Tag Archives: PureView

"A wonderful camera and long-lasting battery make the Nokia 8.3 desirable, and the Android One software updates and 5G make it a safe future purchase."

• Excellent main and ultra-wide cameras

• Big, attractive screen

• Android One software

• Long battery life

• No water resistance

• Screen with a refresh rate of 60 Hz

• Weak zoom and macro photos

There was a time when Nokia ruled the phone camera world, but Huawei, Apple, and Samsung have all come along and have been better known for amazing cameras ever since. However, with the Nokia 8.3, it has made some significant strides with the help of longtime partner Zeiss, to the point where I think the phone has earned the famous PureView name traditionally used for its top performing camera-centric phones.

What's even better is that the phone is less than $ 1,000 and still comes with the technology you'll need for the future, as well as guaranteed software updates for a few years to come. The Nokia 8.3 is one of the best competitively priced phones in 2020.

design

You know what you're doing with the latest Nokia designs, as they tend to follow a similar trend: a top-center-mounted camera module, a chin bezel under the screen, and colors inspired by Nordic roots. The Nokia 8.3 doesn't scream for its looks, doesn't surprise you with eye-catching folding screens, and doesn't put much emphasis on keeping the weight or thickness of the hardware down. The 8.3 is therefore a modern Nokia phone through and through.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It weighs 220 grams, is 8.9 mm thick and 78.5 mm wide, making it a hefty piece of a phone in the hand at least when compared to the OnePlus 8 and iPhone 11. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is ergonomically a good choice, prevents you from juggling a heavy phone while locating a sensor in the display, and it's accurate and responsive. The color Polar Night is deep blue, almost black in places, until you bring it into the light when azure stripes catch your eye. It's classy and stylish and prevents the otherwise normal phone from getting boring.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Bad parts? I really don't like the Nokia logo on the lower bezel. I don't like the Google Assistant hardware button because I accidentally hit the stupid thing. Thanks to the flat screen and glossy back, the phone glides over most surfaces as if on wheels. Even so, it feels a little pointless in the design of the Nokia 8.3 if it is definitely not ugly and the workmanship and materials used are excellent.

camera

Here's what you need to know: The Nokia 8.3's camera is brilliant. No restriction is required either. It would be a brilliant smartphone camera if it were on the back of a phone that also costs a lot more. It bears the name PureView on the spec sheet, but it really deserves to have it in the official name as its talents are readily available and it consistently takes great photos in most conditions, unlike the often disappointing Nokia 9 PureView from Early last year.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It has a 64-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens, and a pair of 2-megapixel sensors for depth and macro tasks. It's not that impressive on paper, but the results are breathtaking. Photos are saturated with rich colors and filled with razor-sharp details. They cause an emotional blow. By that I mean, nothing gets too saturated or over enhanced, which allows the photo to speak for itself without, however, losing the visual pop necessary to make images instantly shareable.

HMD Global's ongoing partnership with Zeiss is undoubtedly having an impact on performance, and the success here reminds me of how Huawei and Leica really came together to produce the superb Huawei P10. It is also easy to use. You have a wide angle and a standard view as well as a night mode and that's all you should be bothered with. Selfies are great especially when you use the Zeiss fine-tuned filter modes that give your photos a really cool look. Although they are software controlled, the bokeh mode offers good edge detection.

Is it perfect? ​​No, but the disadvantages don't outweigh the positives. There's no zoom, the 2MP macro mode is junk, and the camera often struggles with focus when taking close-ups. Annoyingly, the app stays in portrait mode if you return to the app after closing instead of going back to the default photo mode by default, and sometimes there was unattractive halo and lens flare.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Dig deeper and night mode will be very effective provided it's not very dark. It shows a lot more texture and detail, just like the night mode used to do on Huawei phones like the P20 Pro. The portrait mode improved with Zeiss creates a very strong bokeh effect. However, this can be adjusted after you take the photo. There is also a manual pro video mode editing suite that can add anamorphic lens effects to your videos. When you record your video and expect it to happen later, it can look effective. If you don't, it just looks artificial.

The Nokia 8.3 has the ease of use of the Google Pixel 4a for shooting and recording, and takes photos that will make you want to get creative and experiment with it more.

screen

It is a 6.81 inch IPS LCD screen with a 20: 9 aspect ratio and Nokia PureDisplay technology on the front of the phone. PureDisplay enables HDR always on, adaptive brightness, and improved color accuracy and sharpness. I found the adaptive brightness to be poor though, especially when the brightness was turned down in bright sunlight so I couldn't see the screen at all.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Watching videos is wonderful, with some enhanced colors and contrasts with the PureDisplay on or a more natural palette that is closer to how the iPhone 11 Pro looks when the device is off. The individual loudspeaker is acceptable, but not enthusiastic about its sound. If you want, there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack on the case for wired headphones.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

While the screen is colorful and pretty, it lacks a refresh rate of 90 Hz or higher, which is highly expected at this price point. I notice this immediately after coming from a device with a higher refresh rate – scrolling just isn't that smooth on the Nokia – but obviously if you haven't had the feature before, the switch obviously won't be that annoying. However, it's a feature that's available on several competing phones and almost all of the flagship phones. It improves the display and reduces fatigue so that it is overlooked here.

Performance and software

The Snapdragon 765G processor from Qualcomm controls the Nokia 8.3 with 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB or 128 GB of internal memory, depending on the model. There's also a MicroSD card slot to add to that number.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Nokia 5.3 has 5G, although I don't live in an area with coverage so I couldn't test this feature. To get a little more technical, the Nokia 8.3 supports more 5G bands than any other 5G phone currently available, and supports 5G systems from NSA (not standalone) and SA (standalone). So, with 5G becoming more widespread, the phone can easily connect to the network. The 4G reception is strong and the call quality is really excellent. Oddly enough, on video calls, you can't turn the volume below a certain point, making it impossible to mute the sound completely.

Here are the benchmark results:

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 3.006 (volcano)

Geekbench 5: 1,523 multi-core / 559 single core

Compared to the LG Velvet, the OnePlus Nord and the Motorola Edge, which have the same processor, the Nokia improves the 3DMark value, but it cannot keep up with the Geekbench 5 value either. It cannot match the results obtained by the OnePlus 8, which has a Snapdragon 856 processor and more RAM. However, it's fun to play and I didn't experience any performance issues or excessive heat while playing Asphalt 9: Legends.

Another triumph with the Nokia 8.3 is the use of Google's Android One software. It's essentially the same experience as on a Pixel phone, with a clean, crisp, logical, and consistent design, and solid reliability when it comes to running apps and getting your daily chores done. It takes some tweaking to make it better, from the adaptive brightness to the oddly inconsistent volume control, but otherwise it allows for a comfortable, stress-free mobile life.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Yes, I said life, because a big plus here is that Android One will have major system updates for the next two years and security updates for the next three years, all of which will arrive on time. You shouldn't have to think about software updates when choosing a phone, but these are very important. HMD Global's decision to use Android One means you don't have to worry.

Battery and security

A fingerprint sensor is built into the power button on the side of the phone. For me as a right-hander it is ergonomically comfortable and has also proven to be accurate and largely reliable. The phone is powered by a massive 4,500 mAh battery, and over the course of my first few days it easily turned out to have the guts to last two full days of moderate to heavy use. There is an 18W charging block in the box, but the phone does not support wireless charging.

Price and availability

The Nokia 8.3 pre-order date is September 22nd in the UK and Europe. It will ship from October 8th. It will be shipped to the US in the near future. It costs £ 499 in the UK and € 599 in Europe. There are no official US pricing at the time of writing, but the UK price is converted to $ 640. The phone is available on the Nokia website.

Our opinion

Thanks to its great camera, the Nokia 8.3 stands alongside several budget smartphone hits at competitive prices like the Pixel 4a (or most importantly the upcoming Pixel 4a 5G), while the long battery life and clean software make life easier now and in the future. With the addition of 5G, something continued to grow. This is what we expect from Nokia: A durable smartphone with a great camera that is not characterized by its design, but emphasizes value, workmanship and general suitability for everyday use.

Is there a better alternative?

The midrange smartphone market is one of the most diverse and competitive, so there are many alternatives that need to be considered. The $ 599 LG Velvet is more attractive, but the camera is inconsistent, while the $ 500 Motorola Edge also looks good, but the software doesn't update anywhere near as long as the 8.3. The OnePlus Nord is an option for anyone in the UK, where it costs just £ 379 and delivers much of what makes the Nokia 8.3 successful, including the great screen and performance.

The better alternatives are the $ 349 Google Pixel 4a, which has the same perks as the Nokia 8.3 at a cheaper price point and just misses out on 5G – although the larger Pixel 4a 5G, announced on Sept. 30, will fix the problem will that. Or spend $ 699 on the OnePlus 8 with its prettier design, good software, 5G, and more powerful processor.

How long it will take?

It will take 3 years or more depending on your requirements. The software updates are crucial for longevity, as is the broad 5G support. However, the phone is not waterproof or rugged so you need to be careful with it. This is unfortunate as LG manages to give the Velvet both IP68 and military toughness for a similar price.

Should you buy one?

Yes. The competition is fierce, but if a solid camera, good software, and minimalist hardware are more important than a high refresh rate screen, the Nokia 8.3 is a good buy.

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