Smart Android And Trik-Commenting on Andorid indeed never endless, because smart devices this one is often updated every certain amount of time. So that the market can always be garapnya menerinya with pleasure. And it is not denied if this device has become the lifestyle of each society. To not wonder if the 6th business information and many are turning to mobail smartphone. With Android which thoroughly dominated the mobile industry, choosing the best Android smartphone is almost identical to choose the best smartphone, period. But while Android phones have few real opponents on other platforms, internal competition is intense.
Introduction
Last year we saw Nokia rise from the ashes and launch a few successful Android series. Its confidence grew even stronger with the surprising sequels to the iconic Nokia 3310 and 8110 bar phones. HMD has done right by the name so far and now it's time to refresh those original Android lineups. And today we'll be checking out the Nokia 3.1 - a sequel to the very affordable Nokia 3.
The Nokia 3.1 isn't the cheapest among the HMD's Android smartphones - there are lower-tier devices such as Nokia 2 and Nokia 1. But it's the one aimed at the masses with that attractive €150 price tag and trendy display aspect.
And the Nokia 3.1 is a very thoughtful continuation of the Nokia 3 series that builds on every aspect of its predecessor. There is now a taller screen with some extra pixels and thinner bezels, doubled processing and graphics power, a higher-res camera, a larger battery, and newer Android OS benefiting from Android One program.
So, even if you already own a Nokia 3, there are a lot of temptations that will make you think about an upgrade. Let's take a glimpse at those goodies.
Nokia 3.1 specs
- Body: Plastic back, aluminum frame, front glass.
- Display: 5.2" IPS LCD, 720x1,440px resolution, 18:9 aspect ratio, 310ppi.
- Rear camera: Primary 13MP, f/2.0 aperture, autofocus, LED flash; 1080p/30fps.
- Front camera: 8MP, HDR; 720p/30fps.
- OS: Android 8.0 Oreo (Android One)
- Chipset: MT6750: octa-core (4x 1.5GHz + 4x 1.0GHz) Cortex-A53 CPU, Mali-T860MP2 GPU.
- Memory: 2/3GB of RAM; 16/32GB storage; microSD slot.
- Battery: 2,990mAh Li-Ion (sealed);
- Connectivity: Dual-SIM; LTE, microUSB; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n; GPS; Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, FM radio.
- Misc: Single down-firing speaker; 3.5mm jack.
There is nothing really special about the Nokia 3.1 besides the fact it's a Nokia and it has a tall screen. But we didn't really expect any premium treatment - if it works smooth, shoots fine, and delivers on those promised upgrades - then it would be a job well done. Let's find out!
Unboxing the Nokia 3.1
The Nokia 3.1 comes packed within a rather oversized paper box. Inside you'll find the Nokia itself bundled with a 5W charger and a micro USB cable. There is also a cheap-looking headset with a mic.
There is no case or a screen protector included in the retail package of the Nokia 3.1. But we didn't even expect a headset, so for what's worth - we got more than we expected.
Design
The Nokia 3.1 may not be excelling in design, but ruggedly handsome it is. Sure, not as rugged as the legendary 3310, which could stop a train, a ship, and an asteroid, but it's on the right path.
The metal frame with the tapered edges makes for a secure enough grip, but the thick plastic back is responsible for the feeling of sturdiness all around the the Nokia 3.1. The matte polycarbonate is not prone to smudges and will keep the industrial looks fresh as opposed to glossy metal or glass.
The Nokia 3.1 might be packing a larger display, but the footprint has been kept relatively the same by trimming some bezels. The phone spreads at 146.3 x 68.7 x 8.7 mm - just 3mm taller than the Nokia 3, but also 3mm narrower. In fact, the Nokia 3.1 is one of the slenderest phones we've handed in a while.
The 5.5" 720p display occupies most of the front and there is a layer of Gorilla Glass for the whole estate. HMD hasn't shared which version of the popular glass it's chosen, but we appreciate the shatter-proof protection.
There is nothing below the screen - the Nokia 3 had three touch-enabled keys are, but the Nokia 3.1 has moved on to onscreen Android navigation thanks to the extra rows of pixels.
Above the display is the earpiece grille, a couple of sensors, and the 8MP selfie camera. Unfortunately, there is no autofocus for the selfie snapper - it's gone on the new phone. HMD did the same with the Nokia 6 and 6.1 - the newer device came without autofocus for its front snapper. It's odd to have a feature on the older phone, but drop it for the sequel, but not unheard of.
On the back is the main 13MP camera coupled with a LED flash. It sits on a round piece of glass, that's a notch below the plastic panel and thus - tough to scratch. The camera itself is nothing special, but we hoped it takes some good photos. But more on that - later.
The Nokia 3.1 has all the necessary ports even though the connection one is of the old kind - microUSB. There is an audio jack available, and if you opt for the dual-SIM Nokia 3.1, you won't have to choose between a second SIM and a microSD card - there are trays for all of them.
Nokia 3.1
Handling the Nokia 3.1 felt just right - HMD managed to create the feeling of sturdiness we've experienced with the old Nokia bunch. But it's not a false feeling - the mixture of thick plastic, metal frame, and Gorilla Glass should provide enough protection for this otherwise budget smartphone.
The 3.1 model is also one of the most compact smartphones we've handled since the latest Xperia Compact and it's a nice change from the bigger and bigger phablets we've reviewed recently. And while it may feel small, we never had an issue with the 5.2" screen - no finger stretching, but no eye squinting either.
Display
The new Nokia 3.1 has a new IPS LCD screen, an obvious update since the Nokia 3. The panel has the new 18:9 aspect ration and thus is a bit taller with a 5.2" diagonal. The vertical resolution is still 720p, but the horizontal one grew to 1,440 px.
We captured some very deep black levels, while the maximum brightness is just average for an LCD at 430 nits. Still, thanks to those blacks the Nokia 3.1 screen has an excellent contrast of 1500:1.
The minimum brightness is rather disappointing at around 17 nits.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, cd/m2 | White, cd/m2 | ||
| 0.288 | 429 | 1490 | |
| 0.353 | 477 | 1351 | |
| 0.367 | 469 | 1278 | |
| 0.354 | 400 | 1130 | |
| 0.351 | 551 | 1570 | |
| 0.277 | 420 | 1516 | |
| 0.378 | 503 | 1331 | |
| 0 | 348 | ∞ | |
| 0.356 | 531 | 1492 | |
| 0.339 | 476 | 1404 | |
| 0.401 | 532 | 1327 | |
Sunlight legibility is on par with similar devices. That is to say, it is not spectacular in any way, but still decent enough for outdoor use.
Sunlight contrast ratio
- Apple iPhone X
5.013 - OnePlus 5T
4.789 - Samsung Galaxy S8
4.768 - Samsung Galaxy S8+
4.658 - Samsung Galaxy S9
4.63 - Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
4.615 - Samsung Galaxy S9+
4.537 - Motorola Moto Z2 Play
4.459 - Oppo R11
4.454 - Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
4.439 - OnePlus 3
4.424 - Samsung Galaxy S7
4.376 - OnePlus 6
4.321 - HTC One A9
4.274 - Oppo R15 Pro
4.251 - Samsung Galaxy Note7
4.247 - Samsung Galaxy A3
4.241 - Nokia 8
4.239 - Google Pixel 2 XL (pre-update)
4.234 - OnePlus 3T
4.232 - Google Pixel XL
4.164 - ZTE Axon 7
4.154 - Samsung Galaxy Note8
4.148 - Meizu Pro 7 Plus
4.147 - Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)
4.124 - Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
4.124 - Huawei Mate 10 Pro (normal)
4.096 - Samsung Galaxy Note5
4.09 - Huawei P20 Pro
4.087 - Xiaomi Mi 8
4.086 - Meizu 15
4.082 - Nokia 6 (2018)
4.052 - Google Pixel 2 (pre-update)
4.023 - LG V30
4.022 - Huawei Nexus 6P
4.019 - vivo NEX S
4.012 - Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro
3.998 - OnePlus X
3.983 - Vivo Xplay5 Elite
3.983 - LG G7 ThinQ (outdoor)
3.978 - Oppo R7s
3.964 - Apple iPhone 7
3.964 - Apple iPhone 8 (True Tone)
3.957 - Huawei P9 Plus
3.956 - Meizu Pro 6 Plus
3.935 - Lenovo Moto Z
3.931 - Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
3.918 - OnePlus 5
3.914 - Samsung Galaxy C5
3.911 - Xiaomi Mi 8 SE
3.901 - Samsung Galaxy C7
3.896 - Samsung Galaxy A5
3.895 - Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor
3.879 - Samsung Galaxy J2 outdoor
3.873 - Motorola Moto G6 Plus
3.865 - Samsung Galaxy A8
3.859 - Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018)
3.842 - Samsung Galaxy A6+ (2018)
3.834 - Sony Xperia XZs
3.818 - Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)
3.817 - Motorola Moto X (2014)
3.816 - Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
3.812 - Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017)
3.804 - Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) outdoor mode
3.802 - LG V20 Max auto
3.798 - Xiaomi Redmi Pro
3.798 - Sony Xperia XZ
3.795 - Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
3.789 - Apple iPhone 6s
3.783 - Meizu Pro 5
3.781 - Microsoft Lumia 650
3.772 - Xiaomi Mi 6
3.767 - Sony Xperia XZ1
3.765 - Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)
3.756 - Nokia 8 Sirocco
3.745 - Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact
3.729 - Apple iPhone 8 Plus (True Tone)
3.725 - Oppo F1 Plus
3.709 - Vivo X5Pro
3.706 - Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017)
3.688 - Huawei P20
3.683 - Apple iPhone SE
3.681 - Huawei Mate 9
3.68 - Samsung Galaxy A7
3.679 - Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact
3.675 - Meizu PRO 6
3.659 - BlackBerry Priv
3.645 - Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra
3.597 - Apple iPhone 7 Plus
3.588 - Sony Xperia XZ2
3.58 - LG G6
3.556 - Apple iPhone 6s Plus
3.53 - Motorola Moto Z Play
3.526 - Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) outdoor mode
3.523 - Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
3.523 - Acer Jade Primo
3.521 - Microsoft Lumia 950
3.512 - Oppo R7 Plus
3.499 - Nokia 7 plus
3.479 - nubia Z11
3.466 - Huawei P10 Plus
3.456 - HTC U Ultra
3.453 - Motorola Moto G6
3.448 - Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra
3.445 - Samsung Galaxy J7
3.422 - Motorola Moto G6 Play
3.419 - Meizu MX5
3.416 - LG V20
3.402 - Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018)
3.397 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 AI Dual Camera
3.393 - LG G7 ThinQ
3.39 - Huawei P10
3.379 - Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016)
3.378 - Oppo R9s
3.352 - Honor 8 Pro
3.341 - Oppo F7
3.333 - Oppo R7
3.32 - Lenovo P2
3.316 - Archos Diamond Omega
3.305 - Honor 9
3.289 - Xiaomi Mi 5s
3.276 - Nokia 5
3.261 - Nokia 6 (Chinese version)
3.244 - Xiaomi Mi 5
3.24 - Nokia 6 (Global version)
3.238 - Samsung Galaxy J2
3.235 - Sony Xperia X Performance
3.234 - Xiaomi Mi Note 2
3.228 - Motorola Moto X Play
3.222 - Oppo F3 Plus
3.218 - BlackBerry KEY2
3.212 - Huawei Mate 9 Pro
3.206 - Huawei P9
3.195 - Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
3.19 - ZTE Nubia Z17
3.159 - Oppo R11s
3.153 - Lenovo Vibe Shot
3.113 - HTC U11 Life
3.108 - Motorola Moto X Force
3.105 - LG Nexus 5X
3.092 - HTC U11
3.089 - HTC U12+
3.085 - Xiaomi Redmi S2 (Y2)
3.077 - Huawei Mate S
3.073 - Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
3.065 - Apple iPhone 6 Plus
3.023 - Asus Zenfone 4 ZE554KL
3.019 - Motorola Moto X4
3.012 - Sony Xperia XA1
3.012 - Sony Xperia L1
2.994 - Sony Xperia X
2.989 - LG Q6
2.987 - Huawei P10 Lite
2.974 - Samsung Galaxy Note
2.97 - Huawei P20 Lite
2.952 - Xiaomi Redmi 5
2.951 - Huawei Mate 8
2.949 - Sony Xperia XA2
2.938 - Oppo Realme 1
2.932 - Xiaomi Redmi 4
2.92 - Xiaomi Redmi 3S
2.913 - Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
2.913 - Sony Xperia XA Ultra
2.906 - LG G5
2.905 - Huawei Honor View 10
2.896 - Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime
2.893 - Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus
2.884 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium (sRGB)
2.877 - Sony Xperia XZ Premium
2.877 - Sony Xperia Z5
2.876 - Nokia 3
2.871 - Microsoft Lumia 550
2.851 - Nokia 3.1
2.837 - Lenovo Moto M
2.813 - Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro
2.803 - Sony Xperia Z5 compact
2.784 - Honor 10 (Vivid)
2.757 - Nokia 2
2.752 - Meizu MX6
2.751 - LG V10
2.744 - Huawei Mate 10 (normal)
2.742 - Motorola Moto G5S Plus
2.737 - Xiaomi Redmi 3
2.735 - Huawei Honor 7X
2.734 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
2.714 - Meizu M5
2.71 - Sony Xperia M5
2.69 - Xiaomi Mi A1
2.689 - Huawei P9 Lite
2.679 - Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime
2.679 - vivo V7+
2.671 - Vivo V3Max
2.659 - Xiaomi Mi Mix
2.658 - Huawei Mate 10 Lite
2.654 - Oppo F5
2.653 - Doogee Mix
2.642 - Xiaomi Mi 4i
2.641 - Xiaomi Redmi 4a
2.635 - Xiaomi Mi 5X (Standard)
2.616 - Sony Xperia XA
2.609 - Motorola Moto G4 Plus (max auto)
2.582 - Motorola Moto G4 Plus
2.582 - Meizu M5s
2.58 - Xiaomi Mi 4c
2.574 - LeEco Le Max 2
2.567 - Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
2.563 - Huawei P Smart
2.563 - Microsoft Lumia 640
2.563 - Xiaomi Mi Max 2
2.561 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A (Y1)
2.556 - HTC U11+
2.556 - Lenovo K6 Note
2.544 - Lenovo Moto G4
2.544 - Oppo F1
2.528 - Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
2.525 - Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c
2.506 - Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
2.503 - BlackBerry Motion
2.494 - Oppo F1s
2.481 - Motorola Moto G
2.477 - Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus
2.473 - Huawei G8
2.471 - Huawei nova
2.467 - Sony Xperia Z
2.462 - Lenovo Vibe K5
2.459 - Meizu m3 max
2.447 - Xiaomi Mi 5X (Auto)
2.417 - HTC 10 evo
2.407 - Huawei Honor 7
2.406 - Vivo V7
2.404 - Sony Xperia E5
2.386 - ZUK Z1 by Lenovo
2.382 - HTC 10
2.378 - Oppo F3
2.376 - vivo V5 Plus
2.371 - Meizu m1 note
2.362 - Huawei nova plus
2.329
2.328
2.305
2.272
2.266
2.254
2.253
2.253
2.249
2.235
2.234
2.233
2.228
2.196
2.189
2.169
2.166
2.165
2.158
2.145
2.145
2.134
2.119
2.095
2.084
2.078
2.059
2.026
2.001
1.996
1.972
1.961
1.944
1.923
1.892
1.892
1.873
1.759
1.758
1.68
1.675
1.659
1.605
1.545
1.473
1.351
1.311
1.3
1.291
1.221
1.215
Color accuracy is not a strong point of the Nokia 3.1. It managed an average deltaE of 8, with a maximum deviation of 14.3 at point white. The display simply has a distinct Cyan, Blue-Greenish tint to it.
Battery life
The Nokia 3.1 has a 2,990mAh battery to keep it powered. No fast charging is available for this one and its bundled 5V/1A adapter will fill just 18% of a depleted battery in half an hour.
The battery it didn't keep the Nokia 3.1 powered for long in our battery test. The Nokia 3.1 performed barely average on our tests, including standby.
<
Our endurance rating denotes how long a single battery charge will last you if you use the Nokia 3.1 for an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. We've established this usage pattern, so our battery results are comparable across devices in the most common day-to-day tasks. The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare under your own typical use.
Loudspeaker
The single loudspeaker at the bottom of the Nokia 3.1 is surprisingly loud and managed to score a "Very Good" rating in our test routine. You can definitely count on the little smartphone in a noisy environment, especially if you opt for a higher-pitched ringtone, since the equalizer seems to favor those.
| Speakerphone test | Voice, dB | Ringing |
Overall score | |
| 62.6 | 68.0 | 71.0 | Average | |
| 66.1 | 68.4 | 82.1 | Good | |
| 70.7 | 70.4 | 78.0 | Very Good | |
| 68.7 | 72.7 | 78.3 | Very Good | |
| 67.8 | 71.2 | 83.1 | Very Good | |
| 70.6 | 71.0 | 83.6 | Very Good | |
| 67.1 | 74.0 | 85.3 | Very Good | |
| 71.1 | 72.7 | 87.7 | Excellent | |
| 74.0 | 73.9 | 90.4 | Excellent |
Audio quality
The Nokia 3.1 pulled off an OK performance in the first part of our audio output quality test. With below average loudness, but generally very accurate output the results are what you’d expect from a budget smartphone these days.
Plugging in a pair of headphones introduced some distortion and increased the stereo crosstalk by an average amount. The output is still decent overall although the volume failed to impress once more.
| Test | Frequency response | Noise level | Dynamic range | THD | IMD + Noise | Stereo crosstalk |
| +0.01, -0.10 | -84.3 | 83.7 | 0.0060 | 0.020 | -88.9 | |
| +0.02, -0.17 | -85.3 | 84.2 | 0.415 | 0.078 | -60.4 | |
| +0.10, -0.20 | -37.5 | 80.4 | 0.0018 | 4.735 | -93.3 | |
| +0.05, -0.03 | -94.3 | 90.2 | 0.0027 | 0.019 | -58.6 | |
| +0.02, -0.31 | -38.8 | 81.7 | 0.0013 | 4.690 | -95.9 | |
| +0.25, -0.23 | -93.3 | 90.4 | 0.0045 | 0.227 | -53.9 | |
| +0.02, -0.05 | -90.3 | 90.2 | 0.0015 | 0.015 | -93.1 | |
| +0.02, -0.06 | -93.3 | 93.2 | 0.0034 | 0.056 | -82.5 | |
| +0.00, -0.03 | -93.6 | 93.5 | 0.0050 | 0.011 | -94.6 | |
| +0.02, -0.02 | -93.5 | 93.4 | 0.0067 | 0.033 | -81.0 | |
| +0.01, -0.10 | -92.5 | 92.7 | 0.0019 | 0.0077 | -91.2 | |
| +0.50, -0.20 | -91.4 | 91.8 | 0.0079 | 0.402 | -51.5 |
Nokia 3.1 frequency response
You can learn more about the tested parameters and the whole testing process here.
Vanilla Android Oreo
The Nokia 3.1 is yet another phone joining the Android One program - meaning it gets pure Android as seen on the Pixels but on the cheap. Indeed, the OS updates are timely and the unit we got for review, while running on Android 8.0, already received the latest security patch.
Android as Google intended shows up when you wake up the phone - clock, notification cards, two shortcuts on the bottom. Ambient display will show you a clock and notifications when you pick up the phone even without waking it up but be sure to enable this feature first.
Past that is the standard Android 8 homescreen with a pull-up app drawer.
Lockscreen • Homescreen • Widgets • App drawer
The quick toggles and notifications shade changes color depending on the wallpaper - white for lighter ones, black for darker ones. The task switcher is the usual rolodex, and wouldn't it be great if Google put the 'clear all' button on the bottom instead of up top? Anyway, multi-window is supported natively since Nougat.
Quick toggles • Notifications • Task switcher • Multi-window
As for multimedia, it's all in the hands of Google's default apps. Photos is in charge of gallery-related tasks and video playback, while Google Play Music is the audio player. There's a file manager with batch actions and Google Drive sync, and Google's Calendar is Nokia's calendar of choice. FM radio is available, too.
Google Photos • Google Play Music • Equalizer • File manager • FM radio
Performance and benchmarks
The Nokia 3.1 is powered by the dated and decidedly entry-level MediaTek MT6750 chipset. It packs an octa-core Cortex-A53 processor clocked at 1.5GHz. The GPU is nothing special - the Mali-T860 MP2 (read: dual-core). Still, the MT6750 SoC is a massive upgrade over the MT6737 chip in the original Nokia 5 as this one had a quad-core CPU and a single-core GPU.
The octa-core A53 processor is still wide-spread among many entry-level and mid-range smartphones, so it's not a surprise we see it in charge of the Nokia 3.1. It's single-core and multi-core performance is nothing to rave about really, and while still capable, it's already way behind the curve.
GeekBench 4.1 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Oppo Realme 1
1511 - Huawei P Smart
939 - Nokia 6 (2018)
882 - Xiaomi Mi A1
877 - Xiaomi Redmi 5
766 - Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018)
733 - Sony Xperia L2
679 - Huawei Y7 Prime (2018)
678 - Nokia 3.1
664 - Motorola Moto G6 Play
639 - Nokia 3
551
GeekBench 4.1 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Oppo Realme 1
5741 - Xiaomi Mi A1
4292 - Nokia 6 (2018)
4225 - Xiaomi Redmi 5
4018 - Huawei P Smart
3736 - Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018)
3718 - Huawei Y7 Prime (2018)
2717 - Nokia 3.1
2624 - Motorola Moto G6 Play
2328 - Sony Xperia L2
1932 - Nokia 3
1529
The dual-core Mali GPU is a feeble one, but it performs well with that 720p screen. Nobody should expect flagship-grade performance, but for the most part, the games we tried running were smooth enough.
GFX 3.0 Manhattan (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Oppo Realme 1
20 - Xiaomi Redmi 5
18 - Nokia 6 (2018)
15 - Huawei Y7 Prime (2018)
14 - Motorola Moto G6 Play
13 - Nokia 3.1
10 - Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018)
9.8 - Xiaomi Mi A1
9.7 - Sony Xperia L2
8.8 - Huawei P Smart
8.3 - Nokia 3
4.5
The competition has employed much better chipsets already - Oppo has Helio P60, Huawei's own dated Kirin 659 is also better, even entry-level offers with Snapdragon 450 and 625 are much smoother than the Nokia 3.1 and its MT6750. And the compound BaseMark test will show you the difference.
Basemark OS 2.0
Higher is better
- Oppo Realme 1
1940 - Nokia 6 (2018)
1517 - Huawei P Smart
1486 - Xiaomi Mi A1
1262 - Xiaomi Redmi 5
1222 - Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018)
1019 - Huawei Y7 Prime (2018)
963 - Nokia 3.1
934 - Motorola Moto G6 Play
922 - Sony Xperia L2
816 - Nokia 3
568
And in case you are wondering where the AnTuTu score is - the Nokia 3.1 couldn't handle the test for some reason - the app either crashed or got stuck.
The benchmark results tell an obvious story - the Nokia 3.1 is a mediocre performer. It does provide an acceptable user experience, but we expected a bit more - especially at this price point. And the competition is ready to give us that extra bit of oomph at the same or even lower price.
In real life the Nokia 3.1 runs Android smooth but slow. We noticed some lag here and there, hiccups do happen, but we didn't experience any freezes. Most of the games we tried ran well, even though some of them took a while to load.
But the reality is there are much faster phones in the same price bracket coming from Xiaomi, Oppo, even Huawei. And in markets where those three brands are available, HMD will have some hard time convincing the users into getting the 3.1.
A 13MP camera
The Nokia 3.1 has a 13MP sensor behind f/2.0 lens for its main camera - up from the 8MP imager on the Nokia 3. A single LED flash completes the main setup.
The interface is simple - shutter release at the bottom, a switch to video mode next to it and a shortcut to the gallery on the other side. On the opposite end a tiny mode selector gives you the option to choose Regular photo, Panorama, or (very basic) Manual mode. Toggles for Beauty, self-time, HDR, flash, and selfie camera complete the top row.
Camera app • Modes • Manual • Settings • Video
Image Quality
The 13MP photos we took with the Nokia 3.1 are nothing to phone home about. They are just fine for the price bracket with enough detail, pleasant colors, and good contrast. The noise levels are higher than we'd like them, and the dynamic range is barely average, but other than that - the 13MP samples meet the expectations for the class.
Nokia 3.1 13MP camera samples
There is no Auto HDR but triggering manually HDR will do the job for when the dynamic range is just not enough. The HDR mode on the Nokia 3.1 exposes more detail in the shadows and restores the blown highlights. There is also a small boost in contrast, but sometimes it may give a bit unnatural look. Still, the HDR photos are pretty good.
HDR off • HDR on • HDR off • HDR on
The low-light images aren't impressive either, but most of the time they are not blurry, the focus is accurate, and they turned out more detailed than we expected from a low-tier smartphone. There is noise, sure, but the resolved detail is more than what we got from the more expensive Nokia 6.1, and that's something.
Nokia 3.1 13MP low-light samples
Feel free to pixel peep in our Photo compare tool - we've pre-selected a couple of phones we found relevant, but those can easily be replaced in the drop-down menus.
Nokia 3.1 against the Xiaomi Redmi 5 and the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) in our Photo compare tool
8MP selfies camera, no autofocus
The Nokia 3.1 has an 8MP selfie camera with fixed focus and HDR support. The Nokia 3's front snapper was capable of autofocus, which means we are treated with a downgrade here. This was also the case with the Nokia 6.1, so it's not surprising but still disappointing as you should always aim for the focus spot - not too far and not too close.
The selfies turned out very good - sharp, with lots of detail, good colors and great contrast. The noise levels are a bit high, but don't get in the way, at least not in broad daylight.
8MP selfie • 8MP selfie • 8MP selfie with beautify • 8MP HDR selfie
Video recording
The Nokia 3.1 captures 1080p videos at 30 fps - an improvement over the 720p recording available on the previous Nokia 3 model. The video stream is captured with 15.5Mbps bitrate, while the audio is mono but with a high 128Kbps bitrate. The container that those clips are stored is the antiquated 3GP, which is a bit of a letdown.
The 1080p videos turned out nice with mostly steady 27-30fps. There is enough detail, low noise, and the colors and contrast are good. The dynamic range is below average, and the foliage is smudged, though. And don't expect a good audio quality in the captured videos - it's not.
You can download this 10s video (20MB) and watch it on your device.
You can also head over to our Video compare tool and see how the Nokia 3.1 stacks up against other phones.
1080p: Nokia 3.1 against the Xiaomi Redmi 5 and the Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) in our Video compare tool
Alternatives
Android One is one very lucrative gang to be part of - the only one to offer smooth vanilla Android experience and timely updates on the cheap. The Nokia 3.1 is a fine specimen of the Android One series - it's a compact device that runs well the latest Android and costs about €150. And it's a Nokia - name that's still sort of a magnet thanks to all the history behind it.
There is just one issue - Xiaomi is also part of the Android One playground and since then it's been tough for the competition. Take the latest Mi A2 Lite for example - it is priced at €180 and offers a high-res nearly bezel-less screen with a notch, fast Snapdragon 625 chip, more RAM and storage, a dual-camera on its back, a large 4,000 mAh battery with 10W charging, a fingerprint scanner, and even a metal body. We can't argue with this feature set, can we?
The last year's Mi A1 model now also costs around €180, too. It's a lot like the Mi A2 Lite sans the cool screen, but its secondary rear camera is not just for depth info, it's a high-res 12MP one with a telephoto lens. The Mi A1 Android 8.1 update was delayed a bit, but other than that - it's still a worthy purchase. It should be looking at another year of guaranteed OS updates.
The Redmi 5 may not be running vanilla Android, but it has a bigger screen, more powerful chipset, larger battery, and a fingerprint scanner on its back. If available in your market - it would cost as cheap, or even cheaper than the Nokia 3.1.
Same for the Oppo Realme 1 - it's a great looking plastic device that's cheaper than the Nokia 3.1. But it has a large 1080p screen, a way more powerful Helio P60 SoC, more storage, and a bigger battery. The Realme 1 is a bargain in India and we doubt any Xiaomi or Nokia has a chance against it.
Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite (Redmi 6 Pro) • Xiaomi Mi A1 (Mi 5X) • Xiaomi Redmi 5 • Oppo Realme 1
The all-metal Huawei P Smart costs about €170 and while it's not an Android One smartphone, it's one with some very tempting specs. There is a high-res 1080p screen, a dual-camera on the back, more powerful processor with more RAM, and a feature-rich EMUI interface.
The Moto G6 Play is also an option with its splash-resistant glass body. It has a bigger 5.7" screen with the same resolution as the Nokia 3.1's, comes with a larger battery, and has a LED flash next to its selfie camera. The rest is pretty much the same as on the Nokia. The Moto G6 Play isn't an Android One smartphone, but Motorola is trying to keep its Android as vanilla as possible, too.
Finally, the Galaxy J7 (2017) will offer you a high-res AMOLED screen and metal body, a better main camera with brighter lens, and a high-res selfie snapper with a LED flash. It has a larger battery but is an equally unimpressive performer as the Nokia 3.1. And the J7 is aging, so we expect it out of Samsung's updates lists sooner rather than later.
Huawei P smart • Motorola Moto G6 Play • Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
The Verdict
The Nokia 3.1 surprises with a solid build and compact design, something the old-school Nokia fans would appreciate. The 3.1 design and its tall screen are obvious upgrades over the Nokia 3 and it's worth jumping over just because of those looks and trendy display.
The performance has been doubled since the Nokia 3, which is a very welcome update, though it falls short from what the competition has to offer. The 3.1 feels sluggish than other recent Android One phones and while we could argue that's acceptable for the price, other makers will show you better bang for the buck devices.
Pros
- Good screen with a modern aspect ratio
- Solid build, very compact body
- The 13MP main camera takes good photos day and night
- Part of the Android One program
Cons
- Sluggish chipset
- Disappointing battery life
- The selfie camera is a downgrade
- 3GP video format is outdated
- Not that competitive pricing
The Nokia 3.1 is not a bad device, on the contrary - it's a well-designed and balanced smartphone. It's just that the competition has more attractive offers to earn your cash. But if HMD considers a minor price drop and thus moves the Nokia 3.1 to a lower price tier, then it would be a nice beginner's device.
Related Posts :
I’m going to ditch Netflix for Disney Plus – here’s why
0 Response to "Nokia 3.1 review"
Post a Comment