The Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) and OnePlus Nord N200 are two of the most affordable smartphones from their respective companies. But this is where the similarities end. They're not in the same tier, and there's a substantial price gap between them. Although the iPhone SE 3 is the most affordable offering from Apple, its pricing puts it squarely in the premium mid-range territory. The OnePlus Nord N200, on the other hand, is a budget-friendly smartphone that costs $200. Can the OnePlus Nord N200 put up a solid fight against the device that costs twice its price? We find out in this iPhone SE 3 (2022) Vs OnePlus Nord N200 face-off.

Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) vs OnePlus Nord N200: Specifications

Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022)

OnePlus Nord N200

Build

  • Aluminum frame
  • Glass back
  • IP67 water/dust resistance
  • Plastic body
  • No IP rating

Dimensions and Weight

  • 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm
  • 144g
  • 163.1 x 74.9 x 8.3mm
  • 189g

Display

  • 4.7-inch Retina HD LCD
  • 1334 x 750p
  • True Tone technology
  • Haptic Touch support
  • 625 nits max brightness
  • 6.49-inch LCD
  • Full HD+
  • 90Hz screen refresh rate
  • Hole-punch display

SoC

  • Apple A15 Bionic
    • Hexa core
    • 2x Avalanche cores @ 3.22GHz
    • 4x Blizzard cores @ 1.82GHz

 

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G:
    • 2x ARM Cortex-A76 performance cores @ 2.0GHz
    • 6x ARM Cortex-A55 efficiency cores @ 1.8GHz
    • 8nm
  • Adreno 619 GPU

RAM and Storage

  • 4GB RAM
  • 64GB/128GB/256GB internal storage
  • No microSD card slot
  • 4GB RAM
  • 64GB internal storage
  • MicroSD card slot

Battery and Charging

  • 2,018mAh
  • 20W wired fast charging
  • Nor charger inside the box
  • 7.5W Qi wireless charging
  • 5,000 mAh battery
  • 18W fast charger (inside the box)
  • No wireless charging

Security

Touch ID

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor

Rear Camera(s)

  • Primary: 12MP, f/1.8
  • Primary: 13MP primary shooter
  • Secondary: 2MP macro
  • Tertiary: 2MP bokeh

Front Camera(s)

  • 7MP, f/2.2
  • 16MP

Ports

  • Lightning port
  • No headphone jack
  • USB-C
  • 3.5mm headphone jack

Connectivity

  • Sub6/mmWave 5G
  • 4G LTE
  • Wi-Fi 6
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • 5G
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • Type-C port
  • WiFi 802.11.b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz)

Software

  • iOS 15
  • OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11

Price

Starting at $429

$199.99


Design & Display

Both phones are worlds apart when it comes to design. The iPhone SE 3, although more expensive, looks dated in comparison to the OnePlus Nord N200. The iPhone has the same design as the iPhone 6, which came out in 2014. There are thick bezels above and below the display and even a physical home button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner.

The OnePlus Nord N200 dons a more modern and eye-catching design borrowed from the OnePlus 9 family. It's taller and wider than Apple's offering and has very slim bezels all around with an impressive 83.7% screen-to-body ratio to the iPhone SE's 65.4% screen-to-body ratio.

However, in terms of in-hand feel, we'll have to give it to the iPhone SE 2022. It's made out of premium material, featuring Gorilla Glass on the front and back and an aluminum frame (don't forget to grab a case). The OnePlus Nord N200 is an all-plastic build, which is what you would expect from any sub $200 phone.

Another win for the iPhone SE 2022 is the IP67 rating, making it water and dust-proof. It can withstand water splashes, raindrops, and even immersion in fresh water with a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. The OnePlus Nord N200 doesn't offer this peace of mind as it has no IP rating.

The iPhone packs a 4.7-inch display with HD resolution, a ridiculously small panel in a world where 6.5 to 6.8-inch displays have become the new normal and anything below 6.1-inches is considered

small. While it's not the best panel for streaming media and scrolling through Instagram or TikTok feeds, it's perfect for one-handed usage.

The panel also supports DCI-P3 wide color gamut, meaning it can display a greater range of colors with better saturation and vibrancy. It also supports True Tone enhancement, which allows the display to change the white balance based on ambient lighting for a more comfortable viewing experience.

The OnePlus Nord N200 packs a larger 6.5-inch LCD with Full HD+ resolution compared to the iPhone SE's measly HD (750 x 1,334) resolution. Higher resolution means the Nord 200's display packs more pixels per inch (405 PPI) than the iPhone SE 3 (326 PPI). The OnePlus Nord N200 also offers a 90Hz refresh rate which translates to a smoother and more fluid scrolling experience in the real world. Meanwhile, the iPhone SE 3 panel maxes out at 60Hz.

So while the iPhone SE 3 has a more refined display in terms of color reproduction and accuracy, it loses out to the OnePlus Nord N200 panel in terms of size, resolution, and refresh rate. Simply put, the OnePlus Nord N200 has a superior display that's sharper than the iPhone SE 3 and delivers much more real screen estate.


Cameras

This is an easy win for the iPhone SE (2022). Although it only has a single rear camera, it completely blows the OnePlus Nord N200's triple rear camera system out of the water, be it daylight performance or challenging nighttime photography.

The iPhone packs a 12MP f/1.8 sensor with optical image stabilization and PDAF. The OnePlus Nord N200, on the other hand, packs a triple camera array featuring a 13MP primary shooter, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor.

The 12MP shooter is the same one that Apple used in the iPhone 8 and the iPhone SE 2022. However, thanks to improved image processing and new computational photography tech enabled by the A15 Bionic chip, the iPhone SE 3 outputs really impressive photos. The iPhone SE 3 also delivers great video performance and can shoot at 4K/60fps. Meanwhile, the Nord N200 tops out at 1080p.

iPhone SE 3 (2022) photo samples


Performance, Battery Life & Software

It shouldn't be a surprise that the iPhone SE 3 is leagues ahead of the OnePlus Nord N200 in the performance department. The iPhone SE packs the same A15 Bionic chip that powers the flagship iPhone 13 lineup, making it one of the fastest phones under $500.

The OnePlus Nord N200 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Thanks to the 90Hz display and OxygenOS's software optimizations, the Nord N200 should perform just fine in day-to-day tasks, but obviously, it can't hold a candle to the sheer raw power of the iPhone SE 3.

Both phones pack 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The iPhone SE 3 has more storage options and can be configured with 64GB, 128GB, or 256GB storage. The Nord N200 only comes in a single 64GB variant but supports microSD card expansion.

Poor battery life has always remained a big pain point for the iPhone SE lineup, and the new 2022 model is no different. Due to the small size, Apple could only fit a tiny battery inside the iPhone SE 3. If you're a heavy user, you'll struggle to get through the day on a full charge. And not to mention, the charging speed is also quite slow compared to what Android competition has to offer, topping out at just 18W.

The OnePlus Nord N200 is miles better in this regard. It packs a large 5,000mAh cell that will easily last you a full day, even with heavy usage. However, its charging speed is nothing to write home about and is on par with the iPhone SE. But at least OnePlus gives you a charger inside the box — you'll have to buy a charger for the iPhone SE 3 separately.

The iPhone SE 3 ships with iOS 15 and is guaranteed to receive iOS 16 on day 1 of the public release. And if Apple's track record is anything to go by, it will probably receive software updates for several years.

The OnePlus Nord N200 runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11 out of the box. While it will probably receive OxygenOS 12 with Android 12, there will likely be no more OS updates beyond that, as entry-level Android phones usually only get one major OS update.


Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) Vs OnePlus Nord N200: Which one should you buy?

The iPhone SE 3 and OnePlus Nord N200 are two very different smartphones targeted at wildly different audiences. It's not really an apple-to-apple comparison (pun intended). The iPhone SE 3 (2022) is one of the few smartphones we can truly call compact. If you want the power of a true flagship in size this small, the iPhone SE 2022 is the best in the business (offers and discounts make the deal even sweeter).

The mid-range iPhone SE 3 (2022) packs Apple's A15 Bionic chip, 5G support, and a classic design. It is available in three finishes to choose from.
Apple iPhone SE (2022)

The iPhone SE 3 offers a flagship level performance in a compact package.

However, beyond the fast processor, the iPhone SE doesn't have much going for it. Its tiny display isn't great for Netflix binging, and its battery struggles to last a full day. And while there are some neat camera features such as Smart HDR 4 and Deep Fusion, the iPhone 8-era camera sensor is starting to show its age and will struggle to compete against something like the Google Pixel 6a.

Prime members can get their hands on the OnePlus Nord N200 at a discounted price of $180 during Amazon's Prime Early Access sale.
OnePlus Nord N200 5G

The OnePlus Nord N200 is one of the best cheap Android phones in the market, packing a 90Hz display and a large 5,000mAh battery.

The OnePlus Nord N200 is a no-brainer if you're tight on budget. It offers solid specs for $200 and it's one of the best value-for-money smartphones in the US.