1/9
After missing in action for quite a bit, HMD Global is back in India with a new budget phone called the Nokia G20. There are two big takeaways here. One is the promise of “guaranteed” software updates. The phone’s other headlining feature is its sizeable battery that’s apparently designed for the long haul. Everything else about the Nokia G20 is mediocre at best. Some might even say HMD is bringing a knife to a gunfight. Especially, when you consider the phone’s asking price. The sole 4GB/64GB variant of the Nokia G20 has been launched in India at Rs 12,999. At its price, the phone will compete with the Narzo 30 (Rs 12,499) and Redmi Note 10 (Rs 12,999). If you’re willing to go a little higher, the Poco M3 Pro 5G (Rs 13,999), Samsung Galaxy M32 (Rs 14,999) and Redmi Note 10S (Rs 14,999) are some of the other options that you can look at. We will have more to say about the Nokia G20 in our full review, for now, here’s a quick look at it and how it fares against the competition. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
2/9
The Nokia G20 is expectedly made entirely out of plastic. Like competition. The design is familiar. Depending on how you perceive it, it’s both a good thing and bad. But considering how far rivals have come, the G20 is derivative at best, and HMD is in dire need of a rehash. Still, the phone is built well. It has a nice texture to it so it feels good in the hands. It is not slippery and does not attract a lot of fingerprints. The circular camera mound is a nice touch, like always. It houses four cameras. The power button on the right doubles as a fingerprint reader. The volume rocker is above it. Both could have been placed lower since this is a tall phone, but it is what it is. There is a dedicated Google Assistant button on the left. Like Samsung, HMD has also done well with the weight distribution though, the Galaxy M32 feels slightly better to hold – it exudes more style and confidence too. Phones from Redmi and Realme are slimmer and lighter, with the Redmi Note 10 also getting IP53-rating for dust and splash resistance. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
3/9
The G20 comes with a 6.5-inch 720p display with a waterdrop-style notch at a time when most rival phones have joined the fast refresh rate bandwagon. Many are using Super AMOLED panels and pushing the envelope with brighter, more colourful screens, some that can also play HDR content. HMD does not mention if it is using any kind of protection on top of the G20’s display either. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
4/9
Core hardware is another area where the G20 leaves you wanting for more. It has a 12nm MediaTek G35 system-on-chip paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. Even the Samsung Galaxy M32 has a more powerful Helio G80 while phones like the Poco M3 Pro 5G have the next gen Dimensity 700. Xiaomi also offers fast UFS2.2 storage in the Redmi Note 10 (the Narzo 30 uses UFS2.1). All this means, the G20 is the slowest of the lot, and definitely, not meant for gaming. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
5/9
One can of course argue, the G20 runs a clean, unadulterated version of Android (Android 11) with no unwanted “crapware” like a majority of phones and while that’s good, there’s only so much that it can do. There is no beating around the bush. It could have done with better hardware especially since the whole point of this phone is that it is supposed to last you longer. The ageing hardware inside it might just make its stay shorter, considering how fast MediaTek and Qualcomm are refreshing chipsets these days. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
6/9
The big USP of this phone is, expectedly, its software. The G20 is an Android One phone. With it, HMD is promising to deliver two years of major Android OS updates and three years of monthly security updates. By extension this means, the Nokia G20 which ships with Android 11 right out of the gate will be eligible to get Android 12 and 13. Our review unit is already running the June security patch. Only Samsung can get close to HMD on this front though the M32 comes with a lot of bloat or unwanted apps, many of which can’t be uninstalled. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
7/9
On the back, the G20 has a quad camera setup with a 48MP main, 5MP ultra-wide-angle, and two 2MP cameras, one for macros and another for portraits. Like the M32, it can only record up to 1080p@30fps videos. On the front, it has an 8MP camera. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
8/9
The G20 has a 5,050mAh battery which is rated to deliver up to three days of battery life. That’s its other big USP. But it does not support fast charging. Every phone in and around its price point has fast charging support (and a big battery, with the M32 topping the list with a 6,000mAh battery). (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)
9/9
The Nokia G20, for what it’s worth, seems overpriced for what it brings to the table. It is a competitive phone with an appealing design, decent cameras, clean software and a long-lasting battery but it’s the positioning that takes away a lot of its charm. Watch this space for our full review of the Nokia G20 in the days to come. (Photo credit: Saurabh Singh/Financial Express)