When it comes to affordable, good smartphones, Nokia has a versatile offering. So is this new Nokia 5.1 Plus. This smartphone costs only 249 euros and, despite its somewhat generic appearance, is not a bad choice at all.
Nokia 5.1 Plus
Price € 249,-Colors black, blue, white
OS Android 8.1 (Oreo)
Screen 5.9 inch LCD (2160x1080)
Processor 1.8GHz octa-core (MediaTek Helio P60)
RAM 3GB
Storage 32 GB (expandable with memory card)
Battery 3,060 mAh
Camera 13 and 5 megapixel dualcam (rear), 8 megapixel (front)
Connectivity 4G (LTE), Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, GPS
Format 15 x 7.2 x 0.8 cm
Weight 160 grams
Other fingerprint scanner, usb-c, headphone port
Website www.nokia.com 8 Score 80
- Pros
- Battery life
- Price
- Android One
- Build quality
- Negatives
- Generic design
- No fast charger
It is difficult to distinguish Nokia smartphones from each other. The market is flooded with different smartphone series, especially in the cheaper segments. As we have come to expect from Nokia for decades, the serial numbers cannot be made chocolate either. Take this Nokia 5.1 Plus, which is available for around 250 euros. There is no other version of the Nokia 5.1 (which appeared earlier this year), and comparisons with the Nokia 5 from 2017 are also not valid. Add to that a generic design and the Nokia 5.1 falls away enormously in the mass of affordable smartphones, from Nokia, Motorola and various Chinese brands.
Why buy a Nokia 5.1 Plus?
The price makes the Nokia 5.1 Plus interesting, because you get a lot in return. The smartphone looks very luxurious and modern, thanks to a solid build quality and modern screen with thin edges and a notch at the top. At the back you will find a dual camera and fingerprint scanner, and the USB-C and headphone connection should not be missing.
Anyone looking for a smartphone with a modest device size will soon find this Nokia 5.1 Plus. At about 15 by 7 centimeters, the size is therefore easy to handle, for most trouser pockets and handbags. As with many modern smartphones, a screen that is as large as possible (6.8 inch) has been placed in the modest housing. As I mentioned, a screen notch and thin bezels were used for this, but also an alternative aspect ratio of 19 by 9.
The quality of the screen is not disappointing at all for this price range. The color reproduction is fine and the brightness is OK. However, there are also downsides. It is a pity that the screen is not very sharp: there is no Full HD resolution. The contrast of the LCD panel is also moderate, white surfaces look a bit gray.
Dual cam without zoom
At the back you will find a dual camera. That second camera doesn't really have much added value. It doesn't allow optical zoom, nor does it offer any other nice portrait effects. It is only for a depth of field effect in portrait mode. But in theory this can also be done with software. Nokia might have been better off using a single lens of better quality. Although that may cut a lot of grass at the feet of Nokia's marketing department.
The quality of the photos is reasonable. Colors come out pretty well, only the photos are not very sharp and detailed. Gray cloudy skies are a large gray area. That is already with sufficient artificial and daylight. When the lights go out, the photo quality isn't really worth it. However, the quality is what you can expect in this price range: photos are nice to share via WhatsApp, but if you would like to print them out or brag on Instagram... Then it is better to invest more money in a more expensive smartphone.
Android One: Waiting for Pie
Where Nokia excels is the software. The Nokia 5.1 Plus also runs on Android One, so you have a safe device thanks to a good update policy and your smartphone is clean from pollution, such as misleading virus scanners and battery-guzzling skins. At the moment the Nokia 5.1 Plus still runs on Android 8.1, we still have to wait for the update to Android 9. However (at the time of writing) the most recent security patch has been installed.
A clean Android version, combined with a screen that has a not-too-high resolution, promises a lot for the battery load. The battery has a capacity of 3,000 mAh, which is not uncommon. But because of the screen and Android One, a full battery can last a long time. Depending on your use, about one and a half to two days. I just miss the fast charger.
Specs
The performance is also satisfactory, but you notice in practice that you are dealing with a budget device. Sometimes the device responds just a little too slowly or loading a site or app takes a little longer than you would expect. As long as you don't run overly heavy apps, you won't notice this. The storage capacity of 32GB is also acceptable, if that is not enough, you can always expand it with a memory card.
Alternatives to Nokia 5.1 Plus
In the price range between 200 and 300 euros, you invariably end up with smartphones from Nokia, Motorola and Huawei. The Moto G6 Plus is a somewhat better smartphone, with a larger size, better screen quality and better camera... But the Motorola cannot keep up with support. In the field of software, Huawei is a lot less for the day with the P Smart, but this Chinese manufacturer makes nicer smartphones, with a better camera. Speaking of Chinese, the best alternative comes from Xiaomi. The Pocophone F1 is offered for comparable prices, and offers the same specifications as smartphones of around 700 euros. You only have to take into account import, and the fact that this smartphone also does not have Android One.
Conclusion
Of course you will not get a device for 250 euros with great results in benchmarks and camera area. But where the Nokia 5.1 Plus stands out is that it does not disappoint in any area: the smartphone performs as expected in all areas, with the bonus of a luxurious (somewhat generic) construction and Android One. You can't go wrong with the Nokia 5.1 Plus.
