Nokia 5.4 Review

Specifications

Introduction

The Nokia 5.4 is a mid-range smartphone made by HMD Global that tries to balance price and features. The Nokia 5.4, which is a member of the prestigious Nokia brand and is well-known for its sturdy and dependable gadgets, has a strong set of features that appeal to regular consumers looking for a dependable smartphone experience without going over budget.

The Nokia 5.4's design, display, performance, camera capabilities, software, and battery life will all be covered in detail in this review. After reading this review, you'll be able to decide whether the Nokia 5.4 is the best option for your needs or not.

Design and Build Quality

The Nokia 5.4 has a sturdy body that measures 161 x 76 x 8.7 mm (6.34 x 2.99 x 0.34 in) in dimension and weighs around 181 grams (6.38 oz). This ensures a good user experience by making it comfortable to grip and use. The smartphone comes in various colors, including Polar Night and Dusk, providing alternatives for different tastes.

The Nokia 5.4 is made to last, and its hard polycarbonate shell offers dependable defense against normal wear and tear. A broad spectrum of consumers will find the design appealing because of its simple yet attractive appearance. The Nokia 5.4 has a fingerprint sensor positioned on the back for enhanced convenience, ensuring rapid and safe device unlocking. The phone also gives consumers a choice between a single SIM and a dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) configuration, depending on their preferred method of communication.

On the back, the camera setup is positioned towards the center of the top area, above the fingerprint sensor. On the front, there is a punch-hole selfie camera placed on the top left side of the display. The power button and volume rocker buttons are placed on the right side of the frame, as we usually see on most smartphones.

Display

An immersive viewing experience is provided by the 6.39-inch IPS LCD screen on the Nokia 5.4. The display offers a sizable viewing surface, perfect for multimedia consumption and work applications, with a screen-to-body ratio of roughly 81.9%. The display has a resolution of 1560x720 pixels and a pixel density of about 269 ppi, producing reasonably sharp images and bright colors.

Although the resolution of the display could be better than what we usually see in high-end smartphones, it still provides clear and detailed content for everyday use. It is simple to share screen content with others without losing color or contrast, thanks to the incorporation of IPS technology, which guarantees wide viewing angles.

With a usual maximum brightness of up to 400 nits, the Nokia 5.4's display provides excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. The Nokia 5.4's HD+ display offers a decent viewing experience befitting its mid-range price range, be it watching videos, browsing the web, or using social media.

Connectivity and Ports

A variety of connecting choices are available on the Nokia 5.4, ensuring smooth communication and data transmission capacities. Users may take advantage of dependable voice calls and quick speed data, thanks to support for GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks, making it appropriate for a variety of locations and carriers.

The smartphone has Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connection, allowing users to access the internet via connecting to Wi-Fi routers, public hotspots, and home networks. Easy pairing with compatible devices for wireless data transmission and audio streaming is made possible by Bluetooth 4.2's support for A2DP and aptX Adaptive.

The GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BDS systems are all included in the Nokia 5.4 for precise positioning and navigation. These satellite navigation systems provide precise location monitoring, making this phone perfect for various location-based services and applications.

The phone has NFC, which enables contactless payments and rapid pairing with other NFC-enabled devices (location/region dependent). Additionally, it has an FM radio that enables access to nearby radio stations without a network connection.

The Nokia 5.4 comes equipped with a USB Type-C 2.0 connection that also supports OTG (On-The-Go), allowing for quick and easy charging as well as data transfer between the phone and other USB devices. Its adaptability is further increased by including a 3.5mm headphone connector, which enables users to attach wired headphones and audio accessories. The Nokia 5.4 guarantees users to be connected, productive, and entertained while on the go, thanks to its extensive choice of connectivity options and ports.

Software and Performance

The Nokia 5.4 has a clean and user-friendly design and comes with Android 10 pre-installed out of the box. The software can be upgraded to Android 11 as well via OTA updates. The phone offers a nearly stock Android experience as part of the Android One initiative, providing lag-free operation and regular software upgrades. Bloatware and pointless customizations are prohibited, and users may anticipate a seamless and secure user experience.

The Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 chipset, an octa-core processor with four 2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold cores and four 1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver cores, is used to power up the Nokia 5.4. This setup enables effective multitasking, fluid app navigation, and sufficient performance for everyday tasks. The Nokia 5.4 efficiently runs graphically demanding applications and casual gaming because of the Adreno 610 GPU. Though not intended for high-end gaming, it provides satisfactory performance for the majority of mobile games and multimedia applications.

The Nokia 5.4 usually comes in two variants in terms of memory and storage options. The two variants include a combination of 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage and 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. Additionally, it supports microSD cards for expanded storage, giving users plenty of room for apps, media, and data. The overall performance of the phone is quite balanced, with ample RAM options and satisfactory storage capacity.

Camera Support and Stability

The Nokia 5.4 features a flexible quad-camera system that lets users quickly capture various moments. Even in difficult lighting circumstances, the primary 48-megapixel wide lens with an f/1.8 aperture and PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus) provides clear and detailed shots. Since it has a 5-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, more expansive scenes may be captured, making it perfect for taking landscape and group shots.

Additionally, the smartphone features a 2-megapixel macro lens that enables users to shoot in-depth close-up pictures of tiny subjects. A 2-megapixel depth sensor further improves portrait photography by adding a beautiful bokeh effect, blurring the backdrop, and sharpening the subject. The rear camera on the Nokia 5.4 also has LED flash support, HDR (High Dynamic Range), and panorama mode, giving photographers more creative options. It offers 1080p@30fps video recording, producing fluid and crisp video material. On the other hand, the front 16MP selfie camera also does a satisfactory job.

The phone's camera app has several tools to ensure steady pictures, such as electronic image stabilization (EIS), which minimizes the camera's shake while filming videos. Overall, the Nokia 5.4 offers a dependable camera experience for regular photography, while it lacks the sophisticated stabilization tools typically found in higher-end handsets.

Speakers

The Nokia 5.4's single loudspeaker produces respectable audio. The speaker's sound output is clear and loud enough to be helpful for both hands-free calls and casual media consumption. The single loudspeaker of the Nokia 5.4 provides satisfactory performance for everyday use, while users can claim that phones with stereo speakers provide a deeper music experience than the Nokia 5.4. However, a 3.5mm headphone connector in Nokia 5.4 enables customers to add headphones or external speakers for a more customized audio experience. Overall, the Nokia 5.4's speaker lives up to expectations and enhances the multimedia features of the handset.

Sensors

All the essential sensors are included in the Nokia 5.4 to improve functioning and user experience. Using the fingerprint sensor on the back of the device, users can quickly and securely authenticate with their saved biometric data to unlock their phones as well as access secure apps. It also has additional necessary sensors, including a gyroscope and an accelerometer, allowing various motion-based interactions and game possibilities. By turning off the screen when the phone is placed near the ear during calls, the proximity sensor helps preserve battery life. Because of these sensors' seamless functioning and user-friendly characteristics, the smartphone is a dependable option for daily use.

Charging and Battery Life

The non-removable Li-ion 4000 mAh battery powering the Nokia 5.4 balances capacity and power effectiveness. With this substantial battery, users can anticipate a respectable battery life for moderate everyday usage. Even though it might not have the same endurance as other high-end devices, it should have enough battery life to go through a full day of regular activities like calling, surfing, and using social media.

The Nokia 5.4 can be charged via 10W wired charging. Although it isn't the fastest charging technology on the market, it guarantees a consistent and dependable charging procedure. Do remember that compared to devices with higher wattage chargers, the charging rate of the Nokia 5.4 is slow.

Smartphone battery life is subject to change depending on the user's usage habits and settings. The Nokia 5.4 enhances battery economy for a smoother experience thanks to its power-efficient Snapdragon 662 CPU and optimization as part of the Android One program. Users can increase battery life by modifying settings, turning on battery-saving features, and controlling background programs.

Verdict

The Nokia 5.4 is a smart option for customers who value long-term software support, dependable battery life, and a clutter-free Android experience. Nokia is a desirable option for regular software upgrades because it guarantees at least three years of security patches. Although it cannot last two days, the battery life is dependable for daily use. The device provides a smooth, clutter-free user interface and a clean Android experience without extraneous bloatware. The notable drawback of the Nokia 5.4 is that it does not support 5G connectivity.

However, if prospective consumers value an excellent camera experience, they should avoid the Nokia 5.4. The device has numerous cameras; however, they don't produce photographs of a high caliber, and the overall camera performance needs to be improved. Additionally, reading may be less enjoyable due to the screen's inferior quality. There are more potent options for power users looking for cutting-edge performance. Thus, the Nokia 5.4 is better suited for consumers with basic smartphone demands and a focus on dependable software updates and battery life.