OnePlus Nord 5 vs. Realme 6: A Detailed Comparison of Performance and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the OnePlus Nord 5 is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset delivers substantially improved performance and efficiency, while 80W charging significantly reduces downtime. However, the Realme 6 remains a viable option for budget-conscious users prioritizing longevity and a proven track record.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Realme 6 | OnePlus Nord 5 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - Global | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/11.5 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/75 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 8, 38, 40, 41 - India | - | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, March 05. Released 2020, March 11 | 2025, July 08 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2025, July 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 7i), glass back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 162.1 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm (6.38 x 2.94 x 0.35 in) | 163.4 x 77 x 8.1 mm (6.43 x 3.03 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 191 g (6.74 oz) | 211 g (7.44 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, Mohs level 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density) | 1272 x 2800 pixels (~450 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~84.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.83 inches, 113.3 cm2 (~90.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 90Hz, 480 nits (typ) | Swift AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, 3840Hz PWM, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1400 nits (HBM), 1800 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.05 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X4 & 4x2.8 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A520) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6785 Helio G90T (12 nm) | Qualcomm SM8635 Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MC4 | Adreno 735 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 11, Realme UI 2.0 | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, OxygenOS 15 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | - | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 116˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm, AF |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | LED flash, Ultra HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.3, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | Panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 50 MP, f/2.0, 21mm (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps; gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | - |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, LHDC 5 |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, 100% in 55 min | 80W wired, 33W PPS, 18W PD, 100% in just 54 min 5W reverse wired Bypass charging |
| Type | 4300 mAh | Market-dependent versions:· 5200 mAh (Europe)· 6800 mAh (Global) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Comet Blue, Comet White | Phantom Grey, Dry Ice, Marble Sands |
| Models | RMX2001 | CPH2709 |
| Price | About 190 EUR | £ 339.00 / € 294.97 / ₹ 31,998 |
| SAR | 1.14 W/kg (head) 0.59 W/kg (body) | 1.18 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.71 W/kg (head) 0.57 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 106h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 1315:1 (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -28.7 LUFS (Average) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 288931 (v8) GeekBench: 7815 (v4.4), 1726 (v5.1) GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | - | 49:12h endurance, 1200 cycles |
| Energy | - | Class B |
| Free fall | - | Class C (90 falls) |
| Repairability | - | Class B |
Realme 6
- Excellent battery endurance (106h)
- More affordable price point
- Proven reliability and software support
- Outdated chipset (Helio G90T)
- Slower charging speed (30W)
- Less bright display
OnePlus Nord 5
- Significantly faster performance (Snapdragon 8s Gen 3)
- Ultra-fast 80W charging
- Brighter and likely smoother display
- Lower overall endurance rating (49:12h)
- Higher price tag
- Potential for more software bloat (OnePlus)
Display Comparison
The OnePlus Nord 5 boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 1330 nits compared to the Realme 6’s 451 nits. This translates to vastly improved visibility outdoors. Both displays share a similar 1315:1 contrast ratio, suggesting comparable color depth and black levels, but the Nord 5’s brightness advantage is a major differentiator. While neither specification details refresh rates, the Nord 5’s panel is likely to offer a smoother experience given its more modern architecture.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are listed with 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific sensor details. However, given the market positioning, it’s reasonable to assume the Nord 5 benefits from a more advanced image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, leading to improved image quality, especially in low-light conditions. The Realme 6 likely relies on software processing to compensate for its older hardware. Without sensor size or aperture information, a definitive camera comparison is impossible, but the chipset advantage heavily favors the Nord 5.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Realme 6’s MediaTek Helio G90T (12nm) is a capable performer, featuring an octa-core CPU with Cortex-A76 cores, but it’s dwarfed by the OnePlus Nord 5’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (4nm). The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon offers superior power efficiency and thermal performance, mitigating throttling during sustained workloads. The Nord 5’s CPU configuration – a Cortex-X4 prime core alongside A720 and A520 cores – represents a generational leap in performance over the G90T’s architecture. This will be most noticeable in demanding games and multitasking.
Battery Life
The Realme 6’s endurance rating of 106 hours is impressive, but the OnePlus Nord 5 presents a different picture. While its overall endurance is 49:12h, the active use score of 13:47h suggests a more power-hungry device, offset by significantly faster charging. The Nord 5’s 80W wired charging (with PPS and PD support) replenishes the battery in just 54 minutes, compared to the Realme 6’s 55 minutes for 30W charging. The Nord 5 also adds 5W reverse wired charging and bypass charging, features absent on the Realme 6, offering greater versatility.
Buying Guide
Buy the Realme 6 if you need a reliable, long-lasting device with a respectable endurance rating (106h) and are on a tight budget. It's ideal for everyday tasks and light gaming. Buy the OnePlus Nord 5 if you prioritize performance for demanding applications, gaming, and fast charging, and are willing to invest in a more modern chipset and features like bypass charging.