The OnePlus Nord series has really become popular among those who want bang for their buck. With the new OnePlus Nord CE 5, OnePlus is refreshing the CE lineup with some subtle design tweaks and a set of fresh new colours. But the real upgrades lie under the hood, as OnePlus brings a massive bump in both performance and battery life. These changes alone make the phone look and feel quite different from its predecessor. Also Read: Best OnePlus Deals During Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2025: OnePlus 13 To Nord 4 - Check Top Deals Here

It also comes with an all-new processor and a bigger battery. All these upgrades do sound interesting and appealing, but with everything that’s new, does the phone really ace its place as a top contender for mid-range buyers? Also Read: 7 Best All-Rounder Phones Under Rs 30,000 With A 50MP Camera, Large Battery Life, Mid-Range Chipset

OnePlus Nord CE 5 Specifications

OnePlus Nord CE 5 Design and Build 

The OnePlus Nord CE 5 has a boxy design that gives it a solid in-hand feel. While the phone is made of plastic, the quality is still well maintained. The back design is similar to its predecessor but comes with a few minor tweaks. This time around, OnePlus has gone with a soft matte plastic back rather than a glossy finish. This makes it less prone to fingerprints and gives it a more premium feel. The camera layout has also changed slightly, with the flash now moved away from the camera cutout. The dual-camera setup gives the phone a clean, minimal look, and the new colours really add a fresh personality to the device. 

The phone also feels really comfortable and lightweight, even with its massive 7100mAh battery. This makes it a great option for those who need long battery life but don’t want to compromise on the build quality of their phone.

OnePlus Nord CE 5 Display

Starting with the display, the OnePlus Nord CE 5 features a 6.77-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. The display feels smooth and fluid throughout, whether you’re scrolling through social media or gaming. Even when using it outdoors, the screen holds up well thanks to its brightness of 1,430 nits. The bezels are minimal and overall symmetrical, which gives it the look and feel of a more premium mid-range display. Considering the price point this phone comes at, the display definitely gives tough competition to other phones in the same range. It also comes with Widevine L1 certification, so users can enjoy Netflix, Prime Video, and other streaming platforms in the best quality possible.

Overall, this display truly elevates the multimedia experience and makes it a great option for anyone looking for a budget device that doesn’t compromise on display quality.

OnePlus Nord CE 5 Performance 

Now, let’s talk about the biggest upgrade. OnePlus really took a leap in terms of performance and gave a powerful boost to the Nord CE 5. This phone sports a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 SoC, which brings high-level performance to budget users. It runs on Android 15 with OxygenOS 15.0 on top. The animations and overall app-switching experience are smooth and well-optimised, and thanks to the upgraded processor, multitasking is now a breeze. The phone also comes with 8GB of RAM, which further contributes to the overall snappy and responsive feel of the device.

Even gaming on this device is great. BGMI runs at 90 FPS and the experience is pretty smooth. During gameplay, the phone feels really smooth with no lags or hiccups in the gameplay. Just make sure the performance toggle is on to push the device and get the best out of it. I also tried some other games like Asphalt and COD Mobile, both games worked pretty well, and the phone actually performed well. Even in the throttling test, the device performed well and didn’t overheat or get uncomfortably warm to hold.

The OnePlus Nord CE 5 misses out on the AI Key found in its elder cousin, but it still has all the OnePlus AI features like AI Search and AI Toolbox 2.0 for all the AI magic.

Apart from the raw performance, the speaker is also loud enough. The phone misses out on stereo speakers, but the single mono speaker is loud and hits the right notes. It has a punchy and bassy sound signature, which makes it great for watching web series or movies on the go.

OnePlus Nord CE 5 Camera 

Moving to the camera, the OnePlus Nord CE 5 has a dual camera setup. The primary is a 50MP lens accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide-angle lens.

While using the camera, I found the main camera output to be really solid. OnePlus has really worked on skin tones, and this time around there’s no weird white or reddish tint in the skin. The colours are close to natural with a slight saturation, which gives the photos an instant social media ready look. Even photos of subjects like flowers and leaves were not overly saturated and maintained their natural colours with a slightly boosted look. All the shots came out pretty good in daylight with good details. The phone does slightly also over sharpen in some photos but, it’s not something really major.  

In terms of portraits, the phone clicks some decent portrait shots as well. The photos come out really well, and the phone delivers a natural output. Even the 16MP selfie camera clicks some great photos, capturing skin tones and details well.

In the video department, the phone does give a 4k 60 FPS option but, the best and the most stable footage comes at 1080p 60 FPS. The ultra steady mode works well with 1080p 60 FPS and gives really stable footage and reduces jerks. The quality of the videos is decent, and it captures colours and details well with a wide dynamic range.

OnePlus Nord CE 5 Battery 

Coming to the standout battery performance, the Nord CE 5 outperforms almost every other phone in its segment with its massive 7100mAh battery. With normal usage, the phone easily delivers an exceptional two-day battery life. This is a huge plus for anyone looking for a reliable device with strong battery performance. Not only that, but thanks to the fast 80W SUPER VOOC charger, the phone powers up in just under 1 hour and 30 minutes, which is impressive, especially since it can easily last a full day even with heavy multitasking and gaming.

Additionally, the device also features Bypass Charging, which allows the phone to draw power directly from the charger instead of the battery. This is useful for gamers who might play games while plugged in. This prevents the device from getting overheated and allows gamers to enjoy their gaming sessions comfortably even while charging the phone.

OnePlus Nord CE 5 Verdict

The OnePlus Nord CE 5 is a great device for customers looking for a mid-ranger that delivers the best price-to-performance ratio. It offers solid performance and massive battery life, making it a power-packed phone overall. The OnePlus Nord CE 5 starts at Rs 24,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage model, while the 8GB + 256GB configuration costs Rs 26,999. This is a perfect sweet spot for users who don’t want to go above Rs 30,000 but still want to experience the best performance in this price segment.