Nokia 5 review

The Nokia 5 sits between the better quality Nokia 6 and cheaper Nokia 3. Priced for the mid-range market, it doesn’t offer nearly the same bells and whistles as the 6. But it’s also not much cheaper either.

Still, it has some benefits. Critics consider it one of the best-looking phones in its price range. It has an all-metal body and a selection of colors from traditional silver to tempered blue for more variety.

The metal isn’t just for show. Reviewers were very pleased with overall build quality. They couldn’t bend it at all.

While its dimensions are on par with other smartphones, experts found the Nokia 5 much more comfortable in hand thanks to its curved front and back. And, despite being a budget phone, it also comes with a fingerprint scanner for an additional layer of security.

All budget phones have to make concessions to achieve a low price tag. The Nokia 5 is no exception. So where did it skimp? The screen. The 5.2 inch HD (720p) IPS display is passable. But its muted colors and lack of detail didn’t wow reviewers.

Still, they add it provides excellent viewing angles and good sunlight legibility. If you’re looking to use this to view a lot of media, they suggest finding a phone with a full HD panel.

Performance didn’t impress anyone either. However, the 1.4GHz octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM got the job done. Reviewers didn’t run into issues, even when multitasking. Unfortunately, they noticed lag when browsing image heavy web pages and gaming. Still for average use, it worked well enough.

While the performance might not be a drawback for many, internal storage might. It only comes with 16GB of storage though you can upgrade to 128GB with a microSD.

Battery life gets the same middle-ground opinion. The Nokia 5 neither excels nor fails. It lasted most critics around a full day using 4G, watching videos, playing games and just browsing the web. All on a 3,000mAh battery. It does not, however, come with fast charge. So be prepared to wait awhile on top-ups.

On paper, the 13MP camera sounds promising. In good lighting situations, reviewers could get sharp images. But they noticed colors weren’t very bold and the white balance was often unreliable. Add in noisy low-light shots and most considered the camera slightly below average. Android Authority adds, “... you’ll want to take another camera with you on holiday.”

In general, experts recommend the Nokia 5 for those on a tight budget. ZDNet states, “Nokia has delivered a reasonably competitive mid-range handset…” CNET adds, “If you want a decent all-round phone to tackle all your everyday essentials and you want some cash left over then the Nokia 5 is well worth your time.”