The OnePlus Nord 5 is shaping up to be a strong contender in the mid-range phone market, building on the success of its predecessors in the Nord series.
While the exact release date and details of the Nord 5 remain unconfirmed, we can look at previous releases to estimate what improvements may be made.
When will the OnePlus Nord 5 be released?
Traditionally, OnePlus has released its Nord series models around mid-year, with the Nord 3 launching in July 2023 and the Nord 4 in August 2024.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Following this pattern, it’s anticipated that the OnePlus Nord 5 will also make its debut around mid-2025.
However, this timeline is yet to be officially confirmed.
How much will the OnePlus Nord 5 cost?
The OnePlus Nord 5 is expected to slot into the sub-£500/€500 category, making it an affordable mid-range alternative to flagship devices.
Based on pricing of the Nord 4, it could start at around £429/€499, though prices may vary depending on regional markets.
What specs and features will the OnePlus Nord 5 have?
While there is no concrete information about the Nord 5’s specifications, examining the Nord 4’s features provides a solid foundation for speculation.
Design
The Nord 4 introduced a metal unibody design, offering a premium feel and improved durability compared to its predecessor.
It also featured an IP65 water and dust resistance rating, an alert slider, and a unique two-tone rear design.
Chris Martin / Foundry
For the Nord 5, we anticipate further refinement of this design. OnePlus might enhance the IP rating to IP67 or IP68 for better water resistance.
The rear design could become sleeker, potentially addressing the fingerprint smudge issue seen on the Nord 4.
We also expect OnePlus to retain the popular alert slider and O-Haptics feedback system.
Display
The Nord 4’s 6.74-inch Full HD+ OLED display was a standout feature, delivering vibrant colours and deep blacks. However, it lacked LTPO technology for variable refresh rates.
Chris Martin / Foundry
For the Nord 5, OnePlus could introduce LTPO to improve battery efficiency, along with a slight increase in maximum brightness for better visibility outdoors.
The resolution will probably remain at Full HD+, as it strikes a good balance between clarity and battery life.
Performance
The Nord 4 was powered by the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
During our review, while it delivered strong performance, especially in everyday tasks, it showed limitations with intensive gaming.
Chris Martin / Foundry
The Nord 5 might feature the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 4 or even a trimmed-down version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
RAM and storage options might remain similar, but we could see faster UFS 4.0 storage and LPDDR5X RAM for improved efficiency. Expandable storage could also be a welcome addition.
Cameras
The Nord 4’s cameras were a mixed bag, with a 50Mp main lens offering excellent results in good lighting, but the ultrawide and lack of a telephoto lens leaving room for improvement.
Chris Martin / Foundry
For the Nord 5, we might see an upgrade to a larger sensor for the main camera, improved ultrawide capabilities, and possibly a 2x telephoto lens for added versatility.
On the software side, AI enhancements like ‘AI Best Face’ could become more prominent for a better photography experience.
Battery & Charging
With a 5500mAh battery, the Nord 4 boasted excellent battery life. It supported 100W wired charging, though it lacked a charger in the box and offered no wireless charging.
Chris Martin / Foundry
The Nord 5 might push charging speeds further to 120W while addressing compatibility issues with third-party adapters.
Wireless charging could also make its debut in the Nord series, though it might be limited to slower speeds to keep costs in check. Battery capacity is unlikely to change significantly.
Software
Running OxygenOS 14.1 based on Android 14, the Nord 4 offered a user-friendly experience with six years of security updates and four major OS updates.
The Nord 5 will likely ship with OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15, maintaining OnePlus’ strong commitment to software support.
Further AI integration could enhance usability, especially for photography, battery optimisation, and accessibility features.
We will update this article when we learn something new. In the meantime, be sure to check out what we know about the global launch of the OnePlus 13.
