Poco F7 review: our honest verdict after one week with the superbly-priced mid-ranger
If you prioritise core hardware over camera specs this could be an absolute steal. It's just a shame the huge battery doesn't quite get the results it should.
Pros Excellent core hardware
Huge battery capacity
Price point-defying display
Interesting design
Cons Battery life underwhelms compared to its promise
Ultrawide camera is fairly poor
Digital zoom produces mixed results
Think Xiaomi and you'll almost certainly think of excellent phones at an appealing price point. Poco is a Xiaomi offshoot that takes this same logic and takes it even further, offering even more mid-range phone bang for your buck.
I was at the launch of Poco's F7 Ultra earlier this year in Singapore. It's a cracking sub-flagship phone for $649/£650 that performs really well. You can get better, but it'll cost you. Step forward to today and we have the Poco F7, a more vanilla mid-ranger, which sits at the bottom of the range under the inbetweener F7 Pro.
However, it's set to give potential users more than a little to think about, with the starting price clocking in at $399/£389 and early bird pricing available for an incredible $339/£319. That's scarcely believable and will surely undercut other upcoming budget mid-rangers such the Nothing Phone 3 which seems set to launch with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor.
Indeed, this F7 might be the entry-level phone for the range, but there's a lot about it that screams 'quality' as well as the Snapdragon chip including the display, high-capacity battery and 12GB of RAM.
Here's the full Poco F7 pricing for the two capacities available.
256GB: $399/£389 | Early Bird $339/£319
512GB: $449/£429 | Early Bird $399/£359
For comparison, the Poco F7 Pro is slated from $500, while the F7 Ultra will set you back $650. That's a nice spread between the three models.
That's scarcely believable and undercuts most mid-rangers. We already know the Nothing Phone 3 will launch with the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor as the Poco F7.
The more comparable Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro feature the previous Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip. The Samsung Galaxy A56 and Motorola Edge 60 Fusion are also natural competitors. And that's before you get to Poco's own F7 Pro and F7 Ultra, which are very viable upgrade paths to get a better specification.
How we test smartphones
Every phone reviewed on Stuff is used as our main device throughout the testing process. We use industry standard benchmarks and tests, as well as our own years of experience, to judge general performance, battery life, display, sound and camera image quality. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products.
Find out more about how we test and rate products.
Design and build: belies the price
Once more Poco has outdone itself, with a smart, flagship-level design. The aluminum metal frame is a little on the weighty side at 216g but it's fine compared to many rivals. It's not a large phone by today's standards, but seems like it has a significant footprint.
There are three colours, white, black and grey. As you may have seen, the grey is a Cyber Silver Edition complete with Snapdragon logo and other design flourishes made to look like phone internals. You won't be surprised to hear this one is my favourite given how much better it looks than its brethren.
The design of all three is quite distinctive though, with the rear panel split by a diagonal line like the rather striking camera module. In an age of phones looking the same, the F7 makes an effort.
The F7 boasts an IP68 dust and water resistant rating, still a little too rare at this price point and there's a pre-fitted screen protector. The phone even comes with a. basic silicone cover.
Display: 120Hz on a budget
The 6.83in AMOLED display is punchy and bright. It has a 1.5K 1280 x 2772 resolution (around 447ppi) with up to 120Hz refresh rate but it's not dynamic – not surprising for this price point. The phone can switch back to 60Hz or you can do it manually.
It can go very bright though, with 3200nits of peak brightness on offer and 1700nits as a more standard figure. The display is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 7i. It even has Dolby Vision (as well as HDR10+ and HDR10) support. Colours are really punchy and while the pixel count isn't the best it doesn't distract or detract from the experience. The display is undoubtedly a highlight of this package.
Specs and performance: impressive bang for buck
The phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 platform. Since the Gen 4 is new the F7 also boasts quite a lot of ticked boxed, with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, NFC and all the key 5G standards supported.
Performance clearly isn't going to be as good as the Poco F7 Ultra's flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite platform, but in our tests it gets close to the but it does get close to the Poco F7 Pro's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, first revealed in late 2023. In everyday performance, you won't find any issues with the 8s Gen 4 and only serious mobile gamers may find reason to grumble. Quite how Poco is using this chipset at this price point is anyone's guess but one can only assume that its margins are razer thin.
One thing that is anything but budget is the 6500mAh battery capacity with support for 90W HyperCharge fast wired charging (a 90W Xiaomi charger is inside the box) and 22.5W reverse wired charging.
Interestingly, the India model of this phone has an even bigger 7,550 mAh battery. It's a shame that isn't rolling out more widely.
So does the 6500mAh capacity translate to a wildly improved battery life? The short answer is not really. It's decent, but it's not quite as good as we'd hoped. It is possible to get the phone through two days of use at a push but it remains unlikely. We charged the phone one morning, did most of our camera tests and then the next morning it was in the red.
If you're an active user you're almost certainly going to need to juice it up during the latter half of the second day. The 5300mAh F7 Ultra seemed almost as good, probably due to more optimization from the higher end chipset.
The F7 has an under display fingerprint scanner which works generally very well and there's also face unlock, but as it is only reliant on the selfie camera it's not going to be the most secure. Yet it does unlock the phone well.
Cameras: very much a mixed bag
The camera is clearly one of those key areas where compromises have been made, but that is of course not unusual for such a low price point. The dual lens unit does still have a 50MP 1/1.95in f/1.5, 26mm main camera of reasonable quality in the form of Sony's IMX882 also in the Poco X7 Pro, Nothing's CMF Phone 1 and Oppo's Reno 14 series and the lower-end Samsung Galaxy A36. It has optical image stabilization which works noticeably well.
This is teamed with an 8MP OmniVision ultrawide and 20MP OmniVision selfie punch hole snappers, both of which are similar to those on the F7 Pro. The ultrawide is a serious downgrade from the 32MP unit on the F7 Ultra, however, and it delivers unremarkable images which often seem rather undefined and a little blurry.
At 1x and 2x the images produced by the main camera in normal light are absolutely fine with good colors and dynamic range. Video – even in 4K – is also perfectly respectable though don't expect miracles.
The results are clearly not flagship-level in terms of quality but for many they're perfectly good enough. However, if you start to zoom in further anywhere towards 10x, things rapidly go downhill and there is a huge amount of sharpening being applied. They just don't look that great.
Low light photos from the main camera aren't too bad. Night mode pops up automatically without delay. And they're not too noisy. Light sources are also respected and don't look blown out. You do need some light to be present though – don't expect very dark scenes to come out at all. And don't expect much action from the ultrawide at night, it's just not up to the task.
Software: Xiaomi time
The phone runs Xiaomi's HyperOS 2 which is based on Android 15 with full access to Google Play and Google apps.
There's a bit of bloatware in terms of the apps but it's nothing you can't remove. Otherwise the interface is fairly clean and you can opt to have an app drawer or not as well as choose from various dynamic wallpapers. HyperOS is a perfectly usable system.
HyperAI is on board and you can do various assisted image edits and also use AI speech recognition or AI writing for text generation.
Four years of software updates are promised which is fine, though with Google and Samsung now offering seven years, it's only a matter of time before others have to follow on.
Poco F7 verdict
The F7 launches into a hugely crowded market with lots of contenders under that all-important $400/£400 segment that classifies something as a budget phone rather than a mid-ranger. There are several reasons the Poco F7 is an absolute cracker.
Battery capacity has to be chief among them (even if the real-world results currently underwhelm), alongside the 90W fast charge and supplied charger. Then there's the excellent display that pushes the boundary of what you can expect from a phone at this price point. Finally, there's the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 platform itself, which provides you with reliable everyday performance.
On the negative side, the camera can't offer the quality that a bit more cash can get you and others do better for not much more. The camera compromises are not necessarily a huge negative at this price though. After all, you can't expect flagship-level imagery from a phone that costs half what a 'sub-flagship' might.
The Motorola Edge 60 Fusion remains a better option for imaging though, while the Poco X7 Pro also remains a real value champ. The F7 feels like a quality yet budget Android for those who aren't too fussed about taking loads of images but who want long battery life and a great display. It's yet another incredible budget phone from the Xiaomi stable.
Stuff Says…
Score: 4/5
If you prioritise core hardware over camera specs this could be an absolute steal. It's just a shame the huge battery doesn't quite get the results it should.
Pros
Excellent core hardware
Huge battery capacity
Price point-defying display
Interesting design
Cons
Battery life underwhelms compared to its promise
Ultrawide camera is fairly poor
Digital zoom produces mixed results
Poco F7 tech specs
Screen 6.83in, 1280 x 2772 120Hz AMOLED CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 Memory 12GB RAM Cameras 50MP w/ OIS + 8MP ultrawide rear
20MP front Storage 256/512GB Operating system Android 15 w/ HyperOS 2.0 Battery 6500mAh w/ 90W wired charging Dimensions 163 x 78 x 8.2mm, 215.7g
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a day ago
- Stuff.tv
The Oppo Find X8 Ultra is my favourite 2025 flagship for photography – but there's a key drawback
Stuff Verdict Comfortably one of the best cameraphones you can buy in 2025, with top-tier power and longevity. The Oppo Find X8 Ultra's China exclusivity and region-specific software sadly hold it back, though. Pros Astonishingly clear photos in all lighting conditions Flagship-grade performance and fantastic battery life Gorgeous flat OLED display Cons Only officially available in China Regional software restricts things like Wear OS support Camera button feels a bit 'me too' Introduction Westerners aren't short on options when it comes to picking the best smartphone, but for a few years now hardware-obsessed shoppers have been forced to turn to China to get their fix. Xiaomi, Vivo, Huawei and Oppo have been leading the charge for oversized sensors, tremendous telephotos and algorithms that get close to analogue film, but not all of them ever leave home. The Oppo Find X8 Ultra is the latest China-only flagship, with what some would argue is the greatest rear camera setup of any smartphone. A 1in lead lens and twin telephotos take top billing, with a colour-conscious spectral sensor and expansive ultrawide also on board. Factor in the top-tier Snapdragon silicon and one of the biggest batteries of any flagship on sale right now, and it's easy to see why fans are keen to import one – despite some local market software stumbles. It launched back in April, but I've only recently managed to get my hands on one. Was it worth the wait? After spending a month with the Find X8 Ultra as my main device, its software limitations aren't nearly as cumbersome as I expected – but as much as I've been blown away by its cameras, the limited availability is hard to ignore. How we test smartphones Every phone reviewed on Stuff is used as our main device throughout the testing process. We use industry standard benchmarks and tests, as well as our own years of experience, to judge general performance, battery life, display, sound and camera image quality. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Design & build: simple pleasures After several years of distinctive styling, faux leather finishes and two-tone colour schemes, the Find X8 Ultra is Oppo entering its minimalist phase. It doesn't stray too far from the Find X8 and Find X8 Pro, with an aluminium central frame and matte glass rear panel that's dominated by a giant circular camera island. The sides are fully flat here, rather than slightly curved, though the subtle bevel at the edges helps it sit comfortably enough in your hand. At 226g this is a reasonably hefty phone, and it's not exactly a slim one either – though it is more pocket-friendly than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor was as rapid at detecting my digits as the very best smartphones, and I like how it sits almost a third of the way up from the phone's base; it's far easier to locate one-handed than some rivals that put their sensors too close to the bottom edge. There's face recognition if you prefer, but only the type that'll skip the Android lock screen. It's not secure enough for banking apps. My white review unit did a fantastic job at hiding fingerprint smudges, and the home-grown Crystal Shield Glass has held up very well against scrapes and scratches. Like a lot of its compatriots, the Find X8 Ultra gets both IP68 and IP69 protection – so accidental trips through the dishwasher, however unlikely, won't be the end of the world. The other China-friendly feature is the IR blaster built into the phone's top edge; handy if you have gadgets that can't be controlled with an app. The lack of eSIM support might vex some Westerners, though. The customisable Shortcut button on the left side of the phone is a sign of how closely Oppo is working with sister brand OnePlus these days. It's virtually identical to the one seen on the OnePlus 13S, with roughly the same abilities. It can toggle between ring, vibrate or silent modes, activate Do Not Disturb, toggle the flashlight, record a voice note, take a screenshot, open the translate app, or wake the camera. There's no way to have it launch any other apps though, which is a shame. I never saw the point in using it to open the camera, either, because the Find X8 Ultra also has a capacitive camera button on the right side. It's just as awkward to reach as Apple's Camera Control button, though, and not quite as useful. A double press takes you straight to the camera app, where a press will take a still and sliding your finger controls zoom level – but only when holding the phone in landscape. I'd prefer if it could toggle between lenses to avoid any digital upscaling. Screen & sound: shine on On paper, there's not much to split the Find X8 Ultra's display from the outgoing Find X7 Ultra's. Both have palm-stretching 6.82in panels, both have impressively pixel-dense 3168×1440 resolutions, and both have 1-120Hz LTPO adaptive refresh rates for the best balance of smooth motion and power efficiency. But while the last-gen phone stuck with curved-edge glass, despite it having fallen out of favour elsewhere, the new model abandons it in favour of a fully flat display. Ultra-slim bezels on all four sides help minimise its footprint as much as possible, and viewing angles are top-tier. The punch-hole selfie camera isn't really a distraction either. Dolby Vision, HDR10+, Oppo's ProXDR picture format and Google's Ultra HDR are all supported, putting punchy highlights alongside deep shadows when showing compatible content. Peak brightness has taken a step back from the Find X7 Ultra's heady 4500nits, but a claimed 2500 nits is still pretty potent. Combined with the impactful colours you expect from OLED, visuals really pop no matter what you're looking at. While it can't match the Pixel 9 Pro XL in a face-to-face, there's still enough shine here to make outdoor visibility a breeze – even while wearing sunglasses. I also can't really knock the speakers, which deliver clean and clear stereo sound. While not the absolute loudest I've heard, there's a good balance between the down-firing main driver and earpiece tweeter. Cameras: the best gets better Given how the camera island monopolises the rear of the phone, it's clear photography is the Find X8 Ultra's main event. The circular colossus doesn't protrude out as dramatically as some, but still finds room underneath for a 1-inch lead sensor, two periscope telephotos, and an ultrawide snapper, all with a 50MP pixel count. The zoom lenses each use sensors far larger than the ones you'll find on most rival smartphones, and the main camera's 1in unit is physically as big as it gets on a phone – only Xiaomi and Huawei match it in 2025. The leg-up this gives the phone in low light conditions is dramatic, and means you're able to get dreamy depth blur on close-ups that can rival dedicated digital cameras. Equally important is the dedicated spectrum sensor, which splits scene into a grid and measures white balance multiple times, ensuring colours are convincing even when facing multiple light sources. Photography expert Hasselblad lent a hand with the colour science, and the image processing in general looks deliciously warm and film-like. And that's before you start fiddling with the extensive manual mode or film simulation filters. The latter are incredibly easy on the eye, straight out of the camera. Even in the automatic mode, the Find X8 Ultra is simply the best phone for photography I've used in 2025. It delivers outstandingly clean and clear images across all four lenses, regardless of light level. The lead lens in particular is phenomenal, with the sort of detail and sharpness that put a lot of flagships to shame. There's a depth to portraits and close-ups you simply don't get from phones with smaller sensors, colours are wonderfully well-judged, and I can't fault the clarity on moving subjects. Contrast and exposure are handled brilliantly, with huge amounts of dynamic range. Extremely bright lights and areas of deep shadow are captured side-by-side.; Macro close-ups using the 3x zoom lens are delightfully crisp and detailed, while at the other end of the scale the 6x lens achieves impressive clarity all the way up to 20x with digital upscaling. Going even further brings AI processing into the mix, but not the kind that creates objects which weren't there in reality. On other phones you'd need to use artificial portrait modes to achieve the level of background blur seen in the samples below; here they come naturally, and are fast enough to process that you don't miss fleeting moments with animals (and in my case, hyperactive toddlers). I took more shots with the 3x lens while on a recent trip than the other lenses combined, as it's the ideal focal length for portraits and architecture. There's a great colour consistency between it and the lead lens, and it maintains its performance once the sun sets. Being physically larger than many rival flagship zoom cameras certainly helps here. The ultrawide isn't nearly as jaw-dropping as the other three lenses, but that's not to say it's a bad effort; I'd comfortably put it on par with most of this year's flagship phones, with only the Sony Xperia 1 VII doing any better. Same with the selfie camera up front; it takes first class photos, but ones that aren't a major leap forward from rivals. Yet when they're part of a package that otherwise impresses so much, it's hard to grumble. Performance & battery life: bring it on If you've got a need for speed, look no further than the Find X8 Ultra. With a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 16GB of RAM on board, there's no Play Store app this phone can't handle. Synthetic benchmark scores put it up among the best flagship phones, for both 2D and gaming. Effective cooling and power management mean performance doesn't crater like it can on some rivals, and it consistently outperformed the 'for Galaxy' version of the same silicon found in a Samsung S25 Ultra. Oppo Find X8 Ultra benchmark scores Geekbench 6 single-core 2949 Geekbench 6 multi-core 9137 Geekbench AI 4516 PCMark Work 3.0 18,136 3Dmark Solar Bay 11,259 In daily use this phone absolutely flies, with zero stutter or slowdown. Apps load in a flash, multitasking is always smooth, and the rear panel never got uncomfortably hot even when the hardware was being pushed. My recent rotation of mobile games all put in sterling performances, with high frame rates free from lag or dropped frames. Even more impressively, the Find X8 Ultra is able to keep this up without slaughtering its battery life. Oppo has been quick to adopt silicon-carbon battery tech, like a lot of Chinese phone brands, and the result is a mammoth 6100mAh capacity cell that'll last a day and a half of use without any real effort. Steer clear of more demanding apps or games and it'll do two days before needing to charge. That's basically as good as it gets from a flagship phone right now. Charging is equally impressive, with 100W wired top-ups needing just 44 minutes for a complete empty-to-full refuel. 50W wireless charging is up there with the best as well, being faster than a Galaxy S25 Ultra or Pixel 9 Pro XL can manage through a cable. Software experience: far from home If I've mostly painted a pretty picture of this phone up to now, the Oppo Find X8 Ultra sadly comes undone on the software side. Or at least it does if you don't live in China. As it isn't officially sold anywhere else, you can only get one with a version of Android 15 aimed at the domestic market, meaning a lot of the features Westerners take for granted are missing – often permanently. Oppo does admittedly do more to help the situation than some rivals, with some low-level Google functionality buried in the Settings menu. That means Android Auto and Google Wallet are both on board, once you've side-loaded the Play Store to install all the other apps you use on the daily. Once you do, the Find X8 Ultra feels a lot like the global Find X8 Pro variant – just with a significant amount of local market bloatware and AI-assisted apps you'll need a translator to be able to use. Even after a lot of tweaking, you still can't swap the shortcut that wakes the firm's Breeno digital assistant to Google Gemini, and a long-press on the navigation bar wakes the Breeno take on Circle to Search instead of Google's own. There's no Google Discover a swipe away from the homescreen (unless you use a third-party launcher) and a double-press of the power button is hard-wired to Oppo's contactless payment app. Wear OS smartwatches sold in Western markets are seemingly incompatible, too. Oppo's aggressive memory management and notification silencing are seemingly universal, as even with the phone set to ring rather than vibrate, a lot of messages and apps simply wouldn't ping up. I found I would check apps more frequently than with other phones, as I was never convinced the status bar had up-to-date info. Five years of new Android generations and six years of security updates is a decent effort in terms of software support, though Samsung, Google and Honor remain your best bets if you want to hold onto your handset for the long-term. Oppo Find X8 Ultra verdict Had Oppo launched the Find X8 Ultra worldwide, it would surely have scored a full five stars here. This is an exceptional smartphone, with some of the best rear cameras you'll find anywhere. Regardless of zoom level and lighting conditions, this is a photography powerhouse that shows what can be achieved when you go all out on top-tier sensor hardware. The silicon-carbon battery also has outstanding staying power, even when tasked with powering Qualcomm's fastest silicon and an impressively bright display. Sadly, though, it's only on sale in China. Even if you went to the trouble of importing one, the software won't play nicely with some things Western devices take for granted, like pairing with Wear OS watches, Gemini voice commands, and Circle to Search. You'll never truly be able to strip out all the region-specific apps and settings, either. As the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is more readily available in Europe and beyond, it's simply easier to recommend to keen phone photographers. Stuff Says… Score: 4/5 Comfortably one of the best cameraphones you can buy in 2025, with top-tier power and longevity. The Oppo Find X8 Ultra's China exclusivity and region-specific software sadly hold it back, though. Pros Astonishingly clear photos in all lighting conditions Flagship-grade performance and fantastic battery life Gorgeous flat OLED display Cons Only officially available in China Regional software restricts things like Wear OS support Camera button feels a bit 'me too' Oppo Find X8 Ultra technical specifications Screen 6.82in, 3168×1440 AMOLED w/ 1-120Hz CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Memory 12/16GB RAM Cameras 50MP, f/1.8 w/ OIS, dual pixel PDAF + 50MP, f/2.1 periscope telephoto w/ OIS, PDAF, 3x optical zoom + 50MP, f/3.1 periscope telephoto w/ OIS, PDAF, 6x optical zoom + 50MP, f/2.0 ultrawide w/ PDAF rear 32MP, f/2.4 w/ PDAF front Storage 256GB/512GB/1TB Operating system Android 15 w/ ColorOS (China version) Battery 6100mAh w/ 100W wired, 50W wireless charging Dimensions 163x77x8.8mm, 226g
Stuff.tv
08-07-2025
- Stuff.tv
There's no denying the OnePlus Nord 5's value – but I wish it hadn't ditched this one key feature
Stuff Verdict A keenly priced all-rounder that takes great photos and isn't short on power or battery – but the OnePlus Nord 5 isn't the design standout its predecessor was, and rivals have it beat in a few areas Pros Ample everyday performance and real-world battery life Quality cameras for a budget phone, especially if you're a selfie addict OxygenOS is still a slick, streamlined take on Android Cons Glass/polycarbonate build feels like a step back from Nord 4's metal Beaten on CPU power and battery capacity Early days for AI Plus Mind software Introduction The Nord series has been diluting down OnePlus' smartphone best for multiple generations now. Earlier efforts tried to redefine how much tech you could expect from a cheap phone, while the outgoing Nord 4 went against the grain on the design front. When the inevitable Nord 5 teaser campaign kicked off, the big question was which way it would go. Now we have our answer: the £399/€449 (US launch tbc) Nord 5 undercuts its predecessor, while also bringing a more potent processor, gamer-grade display and slicker selfie shooting. But it also turns its back on an all-metal build, and arguably makes compromises elsewhere on the spec sheet compared to upstart rivals. The Poco F7 swooped in mere weeks before the Nord's launch, with a newer, more powerful chipset and an even bigger battery – for less cash. Does the OnePlus make a big enough impression elsewhere to keep it competitive? How we test smartphones Every phone reviewed on Stuff is used as our main device throughout the testing process. We use industry standard benchmarks and tests, as well as our own years of experience, to judge general performance, battery life, display, sound and camera image quality. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. Design & build: face in the crowd Let's rip the band-aid off right away. If last year's metal-sculpted Nord 4 was a deliciously distinctive bit of industrial design, the Nord 5 is altogether more generic – especially in Phantom Grey (ie black). The Dry Ice (blue) I was given for testing has a bit more personality, and the Marble Sand is easily the most visually appealing of the three. With flattened sides and a new look camera island at the rear, it does feel like OnePlus has taken more than a page from the Apple school of phone design. I also feel the firm has taken a step back on the materials front, using polycarbonate (ie plastic) for the frame and Gorilla Glass 7i for the rear panel. The Nord 4's textured unibody just feels more high-end in comparsion. That's not to say the Nord 5 feels cheap, mind. This phone has some real heft, weighing in at 211g, and the frosted finish means it's not nearly as slippy as some glass-backed phones can be. An IP65 rating promises a decent amount of protection from the elements, too – although not as much as the cheaper Poco F7. The Nord 5 is the first OnePlus phone to leave China or India with the firm's new Plus key, which replaces the signature alert slider at the top left side. It's got a similar set of skills to Apple's Action button, letting you change volume modes, activate do not disturb, open the camera app (and act as a shutter button while you're there), turn on the flashlight, record a voice note, take a screenshot, or open the translate app. Although the software update had yet to land in time for me to test it, a shortcut to OnePlus' AI Mind Space is also on the way. It's not the first note-taking, screenshot searching journal app I've seen, so it'll be interesting to see whether it does anything different. I can't fault the under-display fingerprint sensor, which is as quick and accurate as any capacitive sensor you'll find on a budget phone. There's face unlocking as well, but it isn't secure enough for banking apps. That's the case for pretty much everything under £500, though, so the Nord 5 doesn't lose any points here. Screen & sound: the big picture Just like the rest of the Android world, OnePlus has continued to embiggen its phones. The Nord 5 arrives with a whopping 6.83in display, which makes it a proper hand-filler. The 2800×1272 resolution packs in enough detail to keep text looking crisp and images clear, and the symmetrical bezels are satisfyingly slim for a budget handset. Naturally OnePlus has gone with an OLED panel – even affordable phones can't get away with LCD these days – so you're getting wonderfully deep blacks, impeccable contrast, top-notch viewing angles and delightfully vibrant colours. Tone and colour balance are well-judged at the stock settings, so I didn't feel the need to tweak them, but there are a bunch of other modes if you want more natural, softer hues. A peak 1800 nits isn't the highest I've seen from a phone in this price range, but that's not to say the Nord 5 is at all dim. It shines well enough outdoors I didn't struggle with visibility. It plays nicely with Google's Ultra HDR standard, so photos have properly punchy highlights. A 144Hz refresh rate marks this out as a gamer-grade phone. For the most part it'll only clock up to 120Hz when scrolling or showing motion, but compatible games can go even higher for smoother play. The auto-select setting is the next best thing to LTPO tech for battery saving, sticking to 60Hz for static content. The stereo speaker setup – a down-firing main driver and earpiece tweeter – are a fitting match to the screen, with ample volume and a decent enough balance. Bass is pretty anaemic, but that's true of most mid-rangers and below. Podcasts and YouTube clips sound just fine. Cameras: selfie conscious The Nord 5 has really stepped up its selfie game, with a 50MP front snapper equipped with mechanical autofocus to ensure you're always looking sharp. The Samsung JN5 sensor is physically lager than the sort you'd usually find in a budget phone, which will make all the difference in low light. There's a 50MP Sony-supplied main camera around back, with optical image stabilisation and a fairly wide f/1.88 aperture. If you want zoom, it'll be through cropping and digitally enhancing the image. It's paired with an 8MP ultrawide, which is the clearest indicator of this phone's budget leanings. It's the weakest of the bunch as a result, lacking the sort of fine detail present in pics taken with the lead lens. Dynamic range isn't as strong either, but colours are pretty consistent and the extreme edges of the frame don't show much distortion. The 50MP main unit is sharper, with better defined edges and more controlled dynamic range. I did notice some blooming on harshly-lit subjects, but only in especially bright scenes. Colours are natural for the most part, with stronger contrast than say, Samsung. A Pixel 9a is more nuanced, though you pay more for the privilege. There's some natural bokeh blur to be found around close-ups, which is handy as the portrait mode isn't very skilled out detecting loose hairs, resulting in an unnatural looking depth effect. An auto macro mode kicks in when you get extremely close, using the ultrawide when there's enough light. Low-light performance is really rather good for the money, with only the darkest of night scenes struggling to contain noise and evidence of image sharpening. The ultrawide falls off faster, and can struggle to lock focus on more distant subjects, while the selfie camera still delivers the goods. It's a very capable camera, taking backlit subjects and direct sunlight in its stride. There's a strong case for buying the Nord 5 if you use the front camera more than the rear ones. Software experience: breath of fresh air OnePlus hasn't diluted Oxygen OS – the firm's bespoke take on Android 15 – down for its affordable phones. The Nord 5 gets the same extensive set of software features as the OnePlus 13, including a phone-friendly version of Open Canvas. This is still my favourite way of multitasking on big-screen Android devices, and it's almost as slick at 6.83in. Being able to save app pairs for opening quickly later is genuinely useful for those sorts of task that can't be done in a single window. I also found the floating toolbar, accessed with a swipe from the side of the screen, more useful here than I did on the OnePlus Pad 3; with no app launcher, it's great for jumping between apps without a trip to the home screen first. The UI doesn't stray too far from Google's default layout, unless you want it to. The quick settings and notifications menus can be combined into a single screen, and I'm a fan of the shelf that appears with a downward swipe on the homescreen. You can stuff it full of widgets and keep the homescreen itself clear. Like most budget phones, there's a handful of third-party widgets waiting for you in the app drawer when you first power the Nord 5 up. I'd call them bloat, but others might feel differently about AliExpress and booking dot com. OnePlus also includes its own web browser, image gallery, notes app and file manager. You can use Google's defaults instead if you prefer, but many are stuffed with AI additions that could make them worth a look. The voice recorder can generate transcriptions and summaries from your audio clips. The notes app gets its own assistant that can tighten up your text, reformat it in a different tone, and expand short sentences into longer paragraphs. The photo gallery can erase background distractions, remove reflections, and generationally recompose tightly cropped shots. If those sound familiar, it's because you'll find them on most modern phones – and they perform about as well as I've seen elsewhere, too. OnePlus' long-term software commitments don't change if you buy budget instead of premium; you're getting the same four years of new Android generations and six years of security patches here that you'd get on a OnePlus 13. That's very respectable, given most affordable phones still top out at three years, but it's still worth remembering Google has pledged seven years for the (slightly more expensive) Pixel 9a, should you want to hold onto your handset for longer. Performance & battery life: stays in its lane This might be the first time OnePlus has used an 8-series Snapdragon chipset in a Nord phone, but it's not the 8 Elite you'll find in today's flagship phones. Nor is it the newer Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 used in the Poco F7. Here you're getting the older 8s Gen 3, which admittedly is still aimed at a price point higher than what OnePlus is asking for the Nord 5. Paired with either 8 or 12GB of RAM (my review unit had the latter) and up to 256GB of on-board storage, this is still a potent phone – as the benchmarks below show. However, I can't overlook the performance gap to the 8s Gen 4, which is anything from 5-20% depending on the test. Single-core differences aren't huge, but multi-core and gaming show the newer chip taking the lead. If you want maximum raw performance for your cash, it's something to consider. OnePlus Nord 5 benchmark scores Geekbench 6 single-core 1947 Geekbench 6 multi-core 4890 Geekbench AI 2953 PCMark Work 3.0 18578 3DMark Wild Life Extreme 3235 3DMark Solar Bay 5416 That said, I found the Nord 5 perfectly responsive in daily use, with fast app loads, no sluggishness when multitasking, and animations that were as smooth as you like. There's still enough oomph for 3D games to make use of the 144Hz refresh rate, with Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile both proving perfectly playable. A large vapour chamber helps keep thermal throttling in check, too. Used as a daily driver, the Nord 5 also lasts longer than its 5200mAh battery would suggest. Sure, you can now get phones with considerably more cells, but I was seeing a day and a half between charges for the most part. Only a full day spent on 5G, with lots of GPS navigation and use of the cameras, necessitated a charge before bedtime. While you don't get a charger in the box, the Nord 5 plays nicely with OnePlus' 80W SuperVOOC power bricks. Half an hour over USB-C is enough for 65%, while a full charge took just over 45mins. I like that OnePlus has added bypass charging, too; it means I could game while plugged in without introducing extra heat, or having any negative impact on long-term battery health. OnePlus Nord 5 verdict In isolation, the OnePlus Nord 5 is a compelling cut-price handset. You're getting a bright, colourful display, very capable front and rear cameras, and a smooth-running version of Android that doesn't overload you with bloat in the way many cheap smartphones do. A handful of play-friendly specs add extra gamer appeal, and it's great to see the customisable Plus key not being reserved for the firm's top-tier models. The move away from metal makes this much less of a design stand-out than its predecessor, though. Combined with the redesigned rear camera island, the Nord 5 really looks quite generic. You could argue the same about the Poco F7, but that has a much bigger battery, newer generation chipset, and better water resistance – for less money. If phone photography isn't your top priority, it's the obvious choice. Stuff Says… Score: 4/5 A keenly priced all-rounder that takes great photos and isn't short on performance or battery life – but the OnePlus Nord 5 isn't the design standout its predecessor was, and rivals are arguably more compelling. Pros Ample everyday performance and real-world battery life Quality cameras for a budget phone, especially if you're a selfie addict OxygenOS is still a slick, streamlined take on Android Cons Glass/polycarbonate build feels like a step back from Nord 4's metal Beaten on CPU power and battery capacity Early days for AI Plus Mind software OnePlus Nord 5 technical specifications Screen 6.83in, 2800×1272, 144Hz OLED CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 Memory 8/12GB RAM Cameras 50MP, f/1.88 w/ OIS + 8MP ultrawide rear 50MP, f/2.2 front Storage 256/512GB on-board Operating system Android 15 w/ OxygenOS 15 Battery 5200mAh w/ 80W wired charging Dimensions 163x77x8.1mm, 211g
Stuff.tv
08-07-2025
- Stuff.tv
The OnePlus Watch 3 43mm slims down my favourite WearOS wearable
How do you make the current king of Android smartwatches even more of a terrific timepiece? Shrinking it down to a smaller package, so anyone can strap one on no matter their wrist size, sounds like a good plan. That's exactly what OnePlus has done with the Watch 3 43mm. Essentially a skinnier take on the OnePlus Watch 3 I gave a glowing five star score to at the start of 2025, the Watch 3 43mm swaps that model's 1.5in circular AMOLED screen for a 1.32in panel, and ditches the numbered bezel. The result is a 10% smaller footprint, while smarter component placement has also made it 7% thinner and 24% lighter than its bigger brother. The slimmer watch body has skinnier straps to match, with quick-release lugs and a flush fitting that should make swapping between bands a bit easier than the chunkier 45mm Watch 3. There are two strap options at launch – one black, one white – with both being made from the same rubber polymer as the regular Watch 3. It's still packing the same comprehensive set of health and fitness tracking sensors, including the touch-sensitive shortcut button that can take ECG readings. The functional rotating crown also makes a return, for easily scrolling through the Wear OS interface. OnePlus has expanded its mind and body tracking here, and included a female reproductive health record too. Expect the same degree of protection from the elements, with IP68, 5ATM and MIL-STD-810H ratings so you can wear it just about anywhere, and for any sport or activity. Speaking of, it'll track over 100 different kinds. Power again comes from Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5 chipset, paired with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of on-board storage. OnePlus has also kept its second, lower-power CPU for maximum battery savings when in the Watch-only or always-on display modes. That means the Watch 3 43mm should be able to manage an impressive 60 hours in smart mode, or seven days in power saver, despite OnePlus having to shrink the battery in order to squeeze inside the smaller chassis. A few days less than the larger Watch 3 can manage, sure – but still as good as, or better, than most mainstream Wear OS rivals. The OnePlus Watch 3 43mm is on sale from today, for £269/€299 – so essentially the same as the larger model, now that post-launch discounts are easier to come by. That makes it a little pricier than the 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch7, but a whole lot easier on the wallet than Google's Pixel Watch 3. There was no word on US pricing or availability at the time of writing.
