After taking a hiatus in 2025, OnePlus’s ‘CE Lite’ offering is finally back on the Nord 6 series. The brand’s most affordable offering makes a comeback at a time when smartphone prices are going up across the board. The Nord CE6 Lite makes some key upgrades over its predecessor, Nord CE4 Lite (our review here). However, in order to keep its price in check, it has made some crucial tradeoffs as well. The most notable one is the LCD panel replacing the AMOLED display. We used the smartphone for a week to find out if it’s still a good deal at Rs 20,999. Check out our comprehensive review of the OnePlus Nord CE6 Lite.
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In This Article
OnePlus Nord CE6 Lite Review: Design and Display
Box Contents
- Smartphone
- 45W power adapter
- USB-C to USB-A cable
- Clear plastic cover
- SIM ejector
- Quick guide
The Nord CE6 Lite is one of the most aesthetically sound phones we’ve seen this year, and, dare we say, better than most of the flagships on the market. While it has a plastic back panel, the matte finish lends it a sublime in-hand feel. The OnePlus logo embossed at the centre of the panel has a contrasting glossy texture. The pill-shaped camera island is the only one of its kind in OnePlus’s current lineup. It adds a touch of flair and gives the device a unique personality.
The plastic frame houses the volume rocker and the side button on its right edge. The bottom edge houses the hybrid SIM tray (with microSD card support), primary microphone, USB-C port, and speaker grille. The secondary speaker and noise-cancelling microphone are positioned up top. Unlike the Nord CE4 Lite, this smartphone does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the bright side, its dust and water resistance rating has been upgraded to IP64. The device is also compliant with MIL-STD-810H durability standards.
The 6.72-inch IPS LCD panel on the Nord CE6 Lite is a far cry from the 6.67-inch AMOLED display we saw on the Nord CE4 Lite. It has a higher refresh rate at 144Hz, but its brightness is capped at 1,000 nits in High Brightness Mode. As a result, the screen feels a bit dim when you pull it out in bright outdoor conditions. On the ‘bright’ side, this isn’t an issue in indoor conditions. The bottom edge of the display has a slightly chunky bezel, which feels a bit dated. Speaking of dated, this device has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner instead of an under-display optical unit.
The 1,080 x 2,400p LCD panel provides a decent viewing experience. The visuals are packed with vibrant colours and sharp details. However, if you’re looking for punchier contrast and finer dynamic range, an AMOLED display would be more suited to your needs. The stereo speaker setup on the Nord CE6 Lite is an improvement over the solo, bottom-firing speaker of its predecessor. The audio output is slightly boxy, but good enough for streaming content across platforms like Netflix, JioHostar, and YouTube.
OnePlus Nord CE6 Lite Review: Performance and Cameras
At the heart of the Nord CE6 Lite lies the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Apex chipset. It comes in 3 RAM (LPDDR4X) and storage (UFS 3.1) variants:
- 6GB + 128GB: Rs 20,999
- 8GB + 128GB: Rs 22, 999
- 8GB + 256GB: Rs 25,999
We ran a couple of benchmark tests on the device. Here is how it performed.
- AnTuTu 3D: 1020272
- Geekbench 6: 1026 (single-core) | 2971 (multi-core)
The Nord CE6 Lite is able to handle everyday tasks like calling, instant messaging, emailing, web browsing, and media streaming. Opening Instagram and browsing through Reels is a fluid and seamless experience. The same goes for video calls on WhatsApp and other third-party messengers. The UFS 3.1 storage configuration ensures that apps don’t take a long time to load. We did encounter a couple of odd jitters, but they didn’t take away from an otherwise good overall performance.
When it comes to gaming, the Dimensity 7400 Apex chipset is well-equipped to handle titles like Call of Duty Mobile and BGMI. OnePlus says that the Nord CE6 Lite will be able to run these two titles at 90fps by the end of May. Endless runner games like Subway Surfers can be enjoyed at a stunning 144fps frame rate. The 5300mm² vapour chamber does its best to keep things cool, but the back panel starts to warm up after the 20-minute mark. We can give the device some grace since we’re in the middle of an intense summer, with temperatures soaring above 40°C.
The Android 16-based OxygenOS 16 handles the software duties on this device. OnePlus has promised 2 major OS updates along with 3 years of security patches. There are a bunch of bloatware apps that come pre-installed on the phone – something that’s inescapable in the budget segment. We recommend taking the time to uninstall these apps while setting up the device.
OxygenOS 16 feels light, vibrant, and well-optimised. We like that its app drawer has a separate ‘Categories’ panel inspired by iOS. The slick transitions and animations make general browsing a fun experience. You also get attractive ‘Flux’ themes for the lock screen and a good collection of wallpapers for the home page. Since the device does not have an AMOLED screen, it misses out on Always On Display.
The OnePlus AI package consists of useful tools like AI Writer, AI Translate, and AI VoiceScribe. OnePlus’s ‘Mind Space’ is the only omission here. The AI Editor in the native Photos app has tools to remove reflection and unwanted objects, and boost the details of your pictures. You can also glow up your portraits using the aptly titled ‘AI Portrait Glow’ tool. You also get Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini Assistant out of the box.
The Nord CE6 Lite packs a large 7,000mAh battery that holds enough juice to coast through the day with ease. You will have to try hard to drain this phone in a day. Even if your screen time exceeds 8 hours, you will be left with some charge in the tank before bed. We were able to get 2 days of battery life from this device on moderate usage. The battery pack supports 45W wired charging, a step down from the 80W charging support on the Nord CE4 Lite. It took us almost 2 hours to fully charge the phone using the 45W adapter provided in the box.
The camera island on the back panel houses a 50MP Omnivision OV50D40 primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. In comparison, the Nord CE4 Lite employed a 50MP Sony LYT600 sensor for its main camera. The primary shooter on the Nord CE6 Lite takes good pictures in outdoor daylight conditions. The images have a natural tone to them, which is preferable over overprocessed images that end up looking artificial. We were happy with the contrast and the dynamic range, too. The camera struggles in limited lighting conditions, largely due to the lack of OIS. The resulting shots are hazy, grainy, and dim.
Portrait shots taken by the Nord CE6 Lite are quite decent. The smartphone does a passable job of separating the subject from the background. However, we would’ve preferred a stronger background blur. The 8MP front-facing camera takes good selfies in natural lighting without overprocessing the skin tone and texture. This camera can record 1,080p videos at 30fps. Meanwhile, the primary camera can capture 4K footage at 30fps.
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Verdict
Even though the OnePlus Nord CE6 Lite makes significant tradeoffs on the spec sheet, it manages to deliver a great performance for the price. The MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Apex chipset handles routine tasks without a hassle. 90fps support for gaming titles like BGMI and Call of Duty is a bonus. The massive 7,000mAh battery pack easily lasts 2 days on moderate usage. The main camera is reliable in outdoor daylight conditions. However, the Nord CE6 Lite’s strongest suit is its aesthetic appeal. The flat back panel with its matte texture and sleek camera pill is easily one of the best designs we’ve seen this year.
Buy on the OnePlus eStore for Rs 20,999
Pros
- Looks great
- Big battery
- 90fps support for BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile
Cons
- LCD instead of AMOLED display
- Missing under-display fingerprint scanner
- Slow charging
