Almost every second brand is trying its luck in the budget smartphone segment and Nokia is indeed on the same track. Recently HMD Global has introduced their much awaited Nokia 5.1 Plus handset in the Indian market. It is also known as Nokia X5 in some regions, however, we would say that the device is constructed solid inside-out. It is among the list of few devices from the house of Nokia that falls under the Android One programme. Nokia has announced it as a direct competitor to the existing players including Realme 2 Pro, Redmi 6 Pro, etc.
In our today’s story, we will be sharing the review of the all-new Nokia 5.1 Plus. This article is dedicated to all those folks who are still confused in making the final decision. On-paper specifications of the device are impressive and are comparable to any other contender in this budget category. Nokia has also kept the pricing as aggressive as it can be. So without making any delay let’s check out some in-depth information about it.
Design and Looks
When it comes to looks the device resembles of more expensive handsets. It has been constructed using Glass which makes it premium but at the same time catches fingerprints easily. The device has a glossy finish which appears to be appealing for most of the consumers. The glass it uses on either side has a 2.5D curved finish which even makes it easy to hold the device. For protecting the Camera lens from scratches Nokia has provided a CNC-machined Metal bezel around the camera. Being a budget smartphone the device uses polycarbonate material instead of the premium Aluminum for the construction of the frame.
Display
Beings a budget smartphone doesn’t stop Nokia 5.1 Plus to offer a notched display. In the front, it offers a 5.8(inch) HD+ IPS LCD Display with a resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels, 19:9 aspect ratio. The display on the device provides accurate colors and ample brightness to be viewed under direct sunlight. The notch in the front houses an earpiece, camera sensor, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor. The Fingerprint Scanner is present in the rear department below the camera module. Talking about the display there are some of its rivals that are even offering a Full HD+ panel instead of the HD+. So in terms of Display, there are some better choices available.
Performance and Software
Nokia 5.1 Plus comes powered by a MediaTek Helio P60(64 bit) Octa-Core processor coupled with a Mali-G72 MP3 GPU for Gaming. Nokia provides this device in only one variant: 3GB RAM+32GB ROM. The device in day to day usage was smooth but in intensive tasks, the Helio P60 doesn’t help it. Nokia 5.1 Plus can handle moderate multi-tasking and games. But if you are a user who is looking for pure gaming performance then you should avoid this handset. Gaming performance when playing titles like PUBG, Asphalt 9 Legends was worst and lags were noticeable.
There are some better options in the market with a more powerful chipset from Qualcomm and Hi-Silicon. The device runs on Android 8.1 Oreo and offers almost stock interface. Nokia has confirmed that soon device will receive the much awaited Android P update. Nokia 5.1 Plus comes with almost zero bloatware and the user interface is clean and easy to understand.
Camera Performance
Nokia 5.1 Plus sports a Dual 13MP(Aperture f/2.0)+5MP(Depth Sensor) snappers in the rear with PDAF, LED Flash whereas in the front an 8MP selfie shooter with Aperture f/2.2 is provided. The device comes with AI capabilities which enables it to detect various scenes and make adjustments according to it. The device even offers Portrait mode for delivering those bokeh shots. The camera performance in daylight was average and in low light, it even gets worse. One can clearly experience shutter lag in the camera app. The selfie camera performs well and the fixed focus 8MP sensor allows you to achieve detailed shots.
Battery and miscellaneous
The device houses a 3060mAh battery with the support of Fast Charging. Luckily the devices use a USB Type-C port for charging. The device offers good battery life and can get you a full day of battery backup. For connectivity, the device features GPS, GLONASS, Wi-Fi, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2, 3.5mm audio jack, etc. In total, the device offers one speaker at the bottom and 2 microphones for satisfactory voice quality.
Conclusion
If you are a brand conscious customer then buying Nokia 5.1 Plus won’t be a problem for the price of INR 10,999. But if you are a person whose main priorities are gaming, a better camera, etc then buying Nokia 5.1 Plus will be perfect. The other options are Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 or the Realme 2.
