HMD Global has been on a roll this year, and the newly revitalized Nokia brand appears to be gaining ground. The firm created waves at the 2018 MWC show with an all-new product range, and it has continued to impress with additional releases.
The specs of today’s Nokia phones may not be as amazing as what Chinese competitors are offering for comparable costs, but we’ve been pleased with what we’ve seen so far. HMD Global appears to be capitalizing on the Nokia brand by putting less emphasis on cutting-edge features like numerous cameras or powerful processors in favor of things like sturdy build quality, sleek design, and user-friendliness.
The company’s naming approach is a bit perplexing; the new Nokia 3.1 Plus does have a huge screen, but it isn’t simply a bigger version of the Nokia 3.1 that was launched earlier this year. In an already crowded market, the new features and upgraded components should help it stand out.
All of our comparisons to other phones are based on the handset we have for review, which has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage and costs Rs. 11,499 in India. There will also be a cheaper option with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, but HMD Global has not yet announced its price and availability. Now, let’s not waste any more time and get to work.
Nokia 3.1 Plus 32GB Configuration and Battery
The MediaTek Helio P22 chipset supports the device’s octa-core 2GHz Cortex A53 processor, allowing for respectable overall performance. The PowerVR GE8320 graphics processing unit (GPU) is included, and it optimizes both graphic performance and battery life.
The device contains a Li-ion battery with a 3,500mAh capacity, which can provide substantial backup power to keep the device operational for an extended period of time.
Nokia 3.1 Plus 32GB Storage and Connectivity
The 64GB of built-in storage is more than enough space for customers to store their media and other material. It accepts microSD cards with storage capacities of up to 400GB, so you can always have more space. Wi-Fi 802.11, Mobile Hotspot, Bluetooth, GPS with A-GPS, Glonass, microUSB 2.0, etc. are all included for communication.
Nokia 3.1 Plus 32GB Specifications and Software
In comparison to its competitors, the Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro (Review) and the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1, the Nokia 3.1 Plus (3GB RAM/32GB storage) costs Rs. 11,499. (Review). MediaTek Helio P22, which was last seen in the budget Xiaomi Redmi 6, is the processor that HMD Global has opted for (Review).
This SoC is made with a 12nm process that is both energy-efficient and fast, allowing its eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores to reach speeds of up to 2GHz. Only four are constantly active, with the others coming online only when absolutely necessary.
This device’s key selling point is its 6-inch display. While the HD+ resolution of 720×1440 pixels may not seem like much at this size, we found it to be quite adequate. HMD Global claims a two-day battery life because to the big body and the 3500mAh battery.
Both a 13-megapixel f/2.0 primary camera and a 5-megapixel f/2.4 depth sensor can be found on the device’s back. There’s also a front-facing camera that’s 8 megapixels and f/2.2.
Nokia 3.1 Plus 32GB Performance, Battery Life and Cameras
The default Android user interface was easy to navigate, and we didn’t notice any lag while doing simple tasks. It took a little longer than normal for several pages to load in the Play store, and there were some hiccups while switching between resource-intensive apps and games. The screen is quite luminous, so we had no issues reading it while outside.
Although the colors weren’t particularly vivid, we still had a good time watching our favorite films on YouTube and other streaming services. Despite its relatively low quality, the phone’s huge screen makes content look decent, so it’s not a dealbreaker if you don’t want to hold it up to your face to view it.
The single speaker produces a fairly powerful and full sound, while distortion sets in at higher volumes. The Nokia 3.1 Plus performs poorly in performance tests. With a score of 77,999 on AnTuTu, this phone is slower than those that cost far less than Rs. 10,000.
Our review unit did not even attempt to run Geekbench, but it did score 4,752 on PCMark’s Work 2.0 test and 76.89 on the browser-based Basemark 3.0. On the GFXBench T-rex test, this phone averaged 26 frames per second, and in the 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme test, it scored 8,015.
Nokia 3.1 Plus 32GB Verdict
When compared to other phones in its pricing range, the Nokia 3.1 Plus falls well short of the competition. Although its attractive exterior, it can’t compare to other models in terms of the ease with which they are used.
You should not settle for less, especially for this price point, because physical durability is of little value if your requirements will exceed its capacity within a year or two. This phone may be a fantastic option for those who are more interested in watching media than playing games, thanks to its wide display and long battery life.
If you’re satisfied that this meets your requirements and you enjoy the design of this phone (both its hardware and its user interface), then you can purchase it. But, the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 (Review) is a much superior all-around option, with similar looks, a larger screen with a higher resolution, and a lower price tag if you can make do with a less spectacular battery.
Conclusion
Despite its large display, the Nokia 3.1 Plus boasts a battery life of up to two days on a single charge. It has a sleek design, and many people will be interested in purchasing it just because Nokia is a trusted brand.
Nevertheless, HMD Global cut corners by choosing the low-end MediaTek Helio P22 chipset, so its performance is significantly worse than that of competing phones in its price range. The cameras are also a letdown, since the majority of our test images turned out poorly.
The user interface of Android One has the advantages of being fast and slim. You should only consider this phone if you have minimal requirements and value the Nokia brand.
