Looking for a feature-packed, flagship-like, 5G-bearing midrange phone? Today’s comparison is for you.
First, we have the OnePlus Nord CE, another entry from the brand’s growing number of non-flagship releases in the country.
We’d be comparing that device to the POCO F3 from Xiaomi. If you’re familiar with this line’s history, you know they have a reputation for bringing incredible value for the price.
That said, which between the two is the best? We find out in our OnePlus Nord CE versus POCO F3 specifications and features comparison.
| OnePlus Nord CE 5G | POCO F3 | |
| Operating System | Android 11 OxygenOS 11 | Android 11 MIUI 12 for POCO |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 6.43-inch FHD+ Fluid AMOLED 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution 410ppi 90Hz refresh rate sRGB P3 | 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution 395ppi 120Hz refresh rate 360Hz touch sampling HDR10+ MEMC 100% DCI-P3 |
| Processor | 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G octa-core | 3.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G octa-core |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB | 6GB/8GB |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 650 |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 non-expandable | 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 non-expandable |
| Front Camera | 16-megapixel | 20-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 64-megapixel (f/1.8) 8-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.25) 2-megapixel (mono, f/2.4) LED flash | 48-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF) 8-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.2) 5-megapixel (telemacro, f/2.4) Night mode 2.0 One-Click AI Cinema AI Scene Detection Triple array microphone LED flash |
| Audio | Headphone jack Super linear speaker | No headphone jack Dolby Atmos-tuned stereo speakers |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner Face unlock | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Bluetooth 5.1 NFC GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, NaVIC, BDS USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 6, dual-band Bluetooth 5.1 dual-band GPS, A-GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, QZSS, NavIC NFC IR Blaster USB Type-C |
| Dimensions | 159.2 x 73.5 x 7.9mm | 163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8mm |
| Weight | 170g | 196g |
| Body | Front: Glass Back: Glass Frame: Plastic | Front: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Back: Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Frame: Aluminum |
| Colors | Silver Ray Blue Void Charcoal Ink | Deep Ocean Blue Night Black Arctic White |
| Battery | 4,500mAh 30W Warp Charge 30T Plus | 4,520mAh 33W fast charging |
| Price | 8GB/128GB: Php16,990 12GB/256GB: Php19,990 | 6GB/128GB: Php17,990 8GB/256GB: Php20,990 |
Design and Build Quality
Both Xiaomi and OnePlus went with the safest route when designing both smartphones. As you can see, the two share a clean and shiny look at the back that’s similar to a lot of smartphones we’ve already seen before.
To POCO’s credit, the F3 does come with a Deep Ocean Blue option with cheesy geometric shapes on the back and a large POCO icon.
Meanwhile, all of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G has a clean design across all colors. The most imaginative colorway you can get is the Blue Void that has a vibrant, teal-like appearance.
As for comfort and build, the F3 has a larger screen, hence its taller build and slightly heavier weight. Ultimately, we gotta hand the win to the Gorilla Glass 5-sandwiched, aluminum-built POCO F3 for this round by having sturdier materials.
Display and Audio
Here’s where the POCO F3 shines. As stated earlier, it has a larger size of 6.67-inches, versus the compact 6.43-inch of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G. It also has a faster 120Hz refresh rate, more responsive 360Hz touch sampling, and HDR10+ support.
The OnePlus model also lacks stereo speakers, which the POCO has. Albeit, it does have a headphone jack, which the other lacks if you’re still clinging on your old headphones. Although, this can be easily addressed by a Type-C to 3.5mm adapter.
Hardware and Performance
Here’s a clear win for Xiaomi’s bet. As you can see, it’s powered by a 3.2GHz Snapdragon 870 5G processor. It may not be Qualcomm’s most powerful chipset to date, but it’s still considered a flagship chip that offers much better performance than the Nord CE’s Snapdragon 750G.
The POCO phone also has a more capable Adreno 650 GPU for gaming and a faster UFS 3.1 storage. But to OnePlus’s credit, it does have a 12GB option for those who like numbers.
Related
- POCO F3 vs OnePlus Nord: Specs Comparison
- Realme 8 5G vs POCO M3 Pro 5G: Specs Comparison
- Xiaomi and POCO price list Philippines
- 5G smartphones available in PH
Camera
This is where the OnePlus Nord CE overtakes the POCO F3, at least on paper. As you can see, it has a sharper 64-megapixel main camera versus the 48-megapixel of the F3.
However, the Xiaomi device does have a higher 20-megapixel selfie camera and a more usable 5-megapixel telemacro lens.
Battery
Both devices have similar 4,500mAh batteries. But with the F3’s more powerful processor and faster screen, the battery life might be shorter on this one.
They also have identical charging speeds. Albeit, it’s worth noting that the F3 has a slightly faster 33W charger.
Conclusion
As you just saw, the POCO F3 clearly dominated the OnePlus Nord CE, mainly thanks to its flagship processor and faster screen. That should be enough to consider it a winner since everything else about them is similar, especially the price.
Speaking of which, the Nord CE starts at Php16,990. For an extra Php1,000, you can already get the F3 for Php17,990 with all its flagship features.