Nokia G10

Released on April 26, 2021, the Nokia G10 is a budget-friendly smartphone positioned in the low-price category. It features a plastic build, measuring 164.9mm in height, 76mm in width, and 9.2mm in depth, weighing 194 grams.

Build Quality

The Nokia G10 uses a plastic construction, which is expected for a phone in this price range. The device feels reasonably sturdy, although the plastic finish may be prone to fingerprints. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is conveniently placed for easy access. The phone is available in two color options: Dusk and Night. The physical dimensions make it relatively large, which may not suit those with smaller hands.

Screen Quality

The phone boasts a 6.52-inch IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 269 ppi. This translates to a relatively low-resolution display, meaning images and text aren't as sharp as on higher-end devices. The screen features a 20:9 aspect ratio and a waterdrop notch for the front-facing camera. It has a typical brightness of 400 cd/m² and covers 70% of the NTSC color gamut. The display is protected by Panda Glass and is multi-touch capacitive. The absence of a high refresh rate is typical for this segment, resulting in standard 60Hz operation. There is no HDR support.

Camera Performance

The Nokia G10 incorporates a triple rear camera setup. The primary 13MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture handles the main photography duties. It's accompanied by two 2MP sensors, one for depth sensing in portrait mode and one for macro shots. The main camera supports autofocus, touch focus, geotagging, panorama, HDR, and other standard settings. Video recording is capped at 1080p at 30fps. The front-facing camera is an 8MP unit. The camera lacks optical image stabilization and slow-motion video capabilities beyond 30fps.

Software Experience

The phone ships with Android 11 out of the box and has received updates up to Android 13. Nokia's approach to software is close to stock Android, meaning a clean and bloatware-free experience. This results in better performance and a more streamlined user experience compared to devices with heavily skinned operating systems.

Battery Performance

The device is equipped with a 5050mAh Li-Polymer battery, which provides a significant amount of battery life for the specifications. The phone features 10W wired fast charging via USB Type-C 2.0, which is adequate, but relatively slow. The battery is non-removable.

Value for Money

The Nokia G10 is a low-priced smartphone targeting users who need essential features and long battery life. The Mediatek Helio G25 chipset, paired with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM (depending on the version) and 32GB or 64GB of storage, provides basic performance suitable for everyday tasks, but may struggle with more demanding apps. The lack of NFC is a notable omission, and the display resolution is relatively low, but these tradeoffs are made to reach its accessible price point. Prices for the 4GB/32GB version range between $74 and $111.