There is still much to learn about the Nord 5 average range 5, but after the official telephone announcement earlier this week, we at least know that it will be dramatically different from the OnePlus Nord 4.
Last year’s model was strongly marketed as “the only Unibody 5G Metal Smart Telephone in the market,” according to OnePlus, Nord 4 used “plane degree aluminum” that made it “elegant, strong and less prone to break.” We agreed with this evaluation in our OnePlus Nord 4 review, describing the metal frame of the phone as “a small touch that makes Nord 4 look different and feels well protected against drops and blows.”
Why, then, OnePlus has decided to eliminate metal in the next Nord 5? We ask the OnePlus Marketing Director for Europe, Celina Shi, in an exclusive interview, and although he could not share details about the new design of Nord 5, he shed some light on why OnePlus has chosen to abandon this seemingly important feature.
“While I still can’t reveal details about the Materials of the OnePlus Nord 5 series, I can say that it will not be in a metal frame this year,” Shi explained. “Our design concept for all our devices is based on the vision of the consumer. After a global survey conducted in Europe, North America, India and China, we discover that our target audience puts a strong emphasis on practicality in design.”
“They constantly prefer styles that are brief, simple and elegant. In response to this, in the OnePlus Nord series this year, we are offering a Nordic inspiration design that reflects these values and resonates with our consumers worldwide.”
Image 1 of 2
Presumably, OnePlus refers to Scandinavian minimalism when it says “Nordic inspiration design”, and from the first teaser image we have seen of the next Nord 5, it is undoubtedly a more stripped issue than the Nord 4 of two tones (especially the mercurial silver model, which also looks like a pattern acinapar in its rear).
The colors of the Nord 5 will also probably be inspired by Nordic geography; We already know that the phone will be released in a tone called “dry ice”, for example.
And if he wonders if the name “Nord” itself has any relationship with the last design philosophy of OnePlus, it is more a happy coincidence. As the co -founder of OnePlus, Carl Pei, revealed exclusively to Techradar in 2020, “Nord” refers to both “north” in the sense of navigation and OnePlus “returning to [its] true north ”as a brand.
But the absence of metal is not the only big design change that reaches the OnePlus Nord 5. With Nord 4, OnePlus turned the script in previous Nord models when equipped with a horizontal chamber matrix, but the Nord 5 once again will wear a vertical camera design.
“With any smartphone, there is always a negotiation between aesthetic design and what is physically possible within those parameters,” Shi explained in relation to change. “As the technological components evolve, so will our design to make the best attractive products that work optimally.”
“The camera module is vertical in the last OnePlus Nord series, since this design optimizes the space within the device, which allows us to include a chipset, battery and screen of the best class.”
At the time of writing, we are only aware of one of those “best in class” specifications for the next OnePlus Nord 5: It will use a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chips, but we hope we listen more about this possible addition to our best OnePlus phone guide soon.
