[ad_1]
HMD Global has just taken the wraps off of its newest smartphone, the Nokia 7.1. This marks the highest-end Nokia smartphone to make its way to the US, so far. But is it worth the $ 349 price tag? It's a good deal to be competitive, mid-range smartphones like the Moto G6, Honor 8X, and one more like the OnePlus 6. Well, there is a lot to like about the Nokia 7.1, and as always, this is not a perfect smartphone so there are some things to dislike here. So let's go over the good, the bad and the new Nokia 7.1.
The Good
The Nokia 7.1 comes in at a very competitive price point of $ 349 and does come unlocked. It is GSM-unlocked, so it will work on AT & T and Mobile here in the US. That's a pretty impressive price for what you are getting with the Nokia 7.1. Not just in terms of hardware and specs, but also in terms of the software experience. For $ 349, there are plenty of other smartphones out there that are likely to get a bad taste in many people's mouths, but with Nokia sticking with stock android, that will not be an issue. HMD Global is also starting pre-orders tomorrow (the day after Nokia 7.1 was announced). That is a good thing for sure, especially with these smartphones being announced in October, HMD Global – and other OEMs – can not afford to wait for pre-orders to open up. The Nokia 7.1 will start shipping on October 28.
Speaking of software, the Nokia 7.1 is still an Android One device. This should come as no surprise, given the fact that HMD Global announced at MWC that all of its smartphones would be Android One or Android Go devices. Essentially, these are pure Google smartphones. This means lightweight software, which will perform really well on that Snapdragon 636 chipset, something that HMD Global has already excelled at. The only real change that HMD Global makes in terms of software, to its smartphones, is in the camera.
Typically, when a phone is priced at around $ 349, you do not expect the hardware to be better – no pun intended here. But with the Nokia 7.1, you are getting a beautifully designed smartphone made of glass and metal. HMD is one of a kind in the world, but it's always a good place to be. The phone comes in two colors – gloss steel and gloss midnight blue – the gloss steel is definitely the most interesting of the two, with colors we do not typically see on smartphones. HMD Global has also used 2.5D glass on the back of the Nokia 7.1, which makes it easier for you to use your smartphone.
The Bad
The Nokia 7.1 is launching with Android 8.1 Oreo. For an Android One device, this is going to cause a lot of uproar from potential customers. Goal HMD Global has stated that it will be rolling out Android 9 Pie before the end of November. So within a month of this being available, Android will be available for it, which is impressive. It still would have been better than Android 9 Pie, but that might have been out of HMD Global's hands. Seeking as OEMs from the world to support their processors, and HMD Global is using a Snapdragon 600-series chipset here instead of the high-end Snapdragon 800-series, it is further down the list of support for Qualcomm.
Yes, there is a note on the Nokia 7.1. That is going to turn some people off, but it's not going to keep HMD Global or other manufacturers from utilizing the notch. Manufacturers continue to tell AndroidHeadlines that the reason for using the device. While that "extra screen" is not all that helpful, and it does make the phone look somewhat ugly, at least the Nokia 7.1's notch is smaller than the Pixel 3 XL's notch – according to leaks at least.
While the Nokia 7.1 is going to be available, it is only supporting AT & T and T-Mobile in the States. That is pretty common, however, since HMD Global is using the Snapdragon 636 chipset, it could actually support all the carriers. But the reason for Nokia is using CDMA bands here is certification. The Nokia 7.1 would need to be certified by Sprint and Verizon, and those certification tests are not cheap at all. So while unfortunate, it's not surprising that HMD Global is sticking with supporting mobile phones with the Nokia 7.1.
The Ugly
The Snapdragon 636 chipset is being used on the Nokia 7.1, while it's actually a really good chipset, would like something higher-end, like the Snapdragon 710. Obviously HMD Global is looking for two things in the Snapdragon 636 over other Qualcomm chipsets , and that was component price and battery life. The Snapdragon 636 is much cheaper for HMD Global to buy from Qualcomm than a Snapdragon 710 or 845, which allows them to keep the price of Nokia 7.1 lower. Battery life is also a hallmark feature of the Snapdragon 600-series chipsets, without affecting performance. Which is why we are seeing the 600-series? The Snapdragon 636 itself has been used quite recently, with HTC U12 Life and Xiaomi Redmi Pro 6 both sporting that chipset.
There is no water or dust resistance on the Nokia 7.1. Now yes, it can not be done, it's not IP68 certified like most smartphones these days. This omission is so great that it could not be cheaper than the Nokia 7.1. But in 2018, it's something that people come to expect on smartphones even inexpensive smartphones like the Nokia 7.1.
Conclusion
The Nokia 7.1 is actually pretty impressive for its price point. If you have not read our hands on the device just yet, it's definitely worth a read. There's a lot to say about Nokia 7.1, and not that much to dislike – when you factor in the $ 349 price here. Sure it would be nice to have a Quad HD + display, more RAM, more storage, a bigger battery, but at $ 349, these specs are more than acceptable, especially with this build.
Source link
