“The 5G connection of the Nokia G50 is not a reason to buy, just a decent advantage for the future. Instead, the battery life and the software make it worthwhile to search. "
advantages
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Long battery life
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Strong build quality
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Straightforward, reliable software
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Guaranteed software updates
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5G for the future
disadvantage
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Screen with 60 Hz refresh rate
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Low resolution screen
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Big and heavy
The $ 300 Nokia G50 might hit the headlines because it includes 5G priced at $ 300, but no matter what the wireless industry wants you to be, there is no real reason to get this phone or any other phone right now to buy. Instead, you should still look at all of the common suspects – software, battery, screen, and camera – before making a decision.
With the G50 in my daily use for over a week, I've found it wins in two of these four categories, which means 5G is enough to make it a buy recommendation. But you still need to be aware of its one major disadvantage.
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The Nokia G50 is a very large cell phone. The 6.82-inch screen is massive, the case is almost 9 mm thick and 174 mm high (the Galaxy S21 Ultra is 10 mm shorter by comparison), and it weighs 220 grams. Small pockets will bother you, but never one Bag get lost. There is absolutely nothing subtle about it and it is completely unsuitable for one-handed use.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The back is made of plastic and has a moderate grip. On the right side there is a fingerprint sensor in the power key, on the left side there is a Google Assistant button. It's in just the right place to hit all the time and is a hateful addition as it can't be switched to something more people might find helpful. You can turn it off completely, but that way it feels like a wasted opportunity.
On the back, the design is as usual for Nokia with a round camera module, simple branding and an ocean blue color, another in a range of Nokia colors inspired by the Nordic environment. It catches the light in an attractive way and is not covered with fingerprints. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the phone, and charging on the opposite end is through a USB Type-C port.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
For the past week the G50 has been in and out of pockets and bags, roughly tossed in my car's door pocket and generally not handled with kid gloves. There is something about the sizeable frame and gigantic size that encourages this type of treatment, and the good thing is that the G50 looks exactly the same as it did when it was unboxed. It's not a rugged phone, but there is a distinct sturdiness here, and while the design makes it difficult to distinguish from many other newer Nokia phones, it is still attractive in a simple way.
screen
Oh dear, the screen is where the G50 really loses points. It's 6.82 inches, which is gigantic, but the 1560-by-720-pixel resolution definitely isn't. It's an IPS LCD panel so there is no always-on display available, there are some serious bezels, the 450 nits maximum brightness is only acceptable but the worst part is that it is a 60Hz refresh rate -Panel acts.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Be it the low resolution that matches its large size, or that my eyes are very used to a 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate screen, scrolling on the G50 is often an uncomfortable, fuzzy mess. The G50 could be used to sell phones with higher refresh rate screens because the difference between them is so great that even the most ardent “I don't get the excitement” denier will quickly be convinced that 90Hz or higher is the only way are.
Almost as bad is the weak automatic brightness, which is far too slow to react in sunny outdoor conditions, and it is often faster to actually adjust the brightness manually. It has to be at maximum brightness to be seen anyway. Does that mean it's a video disaster? No, it's not that bad. The viewing angles are good, but you quickly lose some of the color, which is vivid and beautiful when viewed directly. It's all a lot better than you'd expect. I can even live with the clear and loud single speaker on the bottom of the phone.
However, the fuzzy blur of the 60Hz refresh rate is tough on your eyes, makes everything from Twitter to Google Discover uncomfortable to use, and is by far the worst part of the Nokia G50's screen. Too bad, otherwise it's fine for a cell phone at this price point.
power
Nokia is pushing the G50 as an affordable 5G phone, and in fact, I got a 5G signal delivered here by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 processor and modem. You get Sub6 5G but not mmWave. 5G is nice to have, but not essential for everyday use, and I would rather have a screen with a higher refresh rate, for example.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The Snapdragon 480 is a decent performer, but it's never what you'd call really fast. Apps open and screens switch at a calm, but never frustrating, pace. You can play Asphalt 9: Legends, but it never feels pale, fast, just acceptable. The G50 has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and the good news is that there is a microSD card slot to add up to 512GB to that total. The call quality is really good and I haven't had any problems with network, WiFi or Bluetooth connections.
camera
It's standard in the round module on the back of the G50, with a 48-megapixel main camera, a 5-MP wide-angle camera, and a 2-MP depth camera. The results are consistent with similar camera setups on other phones as well, with the main camera producing pretty, colorful, and divisible (with some editing) images. I like this.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The wide angle is less successful. It takes photos that are too dark and details are lost in the shade, especially on cloudy days. I wouldn't use it in situations where the results are important to me. The depth camera helps with portraits that have acceptable edge detection, but also suffer from problems in low light. There are several portrait selfie modes that will add an unusual background to your shots, but because of their incredibly artificial appearance, they are not very successful.
If the 48MP / 5MP / 2MP camera combination hasn't already given it away, the Nokia G50's camera doesn't stand out from the competition, but it does its job, provided you don't expect too much outside of the main camera.
Software and battery
The Nokia G50 has Android 11 installed with no special user interface, which means it is similar to the software experience of a Google Pixel, and all the better. The Snapdragon 480 chip is brave enough that the software never feels clumsy, it runs all of the apps I installed, received notifications with no issues, and was a trusted partner during my time on the phone.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Friendly software like the one installed on the G50 makes a world of difference to ownership. The phone may not have flagship hardware, but the software is better than some other phones that have more enviable specs. It's logical and easy to use right from the start, and a highlight of the G50.
It is similar with the battery. The 5,000 mAh cell in the G50 certainly adds to the size and weight of the phone, but since the phone can last two to three days without a charge, it probably won't matter to everyone. If you want a long battery life, the G50 is worth it. It also consumes electricity in standby mode. When the phone wasn't used a lot outside of messages and a few photos, it barely used 20% of its power, despite switching between 4G and 5G connections all day.
If you want a long battery life, the G50 is worth it
Unfortunately, it doesn't have a very fast charge – just 18W fast charge and no wireless charging – and it takes at least an hour and 45 minutes to charge.
Price and availability
The Nokia G50 can be purchased via Nokia's own online shop in the US for $ 300 or in the UK for £ 200.
Our opinion
The wireless industry wants you to think 5G is a reason to buy a smartphone, but it isn't. At least it isn't yet. Better to think of it as a feature that can help you hold the phone longer, and instead look at features that are now improving ownership every day, such as: For example, the screen and camera when you decide to buy a new phone. The G50 is not outstanding in either area, but offers reasonable performance for the price and convinces with its great software and long battery life.
Is there a better alternative?
In the US, check out the Moto G Stylus (2021) or Moto G Power (2021), which costs between $ 250 and $ 300, the OnePlus Nord N200 5G with a 90Hz screen, or the US $ 280 Dollar Samsung Galaxy A32 5G. But if you spend 400 US dollars, you can get the Google Pixel 5a with its excellent camera and even better software or the currently reduced OnePlus 8 with Snapdragon 865 chip and 90 Hz screen.
Don't confuse the G50 with the recently announced Nokia G300, which will be released over the Tracfone and Straight Talk networks. It only costs $ 200 but has a smaller screen and lower spec camera.
In the UK, the Realme 8 5G has a 90 Hz screen, a large battery, and a good camera for the same price as the Nokia G50, as does the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G. If you can expand your budget to £ 300 the OnePlus Nord 2 CE 5G is great value, or for £ 400 you can get the OnePlus Nord 2 5G or the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G.
How long it will take?
There is good news for the software as it will receive major version updates for two years and security updates for three years. While 5G isn't a reason to buy the G50 on its own, its presence can make a difference as you own it as the network becomes more accessible and useful. The G50 doesn't cost a lot of money, but it can realistically be used for three years.
It doesn't have a water resistance rating and it's not a rugged phone by design. A case would be a good idea, although the phone feels like it needs to be handled a little harsh on its own.
Should you buy it?
Yes, the software, battery life, and build quality, plus a decent but simple camera are the reasons to buy. The 5G will only help you last longer.
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