Following the launch of the OnePlus 13s, OnePlus is now set to take care of its midrange lineup with the new Nord 5. Teased broadly on social media and the Indian website, the Nord 5 seems like a big step up from the mighty impressive Nord 4. Ditching a few features here and gaining some in another, the Nord 5 could reset expectations from smartphones that cost less than Rs 35,000.
The Nord 5 is expected to bring a significant upgrade in performance, display technology, and battery capabilities. Based on a collection of leaks and official teasers, here’s a comprehensive roundup of what we know so far about the upcoming device, including its rumoured price in the highly competitive Indian market.
Design
By now, it isn’t surprising to know that the OnePlus Nord 5 will essentially be a rebadged OnePlus Ace 5 Racing Edition from China. Hence, the design remains almost identical. It features distinct circular camera rings barring a hump. The phone is expected to come in colour options such as Dry Ice, Marble Sands and Phantom Grey. The OnePlus Nord 5 is also said to have an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance and weigh 211g.
Performance
Unlike the Chinese version, the OnePlus Nord 5 in India will get a slightly less capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC. Compared to its predecessor, this is a significant leap, bringing two generations old flagship performance to the Nord series. Paired with up to 8GB and 12GB RAM LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB and 512GB storage options, OnePlus is teasing high-end gaming capabilities. OnePlus says that the device can run mobile games like Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) at 90 FPS and Call of Duty: Mobile at 144 FPS. The Nord 5 is said to feature a 7,300 sq mm VC cooling chamber for good heat dissipation.
Display
Backing the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 will be a 6.83-inch full-HD+ resolution AMOLED display that will support up to 120Hz refresh rate. No LTPO panel hinted though, thus suggesting that this won’t be best display experience you can have from OnePlus.
Camera
For photography, the OnePlus Nord 5 is tipped to feature the same dual-camera setup on the rear as its predecessor. This includes a 50MP primary sensor with OIS and a secondary 8-megapixel ultrawide shooter. No telephoto camera on the Nord 5, which could put off some midrange buyers, considering how the competition offers it as a standard feature.
Battery
Although OnePlus is yet to reveal the stats on the battery department, rumours suggest that the phone comes with relatively ample 5,200mAh battery capacity, which is lower than the silicon carbide 6000mAh batteries on the flagship OnePlus 13 series. The Nord 5 is rumored to support 80W SuperVOOC fast wired charging to fill it up and as usual, there won’t wireless charging on offer.
Expected India pricing
While OnePlus is yet to make an official announcement regarding the pricing, leaks and industry speculation provide a strong indication that the Nord 5 could be priced around Rs 30,000 in India for its base variant. It is said that the top-spec variant could go up to Rs 36,000, thus undercutting the likes of the Realme GT 7T and iQOO Neo 10.