OnePlus Nord 5 vs. Sony Xperia 10 II: A Generational Leap in Performance, But at What Cost?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the OnePlus Nord 5 is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset delivers dramatically faster performance, a significantly brighter display, and blazing-fast 80W charging. However, the Sony Xperia 10 II remains a compelling option for those prioritizing maximum battery endurance and a more conservative design.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 10 II | OnePlus Nord 5 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat11 600/75 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, February 24 | 2025, July 08 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, May 05 | Available. Released 2025, July 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 7i), glass back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 157 x 69 x 8.2 mm (6.18 x 2.72 x 0.32 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 + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 151 g (5.33 oz) | 211 g (7.44 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | - | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, Mohs level 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~457 ppi density) | 1272 x 2800 pixels (~450 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.0 inches, 84.1 cm2 (~77.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.83 inches, 113.3 cm2 (~90.1% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED | Swift AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, 3840Hz PWM, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ), 1400 nits (HBM), 1800 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X4 & 4x2.8 GHz Cortex-A720 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A520) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM665 Snapdragon 665 (11 nm) | Qualcomm SM8635 Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | Adreno 735 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 12 | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, OxygenOS 15 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| 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 |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/4.0", PDAF, 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0" | - |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | Panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0" | 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 |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, LHDC 5 |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC |
| Radio | No | 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, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD, QC3 | 80W wired, 33W PPS, 18W PD, 100% in just 54 min 5W reverse wired Bypass charging |
| Type | Li-Po 3600 mAh | Market-dependent versions:· 5200 mAh (Europe)· 6800 mAh (Global) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Mint Green, Berry Blue | Phantom Grey, Dry Ice, Marble Sands |
| Models | XQ-AU51, XQ-AU52, SO-41A | CPH2709 |
| Price | About 700 EUR | £ 339.00 / € 294.97 / ₹ 31,998 |
| SAR | - | 1.18 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 92h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -28.8 LUFS (Average) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 196545 (v8) GeekBench: 5679 (v4.4), 1413 (v5.1) GFXBench: 5.6fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | - | 49:12h endurance, 1200 cycles |
| Energy | - | Class B |
| Free fall | - | Class C (90 falls) |
| Repairability | - | Class B |
Sony Xperia 10 II
- Exceptional battery life (92h endurance)
- More compact and lightweight design (assumed)
- Potentially lower price point (due to age)
- Significantly slower performance
- Dimmer display
- Slower charging speeds
OnePlus Nord 5
- Blazing-fast Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor
- Vibrant and bright 1330 nit display
- 80W SuperVOOC charging (54 min 0-100%)
- Shorter battery life compared to Xperia 10 II
- Potentially higher price
- Larger and heavier design (likely)
Display Comparison
The display is where the Nord 5 immediately pulls ahead. Its peak brightness of 1330 nits dwarfs the Xperia 10 II’s 520 nits, making it far more usable outdoors in direct sunlight. While both displays have an 'infinite' contrast ratio (typical for OLED/AMOLED), the Nord 5’s higher brightness translates to a more vivid and dynamic image. The Xperia 10 II’s display, while adequate, feels dated in comparison. We lack PWM frequency data for both, but the Xperia 10 II’s age suggests a potentially lower frequency, which could be a concern for flicker-sensitive users.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but details are sparse. Without specific sensor sizes or aperture information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment. However, the Nord 5’s newer chipset likely includes a more advanced image signal processor (ISP), enabling better image processing and potentially superior low-light performance. The Xperia 10 II’s camera system, while capable, is likely limited by its older hardware. We can assume the Nord 5 will offer more advanced features like 4K video recording at higher frame rates.
Performance
The chipset difference is massive. The OnePlus Nord 5’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (4nm) is a generational leap over the Xperia 10 II’s Snapdragon 665 (11nm). The 8s Gen 3 features a Cortex-X4 prime core clocked at 3.0 GHz, alongside A720 and A520 cores, offering significantly improved CPU and GPU performance. The 4nm process node also contributes to better thermal efficiency, reducing the likelihood of throttling during sustained workloads. The Xperia 10 II’s Snapdragon 665 is sufficient for basic tasks, but will struggle with demanding games or heavy multitasking. The Nord 5’s LPDDR5x RAM further enhances performance, providing faster data access compared to the likely LPDDR4X in the Xperia 10 II.
Battery Life
The Sony Xperia 10 II boasts an impressive 92-hour endurance rating, a testament to its efficient chipset and software optimization. However, the OnePlus Nord 5, despite a lower 49:12h endurance rating, compensates with incredibly fast 80W wired charging, achieving a full charge in just 54 minutes. The Nord 5 also supports 33W PPS, 18W PD, and 5W reverse wired charging, offering greater versatility. The Xperia 10 II’s 18W charging feels slow by comparison. The Nord 5’s active use score of 13:47h suggests it can still provide a full day of use, even with its more power-hungry chipset.
Buying Guide
Buy the Sony Xperia 10 II if you absolutely need multi-day battery life and prefer a more understated, compact phone. It’s ideal for users who primarily browse, communicate, and occasionally snap photos. Buy the OnePlus Nord 5 if you demand responsive performance for gaming, multitasking, and content creation, and value a vibrant display and incredibly fast charging speeds. This phone is geared towards power users and media consumers.