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HMD Global, the company that licenses the Nokia brand, is gradually expanding its presence in the United States with another unlocked phone: the Nokia 7.1. It is a mid-range smartphone at $ 349, making it currently the most powerful phone of HMD, after the Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 3.1 at $ 159.
This midrange phone contains some flagship features, which will make you look twice at the price. During the brief time we spent with her, we found good performance, a good screen and smooth software for Android One. The Nokia 7.1 announces it as one of the best phones under $ 400.
HDR screen, all glass
The Nokia 7.1 has an updated design a little more in tune with the rest of the industry, but it still manages to keep the iconic look of Nokia. There is now a notch at the top of the screen for an edge-to-edge display, and although the bottom frame has been collapsed, it is compact enough for you to display the Nokia logo.
The screen size of 5.84 inches is large (about the size of the iPhone XS), but it is nevertheless compact enough for you to reach the top without much difficulty. The 19: 9 aspect ratio means that it is also narrow, making it easy to pick up and use the phone with one hand. This is an LCD screen with a resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels. It is colorful and clean, although the black levels are not very deep. We did not use the phone outside, so we can not say much about the brightness at the moment.
You can enjoy wider color support and stronger contrast when watching HDR supported content via apps like Netflix.
We can talk about how the screen supports HDR10. This is a feature that is usually only seen on flagship smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S9. This means you can enjoy wider color support and stronger contrast when watching HDR supported content via apps like Netflix and YouTube. In addition, the screen will automatically convert any standard definition (SD) content to HDR – it's not a dramatic difference, but it's noticeable and it really looks better than the SD. It's a great device for watching movies and shows. We have not had the chance to test the speakers on the phone yet, but you can use a 3.5mm headphone jack to connect your headphones.
The screen on the front is protected by Gorilla Glass 3, but move backwards and you will notice that HMD has also chosen to use glass – HMD calls it "tempered glass". It looks smooth and smooth, although choosing a glass on a metal back will certainly disappoint some, as durability takes a hit, whether the glass is tempered or not. In addition, the back is constantly covered with traces of fingerprints. This phone does not support wireless charging. There is therefore no real benefit to using glass other than design and usability. A fingerprint sensor is located under the camera module.
The Nokia 7.1 is incredibly compact in the hand and the build quality is superb. The frame (not including the glass) is an aluminum body and the edges slope towards the screen and towards the back. We like the accent colors used for the edges and the frame around the camera module at the back – this allows the phone to stand out more. Our favorites are the copper accents on the Gloss Steel color. There is also a midnight blue model, with silver accents. The curved glass at the front and back also allows you to not feel the rough edges when you handle the phone.
Solid performance, Android One
The Nokia 7.1 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 636 processor – a relatively new variant – with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Overall, a storage option of 3GB of RAM and 32GB will also be available – but not in the United States. A MicroSD card slot is also available in case you need more space.
We recently saw the Snapdragon 636 inside the Moto Z3 Play, and we were mostly satisfied with its performance. This phone costs around $ 450, so you get even more value here with the 7.1. During our short period with the phone, applications were opened quickly and the operating system was quickly moved. We will have to do more tests to see how much he can handle intensive games and multitasking.
The Nokia 7.1 is launched with Android Oreo, but HMD has promised an update of Android Pie by the end of November.
What probably contributes to the performance is the fact that the Nokia 7.1 uses Android One. This is a "pure" version of Google's Android, also known as Android, where you get no bloatware and the manufacturer adds almost nothing. It's simple to use and fluid, and the highlight is the speed of updates. Android One brings a promise of monthly security updates for three years and one-time updates for two years.
The Nokia 7.1 is launched with Android 8.1 Oreo, but HMD has promised an update of Android 9.0 Pie by the end of November, which is much faster than most Android manufacturers.
As for software, HMD did not add much. The Adaptive Display, which detects the environment you are in and what you are doing to adjust the tones, brightness and brightness of the screen. This feature was introduced in Android Pie, but it has already been upgraded to version 7.1 while running under Oreo.
According to Nokia, there is a considerable pile of 3,060 mAh in the Nokia 7.1, which should allow you to spend a full day. A Type C USB charging port located at the bottom of the phone supports fast charging. HMD says you can get up to 50% in 30 minutes of loading. We will do more tests here to see how this phone lasts.
Promising camera
There are two cameras on the back of the Nokia 7.1, both of which use Zeiss optics. The main is a 12-megapixel lens with an aperture of f / 1.8 and is associated with a 5-megapixel lens for depth detection. The camera took pictures quickly, but we did not spend enough time to properly assess the quality of the photo.
The novelty here is a few adjustments to HMD's "Bothie" mode, which allows you to take photos or videos (including live streaming) simultaneously with the front and back camera, placing both scenes in one. only photo or video. This is not new in smartphones, but what is innovative is that you can now adjust the number of scenes captured by each camera. If you want to display more rear camera than the front camera, just move a slider to adjust it.
HMD's Live Bokeh mode, which is equivalent to the portrait mode of other phones, makes it possible to precisely identify the contours of the subject in order to add a pronounced blur. You can also change the intensity of the blur before taking a picture. This option is also available for the 8-megapixel front camera, but it uses software instead of a secondary lens.
According to HMD, the large aperture of the standard lens at the back allows the Nokia 7.1 to take better pictures with low light, which is often the weakest point of low-cost and midrange phones. We will do more tests and comparisons to see if that sounds right.
Price and availability
Nokia 7.1 costs $ 349 and pre-orders begin October 5th. They will be available on Amazon, Best Buy and B & H, and the product will be available from October 28th. If you want to see it before you buy it, as of November 4, it will be available at many Best Buy stores across the country.
It is difficult to find fault with the Nokia 7.1, and considering that Nokia 6.1 is our most economical choice for a phone under $ 300, we would not be surprised to see the 7.1 take over to be the best phone under $ 400. . Stay tuned for the full review to discover.
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