Nokia 5.1 Plus Review

Introduction

The Nokia 5.1 Plus, a new entry-level device from HMD Global, was just released and costs Rs. 10,999. Its placement is perplexing since, despite the fact that the earlier Nokia 5.1 is still more expensive, one could suppose it would replace the current model.

The Nokia 5.1 Plus boasts an uncommon 19:9 aspect ratio 5.8-inch IPS display. Three gigabytes of RAM and a MediaTek MT6771 SoC, which includes an ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU, power the display. The MediaTek Helio P60 is another name for the SoC. Nokia also provided a meager 3,060 mAh battery for the 5.1 Plus, albeit this is in pace with the battery sizes of similar smartphones.

Additionally, 32 GB of internal storage can be increased with a microSD card if you need more room. The 5.1 Plus also features two rear-facing sensors and a 5 MP front-facing camera. All of these elements should work together to improve the performance of the 5.1 Plus.

Design

When you first remove the Nokia 5.1 Plus from its packaging, the quality of its appearance immediately catches your eye. It looks gorgeous and feels like a phone which would ordinarily cost more than Rs. 15,000 thanks to the high-gloss finish applied to the whole body. Additionally, there is 2.5D curved glass on the rear, which is uncommon in this market.

Because the Nokia 5.1 Plus is fairly slippery, the shiny coating does create an ergonomic problem. Thankfully, the phone didn't sustain any dents or scratches despite a few occasions when it slipped off a sofa and into the floor. Even though HMD Global has assured us that the 5.1 Plus doesn't employ strengthened glass, it appears robust.

Although the screen of the phone we tested didn't get any scratches throughout our brief usage, it would be preferable to have screen protection placed over the long term.

The display on the front is 5.86 inches and has a 19:9 aspect ratio. However, it only has HD+ (720x1520) resolution. HMD Global had to make some sacrifices to offer you this deal, and this is one of them. The display could be better. The brightness is sufficient for decent daytime visibility, and the colors are rich and bold. The black levels are also good.

All of the buttons are on the right and have a satisfying click. Additionally, this phone features a USB Type-C connection, which is uncommon in the low-cost market.

Two Nano SIM cards are stored in the dual-SIM tray on the left. VoLTE dual 4G is supported. Additionally, the internal storage may be increased; however, doing so requires giving up the second SIM slot.

There isn't a notification LED here, so it's a touch too large, and the available area hasn't been used to its full potential. The borders feature a sizable chin at the bottom and are thick. Nearly all current HMD Global x.1 smartphones have a similar camera arrangement on the back.

Although there is a perceptible camera bump, no paint scuffing was visible over the evaluation time. It works fine, although we wish the fingerprint sensor were a little more prominent and noticeable because it may occasionally be challenging to discover.

A headset is included among the standard accessories with the Nokia 5.1 Plus. Unfortunately, considering the phone's slick exterior, there is no silicone cover, which would have been helpful. The 5.1 Plus is a great product overall from HMD Global. It appears much more expensive than it is, is lightweight, and is simple to use.

Connectivity

The 5.1 Plus comes with a USB Type-C connector, which is uncommon for smartphones in this price range, according to HMD Global. Type-C uses USB 2.0 rather than the speedier USB 3.0 or 3.1 standards; kindly keep this in mind.

In accordance with HMD Global, the smartphone also accepts microSD cards with a maximum capacity of 256 GB or the SDXC standard. Although more oversized microSD cards are theoretically compatible, the system does not support exFAT, which has a 4 GB file size restriction. The 32 GB of internal storage is the only place our test device can store apps because microSD cards cannot be formatted for internal storage. Additionally, the 5.1 Plus supports Bluetooth 4.2 and current Wi-Fi protocols up to 802.11 ac.

Specification & Features

There are quality internals in the Nokia 5.1 Plus. Compared to other Snapdragon 636-based smartphones at this price range, the MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core SoC, an improvement over the Helio P18 in the Nokia 5.1, performs higher in benchmark tests. There is just one 3GB RAM/32GB storage model available at the moment of this review.

Additionally, this phone supports dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, Category 4 LTE, and several GPS systems, including Beidou and Galileo. There is no NFC. However, there is an FM radio and USB-OTG.

With no bloatware at all, customers receive plain Android 8.1 Oreo. For assistance with any of the phone's functions or to schedule a visit to a service center, there are several Google applications and a support app from HMD Global.

There are certain gestures, including the capacity to double-press the power button to open the camera app and utilize the fingerprint sensor to lower the notifications shade.

The notch cannot be hidden, but this isn't a big problem because most video players and games don't extend past the notch because they aren't made to take up the entire screen. Content is seldom ever concealed in this way. The security patch for the OS is also current, which is fantastic. Android's built-in face unlock capability might work well or poorly, depending on the lighting.

Performance and Battery life

We extensively utilized the Nokia 5.1 Plus as our primary smartphone during the evaluation. It looks great and is small enough to fit comfortably in most pant pockets. Because of how readily fingerprints stick to the glossy finish, it's a good thing that they can be removed with only a simple wipe of a shirt sleeve.

Unfortunately, the slickness can stay the same once you install a skin or case on this phone.

When performing routine chores like navigating, talking, or utilizing the GPS in applications like Uber, the Nokia 5.1 performs admirably. When you start a game, the region around the LED flash does, however, start to heat up rapidly. Even easy ones like Alto's Odyssey raised the fever.

Even while the entire body becomes heated after 30 minutes of playing games, it's still bearable because the heat doesn't travel far beyond that area.

One loudspeaker is located at the bottom and is very loud when turned up, but because of its placement, it is also simple to block with the palm while playing games or watching videos in landscape orientation.

The included headset is basic. The music was faint and hollow, and the ear tips didn't stay in our ears. Although there is a microphone for calls, there is no button to manage music playback.

Considering its small 3060mAh capacity, the battery life is very decent. On a single charge, can easily make it last the entire day. Also it can last longer with more prudent use. As per the users, HD video loop test runtime came to be 14 hours, 36 minutes. There is no rapid charging available. However, the 10W adaptor charged this phone 56 percent in an hour and 100 percent in just over two hours.

Input Devices & Operation

The 10-point multi-touch display of the Nokia 5.1 Plus performed correctly in tests. Our tests revealed that the display's smooth surface made it simple. Furthermore, while using Gismart's Piano Free app, we saw no lag between tapping the screen with our fingers and seeing the input appear on the screen.

The default keyboard on the 5.1 Plus is Google GBoard, which works just as well as it does on the other devices we've evaluated. Even so, you may download another keyboard from the Google Play Store.

The device's fingerprint sensor is on the rear and performed well throughout testing. Unfortunately, unlike what we had anticipated from previous smartphones, the fingerprint sensor could not unlock our test handset from standby.

HMD Global has incorporated the lift-to-wake and tap-to-wake functionalities to simplify using the smartphone. Unfortunately, regardless of how we awakened our test smartphone from standby, we still needed to swipe after unlocking it with our fingerprint.

Camera

On the rear of the Nokia 5.1 Plus are two cameras: a 13-megapixel primary camera and a 5-megapixel secondary camera used to record depth data for the bokeh feature. The phone's camera app is a very typical offering. A few practical functions include the previously mentioned bokeh option, an HDR mode, a timer, a panoramic mode, and time-lapse and slow-motion.

Additionally, a rudimentary manual mode offers controls for metering, focusing distance (no proper manual focus, only macro and infinite modes), presets for white balance, and exposure correction.

Numerous less helpful features are available, including watermarks, Snapchat-style AR effects, Nokia's picture-in-picture modes, and beauty settings for the front and back cameras. While they could be more enjoyable and helpful, the correct audience may find them amusing.

In general, daytime images have acceptable quality. The default white balance is often accurate, and the colors appear pleasing. The photographs have a superb resolution, and while there is considerable noise, it is often better than the watercolor-like smoothing that some cameras produce when they try to reduce noise aggressively.

The camera's dynamic range is where it falls short, which could be better. Typically, the camera overexposes the highlights, making the shadows appear too dark and undeveloped. Sometimes, the HDR option is beneficial, especially for highlighting information in the highlights.

However, it is cautious when bringing out features in the shadows. Thus, even HDR photographs frequently have black shadows.

The quality of low-light images could be better. The HDR option is virtually worthless because the photographs are excessively dark and soft. Even with the most straightforward subjects, the camera has trouble defining edges in the bokeh setting.

The video is of fair quality. Although the videos are only available in 1080p at 30 frames per second, they contain good information. The hand-held video below shows how effectively the electronic stabilization works; it nearly appears the phone was mounted on a tripod. Overall, the Nokia 5.1 Plus camera is alright if you use it during the day and avoid any low-light situations.

Final Verdict

The Nokia 5.1 Plus's general quality and performance impressed its users. The phone is far superior to many of its rivals in this area and has a great appearance and feel in the hand. The phone seems quick and smooth because of the MediaTek Helio P60 chipset's superb performance. In addition, you do get the promised upgrades long after you've purchased the phone with the Android One experience, which is more dependable and sophisticated than some of the more complex custom skins available.

However display can be of better resolution and a proper calibration, and has an unsightly sharpening filter when playing videos. Additionally, its not liked how Nokia didn't let consumers fully utilize the P60 chipset by downclocking it on this handset. It was done to prevent a shadow on the market prospects for the more costly Nokia 6.1 Plus.

Last but not least, the battery size may have been increased. The battery life could be better, but most modern smartphones in this price range now have enormous batteries. In contrast, the Nokia 5.1 Plus has the same 3050mAh battery as the Nokia 6.1 Plus, which is smaller.

In general, the Nokia 5.1 Plus will genuinely appeal to someone searching for a phone with a decent design, smooth performance, or stock Android experience. But if a high-quality display or a lengthy battery life is essential, there is a better phone for you.

The Nokia 5.1 Plus, despite having a considerable notch and thick screen borders, is one of the best-looking smartphones in this market. The Android One program, fantastic battery life, small size, and a powerful CPU are further positives.