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🔍 OnePlus Nord 5 & Nord CE 5 Review: Still the Budget Kings of 2025?

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📦 Introduction: A Familiar Name, A Fresh Twist

It’s 2025, and OnePlus is back to doing what it does best—disrupting the mid-range smartphone market. With the launch of the OnePlus Nord 5 and Nord CE 5, the company continues the legacy of offering flagship-level features without asking you to break the bank.

But the mid-range segment is no longer what it used to be. With stiff competition from iQOO, Realme, and even Samsung’s A-series, OnePlus has had to up its game. So, does it still live up to the hype?

Let’s break it down in this honest, no-fluff review after launching of both phones.

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📱 Design & Build: Premium Vibes Under ₹30K?

OnePlus Nord 5:

From the moment you hold the Nord 5, it doesn’t feel like a mid-range phone. The back is a frosted matte glass finish that gives you that “almost flagship” feel. The camera module has been redesigned into a sleek vertical pill, which looks more refined than the circular bumps on previous models.

Weight-wise, it's well-balanced. At 211g and just 8.1mm thick, it’s comfortable for long-term use without fatigue.

Colors? OnePlus went bold this year—Coral Blaze Red, Arctic Silver, and a cool new Nebula Blue.

OnePlus Nord CE 5:

The Nord CE 5 ("Core Edition") cuts some corners—understandably so—but still feels solid. It uses a polycarbonate back, but it doesn’t feel cheap. It’s light (199g) (approx) and slim (8.27mm), and the matte finish hides fingerprints well.

Design-wise, it's minimalist, with a smaller camera bump and flat edges—reminiscent of the iPhone 12.

✔ Verdict: The Nord 5 feels like a premium device, while the CE 5 nails the essentials.

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🌈 Display: Visuals That Pop

Both phones come with AMOLED panels, and OnePlus has clearly made display quality a priority.

Nord 5:

• 6.83-inch AMOLED, 1.5K resolution

• 144Hz refresh rate (adaptive)

• HDR10+ and 2160Hz PWM dimming

Watching Netflix or scrolling through Instagram is buttery smooth. Brightness hits 1,600 nits peak, making it easily visible outdoors.

Nord CE 5:

• 6.77-inch AMOLED, FHD+

• 120Hz refresh rate

• HDR certified, ~1430 nits peak brightness

It’s slightly smaller and doesn’t hit the same pixel density as the Nord 5, but unless you’re pixel-peeping, you won’t feel short-changed.

✔ Verdict: Nord 5 wins with its higher resolution and fluidity, but CE 5 is no slouch.

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⚙️ Performance: Day-to-Day Beast Mode

This year, OnePlus went bold with chipsets.

OnePlus Nord 5:

• Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 8s Gen 3 

• Up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM

This thing flies. Apps open instantly, multitasking is seamless, and gaming on COD Mobile or Genshin Impact? No frame drops, even on high settings.

It even outperforms last year's Nord 3 and some early 2024 flagships. Geekbench scores put it close to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

OnePlus Nord CE 5:

• MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex

• Up to 12GB LPDDR5X RAM

While not a gaming beast, it’s ideal for everyday use: messaging, YouTube, light gaming. However, on heavier tasks like video editing or emulation, you’ll see some lags.

✔ Verdict: Nord 5 is a true performance machine; CE 5 sticks to the basics.

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🔋 Battery & Charging: Never Say Die

Nord 5:

• 6,800 mAh battery

• 80W SUPERVOOC charging (full charge in ~28 mins)

After a full day of heavy usage (screen on time ~7 hrs), I still had about 15–20% battery left. OnePlus has also improved thermal management—charging is cooler than before.

Nord CE 5:

• 7,100 mAh battery

• 80W charging

Still fast, and CE 5 gets to 100% in under 35 minutes. Light-to-medium users can push this phone for 1.5 days without hunting for a charger.

✔ Verdict: Both phones are champs in battery life; Nord 5 is slightly better with faster charging and a bigger cell.

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📸 Camera: Not Just Megapixels, It’s the Processing

OnePlus has always had a tricky relationship with cameras. Fortunately, both Nord phones bring something solid this year.

OnePlus Nord 5:

• 50MP Sony LYT-700 COMOS (akaIMX906) With OIS

• 8 MP Ultra-wide

• 2 MP macro (useless, to be honest)

• 50 MP front (Sensor: SAMSUNG ISOCELL JN5)

Photos are sharp, color-accurate, and low-light shots are impressive thanks to Nightscape 3.0. Videos max out at 4K 60fps, with good stabilization.

The Portrait mode is much better than last year, with better edge detection.

Nord CE 5:

• 50MP Sony LYT-600 main camera with OIS

• 8 MP Ultrawide

• 16 MP (Sony IMX480) front camera

Photos are decent in daylight, but struggle at night. No OIS means shaky videos unless you’re super still.

✔ Verdict: Nord 5 clearly leads here with flagship-level output, but CE 5 is passable for casual users.

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📶 Connectivity & Extras

Both devices come with:

• 5G support (13+ bands)

• Wi-Fi 6

• Bluetooth 5.4

• In-display fingerprint sensor

• Dual stereo speakers (Nord 5 louder & clearer)

What’s missing?

• No IP rating (although there’s some splash resistance)

• No expandable storage

• No headphone jack (even on CE 5)

✔ Verdict: Solid in terms of connectivity, though some may miss the 3.5mm jack.

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🧑‍💻 Software: OxygenOS 15 + 4/6 years updates

Both phones ship with OxygenOS 15 (based on Android 15), and OnePlus promises:

• 4/6 years of OS updates

• 4 years of security patches

Thankfully, the bloatware is minimal this time around. The UI is responsive, animations are fluid, and features like AOD, Zen Mode, and Smart Sidebar add real value.

There’s also AI call summary, improved clipboard management, and better privacy dashboards.

✔ Verdict: OnePlus has made OxygenOS great again—especially on Nord 5.

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📊 Pricing & Value for Money

Phone	Starting Price (India)	Memory Options
OnePlus Nord 5	₹27,999	8+128GB, 12+256GB, 16+512GB
OnePlus Nord CE 5	₹21,499	8+128GB, 8+128GB, 12+256GB

These prices put the Nord 5 directly against iQOO Neo 10 and Realme GT Neo 5 SE. For the specs, the pricing feels more than fair, especially considering the performance and display quality.

✔ Verdict: Both are good deals, but the Nord 5 offers best-in-class value under ₹30K.

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🧠 Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?

✅ Buy OnePlus Nord 5 If You:

• Want top-tier performance without flagship pricing

• Care about display quality and fast charging

• Need a solid camera for daily use

✅ Buy Nord CE 5 If You:

• Are on a tighter budget

• Need a good daily driver with OxygenOS

• Don’t do heavy gaming or photography

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📝 The Reviewer’s Take

The OnePlus Nord 5 is probably the best Nord phone since the original Nord in 2020. It balances power, style, and software like no other under ₹30K right now. You’ll feel like you're using a device that costs ₹10K more.

The Nord CE 5, meanwhile, is the dependable daily driver that doesn’t try to impress but still delivers where it counts. It’s the kind of phone I’d recommend to a parent or a student on a budget.

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OnePlus

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