Nokia 1 Plus Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Nokia 1 Plus is a budget-friendly smartphone that packs a punch. With its affordable price tag and impressive features, it's a device worth considering. The phone boasts a sleek design with a removable rear panel, allowing you to customize its appearance. Its 5.45-inch display offers a decent viewing experience, while the 8-megapixel rear camera captures sharp and clear photos. Running on Android 9 Pie Go Edition, the Nokia 1 Plus provides a smooth and efficient user experience. Priced at just $99, it's an excellent choice for those on a tight budget. Available in black and bright red colors, this phone is sure to turn heads.

Design and Build Quality

The Nokia 1 Plus offers a sleek and modern design that is sure to catch the eye. Its physical appearance is simple yet stylish, with a front display that features noticeable bezels and a front-facing camera. The phone's form factor is compact and lightweight, making it easy to hold and carry around. The construction of the Nokia 1 Plus is robust, with a durable plastic back panel that has a slightly rubberized texture, providing a comfortable grip. The finishing touches on the phone's design give it a premium look and feel, despite its budget-friendly price. The buttons and controls are well-placed and responsive, ensuring ease of use. The bezels surrounding the display have been reduced compared to its predecessor, maximizing the screen-to-body ratio. The Nokia 1 Plus also offers a range of color options, including black and bright red, allowing users to choose the one that suits their personal style. Overall, the design and build of the Nokia 1 Plus are impressive, offering a combination of aesthetics, ergonomics, and durability. Its sleek design and premium look and feel make it a standout option in the budget phone market.

Display

The Nokia 1 Plus features a 5.45-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 480 x 960 pixels. While the resolution may not be very high, the display still manages to provide a decent viewing experience. The screen size is suitable for everyday use and makes it easy to handle the phone with one hand. The aspect ratio of 18:9 gives the phone a modern look and allows for more content to be displayed on the screen.

In terms of color accuracy and vibrancy, the Nokia 1 Plus does a decent job, although it may not be as vibrant as higher-end smartphones. The brightness levels are sufficient for most indoor environments, but outdoor visibility can be a bit challenging under direct sunlight. The touch responsiveness of the display is good, ensuring smooth navigation and interaction with the phone.

Unfortunately, the Nokia 1 Plus does not come with any specific display protection such as Gorilla Glass to protect against scratches. However, users can purchase a separate screen protector to safeguard the display.

Overall, the display of the Nokia 1 Plus offers a satisfactory viewing experience for its budget price range. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of higher-end devices, it gets the job done for everyday tasks and media consumption.

Performance

The performance of the Nokia 1 Plus is decent considering its budget-friendly nature. Powered by a MediaTek MT6739WW chipset and a quad-core Cortex-A53 processor, it offers satisfactory performance for everyday tasks and light usage. While it may not excel in CPU benchmarks, it still manages to provide a smooth user experience with relatively lag-free performance.

In terms of gaming capabilities, the Nokia 1 Plus performs adequately for casual games and less demanding titles. However, it may struggle with graphically intensive games due to its modest GPU. Gaming experience may vary depending on the specific game requirements, but overall, it offers a reasonable gaming experience for its price range.

Thermal management of the Nokia 1 Plus is well-optimized, ensuring that the device does not overheat during prolonged usage or gaming sessions. This is crucial for maintaining consistent performance and avoiding any thermal throttling issues.

While specific benchmark scores for the Nokia 1 Plus were not provided, it is important to note that synthetic benchmarks can provide a general idea of its performance. When comparing the device to similar budget phones, it is advisable to look for benchmark tests and performance analysis from reputable sources to gain a better understanding of its capabilities.

In terms of multitasking performance, the Nokia 1 Plus may struggle with running multiple apps simultaneously due to its limited 1GB of RAM. However, it should still be able to handle basic multitasking, such as switching between a few apps without significant slowdowns.

App loading speeds may not be the fastest, but considering the device's price point, it offers acceptable performance. The Nokia 1 Plus benefits from the optimization of Android 9 Pie Go Edition, which helps to enhance the overall system performance and efficiency on lower-end hardware.

In summary, the Nokia 1 Plus delivers a satisfactory performance for its budget-friendly price range. While it may not offer top-of-the-line CPU and GPU benchmarks, it provides a smooth user experience for everyday tasks and light gaming. Its system optimization and thermal management contribute to a relatively lag-free performance. However, potential buyers should be aware of its limited multitasking capabilities and the need to manage storage and memory efficiently.

Software and User Interface

The Nokia 1 Plus runs on the Android 9 Pie Go Edition, which is a lightweight version of the Android operating system designed specifically for budget devices. This version of Android is optimized to provide a smooth and efficient user experience, even with limited hardware resources.

One of the advantages of the Android 9 Pie Go Edition is that it comes with pre-installed Go apps, which are optimized versions of popular apps like Google Go, Gmail Go, and YouTube Go. These apps are designed to run smoothly on low-end devices, taking up less storage space and using less data.

The user interface of the Nokia 1 Plus is clean and user-friendly, making it easy to navigate through the various menus and settings. The operating system provides a familiar Android experience, with access to the Google Play Store for downloading additional apps and games.

When it comes to customization, the Nokia 1 Plus offers limited options due to its lightweight operating system. However, users can still personalize their device by choosing from a range of wallpapers and themes.

One drawback of the Nokia 1 Plus's software is the presence of some pre-installed apps that some may consider bloatware. These apps may take up storage space and cannot be uninstalled, which can be frustrating for users who prefer a more streamlined experience.

Overall, the software experience on the Nokia 1 Plus is decent, considering its budget nature. The Android 9 Pie Go Edition provides a smooth and user-friendly interface, with pre-installed apps that are optimized for low-end devices. However, the presence of some pre-installed apps may be a downside for those who prefer a more minimalist experience.

Camera

The Nokia 1 Plus features an 8-megapixel rear camera that aims to capture decent quality images. While it may not compete with higher-end smartphone cameras, it performs adequately for its budget price. The aperture and focal length of the camera are not explicitly mentioned, but it is designed to capture images in various lighting conditions, including low-light scenarios. The camera's sensor size is not specified, but it allows for acceptable image quality in daylight photography, producing natural colors and decent sharpness. The dynamic range may not be as wide as flagship devices, but it performs reasonably well within its limitations. In terms of low-light performance, the Nokia 1 Plus struggles to produce noise-free images, but its night mode and low-light sensitivity help improve the overall image quality. The camera also offers basic features like portrait mode, HDR, and panorama mode. Video recording is limited to standard HD resolution, with no support for 4K video. However, the camera does offer video stabilization, slow-motion video, and time-lapse modes. Overall, the Nokia 1 Plus camera is suitable for casual photography needs, capturing acceptable images in various situations. However, for those seeking professional-level photography capabilities, it may fall short.

Battery Life

The Nokia 1 Plus is equipped with a 2,500mAh battery, which offers decent battery life for a budget phone. The battery capacity may not be the largest in the market, but it provides enough power to last a whole day with moderate usage. The phone also has power efficiency and optimization features that help in maximizing battery performance. However, it does not support fast charging or wireless charging options, which may be a drawback for some users. The battery management system ensures that the battery usage is optimized and minimizes battery drain when the phone is in standby mode. Overall, while the Nokia 1 Plus may not have the most impressive battery capacity or charging options, it still offers a satisfactory battery backup and endurance for its price range.

Connectivity and Networking

The Nokia 1 Plus offers a range of connectivity options to ensure you stay connected wherever you go. It supports dual SIM cards, allowing you to use two different phone numbers or network providers simultaneously. The phone is also compatible with various network bands, including LTE, ensuring fast data speeds for browsing, streaming, and downloading.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the Nokia 1 Plus supports Wi-Fi standards, allowing you to connect to Wi-Fi networks and enjoy fast internet speeds. It also has Bluetooth, enabling you to connect wirelessly to other devices like headphones, speakers, or smartwatches. The specific Bluetooth version is not mentioned, but it should be sufficient for most everyday tasks.

For navigation purposes, the Nokia 1 Plus has GPS, which allows you to accurately track your location and get directions using popular mapping apps. Additionally, it has NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which enables easy pairing with compatible devices or making contactless payments.

In terms of physical connections, the Nokia 1 Plus features a micro USB port for charging and data transfer. It does not support USB-C, which is a more modern and faster charging standard. However, the micro USB port is still commonly used and should not pose any major inconvenience.

Overall, the Nokia 1 Plus offers a decent range of connectivity options, including dual SIM support, LTE compatibility for fast data speeds, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC. While it lacks some more advanced features like 5G or wireless charging, it covers the basics and should be sufficient for most users' connectivity needs.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

When comparing the Nokia 1 Plus with related gadgets in the market, it is clear that it falls into the budget phone category. Its price point of $99 makes it one of the most affordable options available. However, it is important to note that there are other devices in this price range that offer similar features.

One such device is the Xiaomi Redmi 7A, which is priced slightly higher at $119. This phone offers a larger display with a higher resolution, as well as a more powerful processor. Additionally, it has a larger battery capacity, providing longer battery life.

Another competitor in this segment is the Samsung Galaxy A10, priced at $139. It boasts a larger display and a higher resolution compared to the Nokia 1 Plus. It also offers a better camera setup and more storage capacity.

In terms of performance, the Nokia 1 Plus runs on the Android 9 Pie Go Edition, which is designed for low-end devices. While it provides a smooth experience with optimized apps, it may struggle with heavier tasks or running multiple apps simultaneously. In comparison, the Xiaomi Redmi 7A and Samsung Galaxy A10 offer better performance with their more capable processors and larger RAM capacities.

The Nokia 1 Plus does have some unique features, such as its removable rear panel that allows for customization and its rubberized texture for a better grip. However, when it comes to overall value for money, it may be worth considering the slightly higher-priced options like the Xiaomi Redmi 7A or Samsung Galaxy A10, which offer better specifications and performance.

In terms of market competition, Nokia faces tough competition from various manufacturers in the budget phone segment. Xiaomi, Samsung, and other brands offer devices with better specifications and performance at similar price points. Nokia's competitive advantage lies in its brand reputation and the availability of stock Android with regular updates, which can be appealing to some users. However, it may need to reassess its pricing strategy and consider offering more cost-effective options to stay competitive in the market.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

Conclusion: The Nokia 1 Plus is an affordable budget phone that offers decent value for its price point. With its sleek design and textured rear cover, the phone feels more premium than its competitors. However, it falls short in some areas, such as camera quality and performance. The 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage may require additional microSD card support for those who need more space. Overall, the Nokia 1 Plus is a good option for users on a tight budget who prioritize simplicity and basic smartphone functionality. While it may not excel in every aspect, it delivers the essentials at an attractive price.