During IFA 2022 we had the new smartphones from Nokia in our hands. In this preview we take you through the first findings.
Funny (and outdated) design
On the outside, the Nokia X30 5G and Nokia G60 feel like devices that the company released earlier. Sturdy, but made of (recycled) plastic. The Nokia G60 is the cheaper device of the two and you will notice that. The housing is completely made of plastic, while the X30 5G has an aluminum frame – which simply feels more luxurious.
The smartphones are about the same weight and have a layer of Gorilla Glass over the screen that should prevent scratches. Speaking of the display: here are the necessary differences. Not only is the X30 5G’s screen a fraction smaller (6.43 inches instead of 6.58 inches), but it also has an AMOLED panel. This provides a significantly better picture.
Oddly enough, the refresh rate on the more expensive Nokia X30 is 90Hz, instead of the 120Hz on the G60. During our short hands-on we noticed little of this, and that also applies to the speed of the phones. Not surprising, because they both run on the same Snapdragon 695 processor. The X30 5G also has more RAM as standard, which is beneficial during multitasking.
To come back to the design: the Nokia G60 does not look special and quite boring. Especially the front looks old-fashioned, because the edges are not that thin and there is a waterdrop notch at the top. In 2022 we don’t often see that anymore; most android phones have a small camera hole. The X30 does have this and appears more modern.
The ‘speckled’ back of the Nokia G60, which is made of recycled plastic, is fun. It feels unique and looks great, although we do not necessarily find it a reason to choose the smartphone.
Clean software, but very expensive
Nokia smartphones run on an almost bare Android version and that is no different with the X30 and G60. This means you won’t be bothered by bloatware and it keeps the new devices running smoothly – which is nice considering the midrange processor. It concerns Android 12 and Nokia promises three years of Android upgrades and security patches. That’s good, but in 2022 certainly no longer the best of the best in the area of updating.
Then the cameras of the Nokia X30 and G60. Nokia makes the striking choice here to give the X30 fewer cameras than the G60. The device has a 50-megapixel main camera and a 13-megapixel wide-angle lens. The Nokia G60 also has a 50 megapixel main camera as well as a simple 5 megapixel wide-angle lens and 2 megapixel depth sensor.
Because the extra cameras of the G60 add little – mainly due to the low resolution and because the depth sensor is only useful to a limited extent – it is nice and refreshing to see that the X30 only has two cameras. During our hands-on we were not able to extensively test the cameras. You can read about the photos of the X30 and G60 in our full review soon.
The Nokia X30 5G will cost 519 euros and for the G60 you pay 329 euros. Those are pretty solid prices if you look purely at the specifications. For example, put the Nokia X30 next to an average Android smartphone of about 500 euros , and you’ll see that the price-quality ratio is not great.
