Since OnePlus came back under the Oppo umbrella, I’ve noticed that it no longer receives grand launch events in Malaysia. It has suddenly emerged with its strength now lying in its more reasonable price offering. It’s not wrong to say that OnePlus is to Oppo what Poco is to Xiaomi. I’ve been using the OnePlus Nord 5 for two weeks and I feel it’s another good device without having to spend a fortune.
Specifications
OnePlus Nord 5
6.83″ Swift AMOLED screen
1272×2800 pixels, 144Hz, HDR10+
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (4nm) processor
1x Cortex-X4 3.4GHz chip
4x Cortex-A720 2.8 GHz
3x Cortex-A520 2.0 GHz
GPU Adreno 735
RAM 12 LPDDR5x
12GB Virtual memory
Storage 512 GB UFS 3.1
Main camera 50MP f/1.8, OIS (Wide Angle)
8MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide Angle)
Front camera 50 MP f/2.0
Battery 5200 mAh
Wired charging 80W
Dual SIM/Telephony/5G
NFC Yes
Audio jack No
Waterproof No
Scanning system Under-screen fingerprint
Face scan
Price RM 2299 (12/512 GB)
Screen
The 6.8″ Swift AMOLED screen is of the FHD+ resolution type that supports a refresh rate of 144Hz but not LTPO. It operates at 60, 90, 120, and 144 Hz depending on the application being run. Colors look vibrant with images displayed on the screen looking sharp.
Various HDR 10+ content from Netflix, YouTube, and Max can be played without any problems. The lack of Dolby Vision support is a bit strange since Oppo supports this HDR format. The screen is responsive with it detecting every touch and can also be used clearly in bright sunlight.
Biometrics
An optical fingerprint scanner is placed relatively low near the device. It would be nice if the fingerprint scanner was raised just an inch higher. It would make the fingerprint scanning process more comfortable. There is face scanning but like on devices without a 3D laser emitting system, it is not very responsive in dark areas.
Design
The design is very premium for its price in Malaysia. It feels very solid in the hand with flat sides. It reminds me of the design of the recently reviewed Find X8 and Vivo X200 FE. The back is made of metal which also has a non-glossy surface. It doesn't get dirty easily and more importantly it's not slippery. OnePlus doesn't give a free frame with every purchase.
The volume rocker and power buttons on the right side are located in an easily accessible position. The build is neat and sturdy without any issues of it hurting your fingers. Meanwhile on the right side there is a Plus Key which can be programmed to launch the camera, take screenshots, mute the device, and more.
The camera bump is oval in shape which protects both the camera lens and the flash light. The design of this bump is neat and practical so I'm not too mad that it prevents the device from being placed flat on a table.
The body doesn't pass any waterproof or dustproof standards. This is a real shortcoming as the majority of other devices in this class pass at least IP68. Why not at least provide splash resistance? Only Oppo can answer this enigma because from the beginning they refused to provide official waterproof standards to reduce the cost of the device.
There is still an infrared emitter, stereo speakers, NFC support and 80W wired fast charging. In terms of features, the Nord 5 does not have all the latest but I feel this basic offering is sufficient for most users out there.
Usage and Software
The OxygenOS 15 operating system is used and it is based on Android 15. It is an easy-to-use launcher, pleasing to the eye and comes with various additional features that are useful for increasing productivity. Usage feels smooth with animations that are not blocked. The 12GB RAM memory provided is sufficient for various daily activities. There is support for adding another 12GB of RAM virtually if necessary. There will be no issue of applications closing when too many applications are opened simultaneously.
There are Live Alerts that display live activities and control music applications in mini bubbles. Kid's Mode and Simple Mode are also included for use by children and the elderly. The AI feature provided is to generate transcripts from recorded audio and automatically edit images. Objects and people in the background can be selected and deleted to produce a cleaner image.
Meanwhile, the PlusKey on the side can be programmed to launch the camera, take a screenshot, mute the device, start audio recording, turn on the flashlight, activate the language translation mode and Mind Space. There is also an option to disable this button if not needed. There is no more drop-down button but PlusKey is a feature that supports more features and takes inspiration from the iPhone's Action Button.
There is support for Circle to Search and Google Gemini which is invoked using the power button. OnePlus deserves praise for not installing too many fat apps. The only ones I noticed were Amazon, LinkedIn and Booking.com. It is easy to remove these three apps if you feel they are just taking up storage space.
OnePlus provides support for 4 Android version updates and 6 years of security patches.
Benchmarks
I compared the Nord 5 with the devices below. All of them were chosen because they are in the affordable flagship class with comparable specifications. The standard Antutu 3D, Geekench and 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme tests were performed with scores as shown in the chart below.
OnePlus Nord 5 – Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
Nothing Phone (3) – Snapdragon 8s Gen 4
iQOO Neo10 – Snapdragon 8s Gen 4
Honor 400 Pro – Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Realme GT7 – Dimensity 9400e
AnTuTu 3D
Score Device
OnePlus Nord 5 1,456,436
Nothing Phone (3) 1,891,347
iQOO Neo10 2,012,925
Honor 400 Pro 1,861,573
Realme GT7 2,131,975
Geekbench 6
Single Core Multi Core Device
OnePlus Nord 5 1989 5058
Nothing Phone (3) 2107 6429
iQOO Neo10 2109 6858
Honor 400 Pro 2024 6083
Realme GT7 N/A N/A
3D Mark Wild Life Extreme
Device Score
OnePlus Nord 5 3137
Nothing Phone (3) 4207
iQOO Neo10 3480
Honor 400 Pro 4467
Realme GT7 5377
On paper, the performance of the Nord 5 with Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is not impressive when compared to devices in the same class. However, in the real world, the performance of the Nord 5 running common applications and games is more than satisfactory. Games like COD Mobile and Asphalt Legends can be run at high settings without issues.
Genshin Impact requires slightly lowered settings because the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is last year's chip. Another issue is the slower UFS 3.1 storage compared to UFS 4.0 used by other devices in this class. The difference can be felt when installing applications.
Camera
The main camera consists of a 50MP f/1.8 wide-angle lens (OIS), an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle and a 32MP f/2.0 selfie camera on the front. It's quite basic and there's no periscope zoom. But it's better to give two useful main cameras on the back than a tri-camera with a third macro lens just a gimmick. The main camera on the back is the same as the Nord 4, only the front camera has been upgraded from 16MP.
The image quality using the main lens is the same as the Nord 4. It's sharp, clear, with good color reproduction in both bright and dark situations. In dark conditions, the image still looks sharp with satisfactory HDR. Last year's algorithm is reused so I can't write anything negative about it.
The ultra-wide-angle lens is just OK with it looking softer especially in dark conditions. There's no OIS here so in night mode the picture is not as sharp as the main lens with the 50MP OIS sensor. Selfie photos are also ok with a mode that beautifies the face. The Nord 5's camera is competent although not very versatile in all conditions.
Audio
There are stereo speakers with OReality audio. There is no Atmos support but OReality offers comprehensive spatial audio support with modes for movies, music, presentations and smarts that adjust the audio according to the situation. However, the speaker is not loud enough. The highest setting is only half the volume of the audio on other devices' speakers.
At the same time, the audio feels quite flat with OReality still not a match for Atmos which gives dimension to the audio played. Bass is not strong, voices are drowned out and not dynamic. Audio is the most noticeable shortcoming of the Nord 5.
Battery
The 6800mAh battery can be recharged using a very fast 80W charger. In normal use, the device has no problem lasting all day. SOT of up to 15 hours can be enjoyed with more intensive use. With an 80W charger, the battery can be fully charged in 60 minutes which is still very fast considering the battery is very large.
There is a battery bypass mode when the charger is connected and limits charging to 80% to extend its life. Two downsides are that there is no wireless charging and the charger is not included in the box.
In the Box
Here's what you get in the box with your purchase.
1x OnePlus Nord 5
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
Conclusion
The OnePlus Nord 5 is a competent device at a competitive price in the Malaysian market. Well-built, contemporary design, comes with a satisfactory camera and a giant battery that lasts a long time. It's an upgrade over the Nord 4 from last year.
I see the Nord 5 as a basic device that can be used in all situations with just enough capabilities without unnecessary gimmicky features. If you're a OnePlus fan, this is a no-nonsense device for you with a selling price of RM2299 each.
Pros
Fast 144Hz AMOLED screen.
A chip that's still powerful despite its age.
Satisfactory main camera performance.
A giant 6800 mAh battery with 80W charging.
Support for 4 versions of Android and 6 years of security patches.
Cons
Audio is less than satisfactory.
Screen is not LTPO.
No official waterproof standard.