Having spent time with both the OnePlus Nord 4 and the new Nord 5, we’ve seen firsthand how OnePlus continues to shake up the mid-range smartphone market.
The Nord 4 made a real impression with its bold design and battery life, while the Nord 5 feels like a phone that’s focusing more on other areas – especially the display and selfie camera.
But with each phone taking a different approach, which one actually delivers the better experience? Here’s how the OnePlus Nord 5 and OnePlus Nord 4 stack up in our experience.
Pricing and availability
The OnePlus Nord 5 is, rather surprisingly, the more affordable of the two, coming in at £399 for the entry-level 256GB model. It’s available to buy right now following its release in early July 2025.
The Nord 4, on the other hand, is a little more expensive with an RRP of £429 for the 256GB model – though as it’s a year old, it’s often available at discount. Now that the Nord 5 is available, it’s likely the price will continue to drop as retailers shift remaining stock.
Design
The Nord 4’s design genuinely stands out in a sea of mid-range sameness.
The all-metal unibody feels premium and robust, and the etched Mercurial Silver finish is unlike anything we’ve used at this price. It’s a phone that feels like it can take a few knocks, and we found ourselves appreciating the solid, reassuring heft every time we picked it up. At 200g and 7.99mm thick, it’s not the lightest, but it feels substantial in the hand.
Switching to the Nord 5, we have to admit we were a little disappointed.
OnePlus Nord 5
OnePlus Nord 4
The design is clean and minimalistic, but it struggles to stand out as a result. Gone is the two-tone back, replaced by a single colour, and with the combination of flat edges, flat screen and a vertical camera alignment, it could be mistaken for a Samsung or Sony. It’s slightly larger and heavier (211g, 8.1mm thick) and just doesn’t have the same presence as the Nord 4 did.
The new Plus Key present on the Nord 5 is a nice touch, offering more flexibility than the old alert slider – even if this writer personally misses it – though we do wish it was as customisable as Apple’s Action button.
Other elements, such as protection, are fairly consistent, with both offering IP65 dust and water resistance; however, the Nord 5 takes the lead with upgraded Gorilla Glass 7i protection.
Winner: OnePlus Nord 4
Screens
The display is where the Nord 5 really shines. The jump to a 6.82-inch, 144Hz AMOLED panel is a game-changer, especially if you love gaming or just want the smoothest possible experience. Scrolling and animations feel incredibly fluid as a result, and we were genuinely impressed that a mid-range phone could outpace some flagships in terms of refresh rate.
OnePlus Nord 5
OnePlus Nord 4
The extra screen space is great for multitasking and watching videos, and the 1800nit peak brightness meant we had no trouble using it outdoors. The 1.5K resolution also helps keep everything nice and sharp.
That said, the Nord 4’s 6.74-inch, 120Hz AMOLED panel is still a pleasure to use. It’s sharp, vibrant, and gets even brighter for HDR content, peaking at 2150nits. The bezels are slim, and with a near-identical 1.5K resolution, we never felt short-changed using it day-to-day.
Winner: OnePlus Nord 5
Cameras
Camera tech is an area where there are significant year-on-year gains. The Nord 5’s 50MP selfie camera is, hands down, the best we’ve used on a mid-range phone. The detail and colour are fantastic, even in low light, and we actually found ourselves wanting to take more selfies – something we rarely say.
The main camera is also a step up, sporting a larger 1/1.56-inch 50MP main rear camera (the same as the OnePlus 13!) that captures more light and delivers vibrant, detailed shots whether we were out in the sun or shooting at night.
OnePlus Nord 5
OnePlus Nord 4
The Nord 4’s camera setup is, in comparison, just okay. The 50MP main sensor (1/1.95-inch) gets the job done, and the colours look natural, but it can struggle with tricky lighting and doesn’t deliver the same wow factor as the Nord 5 as a result.
The accompanying 16MP selfie camera is decent, but after using the Nord 5, it’s clearly a step down.
Both phones also sport an 8MP ultrawide, but neither is a standout in terms of detail or dynamic range.
Winner: OnePlus Nord 5
Performance
Performance is a strong point for both phones, but the Nord 5 is the more future-proof choice.
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset delivers solid performance that would’ve been considered flagship just a year or two ago, and we never experienced slowdowns or crashes as a result, even when gaming or multitasking. The 144Hz refresh rate helps in this regard, helping everything feel just that little bit snappier.
OnePlus Nord 5
OnePlus Nord 4
The Nord 4’s Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is still very capable, and we found it fast and fluid in daily use, though it’s starting to fall behind what’s offered in the 2025 mid-range market.
Storage and RAM options are generous on both, with up to 512GB and 16GB – market-dependent, of course – but if you want the absolute best performance, the Nord 5 is an easy choice.
Winner: OnePlus Nord 5
Software and AI
The OxygenOS experience is one of our favourites outside of the stock approach to Android, and it’s available on both OnePlus-branded smartphones.
The Nord 5 ships with OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15, and we appreciate OnePlus’ more relaxed approach to AI than some rivals. Features like AI Summary and AI Speak are genuinely useful without being intrusive, and Mind Space is an interesting way to utilise GenAI to store notes and other memories.
OnePlus Nord 5
OnePlus Nord 4
The experience is very similar on the Nord 4 following its update from OxygenOS 14 to 15 more recently, though it does lack support for key new features like Mind Space.
The Nord 5 takes a win when it comes to long-term support, offering six years of OS upgrades and security patches compared to the four OS upgrades and six years of security patches for the Nord 4. Given the Nord 4 has already received one upgrade, it means it’ll reach Android 18, while the Nord 5 will eventually get Android 21.
Winner: OnePlus Nord 5
Battery life
Battery life is where the older Nord 4 really shines. The 5500mAh cell is a powerhouse; we regularly got through two days on a single charge with moderate use, and even heavy days left us with plenty in the tank.
Charging is rapid with 100W support, though you’ll need to buy a SuperVOOC charger separately.
The Nord 5’s 5200mAh cell is a step down, and charging is slower at 80W, but we still managed a particularly busy day of use with 40% left. There’s no wireless charging on either, but both are more than capable of getting you through a day.
Winner: OnePlus Nord 4
Final Thoughts
After using both the OnePlus Nord 4 and Nord 5, it’s clear that each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
The Nord 4 offers something that feels unique, tough and lasts forever on a charge. The Nord 5, on the other hand, boasts the best display, best selfies and the fastest performance in the Nord line.
If you value design, battery life and a phone that stands out, the Nord 4 remains a fantastic option a year after release – and a cheaper one too.
That said, if you want a phone that feels genuinely next-gen in terms of display and camera, the Nord 5 is a clear upgrade. Just be aware of the more generic design and the slight step back in battery.
If you’re curious about how they compare to the competition, take a look at our hand-picked list of the best mid-range phones.
