ONEPLUS NORD 5 – Smooth Performance, Stunning Display.

Display

Oneplus Nord 5 leverages  a rich 6.83-inch Swift AMOLED screen,  boasts of sharp 1.5K resolution (2800 x 1272 pixels) and a very smooth 144Hz refresh rate, making it perfect for gaming and multimedia. The screen also enhances the user experience with Aqua Touch technology, making it very responsive even when wet fingers are used, and sporting 3840Hz PWM dimming to provide more eye comfort in terms of long-term use.

PROCESSOR

The OnePlus Nord 5 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3  The chipset is designed on a high-performing 4-nanometer process technology, which helps it achieve its power and energy balance. It also boasts an octa-core processor configuration, cleverly architected for the co-mingling of workloads: one 3.0 GHz Cortex-X4 high-end leading core deals with demanding tasks, complemented by four 2.8 GHz Cortex-A720 performance cores for multi-tasking at a high level of performance and three 2.0 GHz Cortex-A520 efficiency cores that deal with daily tasks and save battery life. Such intelligent distribution of cores guarantees silky-smooth and responsive performance everywhere.

RAM & STORAGE

OnePlus Nord 5 is available in various RAM and storage sizes to suit the needs of diverse users, so it can multitask easily and provide enough space for apps, files, and games.

Speaking about RAM, OnePlus Nord 5 features:

8GB LPDDR5X RAM

12GB LPDDR5X RAM

The adoption of LPDDR5X RAM indicates prioritization of fast and power-efficient memory, and this is crucial in order to allow the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor to function at its best. OnePlus also features native “RAM-Vitalization” and RAM Expansion, which can add virtual RAM (up to 12GB additional based on model) to further improve multitasking performance and general system smoothness. Essentially, the phone can manage high amounts of opened apps and system resource-intensive processes without lag.

In terms of storage capacity, the OnePlus Nord 5 has roomy configurations:

256GB

512GB

The phone features UFS 3.1 storage technology. UFS 3.1 reads and writes much faster than its predecessors, leading to faster app installation, fast file transfer, and faster loading of games. Note that OnePlus Nord 5 lacks a microSD card slot for expandable memory, so the buyers will have to be extremely careful in selecting their preferred internal storage space based on projected needs. These generous storage volumes, coupled with the speedy UFS 3.1 standard, mean that users can store and retrieve all their content without issue.

CAMERAS

The OnePlus Nord 5 features a robust camera system, with a strong emphasis on its main and front-facing sensors, designed to deliver quality results in various lighting conditions.

Rear Camera System:

The primary camera setup on the back of the OnePlus Nord 5 consists of a dual-camera module:

50MP Main Camera (Sony LYT-700 / IMX906): This is the star of the show, utilizing a flagship-grade Sony LYT-700 (also known as IMX906) sensor. It boasts a 1/1.56″ sensor size with 1.0µm pixels, allowing it to capture a significant amount of light. Combined with a bright f/1.8 aperture and Tri-axis Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), this main sensor excels in capturing sharp, detailed, and vibrant photos in good lighting conditions. It also shows strong performance in low-light scenarios, producing clean and detailed images with good color reproduction. The main camera supports a 24mm equivalent focal length and has autofocus. It can output images at 14.2MP by default, with an option for full 50MP resolution.

8MP Ultra-Wide Camera (OV08D10): Complementing the main sensor is an 8MP ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 116˚ field of view. This sensor is useful for capturing expansive landscapes, group photos, or architectural shots. While it generally maintains consistent color science with the main camera in daylight, it typically produces softer images with more limited dynamic range, especially in low light, and lacks autofocus.

Front Camera System

50MP Selfie Camera (Samsung ISOCELL JN5): A significant upgrade for the Nord series, the OnePlus Nord 5 features a high-resolution 50MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5 sensor for its front-facing camera. This sensor comes with an f/2.0 aperture, a 21mm equivalent focal length, and importantly, autofocus (AF). The inclusion of autofocus dramatically improves the clarity and sharpness of selfies, ensuring subjects are always in focus. This sensor is capable of producing detailed and sharp selfies with good dynamic range and accurate skin tones, even in challenging indoor lighting.

Video Capabilities

Both the main rear camera and the front-facing selfie camera support 4K video recording at 30/60 frames per second (fps). This allows for high-resolution and fluid video capture from both sides of the device. The main camera benefits from both OIS and Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) for smoother video. The ultra-wide camera is typically limited to 1080p video recording.

Key Camera Features and Technologies

Optical Image Stabilization (OIS): Crucial for the main rear camera, OIS helps to counteract camera shake, resulting in sharper photos and more stable videos, especially in low light or when capturing moving subjects.

Flagship HDR Algorithm: OnePlus has integrated a RAW HDR algorithm, reportedly borrowed from the OnePlus 13 series, which helps in achieving lifelike color reproduction, improved contrast, and better detail retention in both highlights and shadows.

AI Photography Features: The Nord 5 leverages its Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset for AI-enhanced photography features. While specific details can vary, these typically include AI scene recognition, AI image enhancement, and potentially features like AI Eraser for removing unwanted objects.

LivePhoto with Ultra HDR: This feature allows for capturing short motion clips (typically 3 seconds – 1.5 seconds before and after the shutter press) with Ultra HDR support for the cover photo, bringing a more dynamic element to static images.

Portrait Mode: Both front and rear cameras offer a portrait mode for capturing subjects with a pleasing background blur (bokeh effect).

Nightscape: A dedicated mode for enhancing low-light photography, utilizing computational photography to brighten scenes and reduce noise.

While the OnePlus Nord 5’s camera system is generally considered solid for its segment, offering noticeable improvements, particularly in the selfie department and overall image processing, it’s worth noting the absence of a dedicated telephoto lens. Zooming beyond 2x relies on digital zoom from the main sensor, which can lead to a loss of detail at higher magnifications.

BATTERY & CHARGING

OnePlus Nord 5 comes with a massive battery and charging speed, which keeps the users active the whole day with fewer down times.

Battery Capacity

OnePlus Nord 5 typically features a 5200 mAh battery. Both the configurations use a series dual-cell battery configuration. The large 6800 mAh battery is especially unique, one of the biggest batteries in a Nord series phone, with the assurance of long usage.

Charging Speed and Technology

OnePlus Nord 5 comes with 80W SUPERVOOC fast charging. It is OnePlus’s own charging technology that aims to give extremely quick top-ups. The phone charges very fast from 0% to a significant percentage using the provided 80W power adapter as well as USB-A to Type-C cable.

According to testing, a 0% to 100% top-up with the 80W SUPERVOOC charger is about 1 hour and 15 minutes for the 5200 mAh . The initial 50% top-up is around 30 minutes, and the speed tapers after 80% to maintain battery health and safety – an increasingly common practice in contemporary fast-charging systems.

Other Battery Features:

Bypass Charging:

It is helpful to gamers or under intense usage. It provides the option of drawing power directly from the charger and charge the device without going through the battery. This minimizes heat production and puts less pressure on the battery, prolonging its lifespan.

5W Reverse Wired Charging: Nord 5 also offers 5W reverse wired charging, meaning that it can also be used to charge other tiny devices such as earbuds or smartwatches using a cable.