There are times when it’s hard to go from a true, $1000-plus flagship phone to using one which costs less than half that. Sometimes the design and materials used aren’t up to standard, the software isn’t as polished, and the camera is only worth using for basic, everyday shots.

I went into the OnePlus Nord 5 after using several, far more expensive devices, and I’m pleased to say my experience has been nothing like the above at all. It’s continued proof OnePlus is on a winning streak with its recent run of device launches, and if you’re looking at an affordable, almost flagship-class phone without the associated cost, the Nord 5 is one to be taken very seriously.

OnePlus Nord 5 price, specs, and availability

The OnePlus Nord 5 is available in the U.K. and Europe, in two versions, with three different color options. The 8GB/256GB model costs £399, or about $543, and the 12GB/512GB version costs £499, or about $680. The phone comes in a matte black finish called Phantom Grey, a blue called Dry Ice, and an unusual shimmering white called Marble Sands.

OnePlus shuns the metal lifestyle

A person holding the OnePlus Nord 5

The OnePlus Nord 4 was as metal as it gets due to its solid aluminum chassis and rear panel, to the point Finnish monster rockers Lordi made a song about it. It was the maddest of all OnePlus collaborations, but the all-metal Nord 4 was apparently too much for the general buying public, as the brand has returned to the safe haven of vaguely copying what Samsung and Apple are doing with their designs for the Nord 5. It’s both a shame, and perfectly acceptable at the same time.

With its camera module straight from the Galaxy S25, its flat sides from the iPhone 16, and a flat, frosted glass rear panel from, well, a dozen different phones, the OnePlus Nord 5 doesn’t have much of its own identity. My review phone is in a really pretty blue color, called Dry Ice, which, matched with the silvery blue frame, gives it a welcome, modern freshness, and the 8.1mm thick frame is neatly curved and really comfortable to hold.

The side of the OnePlus Nord 5

OnePlus’s iconic Alert Slider is sadly nowhere to be found, and it has been replaced by the Plus Key. A long press switches between ring, vibrate, and silent modes, and you can assign one of several function options to a single press. This includes OnePlus’s AI reminder tool called Mind Space, the camera, torch, and translation features. It works without a problem, but pressing a button is nowhere near as tactile or personal as a physical slider. At least it’s sensibly placed so it’s rarely pressed by accident.

The 211 gram weight is reasonable and the in-hand balance is spot-on, plus there’s a thin, uniform bezel around the screen, and a fast, reliable fingerprint sensor. For all its generic looks, the OnePlus Nord 5 is well-made and lovely to hold, but it does lack the daring character of the Nord 4.

All the performance and battery life you need

The Nord 5 contains a very efficient combo

The OnePlus Nord 5’s screen

OnePlus has squeezed a 5,200mAh battery inside the OnePlus Nord 5, made possible by the adoption of a silicon-carbon anode, and it’s paired with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 processor. It’s a powerful and highly efficient combination, and it has left me questioning whether you really need any more power, or an even larger battery in your phone, if you’re not a really hardcore gamer. There’s no wireless charging, which isn’t a surprise at this price, but the 80W SuperVOOC wired charging takes about 40 minutes to fully charge the battery from flat. The box does not contain a charger though, so performance will vary depending on the charger you use.

The combination of the processor and battery results in great usage time. I racked up two hours screen time with Google Maps navigation, social media, and using the camera for the battery to deplete to just under 70%, while running the 20-minute 3DMark Solar Bay Stress Test benchmark drained only 5% of the battery. This replicates hardcore gaming sessions and demonstrates the remarkable efficiency of the OnePlus Nord 5’s overall package. With around three hours screen time without gaming, the battery has stretched into a third day before requiring a recharge, which is excellent. It makes the Nord 5 very easy to live with if you aren’t a demanding gamer.

The software plays a key role in the efficiency and smoothness of the phone. OnePlus’s OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15 is installed, and it operates much like it does on the excellent OnePlus 13. The Settings menu is logically laid out, where generous amounts of white space make it easy to navigate, and there are clear icons to follow. You’ve got the option to customize the notification shade to work conventionally or as a split screen, there are different themes to try, and a varied always-on screen too.

It’s fast, smooth, and totally reliable. Unfortunately, it does enjoy sending you a lot of relatively mundane system notifications, particularly during the first few days, and there are a lot of pre-installed apps. Almost all can be uninstalled though, and the notifications methodically silenced as they come in. Special mention should also go to the OnePlus Nord 5’s connectivity and its ability to pull in a strong cellular signal. Due to a reworked antenna array, I’ve found that even in low coverage areas, the Nord 5 outperformed most other phones I’ve used recently at finding and effectively using a signal. Again, this makes the phone highly usable and a pleasure to own.

Keen photographers may find the Nord 5’s camera lacking

The OnePlus Nord 5’s camera

There are two cameras on the back of the OnePlus Nord 5, made up of a 50-megapixel main camera and an 8MP wide-angle camera, with a 2x zoom shortcut in the camera app to tempt you into zooming in. The app is fluid and speedy, and there are plenty of tools to try out in the editing suite, plus OnePlus’s ProXDR display technology makes photos in the gallery look great by boosting color and brightness.

Main camera photos are colorful with a strong HDR effect by default, giving them a vibrant, processed look that’s perfect for social media. If you’re after complete realism and natural tones, this probably won’t be the camera for you. The wide-angle camera is disappointing, with little consistency in exposure, color, and dynamic range. The 50MP selfie camera also amps up the HDR effect and the portrait mode has decent edge recognition, but it washes out skin tones. It’s fine for photos taken to share on social media.

Photos are viewed in the native Gallery app, and there are several AI editing tools to try. AI Recompose helps those new to photography learn how to frame shots, as it provides alternative interpretations of your photo in different aspect ratios. There’s also an AI Eraser tool and an AI Reflection eraser too, which vary in effectiveness. What’s good is none are held back by the processor as it’s so powerful, and OnePlus isn’t holding anything back for use its more expensive phones.

There’s so much to like about the OnePlus Nord 5

Ask yourself if you really need more from your phone

A video playing on the OnePlus Nord 5

I’ve used the OnePlus Nord 5 as my daily phone for more than a week now, and I’ve not had any strong desire to change it. The screen is excellent — a 6.83-inch Swift AMOLED with a high refresh rate and masses of brightness — the design is classy and comfortable, the processor handles all my apps and games, plus it’s very effective at grabbing a phone signal even in low coverage areas.

There are a few downsides though. The screen is covered in Gorilla Glass 7i and it doesn’t handle reflections very well, leading to difficulty viewing it in sunlight, especially at an angle. The phone doesn’t have any IP rating, meaning it’s not as durable as many of its peers. While the camera will probably please those mostly interested in high-impact photos ready to share socially, it’s otherwise quite basic and isn’t as versatile as some of its alternatives.

The USB-C port on the OnePlus Nord 5

However, when you consider the OnePlus Nord 5’s very competitive price, these matter less than they would on a phone priced higher. The design may be slightly derivative, but it’s influenced mostly by phones which cost twice as much, and because it emulates them so effectively, it’s difficult to call it a bad thing.

Should you buy it?

A person holding the OnePlus Nord 5

I came to the OnePlus Nord 5 from the Motorola Razr Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, and the truth is, it hasn’t been anywhere near as jarring as you (and the brands involved) may think it should be. The software experience is friendly and personal, the main camera takes good photos, the battery life is great, plus charging is fast too. Although I’ve been using the 12GB/512GB version, unless you’re going to play some top games or multitask often, the 8GB/256GB model will likely be sufficient as everything else is identical.

It compares very well against the Samsung Galaxy A36 and the Nothing Phone 3a, and I’d almost certainly choose it over them, but the Galaxy A56 and Nothing Phone 3a Pro do offer a slightly higher specification and, in the Nothing phone’s case, a more characterful design for not much more money. OnePlus is in the midst of a brilliant run of devices, and the OnePlus Nord 5 joins the OnePlus 13, OnePlus Watch 3, and OnePlus Pad 3 as mobile devices that are very easy to recommend, and I think you’ll be satisfied with the Nord 5 if you buy it.

SoC

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8S Gen 3

RAM

8GB or 12GB

Storage

256GB or 512GB

Battery

5200mAh

Ports

USB-C

Rear camera

50MP main, 8MP wide-angle

The OnePlus Nord 5 is a great purchase due to its high performance chip, long battery life, fast charging, and software that’s both fast and pleasurable to use. It may not have the most original design, but after seeing and holding it, few will believe it’s so affordable.