Nokia’s Super-Cheap Smartphone

In the last year, Nokia has made a comeback to the Smartphone market. Currently, there’s a Nokia Smartphone in every price category. Their latest offering: The Nokia 2.2, launched three days back as a refreshed model of their entry-level product. At this price point, it sits at the number one spot in the (30,000-40,000 naira) budget category. It is even better than some phones in the (40,000-50,000 naira) mid-range category.

Described by Nokia as “Your fastest ticket to Android Q”– And rightly so. Like all it’s premium siblings, the Nokia 2.2 is a part of Google’s Android One program; Meaning you’ll get the latest Android 9 (Pie) out of the box. It also means a guaranteed update to the upcoming Android Q. Alongside regular security patches and essential updates straight from Google for at least the next 2 years.

Design/Display

The Nokia 2.2 is a 5.7-inch HD+ display (720p) with a Teardrop notch. The resolution is really not bad considering its 267ppi Pixel Density. Borders around the display are a bit thick, but acceptable for the price. Further, it has decent viewing angles and is bright enough to be visible outdoors.

It’s an all plastic (polycarbonate) build with a small footprint. Weighs in at 153.00 grams with 145.96 x 70.56 x 9.30mm dimensions. It has dual SIM support with a dedicated SD card slot so you don’t have to compromise a second SIM slot for an SD card. The Nokia 2.2 has a removable battery as well so you could carry an extra one, rather than a power bank.

Performance and Storage

Under the hood, there’s a Quad-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 SoC alongside a Power VR GE820 to handle graphics. For memory and storage, there’s a 2GB RAM/16GB Storage as well as a 3GB/32GB Storage option.

The processor on this one is just okay enough for your day-to-day tasks. The amount of RAM was also a generous offering — At least when compared to the likes of the 35,000 Infinix Hot 7; with just 1GB RAM. Even if the base 2GB on Nokia wasn’t enough, you could go for the 3GB RAM model. Android One also brings all the functionality of Google Assistant including Google Lens and even a dedicated Google Assistant Button for searches and voice commands.

Cameras

The Camera is a surprising 13MP (f/2.2, 1.2nm) with Auto Focus. And for such a simple phone, the night mode feature is a very welcome surprise as it crushes Low-light photography. Other features like HDR and Panorama are also supported and there’s a LED flash right below the single lens. Additionally, there’s a mediocre 5MP lens for selfies. Again, this is a 30,000 naira phone so not much to complain about there. Besides; that single mediocre lens supports Face Unlock in the place of the missing Fingerprint sensor. And let’s not forget that beautiful Teardrop notch.

Verdict

Given it’s Android One branding, the Nokia 2.2 clearly stands out. Most manufacturers don’t care much about Software on their entry level smartphones, so the Nokia brings a refreshing change. Although, bear in mind that this phone comes with several Trade-offs. A weak CPU and Mediocre cameras; to highlight a couple. Further, the lack of a fingerprint sensor may be a deal-breaker for some. Although, and in this price point, the Face unlock option is a wonderful compensation. With even the 2GB/16GB option, it’s still the best and only phone I’ll recommend for 30,000 naira. It’s really even better value than most more expensive models; like the 40,000 Nokia 3.2.

You can pick either of them up at any Slot outlet or online on Jumia.