The Nokia 3.1 received notable upgrades in terms of display, processing hardware and imaging sensor
HMD Global has unveiled its 2018 lineup of budget Nokia phones. The devices in question are last year’s Nokia 5 and Nokia 3, and their respective successors – the Nokia 5.1 and Nokia 3.1. The Finnish smartphone manufacturer has upgraded its new affordable lineup for this year, putting refreshed design, enhanced software and increased pixel count of the imaging sensors.
While the new Nokia 5.1 received a few changes, the notable upgrades could be witnessed on the cheaper model, Nokia 3.1. We have already seen how the Nokia 5.1 compares with its contemporaries. In this article, we have listed the key changes to new Nokia 3.1 and the rivals the handset will compete against in the ever-growing budget segment in India.
Nokia 3.1 Vs Nokia 3
HMD Global made notable changes to 2018 edition of the Nokia 3. Nokia 3.1 now features a more powerful MediaTek MT6750 octa-core chipset compared to the low-end quad-core MediaTek processor found in the Nokia 3. Similar to the Nokia 5.1, the new Nokia 3.1 gets an 18:9 front panel. The phone fits a slightly larger 5.2-inch HD+ (1440 x 720 pixel resolution) display, up 0.2-inches from Nokia 3.
The rear camera on the Nokia 3 (2018) has been upgraded from 8MP to 13MP. The company has slightly boosted the battery capacity as well. The new Nokia phone now packs a 2990mAh battery instead of a 2650mAh battery found on the Nokia 3. As is the case with most Nokia phones launched in 2018, Nokia 3.1 offers pure and clutter free Android experience courtesy of Android One initiative, and runs Android Oreo out of the box.
The Nokia 3.1 runs Android One based Android Oreo and features a 13MP rear camera
The Nokia 3.1 is announced at a global price of Euro 139 (roughly Rs 10,900) for the base version. It comes in 2GB RAM/16GB storage and 3GB RAM/32GB storage options. It will be available in three colour schemes- Blue/Copper, Black/Chrome and White/Iron.
At this price, the Nokia 3.1 has a few tough competitors in the Indian smartphone market that include Honor’s budget smartphone, the Honor 7A and Oppo powered, Realme 1. Let’s see how the new affordable Nokia smartphone compares with the two handsets.
Nokia 3.1 Vs Oppo Realme 1 Vs Honor 7A
Starting with Nokia 3.1 and Oppo Realme 1, the key differentiator is the design on both the devices. The Nokia 3.1 features a diamond cut design with aluminium chassis. The rear panel on the Nokia handset looks plain with just the Nokia logo inscribed on the lower part. The Oppo Realme 1 meanwhile flaunts a fiberglass body with glossy diamond effect on the back panel that makes the device look more elegant.
While the Nokia 3.1 now gets a taller 5.2-inch HD+ 18:9 display, the Oppo Realme 1 zooms ahead with its higher-resolution 6-inch 18:9 display. The Realme 1 features a full HD+ screen with 2160 x 1080 pixels stretched across the front fascia.
The Oppo Realme 1 meanwhile flaunts a fiberglass body with glossy diamond effect on the back panel
The Realme 1 takes an edge over the Nokia 3.1 in terms of processing hardware as well. The Oppo handset is powered by the more recent Helio P60 chipset that integrates advance NueroPilot AI designed for deep learning face-detection. The Nokia 3.1 meanwhile is powered by MediaTek MT6750 octa-core processor. The Realme 1 further packs a bigger 3410mAh battery compared to the Nokia 3.1 that has a battery backup of 2990mAh. Rear and front cameras on both devices flaunt similar numbers – 13MP and 8MP respectively. Both phones lack a fingerprint scanner.
Talking about the Honor 7A and Nokia 3.1, the affordable handset from Honor matches the new Nokia smartphone in terms of imaging sensor and display. Both the Honor 7A and the Nokia 3.1 features similar pixel count on the front and rear side having a 13MP primary sensor and an 8MP secondary sensor. However, the former comes with soft LED flash up front, which means you will get better selfies in low light situation. Further, the Honor 7A features a slightly bigger 5.7-inch HD+ display compared to Nokia 3.1 that has a 5.2-inch HD+ display. In addition, the bezels on the Honor handset are narrower than what we saw on the new affordable Nokia handset. Another point in favour of the Honor 7A is the presence of a fingerprint scanner.
The Honor 7A features an 8MP front facing camera with soft LED flash support
Coming to the price, a prime factor for this comparison, the Nokia 3.1, as we mentioned, tags a global price of Euro 139 (Rs 10,900) for the 2GB RAM/16GB storage model. If the company brings the handset here at a similar price, Oppo and Honor handsets might be a better choice. The Oppo Realme 1 comes for a cost of Rs 8,990 for the 3GB RAM/32GB storage version. The Honor 7A meanwhile comes for a price of Rs 9,999 for the 3GB RAM/32GB storage model.
Given that Nokia 3.1 is a part of Google’s Android One program, it will provide clean and clutter-free UI offering a better experience on the software front compared to the Oppo Realme 1 and Honor 7A. Both the Honor and Oppo devices run Android Oreo with respective proprietary skin layered on top. But for those who prefer modern design, durable battery life, better imaging sensor and good processing power, Oppo Realme 1 will check those boxes. Meanwhile, those opting for a simplistic design, decent camera, compact form factor and custom interface with additional features, Honor 7A will cover the requirements. Nokia has its work cut out.