The Nord 5 is a fantastic phone for the price

There’s a lot to appreciate about the OnePlus Nord 5 – especially when you consider that, at £399, it’s £100 cheaper than the Google Pixel 9a and Samsung Galaxy A56 5G – two of the most popular mid-rangers around in 2025. 

Despite this, the Nord 5 boasts a fantastic experience. 

That starts with the larger 6.8-inch OLED screen, which is not just pixel-packed at 1.5K, but also offers a fast 144Hz refresh rate. That’s the fastest of any OnePlus phone to date, and leans very well into the gaming nature of the phone – especially when combined with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and up to 12GB of RAM.

With this combination, the phone not only beats the aforementioned Galaxy and Pixel phones in benchmark testing, but also delivers a much better gaming experience in real-world use. The phone can handle pretty much any game without breaking a sweat. It’s not the Snapdragon 8 Elite, but it’s very close to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 – 2023’s flagship chip of choice. 

That’s also true in the camera department, and rather surprisingly, the selfie camera in particular. While the selfie camera is oft-overlooked – especially in the mid-range market – OnePlus has gone all-in, bumping the selfie camera from 16MP to 50MP – but that’s not all. 

It sports an ISOCELL JN5 sensor that OnePlus claims is found in other flagships’ rear camera setups. I’m not sure what flagships it’s referencing, but it’s available in OnePlus’ own 13R, as well as the Poco F7 Ultra. Still, it’s a relatively large 1/2.2.75-inch sensor (for a selfie camera, anyway) with hardware-powered autofocus capabilities. 

That all translates to one of the best selfie experiences around, especially in the mid-range market – and it’s also capable of recording in 4K@60fps. 

The rear camera offering is also strong, with the Nord 5 borrowing the 50MP Sony LYT-700 sensor from the flagship OnePlus 13 – complete with the same f/1.88 aperture and OIS capabilities. 

It’s a massive upgrade from last year’s Nord 4, and allows the phone to better compete with the camera-focused Pixel 9a. Does it beat Google’s mid-range option? I still prefer Google’s tuning and colour accuracy, but it can certainly hold its own, especially in low-light conditions. 

There are also elements like strong battery life from the 5,200mAh battery, fast 80W charging and a boosted six years of combined software upgrades and security patches. Granted, the latter isn’t quite up to Samsung and Google’s seven-year commitment, but it’s not far off. 

Combined, the OnePlus Nord 5 is a fantastic phone well deserving of its Trusted Reviews Recommended Award. 

The problem? It looks very generic

I just can’t help but feel that the Nord 5 looks… well… a little boring – especially when compared to last year’s all-metal Nord 4.

Don’t get me wrong: the Nord 5 isn’t ugly by any means. The flat edges and rounded corners feel nice in the hand, and the minimalist camera housing keeps things tidy. But that’s exactly the problem – it’s a little bit too safe. 

It’s a design you’ve probably seen a dozen times this year alone, whether you’re looking at Sony’s Xperia 1 VII, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 or even budget phones trying to mimic the flagship look.

And that’s a bit of a shame, because the Nord 4 really stood out in the smartphone market at large. Its all-metal build wasn’t just unusual, it felt like something unique in a sea of glass backs and plastic/aluminium rails.

Of course, most buyers will simply stick their new phone in case, but the shape, the edges and the weight in your hand all still matter. It’s how a phone feels when naked that makes it truly memorable. 

OnePlus could’ve kept that edge with the Nord 5; even with the Nord 5’s familiar design, the all-metal body would’ve made it instantly recognisable. It’d stand out in a shop display, on a table or when you get it out of your pocket. And for a brand that’s built its name on doing things differently, it feels like a bit of a missed opportunity.

Most people won’t care, and that’s totally fair enough – the main appeal of the Nord 5 is its spec sheet rather than its look. But for those of us who think phones should look as good as they perform, the Nord 5’s generic design just feels like OnePlus playing it too safe.