Nokia G21 Review: Android One, Anyone?

A recent low-cost smartphone from HMD Global is the Nokia G21. It guarantees a three-day battery life and two years of Android OS updates. Additionally, the G21 has a high refresh rate display, becoming standard in the sub-Rs. 15,000 price range.

With companies like Redmi, Realme, and Samsung continuously vying to outdo one another, the rivalry in this market is intensifying. The Nokia G21 relies heavily on its Android One origins and large battery capacity to appeal to purists.

Nokia G21 Appearance

The Nokia G21 feels a little dated compared to other inexpensive smartphones, which frequently have glossy back panels with gradient designs. Like the rest of the phone, it has a textured back panel made of plastic. This texture makes it easier to avoid fingerprints.

A case is also included in the box from HMD Global. The Nokia G21’s rear conceals a rectangular camera module. At the barely noticeable upper left corner. The Nokia G21’s dewdrop notch is typical of smartphones in this price range.

The Nokia G21’s sides are entirely flat, in keeping with contemporary design fads. The rounded corners won’t pierce your palm when you hold the smartphone. The power button has been merged with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner by HMD Global. Even while using the phone with one hand, the volume buttons on the same side but somewhat higher up are easily accessible.

The SIM tray and a dedicated Google Assistant button are on the Nokia G21’s opposite side. The USB Type-C connector and speaker are located at the bottom, while the 3.5mm audio jack is on top.

Nokia G21 Software

The Nokia G21’s specs are basic. It is powered by an entry-level, octa-core 4G SoC called the Unisoc T606 SoC, which has six ARM Cortex-A55 efficiency cores and two ARM Cortex-A75 performance cores. These cores are all clocked at 1.6GHz. The HD+ display on the Nokia G21 boasts a refresh rate of 90Hz and a maximum brightness of 400 nits. An exclusive MicroSD card slot allows for storage expansion.

Three satellite navigation systems, NFC, dual-band Wi-Fi ac, and Bluetooth 5, are all supported. The device has a 5,050mAh battery that supports rapid charging up to 18W. However, HMD Global includes a 10W charger in the package.

Battery life of the Nokia G21

Considering the Nokia G21’s price, its performance is adequate. It worked flawlessly with both commonplace apps and casual gaming. However, it did take longer for some of the more complicated games and apps to load.

For authentication, the side-mounted fingerprint scanner worked quickly. The HD+ resolution display’s quality was only mediocre. Given that full-HD+ screens are widespread in this market.

Nokia G21 cameras

The Nokia G21 has a triple camera arrangement on the back. Its cameras have a combined 50 megapixels, 2 megapixels for macro, and 2 megapixels for depth. It sports an 8-megapixel camera for selfies. Photos taken with the 50-megapixel primary camera are by default pixel-binned to 12.5 megapixels.

Conclusion

The Nokia G21 is an Android One phone that offers a pure Android experience and comes with the assurance of yearly software upgrades. It has excellent build quality and long-lasting batteries for everyday use. Given its positive attributes, the Nokia G21 should appeal to a casual user who favors a straightforward and uncluttered Android experience.