OnePlus ditched metal on the new Nord 5 because its buyers 'prefer styles that are brief, simple, and elegant'

OnePlus Nord 5 and OnePlus Nord 4.

There’s still a lot left to learn about the mid-range OnePlus Nord 5, but following the phone’s official announcement earlier this week, we do at least know that it’ll look dramatically different to the OnePlus Nord 4.

Last year’s model was heavily marketed as being “the only metal unibody 5G smartphone on the market” – according to OnePlus, the Nord 4 used “aircraft-grade aluminum” that made it “sleek, strong and less prone to shatter.” We agreed with that assessment in our OnePlus Nord 4 review, describing the phone’s metal frame as “a small touch that makes the Nord 4 look distinct and feel well-protected against drops and knocks.”