Ai+ Nova 5G review: price in India, full specs and whether it’s still worth buying in 2026
The Ai+ Nova 5G is the phone that launched a brand. When Madhav Sheth, who ran Realme and later Honor in India, put his own name behind a sub-₹10,000 5G handset in July 2025, most people expected another rebadged budget device. What arrived was slightly more interesting: a cheap phone running an Indian-built Android fork that keeps your data on servers inside the country.
More than a year later, the Nova 5G is still on sale, still cheap, and now sits below a whole family of newer Ai+ phones. This is what it costs today, what it actually does well, and what it gets wrong.
Quick verdict
Buy it if you want a 5G phone under ₹10,000 with a big battery, a 120Hz screen, a headphone jack and software that doesn’t shove ads into your notification tray.
Skip it if you take a lot of photos, play games, or care about sensors that budget phones often quietly leave out. Also skip it if you live somewhere without an Ai+ service partner nearby.
Ai+ Nova 5G price in India
The Nova 5G launched at ₹7,999 as the higher-end half of Ai+’s debut pair, sitting above the cheaper 4G Ai+ Pulse. The phone was positioned around a 120Hz refresh rate, 5G connectivity and India-first software in a slim body.
Street prices have drifted upward since. As of September 2026:
| Variant | Typical price |
|---|---|
| 6GB + 128GB | around ₹8,999 |
| 8GB + 128GB | ₹10,000 to ₹11,000 |
Listing trackers put the 6GB/128GB model at ₹8,999, with Flipkart usually holding the lowest price. Some retailers charge a few hundred rupees more for certain colours, so it’s worth checking two or three listings before you tap buy. Prices on this phone move around more than they do on Samsung or Redmi models, partly because stock arrives in batches.
Ai+ Nova 5G specifications
| Spec | Ai+ Nova 5G |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.745-inch HD+ LCD, 120Hz |
| Processor | Unisoc T8200 |
| RAM | 6GB or 8GB |
| Storage | 64GB or 128GB, microSD expandable |
| Rear camera | 50MP main |
| Front camera | 5MP |
| Battery | 5,000mAh |
| Charging | 10W |
| Software | NxtQuantum OS, based on Android 15 |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint reader |
| Extras | 3.5mm headphone jack, FM radio |
| Colours | Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Purple |
| Launch date | 8 July 2025 |
The Nova 5G is built around a 6.7-inch LCD with HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, uses the Unisoc T8200 with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage, pairs a 50MP main camera with a 5MP selfie camera, and runs a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging. It keeps expandable storage, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an FM radio receiver and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
NxtQuantum OS is the real reason to look at this phone
Every ₹9,000 phone has a 5,000mAh battery. Almost none of them have their own operating system.
NxtQuantum OS is built on Android 15, stores user data on Indian servers under a zero-trust framework, runs locally trained AI engines, and ships without bloatware or unnecessary tracking.
That last part matters more than the branding. Budget phones in India have become advertising platforms. Glance lock screens, sponsored app installs, notification spam from a preloaded browser you never opened. The Nova 5G doesn’t do that, and on a phone this cheap the absence of junk is worth more than another 2GB of RAM.
The data localisation claim is harder to verify from the outside, and you should treat it as a stated policy rather than an audited fact. But for buyers who are uneasy about Chinese-brand handsets, it’s a genuine differentiator rather than marketing noise.
The AI features are more modest than the brand name suggests. You get on-device assistance layered into the system apps. You do not get anything close to what Galaxy AI or Gemini Nano do on flagships, and honestly, at this price you shouldn’t expect to.
Performance: the Unisoc T8200 in daily use
The T8200 is a 6nm chip and it’s fine. That’s the honest summary.
WhatsApp, UPI apps, YouTube, Instagram, a browser with a dozen tabs open, all of that runs without drama on the 8GB variant. The 120Hz panel makes scrolling feel quicker than the chip really is, which is a smart trade for a budget phone.
Gaming is where it runs out of room. BGMI runs at low settings. Anything heavier will stutter. If mobile gaming is a priority, the Nova 5G is not your phone at any price.
5G works on both Jio and Airtel bands, which is the main reason to pick this over an equivalently priced 4G handset.
Display
A 6.745-inch panel at HD+ resolution. Text is noticeably softer than on a full HD screen, and if you’re upgrading from a phone with a 1080p display you will see it immediately. If you’re coming from an older budget 4G phone, you probably won’t mind.
The 120Hz refresh rate is the saving grace. It’s an LCD, so blacks are grey and outdoor visibility in Indian summer sun is average at best.
Camera
One 50MP sensor on the back, 5MP on the front.
Daylight shots are usable. Colours skew a bit flat, detail falls apart if you crop, and the processing takes a moment. Low light is weak, which is normal in this segment. The 5MP selfie camera is the bigger compromise, and owner feedback has been consistent that the front camera underperforms.
Set expectations at “records the moment” rather than “photographs it.”
What the Nova 5G leaves out
This is the section the affiliate listicles skip, so here it is plainly.
Charging is slow. 10W with a 5,000mAh battery means a full charge takes a long stretch. Plan on overnight charging. Battery life itself is good, comfortably a day and a half of moderate use.
Missing sensors. Owners have reported that the gyroscope and compass are absent and that call recording does not work. No gyroscope means no VR, unstable camera stabilisation, and problems with games that use tilt controls. Google Maps will still navigate, but the compass arrow won’t behave properly. If either matters to you, this is a dealbreaker rather than a quibble.
HD+ resolution on a nearly 6.8-inch screen in 2026 is behind the segment.
Service network. Buyers have flagged that the company’s service centre coverage is still thin and inconsistent across cities. Ai+ is a young brand and hasn’t built the physical support footprint that Samsung, Xiaomi or Lava have. In a metro you’ll manage. In a tier-3 town, check before you buy.
Ai+ Nova 5G vs the Nova 2 series
This is the question most people should be asking in 2026, because the original Nova 5G is no longer Ai+’s current phone.
Ai+ rolled out a five-device Nova 2 series through 2026, starting with the Nova 2 and Nova 2 Ultra in April, followed by the Nova 2 Neo and Nova 2 Pro on 22 June, with prices starting at ₹12,999.
| Model | Launch price | Key upgrade over Nova 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Nova 2 | around ₹9,000 to ₹10,000 | 6,000mAh battery, Android 16 |
| Nova 2 Neo | ₹12,999 (4GB+128GB) | Dimensity 6300, 48MP Sony sensor |
| Nova 2 Pro | ₹15,999 (6GB+128GB) | 6.9-inch 144Hz FHD+, Dimensity 7100, 33W |
| Nova 2 Ultra | ₹16,999 at launch | AMOLED, IP68, MediaTek 7400 |
The Nova 2 Neo starts at ₹12,999 for 4GB+128GB and ₹13,999 for 6GB+128GB, while the Nova 2 Pro is ₹15,999 for 6GB+128GB and ₹17,999 for 8GB+128GB. Both run Android 16-based NxtQuantum OS out of the box, and the Pro pairs a 48MP Sony IMX582 main camera with an 8MP ultra-wide, a 6,000mAh battery and 33W charging.
The practical takeaway: if your budget can stretch to ₹13,000, the Nova 2 Neo is a significantly better phone. Faster charging, a newer Android version, a better main sensor. The Nova 5G only makes sense if you’re firmly capped under ₹10,000.
One caution on the Nova 2 line. The Nova 2 Ultra’s retail price climbed from its ₹16,999 launch price to ₹17,999 and has since risen further, reaching ₹20,999 by late August 2026. Ai+ pricing has not been stable. Check the live listing rather than trusting a launch-day figure from a news article.
Who should buy the Ai+ Nova 5G
It works for a first 5G phone, a second phone for a dual-SIM setup, a device for a parent who wants a clean interface without ads, or a work phone where you mostly need calls, WhatsApp and UPI.
It doesn’t work for photography, gaming, or anyone who needs a gyroscope.
Alternatives worth comparing
At this price you should also look at the Lava Virat V1 5G, the Samsung Galaxy F05 or F16 5G, the POCO M7 and the Moto G35. Samsung and Lava both beat Ai+ comfortably on service network reach. The Nova 5G’s counter-argument is the software: no ads, no bloat, Indian data storage.
Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A16 5G review: two years on, is it still the budget phone to buy?
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ai+ Nova 5G price in India?
Around ₹8,999 for the 6GB+128GB variant and roughly ₹10,000 to ₹11,000 for 8GB+128GB, as of September 2026. It launched at ₹7,999.
Is the Ai+ Nova 5G an Indian phone?
The brand is Indian. Ai+ operates under NxtQuantum Shift Technologies, headed by Madhav Sheth, and the phone runs an India-developed operating system with data stored on Indian servers. Component sourcing, like almost every phone sold here, is international.
Does the Ai+ Nova 5G have a gyroscope?
Owner reports say no. The gyroscope and compass appear to be missing, which affects tilt-based games, VR and compass accuracy in maps.
Which processor does the Ai+ Nova 5G use?
The Unisoc T8200, a 6nm octa-core chip with integrated 5G.
Does it support Jio and Airtel 5G?
Yes, it supports 5G on both networks.
Is the Ai+ Nova 5G good for gaming?
Only casual gaming. BGMI runs at low settings, and heavier titles will struggle.
Ai+ Nova 5G or Nova 2 Neo?
The Nova 2 Neo, if you can spend around ₹13,000. It has a newer chipset, a better camera sensor, a larger battery and Android 16. Take the Nova 5G only if your ceiling is under ₹10,000.
Does the Nova 5G have a headphone jack?
Yes, a 3.5mm jack and an FM radio receiver.
Prices and availability change frequently. Check the current Flipkart or Amazon India listing before purchase.
