The OnePlus Nord 5 is here – well, almost. 
Slated to launch officially on July 8, the device has already made its first appearance in the wild, and we’ve got an early hands-on look. Positioned as the mainline successor in OnePlus’ budget-friendly Nord series, the Nord 5 brings a few upgrades, some bold design choices, and a few eyebrow-raising compromises.
Out of the box, the phone comes in a familiar blue Nord package – minimal branding, no model name on the front. Inside, you get the phone itself, an 80W charger, USB-C cable, and a dark gray silicone case – unless you live in the EU, where regulations now ban in-box chargers and cases for newly released smartphones.
Our unit is the Marble Sands variant, flaunting a light champagne gold frame and an intricately etched glass back that catches light like sand dunes under the sun. It’s beautiful, no doubt – but while the back is premium glass, the frame is plastic, a step down from the Nord 4’s sleek aluminum unibody. It’s a noticeable downgrade in hand-feel, especially for returning Nord users.
The rear camera module shifts back to a vertical layout, aligning with the rest of the Nord lineup, unlike the horizontal setup on the Nord 4. It houses a 50MP Sony LYT-700 sensor with OIS, while the front gets a 50MP Samsung JN5 shooter – and yes, it finally has autofocus for those sharp selfies and better video calls.
Powering the Nord 5 is the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, making it the first Nord to get a chip labeled “flagship-grade.” Still, the 8s Gen 3 is not top-tier by 2025 standards, and performance-wise it’s comparable to the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 that powered the Nord 4. The real-world gains? Likely marginal. The device supports up to 144Hz refresh rate in games like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile, but it remains to be seen if the cooling system will keep up under long sessions.
As with every OnePlus launch, there’s chatter around pricing. If it lands above €450, comparisons to phones like the Realme GT7 series and Poco F7 – with newer chips and better build materials – will make the Nord 5 a hard sell.
The Nord 5 feels like a blend of progress and compromise – better cameras and smoother gaming experience, but a plastic build and a recycled chipset story. More details will emerge at launch, but right now, Nord 4 still holds its ground as a balanced offering for the price.