review.
That Flagship Main Camera Though…
You would think that OnePlus totally skimped on the cameras of the Nord 3, but they didn’t on one aspect. It carries the same 50MP Sony IMX890 main camera as its flagship brother, the OnePlus 11! This is really good news if you mostly take photos with the main camera. It still isn’t a flagship though, as it still carries an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro camera.
While I am going to go in-depth with the camera in the full review (or a dedicated camera test, we’ll see), here are some sample photos during my short time with the phone.
Click on the photos for full resolution versions!
That’s all for my OnePlus Nord 3 unboxing and first impressions. I’m really enjoying my time with it so far and it may end up being my main Android phone for a while. Stay tuned for my full review of potentially one of my contenders for phone of the year! I may also do a dedicated camera test for this one, so check my social media for updates.
