Motorola Edge 70 vs OnePlus Nord 5: slim design or raw power?
The Motorola Edge 70 is the latest addition to the brand’s ‘slim’ smartphone lineup in India, measuring just 5.99mm, making it Motorola’s slimmest phone to date. Beyond its standout design, however, it’s a mid-range offering and the successor to the Motorola Edge 60. Positioned in a highly competitive segment with several rivals offering similar or even better hardware, the Edge 70 faces stiff competition.
In this article, we compare the Motorola Edge 70 with the OnePlus Nord 5 to see how it stacks up. Both phones are closely priced, with the Edge 70 available at Rs 29,999, and the Nord 5 starting at Rs 31,999.
Table of Contents
Design and display
Design is subjective, but the Motorola Edge 70’s ultra-slim profile not only looks striking but also translates into excellent in-hand comfort. At just 5.99mm thick and weighing 159g, it feels refreshingly light in a market dominated by bulky phones. Despite its slim form, the Edge 70 doesn’t compromise on durability, offering IP68+69 dust and water resistance, an aircraft-grade aluminium frame, Gorilla Glass 7i protection, and Military-Grade certification. It’s available in three Pantone-curated colours: Bronze Green, Lily Pad, and Gadget Grey.
In comparison, the OnePlus Nord 5 also sports a sleek design but with a taller and noticeably heavier build at 211g. It comes with a lower IP65 rating for dust and water resistance, but offers the same Gorilla Glass 7i protection. The handset is offered in Phantom Grey, Marble Sands, and Black Infinity. While the Nord 5 looks premium, it falls short of the Edge 70 in terms of durability and overall ergonomics.
Display-wise, the OnePlus Nord 5 has a lead in key areas. It offers a bigger 6.8-inch display with 1280 x 2800 resolution, 6,500 nits peak brightness, and a 144Hz refresh rate, which is quite rare in this segment. The Edge 70 gets a slightly smaller 6.7-inch 2712 x 1220 display with 4,500 nits peak brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate. So in comparison, the Nord 5 offers better features.
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Performance: mid-range efficiency vs gaming power
Powering the Edge 70 is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, a good midrange chipset for day-to-day usage. The handset also has a vapour cooling chamber for heat dissipation, especially during gaming. The Nord 5 has a faster Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset in terms of hierarchy, and the phone has already proven to be great for performance, especially gaming. Since we haven’t reviewed the Edge 70 yet, we can’t comment on its performance against the Nord 5. It would be interesting to see what the results are, given the phone’s slim design, and how it would hold up against gaming.
Cameras: similar hardware, but one has an Edge
The Edge 70 houses a dual-camera setup at the back with a 50MP primary sensor and a 50MP ultra-wide camera. It also gets a 50MP camera up front for selfies. The Nord 5 also has a dual-camera setup with a 50MP primary camera and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. For selfies, there’s a 50MP front camera on the Nord 5. So, the camera setup is largely the same, but with the Edge 70 offering a superior ultra-wide camera. This could make a difference in the overall camera performance for both phones.
Battery, charging: capacity vs convenience
The Motorola Edge 70’s battery capacity has been a question, given its slim design. Motorola has managed to fit a 5,000mAh battery in the Edge 70 despite its form factor. While that’s a decent capacity, it might be small in comparison to other phones offering around 6,000mAh-7,000mAh batteries. Even the Nord 5 offers a 6,800mAh battery, significantly larger than the Edge 70’s. This suggests a longer and more reliable battery life on the Nord 5.
The Edge 70 offers 68W fast charging support and 15W wireless charging as well. The Nord 5 supports up to 80W fast charging, but it doesn’t offer wireless charging, a feature found mostly in flagships.
Software: clean or customisable?
The Edge 70 runs Hello UI based on Android 16 out of the box. Motorola confirms 3 OS upgrades and 4 years of security patches for the Edge 70. The handset also comes with several AI features such as AI Image Studio, AI Playlist Studio, Moto AI, and more. With the Nord 5, you get OxygenOS 15 based on Android 15 out of the box. It has longer software support with 4 OS upgrades and 6 years of security patches. The software version is evened out, though as the Edge 70 is newer and comes with the latest Android 16.
When it comes to the UI, Motorola phones offer a clean, near-stock Android experience with no third-party apps. OxygenOS 15, although a custom skin, offers several features and customisation along with useful AI features.
Summing up
As mentioned above, we haven’t reviewed the Edge 70 yet to give a clear choice between the two. But we can make some suggestions, even just based on specifications. The Motorola Edge 70 is a good fit for users who value a slim, lightweight design, strong durability, wireless charging, and a clean, near-stock Android experience. It stands out for comfort and build quality, making it easy to use over long periods.
The OnePlus Nord 5, meanwhile, is the better choice for those who prioritise performance, gaming, a brighter and smoother display, a larger battery, and longer software support. Ultimately, the decision comes down to whether you prefer superior ergonomics and design or stronger performance and endurance.
