Friends, OnePlus is back again with its Nord CE series, and this time it’s called the OnePlus Nord CE5. The “CE” stands for Core Edition, and as always, the focus is on essential features. The moment you open the box, you’re greeted with a clean unboxing experience — reading material, a color-matched case, OnePlus’ iconic red cable, an 80W SuperVOOC charger, and a smiling-face SIM ejector tool. But the real excitement begins once you get your hands on the phone. With its latest launch in 2025, OnePlus has once again captured the mid-range market spotlight.
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Design
The phone features a clean design with a flat finish. It has a polycarbonate back that still feels premium to the touch. With flat edges and a minimalistic style, the Nord CE5 is available in three colors — Nexus Blue, Marble Mist, and Black Infinity. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side, while the left side remains clean and clutter-free. At the bottom, you’ll find the SIM tray, USB Type-C port, and speaker grill.
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Immersive Display
On the front, you get a large 6.77-inch AMOLED display smartphone with a 120Hz refresh rate. With a peak brightness of 1430 nits, outdoor visibility is excellent. Thanks to Ultra HDR support, colors and depth appear vibrant and rich. An in-display fingerprint scanner is also provided for quick unlocking.
Performance
This time, OnePlus has equipped the phone with the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex processor, built on a 4nm architecture. You can choose between 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and storage options of 128GB or 256GB UFS 3.1. To keep the performance cool during heavy tasks, there’s a 741 mm² vapor chamber, ensuring smooth, extended gaming sessions. It’s also a solid choice for those looking for the best phone for gaming in budget.
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Battery
The biggest highlight is the monstrous 7100mAh battery. OnePlus claims the phone “goes on and on and on.” You also get an 80W fast charger, making it one of the top fast-charging phones in India. During gaming, there’s a bypass charging option to protect battery health and prevent overheating.
Camera
On the rear, the phone sports a dual-camera setup — a 50MP main sensor with Sony LYT600 and OIS support, and an 8MP ultra-wide lens. The front has a 16MP selfie camera. OnePlus says the camera is tuned to flagship levels, and you can record videos up to 4K at 60fps. Based on the photo and video samples shown, the camera performance seems quite polished, making it a contender for the best camera phone under 30000.
AI-Powered Features
The phone comes loaded with modern AI capabilities like AI Search, AI Summary, AI Translation, AI Writer, and AI Voice Scribe. It also supports the Circle to Search feature with Gemini Live integration. The camera includes AI tools such as AI Detail Boost, AI Reflection Remover, AI Unblur, and AI Reframing — all of which take your photo editing experience to the next level.
Software
The phone runs on OxygenOS 15, which is based on the latest Android 15. It brings several OxygenOS 15 features such as improved privacy, smoother animations, and intelligent battery management. The interface is clean and snappy, although you do get some pre-installed apps like Candy Crush. Still, the overall software experience feels smooth and refined.
Price
The phone is available in three variants. The base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at ₹24,999. The 8GB + 256GB version comes at ₹26,999, while the top-end 12GB + 256GB model is priced at ₹28,999. After offers, the effective prices drop to ₹22,999, ₹24,999, and ₹26,999, respectively. Overall, it’s a smart pick if you’re looking for a OnePlus smartphone under 25000 that packs high-end features.
For more information, visit OnePlus Nord CE5
Conclusion
The OnePlus Nord CE5 is a phone that smartly delivers all the essentials. With its massive battery, solid performance, flagship-like camera, and intelligent AI tools, it stands out as a complete all-rounder. If you’re looking for a budget flagship smartphone that doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket, the OnePlus Nord CE5 definitely deserves a spot on your list.
