The OnePlus Nord 5 is shaping up to be a serious contender in the mid-range phone market, building on the success of its Nord series predecessors.
Although the exact release date and details of the Nord 5 remain unconfirmed, we can look at previous releases to estimate what improvements could be made.
When will the OnePlus Nord 5 be released?
Traditionally, OnePlus launches its Nord series models around the middle of the year, with the Nord 3 launching in July 2023 and the Nord 4 in August 2024.
Following this model, it is expected that the OnePlus Nord 5 will also debut around mid-2025. However, this timeline has not yet been officially confirmed.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Additionally, OnePlus is set to expand its Ace 5 family, which currently includes the Ace 5 and Ace 5 Pro. The next addition, the Ace 5V, will succeed the Ace 3V released in March 2024.
Notably, the Ace 3V has been rebranded and modified for international markets as the OnePlus Nord 4. This trend suggests that the Ace 5V could launch globally under the Nord 5 branding.
Note that there is no Ace 4V because the number four is unlucky in China.
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 the Nord 4's price, it could start at around £429/$499, although prices may vary depending on regional markets.
What specifications and features will the OnePlus Nord 5 have?
While there is no concrete information on the Nord 5's specifications, looking at the Nord 4's features provides a solid basis for speculation.
Design
The Nord 4 introduced a metal unibody design, offering a premium feel and improved durability over 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 plan further refinement of this design. OnePlus may upgrade the IP rating to IP67 or IP68 for better water resistance.
The rear design could become sleeker, potentially solving 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 colors 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 outdoor visibility.
The resolution will likely stay at Full HD+, as it offers 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 test, although it provided good performance, especially in everyday tasks, it showed its limits during intensive gaming.
We can therefore assume that the Nord 5 could be equipped with a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 4 or even Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Chris Martin / Foundry
However, the Ace 5V (expected to debut globally as the Nord 5) (via GSMArena) is rumored (via GSMArena) to feature MediaTek's unannounced Dimensity 9350 chipset, described as an upgraded version of the Dimensity 9300.
According to prominent Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, this chip is expected to directly compete with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8s Elite, the successor to the 8s Gen 3. The Dimensity 9350 promises slight performance improvements and reduced power consumption compared to its predecessor.
RAM and storage options may remain similar to the Nord 4, 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 delivering excellent results in good light, but the ultra-wide and lack of telephoto leave room for improvement.
Chris Martin / Foundry
For the Nord 5, we could see an upgrade to a larger sensor for the main camera, improved ultra-wide capabilities, and possibly a 2x telephoto lens for increased versatility.
On the software side, AI improvements such as “AI Best Face” could become more important for a better photography experience.
Battery and charging
With a 5,500 mAh battery, the Nord 4 offers excellent battery life. It supported 100W wired charging, although it lacked a charger in the box and didn't offer any wireless charging.
Chris Martin / Foundry
The Nord 5 could push charging speeds up to 120W while resolving compatibility issues with third-party adapters. This could also push the battery capacity to a whopping 7,000mAh, based on the Ace 5V's rumored specs.
Wireless charging could also debut in the Nord series, although it could be limited to slower speeds to control costs. 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, confirming OnePlus' strong commitment to software support.
Further AI integration could improve usability, especially for photography, battery optimization, 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 OnePlus 13 global launch.
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