If you were waiting for the OnePlus Nord 5 hoping it would level up from the Nord 4, you might be in for a surprise — and not necessarily a good one.
This year, OnePlus is ditching the metal frame and going with a plastic build for the Nord 5. Yep, plastic. And when asked about it, they didn’t exactly try to hide it. In a recent interview with TechRadar, OnePlus Europe’s Chief Marketing Officer, Celina Shi, openly admitted:
“I can say that it won’t be in a metal frame this year.”
But here’s where it gets interesting — they’re saying this change is based on feedback from buyers like us. According to them, they ran a global survey across regions like India, Europe, North America, and China, and apparently, the feedback they got said people care more about “practicality” in design than premium materials.
So… are we really the reason the Nord 5 is getting downgraded from a sturdy metal frame to a plastic one?
What’s Really Going On Here?
Let’s be honest — calling plastic frames “practical” sounds like a clever way of saying ‘cost-saving’. While plastic might make the phone lighter and cheaper to produce, it’s generally seen as a step down from the premium feel that a metal frame offers.
And for a brand that used to pride itself on delivering premium features at an affordable price, this feels like a bit of a letdown.
Performance Downgrade Too?
The changes don’t stop at the frame. The global version of the OnePlus Nord 5 is basically a rebranded OnePlus Ace 5 Ultra, which recently launched in China. But there’s a catch.
The Chinese version gets the powerful Dimensity 9400+ processor. Meanwhile, the global version, including India, will come with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 — a chip that’s reportedly twice as weak in performance compared to the Dimensity 9400+.
So not only are we getting a plastic frame, we’re also getting a less powerful chip. Ouch.
Here’s a Quick Comparison:
| Feature | OnePlus Nord 5 (Global) | OnePlus Ace 5 Ultra (China) |
|---|---|---|
| Frame Material | Plastic | Metal |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Dimensity 9400+ |
| Launch Market | Global (incl. India) | China |
| Performance Gap | Lower | Higher |
What Are Fans Saying?
The tech community hasn’t taken this news lightly. Many users on Reddit and Twitter are calling the plastic switch a “downgrade disguised as user preference.” Some are even joking that the “global survey” must have only included toddlers who drop their phones a lot.
Others say they’d happily trade a few extra grams of weight for a solid metal frame and top-tier processor — especially at a price that’s no longer as “budget” as it once was.
Should You Still Consider the Nord 5?
Well, it depends on what you’re looking for.
If you:
-
Want a lightweight phone,
-
Don’t mind plastic if it saves some bucks,
-
Are okay with a mid-flagship level chip,
…then sure, the Nord 5 could still be a decent buy.
But if you care about:
-
Build quality and premium feel,
-
Top performance without compromises,
-
Or simply not feeling like you got the short end of the stick compared to the Chinese variant,
…then you might want to look elsewhere, or maybe even consider importing the Ace 5 Ultra.
A Smart Decision or a Shortcut?
At the end of the day, OnePlus says they’re giving buyers what they asked for. But it’s hard not to see this as a step backward, especially for a brand that built its name on giving people more for less.The Nord 5 might still turn out to be a solid phone overall — but make no mistake, it’s no longer trying to be “flagship killer” material. Instead, it’s playing it safe, focusing on practicality… and maybe profits too.
