OnePlus Ace 3V Hands-On: Powerful Performance, Xiaobu AI assistant is Eye-Catching

A year after the release of the OnePlus Ace 2V, OnePlus has introduced its successor – the OnePlus Ace 3V.

Compared to its predecessor, how does this generation perform? Can it continue to carve out a niche in this price segment? In this article, we will share our experience with this new device.

Design

The device retains the sleek and robust design of its predecessor. However, it introduces a new design for the camera module. The dual-camera setup and LED flash are vertically arranged on an aluminum base at the top of the device, complemented by a stainless steel lens protection ring and glossy CNC edges, making it both exquisite and sturdy.

The “Titanium Gray” color variant features a glass back with edges polished into what the company calls “2.8D” curves. This seamlessly integrates with the chamfered mid-frame, ensuring a comfortable grip. Despite the plastic mid-frame, the device exudes a premium feel, thanks to the metal sandblasted glass craftsmanship. Whether visually or in hand, it doesn’t feel cheap. The metal gloss under lighting might even give the illusion of a metallic build.

The highly acclaimed “three-stage switch” on the side continues from the previous model. However, unlike the previous generation, the volume keys have been moved from the left side to the right, without a significant impact on daily use. The top retains the infrared port, still supporting IR functionality.

Display

The SIM card slot is located at the bottom of the OnePlus Ace 3V, with speaker grilles forming a dual “I”-shaped opening. Looking at the front, it maintains a nearly equal width of ultra-narrow bezels around the display, with a centered punch-hole camera, keeping it sleek. The 6.74-inch 1.5K AMOLED screen of the OnePlus Ace 3V utilizes the new Pegasus U8+ luminous material, providing impressive display quality, with a peak brightness of 2150 nits and support for 120Hz refresh rate.

In addition to the excellent screen quality, the OnePlus Ace 3V still features the “Bright Eyes” technology found in flagship models. Hardware-level blue light reduction, combined with features like 2160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming and 1 Pulse DC dimming, ensures comprehensive eye protection even on a mid-range device. Furthermore, the OnePlus Ace 3V introduces AI capabilities to personalize brightness adjustments based on user habits for different scenarios. Its outstanding eye protection capabilities have earned it the National Eye Health and Safety Evaluation System (ECAP) certification, making it top-notch in eye protection.

Hardware

The OnePlus Ace 3V boasts the world’s leading third-generation Snapdragon 7+ processor, coupled with LPDDR5X + UFS 4.0 memory. These specs form the “iron triangle of performance” at its price point. Let’s delve into it. The third-generation Snapdragon 7+ combines a 2.8 GHz Cortex-X4 large core, four 2.61 GHz Cortex-A720 mid-cores, and three 1.9GHz Cortex-A520 small cores. Its Adreno 732 GPU employs architecture from the latest flagship mobile platform, the 8 series, on a 7 series platform. This brings remarkable performance akin to the “Little 8 Gen3.”

OnePlus Ace 3V adopts a memory configuration starting from 12GB+256GB, avoiding the common 8GB+128GB setup. This decision emphasizes affordability without compromise. Moreover, the OnePlus Ace 3V supports “Memory Gene Recombination Technology 2.0” and “Renewal Storage Technology,” optimizing background app management for enhanced memory utilization. Transitioning to actual benchmarks, the OnePlus Ace 3V impresses. It scores over 1.5 million on AnTuTu, with GeekBench5 single-core scoring 1414 and multi-core scoring 4594.

Its UFS 4.0 is fast, writing at 3691MB/s and reading at 3952MB/s. It gets 1.85 million points in AnTuTu’s storage test. In 3D Mark’s Wild Life project, the OnePlus Ace 3V scores 11212. It’s stable over 20 rounds, with 82.4% stability.

Battery

The device excels in charging, equipped with a 100W super flash charge and a 5500mAh battery. Charging from 5% to full takes only about 32 minutes, with intelligent AI battery management ensuring efficient and safe charging. OnePlus Ace 3V maintains a steady 120fps in “Honor of Kings” and averages 59.3fps in “Genshin Impact” at maximum settings. HyperBoost 2.0, it optimizes resource allocation for a seamless gaming experience. Additionally, OnePlus Ace 3V’s “Game Cloud Computing Private Network” ensures stable connectivity, even in challenging scenarios like transitioning from Wi-Fi to data mode mid-game. This stability, with less than 50ms delay, guarantees an uninterrupted gaming experience.

Cameras

OnePlus Ace 3V has made changes to its imaging setup. It removed the 2-megapixel macro lens found in the previous model and opted for a dual-camera setup, featuring a wide-angle lens and a main camera. The main camera now sports a Sony 50-megapixel 1/1.95-inch sensor with OIS for stable shots.

In my view, ditching the fancy but less practical “three cameras” setup in favor of two cameras enhances overall image quality and user experience. It leans towards natural color reproduction. Sample photos demonstrate impressive HDR capabilities, effectively capturing details in both shadows and highlights while maintaining a realistic balance between light and dark.

While not boasting the largest sensor in the market, the increased sensor area compared to its predecessor results in improved resolution. Despite the absence of a dedicated telephoto lens, the 2x zoom from the main camera satisfies most daily photography needs. In contrast, the ultra-wide-angle lens falls slightly short in quality but remains usable in good lighting conditions. Overall, as a device focused on performance, the OnePlus Ace 3V produces images suitable for everyday use.

AI Capabilities

In addition to delivering excellent image performance, OnePlus Ace 3V also incorporates numerous practical AI functions based on the Andes GPT. These functions, once exclusive to flagship phones, are now becoming commonplace in mid-range models as well.

For instance, the AI elimination feature intelligently removes unwanted elements from photos, ensuring fast and accurate recognition, resulting in a satisfying user experience. Moreover, alongside AI elimination, OnePlus Ace 3V introduces the new Xiaobu AI assistant, which proves to be remarkably intelligent upon testing.

Xiaobu AI assistant offers a plethora of functions accessible through voice activation with a simple “Xiaobu Xiaobu” command or by long-pressing the power button. Once activated, users can effortlessly command Xiaobu to perform various tasks, such as learning spoken language or creating personalized travel guides. In practical usage, the assistant proves to be both convenient and highly accurate, enhancing the overall user experience.

Verdict

The overall user experience, the OnePlus Ace 3V stands out as a mobile phone with commendable performance, a straightforward design, and a delightful feel. The first Qualcomm 7+ Gen3 processor excels in performance. Moreover, the ample memory of UFS 4.0 and LPDDR5x further enhances the overall performance. Additionally, the 100W+5500mAh battery specifications, coupled with a series of AI-supported scene optimizations, and the flagship model’s “same” AI large model capabilities, distinguish the OnePlus Ace 3V within its product range, making it highly competitive. Consequently, if you’re a performance-oriented user seeking cost-effective products and favoring a simple and clean appearance, then the OnePlus Ace 3V might be an ideal choice for you.