DT Next Tech | OnePlus launches Nord CE5 with large battery and AMOLED display
The OnePlus Nord CE5 debuted alongside the OnePlus Nord 5 and the OnePlus Buds 4 in July 2025. The CE 5 drops at a price tag that’s Rs 7,000 lower than its sibling.
OnePlus Nord CE5
CHENNAI: Core Edition. That’s what the CE in the OnePlus Nord line stands for. The Nord CE smartphones have focussed on delivering key features for most users at a sticker price that’s slightly lower than it’s pricier Nord sibling. The OnePlus Nord CE5 debuted alongside the OnePlus Nord 5 and the OnePlus Buds 4 in July 2025. The CE 5 drops at a price tag that’s Rs 7,000 lower than its sibling. Does it deliver on its ‘core’ promise?
You can tell that both the Nord 5 and CE5 are cut from the same cloth. The CE5 shares design similarities with its pricier twin. This includes the rear camera module that keeps in line with the trend we’ve seen from other smartphones like the iPhone 16. We checked out the Nexus Blue with its icy cool appeal and premium matte finish. We also dig the Marble Mist colourway. OnePlus keeps the heft just under 200 gm; that’s quite impressive given the 7100 mAh battery under the hood.
The monster battery walks the talk and is one of our favourite features of the CE5. OnePlus has bundled an 80W SUPERVOOC fast charger in the box; it powers the device under an hour. The device comfortably chugs past a day even with hours of screen time and gaming sessions. At the heart of the device is a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex chipset. This is one of the key differences between the CE5 and the Nord 5 that is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor. The device comes in three storage variants that go all the way to 12GB/256GB Our benchmark tests - the device clocked a score above 4000 in our Geekbench test (multi-core), reveal that the device is no slouch and should work for most users.
The 2025 Nord duo are almost evenly matched in the camera department. The 50MP selfie shooter doesn’t disappoint, while the dual rear cam (50 MP primary lens + 8MP ultra-wide) does a reasonably good job even in lowlight conditions making it one of the better mobile shooters under Rs 25K. The Nord CE5 also ticks some other key boxes with a 6.77-inch Fluid AMOLED display (1080 x 2392 pixels) and an ultra-smooth user experience (we would have liked fewer pre-installed apps though). The CE 5 is a significant step-up from its predecessor and one of our favourite smartphones under Rs 25K.
