Nothing Phone (3) vs OnePlus Nord 5: July 2025 is proving to be quite explosive for smartphone lovers. Because on one side there is OnePlus’s new budget king Nord 5, and on the other side there is Nothing’s premium style icon Phone (3). Both phones are making a splash in their respective segments, but when there is confusion about which phone to buy, let’s do a friendly and desi comparison of both.

Design & Style

Nothing Phone (3) has come with its own identity with a very cool design. Transparent back, new Glyph Matrix lights and premium matte black finish give it a flagship look. This is another name of phone style. Whereas OnePlus Nord 5 comes with a modern and sleek design, which will be liked more by traditional smartphone lovers. Build quality is good for both, but if you want to look unique then Nothing Phone (3) is a visual treat.

Display & Visuals

Both phones are great in terms of display. In OnePlus Nord 5, you get a 6.83-inch AMOLED display which supports 144Hz refresh rate and Ultra HDR. Brightness is also good and with 3840Hz PWM dimming, eyes are also comfortable. Whereas Nothing Phone (3) comes with a slightly compact 6.67-inch OLED screen, which has 1.5K resolution and 4500 nits peak brightness. The visuals are crisp and colorful in both, but gamers will like the refresh rate of Nord 5 a little more.

Performance & Processor

Nothing Phone (3) is equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, which is the latest and fastest. Be it gaming or multitasking, everything is lightning fast. OnePlus Nord 5 is also equipped with Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, which is quite powerful as compared to the previous version. Both phones easily handle daily use to heavy usage, but Nothing Phone (3) feels a little future-ready.

Camera Setup

This section is the most important for camera lovers. Nothing Phone (3) has a triple rear camera setup: 50MP main lens, 50MP ultrawide and a 50MP periscope telephoto lens, which gives 3x optical zoom. A 50MP front camera is also available for selfies. Whereas OnePlus Nord 5 has a 50MP Sony LYT-700 main sensor with OIS, an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro sensor. A 50MP camera is also given for selfies. Clearly, the camera setup of Nothing Phone (3) is more versatile and zoom-friendly.

Features & Tech

The software experience is also different in both. Nothing Phone (3) runs on Nothing OS 3.5 which feels minimal, clean and more customizable. OnePlus Nord 5 comes with OxygenOS 15 which brings a familiar Android experience and is very smooth and feature-rich. Nothing stands out in design, but in terms of usability, OnePlus’s OxygenOS is liked by many people.

Battery & Charging

When it comes to battery, OnePlus Nord 5 clearly leads. With a massive 6800mAh battery, this phone easily lasts for 1.5 days. It also comes with 80W fast charging, with bypass mode. Nothing Phone (3) has a 5500mAh battery that comes with 65W fast charging, and also has the option of wireless charging (15W) and reverse wireless charging (5W). If you want wireless charging then Nothing will be right, but for long usage Nord 5 is the best.

Price & Variants

There is a huge difference in terms of price. OnePlus Nord 5 starts from ₹31,999 and the top variant goes up to ₹35,999. Whereas Nothing Phone (3) starts from ₹79,999 and the top variant goes up to ₹89,999. Through offers, the effective price comes up to ₹62,999, but still it is a premium range device. So if your budget is within ₹40,000 then Nord 5 is a perfect choice.

Final Verdict

If you want a stylish, unique and premium smartphone that is like a flagship in every department, then the Nothing Phone (3) is for you. But if you want value-for-money, powerful performance, big battery and good screen at a reasonable price, then the OnePlus Nord 5 is an unbeatable deal. Both phones are kings in their own place – you just have to decide whether you want luxury or practicality!