The OnePlus Nord CE5 is made for people who want a OnePlus phone at a lower price than the regular Nord 5. It starts at £299 and offers the OnePlus experience without the high cost. But like most low-cost phones, there are some missing features. So, is the Nord CE5 worth the price, or has OnePlus removed too many useful things? Let’s look at everything in detail.
Design and Build – Same as Before
The OnePlus Nord CE5 comes with a big 6.77-inch display and thick bezels, which make it feel large in your hand. Still, it is slim and easy to hold. It comes in two colours: Black Infinity and Marble Mist. The Marble Mist version looks different and attractive, but some people might think it looks like bathroom tiles.
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The back is glass, and the frame is plastic, which is common at this price.
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A screen protector is already applied, which is useful.
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It has IP65 rating, meaning it can handle dust and a few splashes of water, but its not fully water-proof.
Software and Features – OxygenOS With Some Limits
This phone uses OxygenOS 15, which is known for its smooth performance. OnePlus has promised four years of software updates and six years of security updates, which is great for a budget phone.
But some features are missing when compared to higher-priced OnePlus models and even some other mid-range phones:
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The Alert Slider is gone. This was a quick way to change between silent, vibrate and ring mode. Now, you have to use the screen for that.
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The Always-On Display is not truly always on. You need to tap the screen to see anything.
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eSIM support is not available, which might be a problem for people who travel a lot.
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The base model has 128GB of storage, but you can add more using a microSD card in the second SIM slot.
Still, some good OxygenOS features are there:
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Gaming Mode helps improve performance while playing games.
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Zen Space is good for taking a break from your phone and focusing.
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Mind Space lets you capture and save information quickly, like Google’s Screenshot feature.
Display and Audio – Some Good, Some Bad
The 6.77-inch AMOLED screen is one of the best parts of this phone. While it is not the sharpest in this range, the Full HD+ screen is clear enough for watching videos or editing pictures.
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It supports HDR10, which makes watching videos better.
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It is bright enough to use outside, even in sunlight.
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The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations smooth.
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Aqua Touch helps the screen work better when it is wet.
The sound system is not as good. It has only one speaker. It is loud, but the sound gets harsh when the volume is high.
Performance and Battery – Good for Daily Use
The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex processor with 8GB RAM. It works well for most day-to-day tasks.
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For gaming, it runs games like Weather and Waves smoothly at 30fps, but if you try to increase graphics and frame rate to 60fps, it becomes laggy.
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The vapor chamber helps with heat control, but the phone still gets warm during long use.
The 5200 mAh battery lasts well through the day. With normal use, you will have about 25 percent left by the evening. If you play games or do video calls for a long time, it will run out faster.
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80W SuperVOOC fast charging quickly charges the phone.
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There is no wireless charging, which is common in budget phones.
Camera – Simple But Useful
The OnePlus Nord CE5 comes with two rear cameras:
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A 50MP Sony LYT600 main sensor takes bright photos. The colours are a bit more vibrant than real life. It works well in soft lighting and handles contrast okay.
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An 8MP ultrawide camera gives you a wider view.
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There is no telephoto lens. If you zoom, it uses digital zoom, which is less clear.
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It can record 4K videos at 30 or 60 frames per second, good for simple home videos.
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A 16MP front camera is good enough for selfies and video calls.
The camera app also has some AI features to improve pictures, but not all of them work equally well.
Good Budget Option But With Drawbacks
The OnePlus Nord CE5 is a nice option for someone who wants a budget phone with a good screen and smooth software experience. But there are trade-offs. It does not have the alert slider, the sound quality is not great, and the camera is just basic.
If your main focus is OxygenOS and a good display, this phone is worth looking at. But if you want features like always-on display, eSIM support or better speakers, you should also check other phones like the Nothing Phone (2a).
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