The OnePlus Nord CE5 is the successor to last year’s Nord CE4, and this time, OnePlus has pulled a fast one on us, but in a good way. On paper, the CE5 comes with a faster processor, a bigger battery and a lot of AI features. But what about real-life performance? Well, to test that, we took it for a long test drive.
Starting with everyday usage, the CE5 offers a smooth experience, especially when it comes to AI features. We loved the AI voice scribe, which can record and then transcribe Zoom meetings with just a single tap. The 6.77-inch Super Fluid AMOLED display with HDR10+, 120Hz refresh rate and 1300 nits (HBM) is bright, legible, and smooth with fluid animations. This made watching movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime quite enjoyable. At lower brightness, the display remains readable even in direct sunlight.
We also did a bit of gaming, mainly BGMI, where we saw an average frame rate of 115 to 117 FPS with performance boost on, but what surprised us was the thermal efficiency. Despite gaming for more than 45 minutes at a stretch, the thermals were under control. The Mediatek Dimensity 8350 Apex processor, combined with 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM, is capable of handling casual gaming needs quite efficiently.
We also used the phone for photography and to shoot reels. The 50MP Sony LYT-600 main module with OIS performed well in well-lit conditions; however, low-light performance could have been better. Talking of being better, the one thing that did not disappoint was the battery life. The 7,100mAh battery, which supports 80W fast charging, lasted more than 24 hours in our use case and almost two days in light usage.
Overall, the OnePlus Nord CE5 checks a lot of boxes and proves to be an everyday hero. Plus, it will get four years of OS updates and six years of security patches, which will keep it fresh and safe in the long run. In the end, the OnePlus Nord CE5 has a lot going for it, and given its mid-range price, it surely is a worthy contender for your hard-earned money.
