Skip to contentOnePlus Ace 3 Review – Best Budget Flagship in 2025?
1. Introduction
What if you could get a flagship device at a mid-range price? That’s exactly the mission that the OnePlus Ace 3 entered the market with — a smartphone that quickly became a hit in 2025.
In an era of model oversaturation, it is devices like these that challenge big-name competitors by offering a premium experience at a reasonable price. From the very first days after its release, the OnePlus Ace 3 has been discussed in forums and reviews as one of the most balanced devices of the year.
This article is a detailed OnePlus Ace 3 review: design, screen, camera, battery life, interface, and gaming performance. We will analyze every aspect, compare it with competitors, and find out if it really deserves the title of the best smartphone under $500.
Fasten your seatbelts — it’s going to be a wild ride.
2. Brief overview and positioning
OnePlus Ace 3 has become one of the most talked-about releases of the year — and not by accident. In 2025, the market is literally flooded with powerful but expensive models, and fewer and fewer brands are offering budget flagship smartphones 2025 that combine performance, battery life, and a reasonable price.
OnePlus is tackling this challenge head-on: the Ace 3 is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, an AMOLED display, fast charging, and a refined ColorOS interface. It is aimed at active users who want the most out of their device, whether for gaming, content consumption, photography, or work.
OnePlus Ace 3 is suitable for those looking for a balance between price and a flagship experience: young professionals, gamers, techies, and simply demanding users. It is positioned as an alternative to $800+ devices, offering similar functionality at half the price.
Huawei is a global brand developing AI, cameras, and powerful processors — this is the environment in which OnePlus competes, offering bold solutions in the mid-range segment.
3. Design and materials of the body OnePlus Ace 3
At first glance, the OnePlus Ace 3 feels solid and premium. It is large but not bulky, measuring 163.3×75.3×8.8 mm and weighing 207 g. This gives the device a confident feel in the hand, especially considering the aluminum frame and tempered glass back panel.
Visually, the OnePlus Ace 3 resembles a mix of last year’s flagships with an emphasis on minimalism. The camera block is neatly integrated into the body without any unnecessary frills.
The smartphone is available in three colors: black, blue, and lemon gold. All shades are matte, do not collect fingerprints, and look impressive in different lighting conditions.
According to the OnePlus Ace 3 specs, moisture protection is not officially stated, but the construction is quite solid. This is a smartphone that is pleasant to hold, proving that affordable does not mean boring.
Design is one of OnePlus’ strengths, and the OnePlus Ace 3 confirms this reputation.
4. Screen: technology and experience
The screen is one of the main reasons why the OnePlus Ace 3 is included in the rankings of the best smartphones under $500. The smartphone is equipped with a 6.74-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2772×1240 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz.
The picture is bright, vivid, with deep blacks and good readability in sunlight, thanks to a peak brightness of up to 4500 nits. DCI-P3 color gamut, high contrast, and HDR10+ support make watching movies and playing games a real pleasure.
The Always On Display feature is available and highly customizable, and PWM flickering is minimized thanks to a PWM frequency of 2160 Hz — comfortable even for long periods of reading in the dark.
The OnePlus Ace 3 easily competes with models twice its price and confidently ranks among the best smartphones under $500 if comfort and visual quality are important to you.
For media, social networking, and gaming, the display is definitely among the best in its segment.
5. Performance: everyday and gaming
Inside the OnePlus Ace 3 is the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a chipset that until recently was the preserve of devices costing $1,000+. It is this processor that transforms the smartphone into a powerful multimedia and gaming station.
Everything flies in everyday tasks: the interface is responsive, switching between apps is instantaneous, and heavy editors run without lag. Even under heavy load, the OnePlus Ace 3 does not overheat — the cooling system does an excellent job.
As for the OnePlus Ace 3’s gaming performance, everything is stable: Genshin Impact runs at high settings at 60 fps without any drops, while PUBG and CoD Mobile run smoothly with minimal lag.
In Antutu, the smartphone scores over 1,500,000 points, which puts it on par with the best gaming flagships of 2024.
The OnePlus Ace 3 is an excellent choice not only for everyday use, but also for those who want maximum FPS for a reasonable price.
6. Camera: sensors, tests, photos
The camera system of the OnePlus Ace 3 is built around a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 sensor with optical stabilization. The same solution is found in OnePlus flagships, which already speaks to the serious approach to photography.
In daylight conditions, the camera produces clear, rich, and well-balanced images.
The night mode is surprising: the dynamic range is preserved, there is no overexposure, and the detail is decent.
According to the results of the OnePlus Ace 3 camera test, 4K 60fps video is stable, autofocus is fast, and the sound is clear. Even when shooting in difficult conditions, the smartphone performs at a high level.
Comparing the OnePlus Ace 3 with the Realme GT 7, it is clear that the Ace 3 wins in color processing and stabilization, especially at night. Although the ultra-wide module on both models is fairly basic, the main camera on the OnePlus is noticeably stronger.
Overall, the OnePlus Ace 3 camera test shows that this is not just an average smartphone, but a serious photography tool in the under-$500 class.
7. Autonomy and charging
One of the strongest arguments in favor of the OnePlus Ace 3 is its battery life. Thanks to its 5500 mAh battery and excellent system optimization, the smartphone can easily last 1.5–2 days with moderate use. Even with active use — social media, camera, YouTube, and a few games — there is still 25–30% battery left at the end of the day.
According to tests, the OnePlus Ace 3 battery life is around 8 hours of screen time at 120 Hz, making it one of the most durable devices in its category.
The charging is worth mentioning separately: the included 100W adapter charges the smartphone from 0 to 100% in 27 minutes. Moreover, during fast charging, the body hardly heats up — maximum 38–39°C, which is safe and comfortable.
The intelligent charge optimization feature reduces battery wear during nighttime charging. This is especially useful for those who leave their phone by their bed.
OnePlus Ace 3 battery life is one of the model’s main selling points. A reliable battery + lightning-fast charging = confidence in any lifestyle.
8. Interface and shell
The OnePlus Ace 3 runs on ColorOS 13, which is based on Android 13. It’s one of the most polished interfaces from Chinese manufacturers, and most reviews of ColorOS Android 13 are pretty positive.
The interface offers a wide range of settings, from adaptive themes to advanced gesture controls, battery management, and privacy settings. Animations are smooth, transitions are fast, and there are virtually no delays.
Among the drawbacks noted by users in their ColorOS Android 13 reviews are fairly aggressive background task management and a somewhat cluttered settings menu. However, these issues are easily resolved after a couple of days of adjustment.
Updates are released regularly — at the time of publication, OnePlus is already testing ColorOS 14. This confirms the focus on long-term support.
The system is stable with minimal bugs. Occasional visual glitches occur in third-party apps, but they are not critical.
Overall, the ColorOS Android 13 review for the OnePlus Ace 3 is a combination of flexibility, beauty, and speed. And all this in a device priced under $500.
For more information about Huawei laptops and their ecosystem, visit the LaptopChina section.
9. Comparison with competitors
In the under-$500 segment, the OnePlus Ace 3 faces two serious rivals: the Realme GT 7 and the iQOO Neo 10. Although the devices appear similar at first glance, there are enough differences between them.
🔹 OnePlus Ace 3 vs Realme GT 7
Both smartphones are equipped with AMOLED displays with a refresh rate of 120/144 Hz and powerful processors. The GT 7 has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, while the Ace 3 has an 8 Gen 2.
At the same time, OnePlus wins in terms of optimization: ColorOS is more stable, and the OnePlus Ace 3 vs Realme GT 7 shows better battery life and night shooting quality.
The GT 7 is slightly faster in games, but heats up more. Realme has more “features” in the shell, but OnePlus has a more refined interface and fewer bugs. The Ace 3 camera wins in color reproduction.
🔹 OnePlus Ace 3 vs iQOO Neo 10
With the Neo 10, the situation is more even: both use Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. iQOO offers a clean shell, high performance, and gaming features. But OnePlus wins in build quality, display, and camera performance.
Overall, the OnePlus Ace 3 vs Realme GT 7 is a battle of optimization vs power, and it’s not necessarily true that “newer is better.”
🔗 Full breakdown of all three:
10. Pros and cons
✔ Excellent AMOLED display with brightness up to 4500 nits
✔ Powerful chipset — one of the best among Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones
✔ Fast 100W charging and a large battery
✔ High-quality main camera with OIS
✔ Stable ColorOS 13 with update support
Cons
✘ No water or dust protection
✘ No wireless charging
✘ Ultra-wide camera without autofocus
Practical conclusion:
The OnePlus Ace 3 is one of the most balanced Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones of 2025. It is suitable for those who want a premium experience without overpaying.
11. User reviews
On forums, Reddit, and AliExpress, the OnePlus Ace 3 is often called one of the best Chinese smartphones of 2025. Users praise its stable performance, high-quality display, and real battery life.
“Finally, a flagship that doesn’t heat up when charging.”
“I play Genshin every day — no lag whatsoever.”
Some complain about ColorOS being too aggressive with background apps and the lack of IP protection. However, overall, the OnePlus Ace 3 receives consistently high ratings and is included in lists of the best Chinese smartphones of 2025 as one of the most reliable and fastest devices in its price range.
12. FAQ
13. Conclusion
The OnePlus Ace 3 is a prime example of what the ideal smartphone under $500 should look like in 2025. It combines performance, battery life, design, and stable firmware.
In a world where choice is vast, the OnePlus Ace 3 stands out as a versatile solution: it’s suitable for gamers, those who value a good camera, and fans of a clean interface.
If your priority is balance without unnecessary compromises, then the OnePlus Ace 3 will be the smartphone you won’t want to replace for the next two years.
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