Nokia is currently riding on the success of a few of its smartphone models such as the Nokia 8 and the Nokia 8 Sirocco. The newly launched Nokia 7.1 is yet another smartphone that is right at the top in terms of the camera quality. The overall look and feel, and the design of the device is top notch.
The Nokia 7.1 is made with a mix of metal, glass and hard plastic. You get a glossy finish at the rear of the phone and hence it makes it a fingerprint magnet. On the front, you get a Full HD+ 5.84-inches display that offers an aspect ratio of 19:9. The screen is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
The Nokia 7.1 is the first smartphone to come with PureDisplay screen technology, which offers HDR10 cinematic quality on the display. It boasts a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and hence the display is awesome to look at, both under bright sunlight or in a dimly lit room.
On the right edge of the device, you get the power button and the volume rockers, while on the left edge, you get the dual SIM slot. Turn the phone around, and you find the dual depth-sensing cameras with 2PD and ZEISS Optics to ensure you capture some amazing pictures and videos.
The primary camera is a 12-megapixel lens with a f/1.8 aperture, and it has been paired with a 5-megapixel lens for depth sensing. The company used toughened glass at the rear of the device. I suggest you invest in a smartphone case to protect it from cracking in case you drop it.
The phone weighs just 160-gms, though it feels premium and solid in the hands. It also comes with a 3000 man battery that will easily last almost 1.5 days of regular use, on a single charge. On the top edge, you get a 3.5mm audio jack, while on the bottom edge, you get a USB-C charging port.
Under the hood, the phone runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, which is coupled with 4GB of RAM. You also get 64GB of storage built-in, which can be further expanded to up to 512GB by using a microSD card. The Nokia 7.1 runs on Android One version of the Oreo OS. Since it is an Android One phone, so you should see security updates for three years, and at least two Android version upgrades.
For a price point of AED 1049, the Nokia 7.1 offers a great bang for your bucks. Performance-wise, I have no complaints whatsoever. It zipped through various tests I performed on the device and it was exceptionally good at multi-tasking between various apps when compared to similarly priced smartphones out there on the market. Most games ran really well on this phone. I played Tekken and I did not see any sort of lag or stutter during game time.
The camera is also quick to launch. Photos came out perfectly – we recorded accurate colours, and daylight shots are very detailed. The phone also offers good HDR for most compositions. The low-light performance of the Nokia 7.1 is where it needs to improve. It did shoot some good photos under low-light conditions, but focusing on subjects or objects was a bit laggy. The end results though did not look noisy.
I agree there are many options out there in the AED 1049 price range. However, I doubt you will find a better option than Nokia 7.1 if you are looking for a solid and pretty-looking mid-range device. If you are looking for a dependable mid-range device, go for the Nokia 7.1.
Price: AED 1049
