Skip to main content

The best Nokia phones of 2020: find the right Nokia device for you

Nokia was once the biggest phone company in the world. How times change. In 2020 though it is seeing a renaissance as a budget- to mid-range Android player, with a few premium handsets thrown in for good measure.

Nokia phones are actually made by fellow Finnish company HMD Global, who licenses the use of the Nokia name. When we first heard about the partnership we were sceptical, but it has proven to be an excellent one - we now find ourselves reviewing several excellent Nokia smartphones every year.

It means there’s a wide choice of Nokia phones for you if you have your heart set on one, but the huge range can be confusing. That’s why we’ve ranked the eight best Nokia phones for most people below.

We’ve fully reviewed each and listed the pros and cons so you can see which has the best features and price for your needs and budget. Plus Nokia phones all have excellent clean Android software and amazingly frequent software updates, so they are a solid choice if you want a phone that lasts a good three years. 

You might want to wait and see what Nokia handsets launch at MWC 2020, too.

Best Nokia phones 2020 at a glance:

  1. Nokia 9 PureView
  2. Nokia 8.1
  3. Nokia 8
  4. Nokia 6.1
  5. Nokia 7.2
  6. Nokia 7 Plus
  7. Nokia 7.1
  8. Nokia 5.1

Best Nokia phones 2020


The Nokia 9 PureView is Nokia's most recent flagship phone, and it comes with cutting-edge features to match. In particular, it comes with one important feature (or five depending on how you count it) in the form of its five-sensor rear camera, which is the most we've seen in a smartphone.

It's not exactly an expensive phone either, compared to some of the flagships you can buy today, so if you want a photographic smartphone powerhouse without taking a chunk out of your bank account, this may be the phone for you.

The Nokia 9 PureView has problems, as most phones do, but it represents the best Nokia has to offer right now.

Read our in-depth Nokia 9 PureView review


The Nokia 8.1 was our favorite Nokia phone until the Nokia 9 PureView came along – it's a competent mid-range device offering up a tried-and-tested Snapdragon 710 chipset, functional camera, and adequate battery, all for a relatively low price.

For such a low-priced phone you'll certainly be impressed by its screen, with 2280 x 1080 Full HD+ and an 81% screen-to-body ratio, and an elegant design to match.

It's by no means a powerful smartphone, and it won't rival high-end models in terms of specs of functions, but at its price band it's a tempting device.

Read our in-depth Nokia 8.1 review


Nokia phones are often reliable handsets that lack any defining or distinctive features, and the Nokia 8 is a prime example of this. It looks great, with an impressive display and beautifully designed body, but many of the other features could be defined as 'fine'.

The dual cameras were acceptable in 2017 when the phone was released, and features like the 3.5mm headphone jack and physical front button which used to be commonplace but aren't any more, may appeal to users who like these features.

With the Nokia 8 you're getting a solid handset that won't let you down, but won't be an icebreaker at parties either.

Read our in-depth Nokia 8 review


While the Nokia 6.1 doesn't quite have all the bells and whistles of the other Nokia handsets above, it's still a great device – especially given many of the downsides we could attribute to it wouldn’t realistically be expected on a phone of its price.

It's a tough device with a robust design and strong frame – fans of solid and secure phones will love the Nokia 6.1's durability.

It also packs some pretty impressive specs for its low price, with a competent chipset and splendid screen – yet its camera loadout isn't as impressive as it could be.

Read our in-depth Nokia 6.1 review

Best Nokia phones: Nokia 7.2

The Nokia 7.2 is a solid mid-range phone, but it struggles to stand out in the sea of Nokia Android devices. That said, it has smooth performance, a premium design and good quality main cameras. 

Unfortunately the wide-angle camera is not up to scratch, which is disappointing when that can be a fun shooter to use. It is also a very slow phone to charge up and isn’t waterproof.

But the Android One version of Android 9 Pie is a godsend, with attractive stock design and a guaranteed two years of OS updates and three years of security updates, which is as good as the Google Pixel line.

Read our in-depth Nokia 7.2 review.  


The Nokia 7 Plus is exactly what you'd imagine from a Nokia handset, in that it's half the price of a flagship from its era yet it comes packed out with all the features you'd expect.

In particular the handset has an impressive camera loadout for its price, and can last for a long time under heavy use. There are drawbacks to the phone too, but it's still an impressive Android device.

Read our in-depth Nokia 7 Plus review

Nokia 7.1


The Nokia 7.1 isn't exactly a miracle of a phone, but with such a low price tag you'll find the device great for everyday use if you don't need the high processing power.

That tall, bright, sharp screen really stands out for us though, and it makes video watching a pleasure – you can easily forget you're not using a modern flagship with it.

And at such a low price point, you definitely won't come away from the Nokia 7.1 feeling like you've got a bad deal – it's a reliable and snappy Nokia smartphone.

Read our in-depth Nokia 7.1 review


You wouldn't guess to look at it that the Nokia 5.1 is another mid-range smartphone – its metal body, classical styling and sleek design make it look like a premium device.

Of course it's what inside that counts too, and the Nokia 5.1 doesn't have the best specs which it's why it's a little lower on our list – but that doesn't mean it's a bad phone, and it'll serve your needs easily.

The Nokia 5.1 also has a great screen, with a Full HD+ display, which is rare in its price category  – but it should be this low cost that draws you in in the first place, as few phones that look this good cost so little.

Read our in-depth Nokia 5.1 review



from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/2TEf4rI

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The future of Magic Leap's promising AR efforts dim after layoffs

The Magic Leap Two is now further away than ever, unfortunately. Today in a blog post the augmented reality pioneer announced major layoffs and has decided to cut up to half of its workforce, according to some reports. The original Magic Leap One was supposed to be one of the first mainstream augmented reality headsets when it launched in 2018, but a high price point and lack of interest from developers left the headset high and dry after launch. According to the blog post, Magic Leap says it will be focusing its efforts on enterprise solutions (a statement HTC has made recently as well) and shift its focus away from consumer technology… at least for the time being.  The company has been open about creating a second headset that would offer improved specs for some time, but how that work will now have to go forward without half of the team , according to some estimates, remains to be seen. Is the window closing on augmented reality?  Although it’s just one company, Magic...

Airship acquires SMS commerce company ReplyBuy

Airship is announcing that it has acquired mobile commerce startup ReplyBuy . The startup (which was a finalist at TechCrunch’s 1st and Future competition in 2016) works with customers like entertainment venues and professional and college sports teams to send messages and sell tickets to fans via SMS. It raised $4 million in funding from Sand Hill Angels, Kosinski Ventures, SEAG Ventures, Enspire Capital, MRTNZ Ventures and others, according to Crunchbase . Airship, meanwhile, has been expanding its platform beyond push notifications to cover customer communication across SMS, email, mobile wallets and more. But CEO Brett Caine said this is the first time the company is moving into commerce. While sports and concerts tickets might not be a booming market right now, Caine suggested that the company is actually seeing increased purchasing activity “in and around the Airship platform” as businesses try to drive more in-app purchases. He also suggested that both the COVID-19 pandem...