Nokia strengthens its mid-range smartphone portfolio at MWC 2018 with the Nokia 7 Plus
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Nokia is now in its second comeback year, and is back at it with another flurry of smartphone launches. Again, there’s the token nostalgia phone – this time in the form of the banana-shaped Nokia 8110 4G – and a top-tier flagship, but let’s not forget about the phones that rest in the middle.
And that’s exactly where the Nokia 7 Plus finds itself. A plus-sized handset that rivals Google’s Pixel 2 XL, this is, like the 8 Sirocco, the Finnish firm’s first attempt at a phone with an 18:9 display and a set of dual Zeiss-branded cameras. The best thing, however, is that the Nokia 7 Plus is a fair bit cheaper than both.
Nokia 7 Plus review: UK release date and specifications
- 6in 18:9 FHD+ (2,160 x 1,080) display
- Octa-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 660
- 4GB RAM
- 64GB of storage (expandable via microSD)
- 12-megapixel camera and 13-megapixel telephoto rear camera
- €399
- April 2018
Nokia 7 Plus review: Design, key features and first impressions
It’s always intriguing to see a mid-range phone that can, at least on paper, keep up with the flagship competition. And when it comes to the Nokia 7 Plus’ looks, there’s little in the way of strong competitors.
That’s because, despite its low price, the Nokia 7 Plus is an absolute stunner. The chassis is carved out of a single block of aluminium and coated with a rather fancy “ceramic feel” paint, which Nokia says – rather incessantly – has had six coats applied.
What this means is that, besides looking lovely, the Nokia 7 Plus’ coating shouldn’t wear off so easily over time. It also feels nice in the hand, and it gives the immediate impression of a phone retailing at two or even three times the price. This is helped by the bronzed, copper detailing around the edges, too.
As for the display, we’re looking at a massive 6in, 18:9 FHD+ (2,160 x 1,080) IPS screen. It fills most of the front of the phone, with slim bezels above and below the screen. It looks stunning, especially for a device that undercuts flagships by this wide of a margin.
Elsewhere, you’ll find a USB Type-C port at the bottom for charging, along with a solitary speaker grille. On the right is the volume rocker and power button, and on the left is the microSD and SIM tray, with a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top.
The Nokia 7 Plus is powered by Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 660 processor, which runs at a clock speed of 2.2GHz. This is far from Qualcomm’s fastest, and I expect performance will be lacking compared to this year’s Snapdragon 845-equipped handsets, such as the Galaxy S9 and Xperia XZ2. The processor is backed up by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage.
On the rear is a Zeiss-branded 12-megapixel camera, which works with an additional 13-megapixel 2x optical zoom lens. On the front, there’s a 16-megapixel selfie camera, for those snap-happy Instagram shots.
Nokia 7 Plus review: Early verdict
There’s a lot to like about the Nokia 7 Plus. It’s the best-looking handset I’ve seen at this year’s MWC, and its dual rear camera shows a lot of potential. The only issue is that performance might not be on par with say, the OnePlus 5, which is only slightly more expensive.
Source: expertreviews.co.uk
