Nokia returned to MWC 2017 with a bang, releasing three new Android phones – the Nokia 3, 5 and 6 – as well as the oft-rumoured Nokia 3310 reboot.
First and foremost: these Nokia Android phones are not flagship-grade phones. They’re not designed to compete with Apple or Samsung at the top of the market; no, these handsets have a decidedly mid-range feel to them which is reflected in how they’ve been priced.
The handsets go up in price and specs as you move through the numbers; the Nokia 3 is the base model and is also the cheapest, whereas the Nokia 6 is the most potent and costly – though its still retailing under $250.
And if you're in the UK, you can pre-order any of these Nokia handsets from Carphone Warehouse right now.
Let’s get the specs out of the way first, shall we?
Nokia 3 Specs
- Operating system Android 7.0 Nougat
- CPU: MTK 6737, Quad-core 1.3Ghz
- RAM: 2 GB
- DISPLAY: 5.0” IPS LCD (1280 x 720, 16:9)
- Camera: 8MP AF, 1.12um, f/2, LED flash; (front) 8MP AF, 1.12um, f/2, FOV 84 degrees, display flash
- Battery: 2650 mAh
- Storage: 16GB
- MicroSD: Yep – up to 128GB
This is Nokia’s entry level model. It should cost around $150 and is clearly aimed at the budget-end of the smartphone market, a very lucrative segment for players like Samsung, Huawei and, once again, Nokia.
The Nokia 3 features pure Android Nougat; no custom skin, no bloatware. That’s a huge plus for users, so hat’s off to Nokia for that one. Inside you have moderate specs as well as support for MicroSD cards.
This handset is an affordable option, and that’s reflected in the specs. But given the attention to detail, the nice, overall design and the decent specs we can see a lot of budget-conscious users flocking to this handset.
Nokia 5 Specs
- OS: Android Nougat
- CPU: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 430 mobile platform
- RAM: 2GB
- Display: 5.2” IPS LCD 1280 x 720, 16:9
- Camera: 13MP PDAF, 1.12um, f/2, dual tone flash; (front) 8MP AF, 1.12um, f/2, FOV 84 degrees
- Battery: 3000 mAh
- Storage: 16GB
- MicroSD: Yep – up to 128GB
The Nokia 5 is slightly more potent. It has better specs, a more refined design and a better camera.
It’s still a mid-range handset through and through, though it does provide way more bang for your buck than the Nokia 3.
The camera sounds decent. Ditto battery life. Again, Android will run in pure stock configuration with minimal bloatware. The display is full HD and you have a decent CPU in the form of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430.
The Nokia 5 will retail for around $200 once it becomes available later on this year.
Nokia 6 Specs
- OS: Android Nougat
- CPU: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 430 mobile platform
- RAM: 3GB
- Display: 5.5” IPS LCD 1080p
- Camera: 16MP PDAF, 1.0um, f/2, dual tone flash; (front) 8MP AF, 1.12um, f/2, FOV 84 degrees
- Battery: 3000 mAh
- Storage: 64GB/126GB
- MicroSD: Yep – up to 128GB
The Nokia 6 is the MAC DADDY for the time being, and it certainly looks the part as well. The handset features a gorgeous aluminium body, decent specs and a very appealing price tag of around $250.
Again, this isn’t a flagship handset – that phone, currently referred to as the Nokia P1 will likely launch at a later date – but it should be very competitive given its specs and operating system.
I do like what Nokia is doing here, though. It’s not coming in and trying to take on Apple and Samsung. Instead, it’s targeting the mid-to-low-end of the space, the space where handsets like the Moto G5 operate, in order to get some quick wins before rising up later on in 2017 to take on the big boys with the Nokia P1.
Click here to pre-order any of these Nokia handsets from Carphone Warehouse.
Excellent stuff all round, HMD.
