OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite vs Samsung Galaxy A35 5G: Comparing the mid-range Androids

OnePlus has just launched a new addition to its mid-range series, the Nord CE 4 Lite, which promises to offer flagship-level features and experiences while delivering “exceptional value for money”.

As we haven’t reviewed the Nord CE 4 Lite yet, we’ve compared its specs to Samsung’s own budget friendly smartphone, the Galaxy A35 which we awarded a solid four-star rating.

Keep reading to see the key differences between the two mid-range handsets.

Samsung Galaxy A35 has a stronger IP-rating

The Galaxy A35 boasts impressive durability, thanks to its IP67 rating which means it’s not only dust resistant but it can also withstand submersion in up to one metre of water for up to 30 minutes. 

Not only that but the A35’s display is made from Gorilla Glass Victus Plus which promises to be scratch-resistant for extra peace of mind.

Comparatively, the Nord CE 4 Lite has a weaker IP54 rating which is actually fairly low for a modern smartphone, even a budget-offering. An IP54 rating means it is dust-protected but only water resistant against splashes. 

Having said that, the display on the Nord CE 3 Lite is equipped with OnePlus’ Aqua Touch technology which allows you to use the screen even when it’s wet.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite has fast charging

With 80W SuperVOOC support, the Nord CE 4 Lite boasts impressively speedy charging and promises to take just 50 minutes to reach 100%. The handset will be supported globally by a 5500mAh battery however because of EU regulations, Europe will only receive a 5100mAh cell. 

Otherwise, the Galaxy A35 has a 5000mAh battery capacity and although Samsung claims it supports super fast charging, this is only 25W. In our benchmark tests we found that the device took 85 minutes for a full charge.

Samsung Galaxy A35 runs on Samsung’s Exynos 1380

While the Galaxy A35 runs on Samsung’s own Exynos 1380 processor, the Nord CE Lite 4 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 695 5G which is the same as its predecessor the Nord CE 3 Lite. We found in our review of the latter that although it has the power for “a respectably smooth day-to-day experience” the “graphics chipset is not impressive”, so we’d expect this to be similar in the Nord CE Lite 4.

However, the Nord CE 4 Lite also features RAM Vitalisation technology which can be found in the OnePlus 12, allowing for AI-powered RAM acceleration. 

The Exynos 1380 processor is found in Samsung’s previous flagship Galaxy S23 series and promises to support AI performance, faster refresh rates and better 5G support than its predecessor. With this in mind, we can expect the A35 to run slightly faster than the Nord CE Lite 4. 

Samsung Galaxy A35 has longer upgrade support

Although it’s not as long as the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra which offers a massive seven years of updates, the Galaxy A35 still promises up to four generations of OS upgrades and up to five years of security updates too.

The Nord CE 4 Lite instead offers just two years of OS upgrades and three years of security updates.

Samsung Galaxy A35 has an ultrawide camera

While both handsets have a main 50MP camera, they differ slightly with the rest of their rear lens offerings. Most notably the Nord CE 4 Lite doesn’t have an ultrawide lens whereas the A35 does, which is 8MP. 

Even so, for handsets at this price point you perhaps shouldn’t expect perfect image quality. For example, we found the ultrawide lens of the Galaxy A35 saw a “big drop off in quality” where shots were flatter and dimmer than the main sensor, with “inferior exposure and detail”.

OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite is cheaper

As the best value offering in the Nord lineup, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the Nord CE 4 Lite is incredibly inexpensive, starting at just £299/€399 and will be available from 1st July.

The Galaxy A35 is available now and starts at a slightly dearer £339/€449.