The OnePlus Nord 5 has leaked – and as a Nord fan, it ticks most of my wishlist
Could potentially house an AI-powered chipset
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Information on the OnePlus’ upcoming mid-ranger, the Nord 5, has recently surfaced giving us a look at what may be a significant performance upgrade.
Details on the smartphone originate from two separate leaks by industry insidersDigital Chat Station on WeiboandShishir on X(the platform formerly known as Twitter). They claim the Nord 5 will run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 SoC (system on a chip), 16GB of RAM, and a 5500mAh battery. On the front will be a sizable 6.74-inchOLEDdisplay pumping out a 1.5K resolution image with a refresh rate of 120Hz. If this sounds familiar, that’s because theOnePlus 12Rhas a similar screen. The main difference between the two is the Nord 5 won’t have the LTPO panel so it won’t be as bright.
Shishir in his post states it’ll have the same rear camera array as the 12R which is both good and bad. Assuming the leak is true, this also would mean the Nord 5 will come equipped with the 12R’s substandard ultra-wide and macro cameras. They will, however, be led by the more robust 1/1.56-inchSonyIMX 890 sensor, enabling high-quality photography.
Analysis: A phone made for me
I am a big fan of the Nord series. The line consistently offers a great mobile experience at an affordable price and that’s exactly what I see in the leak. It checks off a lot of the things I look for in a smartphone.
I am particularly excited about the chipset. Back in November 2023, Qualcomm announced thebase Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 SoCfor mid-range smartphones. The hardware is said to deliver “60 percent better [performance] than… the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1”. Additionally, it has access to a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU to push its capabilities even further. The Nord 5 is getting the upgraded version. We don’t know when the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 will roll out. The last news about the chipset came outback in January. Since then, it’s been largely radio silence.
Going back to display, there’s a tidbit I neglected to mention. It’ll have “razor-thin bezels” allowing future owners to enjoy everything the display has to offer. Combine this design flourish with the 120Hz refresh rate with the powerful hardware, and you’re looking at a next-level mobile gaming experience. As a giant nerd/mobile gamer, I would love to own a Nord model that can better handle those tougher workloads. I own aNord N20myself. As much as I like it, the N20 struggles a lot with gaming.
One wish
I do have one feature that I would love to see on the Nord 5: a headphone jack.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
I prefer usingwired headphonesover wireless ones. Mainly out of personal preference, but also because, they have superior audio quality – at least in my experience. However, if the Nord 5 is anything like the Nord 3, it’ll probably ditch the audio jack. Fortunately, there are plenty ofgreat wireless earbuds out thereso it’s not all bad. Take this leak with a grain of salt. Things can always change at the last minute. Hopefully, it comes out in the United States; fingers crossed. US fans like myself have slim pickings when it comes to the Nord line.
Neither leak had an image of the Nord 5, although considering its many similarities, it’ll probably look like the OnePlus 12R complete with the round camera array.
While we have you, check out TechRadar’s list of thebest OnePlus phones for 2024if you want recommendations.
You might also like
Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry for several years now specializing in consumer electronics, entertainment devices, Windows, and the gaming industry. But he’s also passionate about smartphones, GPUs, and cybersecurity.
The OnePlus 13 has landed with top-tier power and a 6,000mAh battery – but you can’t buy it yet
Almost every OnePlus 13 spec just leaked, a day ahead of the official announcement
Lego will let you build Sir Ernest Shackleton’s iconic lost ship, the Endurance, in its next Icons set
