OnePlus Nord 5: In summary
- OnePlus’ upcoming mid-range phone, likely to launch this summer
- Could be based on Chinese model known as Ace 5 Racing
- Leaks suggest big performance and battery upgrades
In 2024, Tech Advisor crowned the OnePlus Nord 4 as the best mid-range phone of the year.
However, such is the pace of the mid-range phone market, it’s quickly been surpassed in 2025, including by Google’s latest Pixel 9a.
Will OnePlus be able to regain its crown in 2025? The upcoming Nord 5 is expected soon, and it could include plenty of upgrades. Here’s everything we know so far.
When will the OnePlus Nord 5 be released?
In summary
- Chinese version set to launch on 27 May
- Global launch could follow in June
- US availability unlikely
Judging by recent models, a new generation of the OnePlus Nord is likely to be released soon. But while the Nord 3 launched in July 2023 and the Nord 4 arrived in July 2024, the Nord 5 could arrive a little earlier.
One report suggests that a global launch could take place in June, while another said in early May that “an announcement is in the near future”.
So far, the only evidence we have is the appearance of a device known only as ‘CPH2079’ on the database of TUV Rheinland, a German company known for its product testing. While not confirmed, some sites speculate that this could be the upcoming Nord 5.
If so, an appearance on the database would suggest a launch in the near future, but it could easily be delayed.
Notably, the Ace 3V was rebranded and modified for international markets as the OnePlus Nord 4. With no Ace 4V (the number 4 is considered unlucky in China), that trend suggests the Ace 5V might be launched globally under the Nord 5 branding.
However, there’s a chance it’ll be the Ace 5 Racing, which is launching on 27 May. The presence of the same rumoured chipset as the Nord 5 suggests the models are aligned.
Chris Martin / Foundry
But unlike the 13 and 13R, even a global launch is unlikely to include the US. While all previous phones in the main Nord series have been available in the UK, OnePlus tends to skip the US with its mid-range devices.
Sources: PhoneArena | Mint | The Tech Outlook | GSMArena | Sparrows News on YouTube
How much will the OnePlus Nord 5 cost?
In summary
- Nord 5 likely to have similar starting price to Nord 4 (£429/€499)
- No specific pricing rumours yet
Based on previous models, we’d expect the OnePlus Nord 5 is expected to slot into the sub-£500/€500 category.
There may be some small increases compared to the Nord 4’s £429/€499, but OnePlus will want it to stay competitive with the £499/$499 Google Pixel 9a.
However, there are no concrete leaks or rumours regarding pricing at this stage,
What specs and features will the OnePlus Nord 5 have?
In summary
- Similar design to the OnePlus Nord 4 is likely
- New Dimensity 9400e chipset rumoured
- Big battery upgrades expected
Design
The Nord 4 introduced a metal unibody design, offering a premium feel and improved durability compared to its predecessor. It also featured an IP65 water and dust resistance rating, an alert slider, and a unique two-tone rear design.
The only concrete rumour we have so far indicates that the phone will feature a glass back and plastic frame. That’d be a downgrade compared to the Nord 4, which boasts a metal frame.
Chris Martin / Foundry
The Chinese phone known as the OnePlus Ace 5 Racing Edition, upon which the Nord 5 could be based, suggests a vertical array of cameras that looks similar to the Galaxy S25 series phones.
It’s also very unlikely that the Nord 5 won’t retain the popular Alert Slider, as OnePlus confirmed it’ll be getting rid of it. It remains to be seen what the company will replace it with, if anything.
Sources: Debayan Roy on X | Abhishek Yadav on X | OnePlus
Display
The Nord 4’s 6.74-inch Full HD+ 120Hz OLED display is one of its standout features, delivering vibrant colours and deep blacks.
So far, reports suggest the Nord 5 (and Ace 5 Racing, upon which it may be based) will adopt a Full HD+ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. As such, any potential upgrades are yet to be revealed.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Sources: Debayan Roy on X | PhoneArena | GSMArena
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 review, while it delivered strong performance, especially in everyday tasks, it showed limitations with intensive gaming.
Chris Martin / Foundry
However, the Nord 5 is expected to jump ship to MediaTek – specifically, the Dimensity 9400e, which has just launched. It’s a slightly less powerful version of the flagship Dimensity 9400, but strong performance is still likely.
Nothing has been revealed regarding RAM or internal storage, so we can only assume that OnePlus will stick with the Nord 4’s 12+256GB and 16+512GB options.
Sources: Debayan Roy on X | PhoneArena
Cameras
The Nord 4’s cameras were a mixed bag, with a 50Mp main lens offering excellent results in good lighting, but a disappointing ultrawide and lack of a telephoto lens left room for improvement.
Sadly, it doesn’t look like these will be addressed, at least on the hardware side. The Nord 5 will reportedly stick with the 50Mp main lens and 8Mp, while also matching the Nord 4 with a 16Mp selfie camera.
Its successor will reportedly feature the same 50Mp sensor, but there’s still no sign of a telephoto lens on the back.
Chris Martin / Foundry
On the software side, AI enhancements like ‘AI Best Face’ could become more prominent for a better photography experience.
Sources: Debayan Roy on X
Battery & Charging
With a 5500mAh battery, the Nord 4 offers excellent battery life. It supports 100W wired charging, though it lacks a charger in the box.
Chris Martin / Foundry
While charging speeds are expected to remain the same, we could be in for a big battery capacity boost. Reports suggest we could be in for a 7000mAh or even 7500mAh cell, though it’s not clear if this is achieved using newer silicon-carbon battery tech.
Nothing has been revealed regarding wireless charging, which is one of the notable omissions on the Nord 4.
Sources: Debayan Roy on X | Digital Chat Station on Weibo (since deleted)
Software
Running OxygenOS 14.1 based on Android 14, the Nord 4 offers 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, though the Android 16 equivalent hopefully won’t be too far away. Hopefully, we can see further improvements to the software update commitment, but there are no rumours suggesting that’ll be the case.
It’s not clear if we’ll see any new AI features. Potentially, some of the ones on the OnePlus 13 could be rolled out.
We’ll update this article when we learn something new. In the meantime, check out our guide to the best mid-range phones to see what the OnePlus Nord 5 will be up against.
