Nokia is anything but an unfamiliar name in the industry and one can easily associate the brand with mobile devices. After initial success with a series of Android One phones, Nokia is bringing yet another mid-range smartphone, Nokia 7.2, to the Indian consumers. Since the new handset is priced under Rs 20,000, it faces stiff competition from a lot of handsets.
Nokia 7.2 comes in 4GB+64GB and 6GB+64GB options, priced at Rs 18,599 and Rs 19,599, respectively. Some of the highlights of the device are triple rear cameras, interesting design, and stock Android. We've got our review unit, which we are currently testing for its pros and cons, but here are our first impressions of the Nokia 7.2.
Design
Nokia 7.2 is clearly one of the better-looking ones out there. There's a hint of OnePlus 7T in the design, but that's just due to that circular camera ring at the centre. The frosted matte back is a visual delight and keeps fingerprint smudges at bay. Nokia has gone with a minimalistic design like it has done with all the phones in the past.
Nokia 7.2 comes in Cyan Green and Charcoal colours and both look sophisticated. As soon as you hold the device, it doesn't feel cheap in any way. It looks and feels premium, suitable to the mid-range category it caters to.
Nokia 7.2 has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, which is easily reachable. A 3.5mm headphone jack sits on the top and a USB Type-C port can be found at the bottom between the speaker grilles. The right side of the device has a power button and volume controls and a dedicated Google Assistant button has been introduced on the left.
Nokia 7.2's design is well thought through. There's nothing we'd like to complain about right off the bat.
Display
Nokia 7.2 features a 6.3-inch Full HD+ PureView Display with HDR 10. For most activities, this is a decent screen, but not as great and bright as you'd expect. Outdoor use can be challenging as the screen appears to be dim and reflective for a bright Sunday morning run. Pumping up the brightness will certainly help to an extent in such cases.
The display has accurate vibrant colours, making it suitable for movies, but we wouldn't bet heavily on high-graphics games like Asphalt 9 and PUBG Mobile. In Nokia's defence, any smartphone in this price range isn't going to give you a display you'll be completely satisfied with. But we hope the bezels around the display, including the bottom bezel with Nokia branding on it, could have gone away.
Camera
The three cameras on the back of the Nokia 7.2 are certainly the highlight of the phone. There's a 48MP main sensor with 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 5MP depth sensor. On the front, there's a 20MP selfie snapper.
While the setup sounds impressive on paper, it is only after thorough testing we can vouch for it. Our initial impressions suggest Nokia 7.2 is a decent camera phone, has good low-light performance and palpable day shots. Stay tuned for more on the camera.
Performance
Nokia 7.2 comes with a Snapdragon 660 processor, Android 9.0 Pie and 3,500mAh battery with fast charging support. While all these aspects of the phone need to be tested for several days, we don't think it will be a major disappointment given the overall configuration. It might not give its rivals a run for their money, but it will surely satisfy its consumers to an extent where they won't crib.
