Today we come to one of the latest and most talked-about OnePlus phones, the OnePlus Nord 5. This phone, which entered the market with a lot of hype and anticipation, was supposed to give us a close-to-flagship experience at a more affordable price. The OnePlus Nord 5 and its sibling, the Nord CE 5, were introduced at the OnePlus Summer Event on July 8, 2025 and were available for sale from July 9. Now the main question is, is the Nord 5 really the mid-range giant we’ve been waiting for? So let’s go!
OnePlus Nord 5 Review | OnePlus Nord 5 Phone Review
When you pick up the Nord 5, the first thing that catches your eye is its 211 grams weight and 8.1 mm thickness. It may look a bit heavy and bulky on paper, but in practice, the excellent weight balance and curved edges make it fit very well in the hand and give you the feeling of a solid and high-quality phone. Despite its large dimensions, this phone is not tiring and is suitable for long-term use.
OnePlus has used matte glass for the back of the phone this time, which conveys a sense of luxury and, fortunately, does not leave fingerprints on it. The colors Dry Ice, Marble Sands and Phantom Gray are available for the Nord 5. The Marble Sands color has a special silky texture that really feels good in the hand and sets the phone apart from the rest.
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But an important and perhaps controversial change in the design of this phone is the removal of the famous OnePlus slider (the same three-position physical button for changing the sound mode) and replacing it with a new button called the Plus Key. This button is designed more for artificial intelligence features such as Mind Space. This change shows that OnePlus is moving towards a more software and AI-centric experience. This move may be a bit of a bummer for long-time fans who are used to the notification slider, but it could be attractive for attracting new users who are looking for AI features.
In terms of resistance, the Nord 5 is IP65 certified. This means it is resistant to splashes of water and dust, giving you peace of mind from a sudden rain shower or a drop in the dirt. Of course, you should know that this certification does not mean complete resistance to immersion in water, and some competitors like the Poco F7 are IP68 certified, which offers more resistance. This detail shows that OnePlus has tried to control costs while maintaining a premium feel and offering decent resistance.
OnePlus Nord 5 Screen Review
One of the main strengths of the OnePlus Nord 5 is its screen. This phone has a 6.83-inch Swift AMOLED display. The 1.5K resolution (2800 x 1272 pixels) with a pixel density of 450ppi, makes for incredibly sharp and detailed images. What makes this display really special is the 144Hz refresh rate, which is first seen on a OnePlus Nord phone. This means that scrolling through social media, playing games, and basically everything you do with the phone will be incredibly smooth and enjoyable. Of course, this 144Hz refresh rate is not available in all games and applications and is a bit of a show-off.
The brightness of this display is also nothing to write home about. With HDR10+ support and a super bright 1800 nits at maximum brightness, you can see content clearly and without any problems, even in direct sunlight. The colors are also very vivid and true, making watching videos and photos an attractive experience.
Of course, there is one small point, the Gorilla Glass 7i coating on the screen does not control light reflections as much as it should and can be a bit annoying in very bright environments, especially from an angle. However, OnePlus has taken a big step forward by offering a 144Hz AMOLED display and offers a smooth and high-quality visual experience that is great for gaming and watching content. This shows that OnePlus is focused on providing flagship-like features in a mid-range phone. The problem of light reflection, despite the high brightness, can affect the user experience in certain scenarios (such as outdoor use).
OnePlus Nord 5 Charging Review
Here’s a very important point! The OnePlus Nord 5 has different battery capacities in different regions. In India and other Asian regions, it has a large 6,800mAh battery. But in Europe and the UK, due to EU regulations, it has a smaller 5,200mAh battery.
As for charging speed, thankfully, both versions support 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging. This means you can fully charge the phone in a short time. In addition, it also has 5W reverse charging (wired) that you can use to charge smaller gadgets. It also has another cool feature called Bypass Charging, which delivers charging directly to the system when you’re playing games and doesn’t involve the battery so that the phone doesn’t heat up. This is a great feature for gamers.
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In real-world battery life tests, with a 6,800mAh battery and the well-optimized OxygenOS 15, the Nord 5 has excellent battery life. In tests, the phone lasted about 12.5 hours of heavy use (including 4K recording, etc.) and with normal use, it held a charge for up to 2 days. For gamers, the battery also performs very well and easily lasts a full day, even with heavy games.
OnePlus Nord 5 Camera Review
Let’s move on to the camera section, which is important to many. The OnePlus Nord 5 has a 50-megapixel main camera with a Sony LYT-700 sensor (also known as IMX906) and optical image stabilization (OIS). Photos taken with the main camera, especially in daylight, are sharp, with good details and vivid and saturated colors, which are great for social networks. It performs well in low light, capturing clean, detailed images. Some say the photos look a bit over-processed, which is fine for social media, but if you’re looking for realism, it might not be the best option.
But here’s where the Nord 5 falls short: the ultra-wide camera (8 megapixels). It produces soft images, has limited dynamic range, and lacks detail. It also lacks autofocus, which some competitors in this price range have. This is a drawback to consider.
The good news is that the 50 megapixel selfie camera, with a Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor and autofocus, is a significant improvement over the previous generation. Selfies are sharp, detailed, and have natural colors, even indoors. The 4K video recording capability at 60fps is also available for the selfie camera, which is great and a big plus for vloggers and those who take a lot of selfie videos.
In the video recording department, both the main and selfie cameras can record videos at 4K quality and 60fps. The videos are smooth and the OIS stabilization also helps to reduce vibrations and give you stable videos.
OnePlus has focused on the main and selfie cameras in the Nord 5 and optimized them well to meet the needs of today’s users for sharing content on social networks. This is a smart strategy since most users use these two cameras more. However, the weakness of the ultra-wide camera and the lack of a telephoto lens indicate the compromises made to maintain the price in the premium mid-range. This means that if ultra-wide or zoom photography is a priority for you, this phone may not be the best option and you should look to competitors that offer a more complete camera package, even if they are a little weaker in other areas (such as the processor).
OnePlus Nord 5 Hardware Review
Let’s get to the heart of the OnePlus Nord 5. The phone uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor. The name may be a bit confusing, but you should know that this chipset is actually a slightly weaker (underclocked) version of the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. But don’t worry, because it still has great power and is perfectly suitable for running heavy games with high graphics and doing everyday tasks.
The phone comes with 8 or 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256 or 512 GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage. This combination ensures that apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth, and you have enough space to store your files. Of course, it should be said that the internal storage is UFS 3.1, not UFS 4.0, which is newer and faster.
OnePlus has used a vapor chamber cooling system to prevent the phone from overheating. This system keeps the phone cool even during heavy tasks and long games, and there is no annoying overheating. In real-world gaming tests, the Nord 5 performed very well. It runs games like PUBG Mobile at high frame rates and without frame drops. Even heavier games can be played with high graphics settings and give you a smooth experience.
Overall, OnePlus has created a smart balance between high performance and cost by choosing the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3. This chipset provides enough power for most users, even gamers, without bringing the price of the phone to the level of true flagships. This is a premium mid-range strategy.
OnePlus Nord 5 Software Review
The OnePlus Nord 5 comes with OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15. OxygenOS has always been known for its smooth, fast, and stock Android-like interface, and this version continues to be the case. Animations are smooth and responsive, app switching is quick, and everything feels seamless and polished.
One area where OnePlus has put a lot of focus is its AI capabilities. The Plus Key, as mentioned earlier, provides access to the Mind Space feature. This feature can extract information from screenshots, summarize it, and save it for future reference. In addition, there are other AI features like text message assistance, call and voice memo transcription, and simultaneous translation during calls.
As for software support, OnePlus has promised 4 years of major Android updates and 6 years of security updates for this phone. That means you can rest assured that your phone will stay up to date for years to come. There are also plenty of customization options in OxygenOS 15. You can use Flux themes, change the transition effects between pages, and use different gestures. Also, the fingerprint sensor under the display is very fast and reliable.
But there are also some small negatives. There are too many system notifications and a lot of pre-installed apps, most of which can be removed. More importantly, the AI features are currently only available to English-speaking users. OxygenOS 15 continues to be one of OnePlus’ strengths, offering a very smooth and enjoyable user experience, and the commitment to long-term updates increases the value of the phone in the long term. This shows OnePlus’ investment in a stable software experience.
OnePlus Nord 5 speaker review
The OnePlus Nord 5 is equipped with dual stereo speakers and also supports noise cancellation. This means that when you’re watching a movie or playing a game, the sound comes from both sides, giving you a more immersive experience. According to reviews, the speakers are loud and the clarity of the sound, especially for vocals, is good. However, the depth and bass of the sound are not very good and the sound is a bit muffled, especially at high volumes.
Is the OnePlus Nord 5 worth buying?
So, we have come to the most important part of the OnePlus Nord 5 review, is the OnePlus Nord 5 worth buying in the market? To answer this question, let’s first review the strengths and weaknesses of this phone once again:
The global price of the OnePlus Nord 5 is around 400 to 500 euros or 32,000 to 35,000 Indian rupees. This price puts the Nord 5 in the premium mid-range category with high purchase value in global markets. But when it comes to the market, the story is different. This phone enters a very tight competition. There are strong competitors in this price range that may offer better performance in some aspects (such as a stronger processor, more water resistance, or a more complete camera package). This means the OnePlus Nord 5 will have to rely heavily on its strengths (like its large 6800mAh battery, smooth OxygenOS, and excellent selfie camera) to make a statement in this competitive market.
The OnePlus Nord 5 is a seriously cool and powerful phone. If you’re looking for a phone with a powerful processor for gaming and heavy-duty tasks, a great display, and a gigantic battery that delivers incredible battery life, the Nord 5 could be an attractive option. Smooth software and long-term support are also its strengths.
- If battery life, charging speed, and a super-smooth software experience are your priorities and you’re willing to pay for these features, the OnePlus Nord 5 with its 6800mAh battery and OxygenOS 15 could be a great choice.
- But if you’re looking for the best camera package (especially the ultra-wide), or the absolute highest processing power (newer chipsets), or full water resistance (IP68) in this price range, you might want to look at other competitors like the Poco F7 or Samsung A56.
