Nokia 6 silver review. ⇡ Specifications

Fans of the Finnish brand Nokia for a long time waiting for the return of the beloved electronics manufacturer to the market. This became possible only after HMD Global got down to business. Several models entered the market at once. Among them, a confident middle peasant with excellent technical characteristics, a proprietary design and an affordable price, the Nokia 6 smartphone took a special place. A review of the novelty will help you understand what advantages and disadvantages are hidden under its stylish body.

If you believe the expression “choose by clothes”, then Nokia 6 has every chance of becoming a very popular and sought-after device. The matte all-metal body is pleasing to the eye and very pleasant to the touch. If from the front side it is difficult to immediately determine whether a smartphone belongs to the legendary brand, then it becomes recognizable by the design of the back cover. Due to the special arrangement of the camera and flash, a vertical module that protrudes slightly above the common surface.

The logo is printed on the front of the smartphone. The fact that the inscription is displaced looks fresh and original. The disadvantage of the front side can only be called a fairly wide frame around the display. But the touch button, beautiful in shape and appearance, smooths out the impression of bulkiness.

Design and ergonomics

Nokia 6 has no complaints about the design and layout of the buttons. Under the display is the home button, it is a fingerprint scanner, and two sub-screen buttons. They are also sensory. In the off state, the buttons do not stand out in any way, in the on state they are softly highlighted.

The bottom end is standard, it has a speaker and a MicroUSB input. The audio jack is located on top. On the right is the power button. Slightly above the so-called "rocker" - the volume button. It is poorly palpable in the blind, moreover, it has a rather tight course. On the left is a slot that can accommodate two nano SIM cards, or one memory card and one nano SIM. Reviews of Nokia 6 say that the ergonomics of the device leaves much to be desired. One-hand operation is difficult, volume control also causes some inconvenience. But for standard everyday use, the device meets all the requirements.

Display

First the general specs:

• diagonal size 5.5”;
• resolution indicator 1920 x 1080;
• dot density index 401 ppi;
• IPS LCD matrix.

In general, the quality of the display leaves a positive impression. But it is impossible not to note one strange phenomenon - when turned off at an angle, the screen gives off some unpleasant purple color.

If we talk about the image, then there is a slight shift to the blue-green range. This is easily eliminated if you correct the color reproduction through the settings by adding yellow by the required percentage. If you set the brightness to maximum, then in dim lighting or artificial light it starts to hurt your eyes. Outdoors in bright sunlight, this makes it possible to clearly see all the details on the display. This is provided by the color depth of 24 bits. The screen is capable of transmitting more than 16 million colors.

The touch screen is very sensitive. capacitive type. Such a display is characterized by excellent indicators of durability. The working resource under standard operating conditions can be calculated in decades. The screen is protected by Gorila Glass 3 glass. The display has a 2.5D curve.

The screen of Nokia 6 is equipped with rotation sensors, which makes it easy to view photos or watch videos. The proximity sensor is also a very useful feature. During a conversation, when a person brings the device to their ear, the display turns off. This not only saves battery power, but also prevents accidental impact on the sensor.

Equipment

Nokia 6 review shows that the manufacturer presents its product very solidly. A beautiful box makes an impression and inspires confidence that it contains a really worthy thing. Opening the package, you do not feel disappointed. All components are packed in bags:

• microUSB cable;
• charger 5V, 2A;
• wired headphones;
• a clip for getting a SIM card;
• instructions and documentation.

The language of the instructions depends on the place of purchase, otherwise the package can be called standard.

Specifications Nokia 6

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 chip (MSM8937), number of cores 8 Cortex-A53, frequency 1.1 GHz (20 nm, 64-bit);
• graphics chip Adreno 505
• RAM four hectares, LPDD3 (upon completion of the reboot, approximately 2300 MB are free)
• 64 GB information storage (52 GB out of the box)
• possibility of using micro card SD up to 256 GB
• 5.5" IPS LCD, 1920x1080, no air gap
• front camera 8 MP (f / 2.0 aperture, one pixel 1.12 microns, video recording 1080p / three dozen frames per second)
• 16 MP main camera (f/2.0, 1.0µm single pixel, dual tone LED flash, 1080p/30fps video recording, HDR)
• rechargeable battery 3 thousand mAh (no quick charge, 5V / 2A)
• pre-installed Android 7.0
• own shell
• Dolby Atmos support, TFA9891 amplifier
• sensor elements: accelerometer, light and distance controller, gyroscope, electronic type compass, fingerprint scanner
• connectors: Micro USB (OTG works), audio output under 3.5 mm
• dimensions: 154 by 75.8 by 7.9 mm
• weight 169 grams

Wireless type technologies:

• 2G, 3G, 4G LTE FDD Cat. 4 (Band 1, 3, 5), TDD-LTE (Band 38, 39, 40, 41)
• support for multiple SIM cards (Micro type)
• WiFi (802.11 a / b / g / n, 2.4 GHz), NFC, Bluetooth 4th version, FM radio
• navigation elements: GPS, A-GPS, Glonass.

Performance

Performance was called not the biggest advantage since the release of the device. In this regard, Nokia 6 competitors have left it behind (if we talk about smartphones in the same price category). Do not hope that the gadget can be used as a game. But if you need a reliable device for everyday tasks, then Nokia 6 is it. The softness of the shell is provided by an eight-core processor. Applications open quickly. You can still play on a smartphone, but without choosing games at a high level of graphics.

Users note high performance and ease of working with several tasks at once. Built-in memory has a capacity of 64 GB, but the user has access to only 52 of them. This is quite enough for everyday tasks. If the memory starts to run out, it can always be expanded using microSD. The maximum size of the additional memory card should not exceed 128 GB.

The test results of Nokia 6 showed the following parameters:

• Geekbench 4 (chip testing) - 2,912 points;
• Ice Storm Unlimited by 3DMark (graphics test) - 9,541 points;
• AnTuTu 6 (mixed testing) - 47,279 points.

cameras

The main camera of the Nokia 6 is equipped with a dual photodiode flash. This makes it possible to take fairly high-quality photos with minimal energy use. CMOS camera photomatrix. And although the type of matrix for cameras of mobile devices is not as important as for full-fledged photo and video equipment, this type of matrix is ​​considered optimal for use in smartphones of this price category. The f/2 pattern lets in enough light to produce good quality footage in low light.

Camera settings work in both automatic and manual modes. For example, flash, brightness, illumination can be adjusted independently. Automated processes include the following: autofocus and phase focus improve the clarity of moving objects, the viewfinder and face detector make it possible to build in the most correct composition, and autoexposure will determine the time and shutter speed for the perfect picture. Panoramic and continuous photography features allow you to take many photos of Nokia 6 in a certain period of time. In the first case, a panorama is created from these frames, in the second, a series of shots.

Front - 8 MP CMOS BSI matrix type. The camera is designed for video recording with an image resolution format of Ultra HD, Full HD.

Photo

Smartphone Nokia 6 is equipped with two pretty good cameras 16 and 8 megapixels. Pictures are of high quality in terms of clarity and brightness. You can take pictures both in natural and artificial light, but also in the dark. Shooting gaps are rare, even if the photos are taken in bright sunlight.

As for the brightness contrast, the opinions of users are divided. Some believe that the photos are reliable, that is, natural natural colors and shades are transmitted in daylight. Others claim that the pictures are dull and blurry, but this already depends more on the quality of the image processing by the program than on the characteristics of the cameras themselves.

But it is definitely worth noting the good detail, which is lost when the lighting mode deteriorates. But the picture remains quite clear, the photo does not turn into continuous noise.

Video

You should not expect super quality videos from the cameras of a smartphone in the middle price segment. Support for major formats allows you to view videos using different devices. When shooting movies, settings can be used to help improve the quality.

Sound and music playback quality

The Nokia 6's sound quality characteristics have enabled this model to outperform competitors even in the higher price category. The total power of the speakers operating in stereo mode is 8 db. Complemented by the TFA-9891 amplifier, the speakers produce excellent sound. Even low frequencies are heard. For listening to music and watching movies, the sound support of the smartphone is perfect.

The hardware sounds of the gadget can be set at a fairly high volume. User experiments have shown that even in a very smart environment, the volume allows you to hear the sound of a call without any problems.

The smartphone supports the following audio formats: AMR, AMR-NB, FLAC, MIDI, MP3 (MPEG-1/2/2.5 Layer 3, .mp3), OGG, WMA, WAV.

The device allows you to make recordings with a voice recorder and leave voice notes.

Communication options

The set of communication capabilities of Nokia 6 can be safely called solid. The hybrid card slot has already been discussed above. In addition, the manufacturer offers the following features:

• bluetooth 4.1LE;
• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS;
• Wi-Fi Dual Band with Wi-Fi Direct;
• FM radio;
• USB On-The-Go;
• accelerometer
• compass.

The manufacturer claims the presence of NFC, short-range communication capabilities. But as practice shows, not all devices are equipped with this addition.

There may be problems with the phone in other countries. Reviews suggest that for those who often travel abroad, it is worth considering buying another smartphone. The Nokia 6 is trying to pick up a network like AT&T's LTE, but its connectivity doesn't allow it to hold on.

operating system

The Nokia 6 is the first smartphone from the Finnish brand to run on the Android operating system. The manufacturer chose version 7.0 to return to the light. The OS is not overloaded with software, the choice of add-ons is left to the user himself. To help the user added one application Support. It was created for direct communication with the support service.

Everything else is standard. The interface is convenient, beautiful, carefully thought out. Android manufacturers, Google, are generally famous for their desire to create colorful pictures. In this whole OS, their worries about interface design have calmed down a bit, so the product turned out to be harmonious and concise.

The desktop and application menu are familiar to all smartphone users on this OS. The lock screen has been slightly improved in this version. Now you can choose a separate theme for it, not the same as on the desktop. The quality of the animation has improved, and now the notification bar does not have to be opened from the top line of the screen, but it is enough to swipe it from top to bottom anywhere. Nokia 6 has a fingerprint scanner built into the home button. Some users claim that it is narrow, but it seems that these are just nitpicks. There is an alternative unlocking method that the device offers to use after 5 unsuccessful attempts to scan the fingerprint.

The smartphone copes well with multiple tasks at the same time, which is provided by its RAM, and work in multi-window mode also does not cause inconvenience. The settings menu is intuitive even for those who have never encountered Android and for whom Nokia 6 was the first smartphone.

autonomy

The battery capacity of this model is 11.4 Wh or 3000 mAh. Although looking at a rather massive body, I would like to expect more. The autonomous operation of the device will not cause any special feelings in the user. With standard workload, it steadfastly withstands the whole day, so Nokia 6 will not get rid of the habit of putting the device on charge in the evening.

In terms of energy saving, Nokia 6 can be called an interesting device. It adjusts the screen layout not depending on what kind of lighting, but on what picture is currently on the screen. This function cannot be changed. Perhaps the manufacturers, therefore, wanted to save some energy, thereby extending the smartphone session. And they did it, with Wi-Fi turned on and auto-update, watching HD video lasts 13 hours, but the picture is rather dim, which, in general, does not interfere with the full viewing of the movie.

Charging is done via a microUSB port. From the native device and the cord, the battery is completely filled with a charge in 2.5 hours. Moreover, this process is uniform, you should not expect that the battery will be half charged in 20 minutes. From a non-native charger, the process slows down significantly.

Smartphone pros and cons

Summing up, we can highlight both the advantages of this smartphone and its disadvantages. Let's start with the pleasant. The logo of the legendary brand on the case is a virtue in itself. Nokia is a guarantee of quality, which is reflected in this device.

Whether design and ergonomics is a moot point. But the build quality appearance and manufacturing materials - this is what the Finnish brand has always been famous for.

The camera can be safely attributed to the positive characteristics. Good picture and video quality. Additional features expand the possibilities and automate the process. For professional shooting, the quality, of course, is far, but for everyday use, selfies are more than enough.

The advantages of Nokia 6 include the operating system. The manufacturer deliberately did not overload it, so there is enough space for all user programs. In addition, the OS is constantly updated, which is good news.

The sound can also be safely counted among the advantages. Clean, deep, good quality headset makes it possible to hear every note. Frequencies do not fail, do not go up or down.

Speaking of shortcomings, we can single out only poor performance. After analyzing several Nokia 6 reviews, we can conclude that there is no unequivocal opinion about the pros and cons of this model. There are only subjective criteria for evaluating authors who do not like either the design, or the scanner is too narrow, or the frames are too wide.

Comparison with competitors

If we compare, Nokia 6 cannot be called a leader in its price segment. Many companies have released worthy devices that have given odds to the product of the famous brand. Xiomi have raised the bar with their budget models, so now many smartphones are compared with these Chinese. In this aspect, Nokia loses to them in many ways, but not in everything. The Finn's camera and body are definitely better, as is the amount of built-in memory.

Conclusions and feedback

The Nokia 6 turned out to be quite good in general. Nokia managed to maintain its corporate identity both in design and in the filling of the smartphone. But the fact is that this price segment is crowded, and the brand will stand out in a number of similar devices with only a name. He did not surprise with anything, he did not defeat competitors, he did not conquer users. But hopefully this was just the beginning. That in its first device from a series of smartphones on Android, the company did not want to hand over all the trump cards. Most likely, they saved a couple of three pleasant surprises for their flagships, and this device is just probing the market. Although fans of the brand, he was warmly received.

Specifications

• Android 7.1.1 (version 7.1.2 available)
• Display 5.5 inches, IPS, 1920x1080 pixels, 403 ppi, brightness up to 450 nits, Corning Gorilla Glass
• Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, 8-core, Adreno 505 GPU
• 3 GB of RAM, 32 or 64 GB of internal memory, microSD cards up to 128 GB
• Battery Li-Ion 3000 mAh
• nanoSIM (in Russia version for two SIM cards)
• Front camera 8 megapixels, f/2, 84 degrees
• Main camera 16 megapixels, phase detection autofocus, dual tone flash, f/2
• LTE cat.4 band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40
• Dolby Atmos
• microUSB (USB 2.0), USB OTG, NFC, Bluetooth 4.1
• Android Pay
• WiFi 802.11b/g/n
• Accelerometer, light sensor, electronic compass, hall sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor
• Fingerprint sensor on the front
• Case colors - black, silver, indigo, copper
• Dimensions - 154x75.8x7.85 mm (thickness 8.4 mm in the camera area), weight - 169 grams

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone
• Charger
• USB cable
• Wired stereo headset
• Instruction
• "Clip" for the SIM tray

Positioning

The line from Nokia is small, arranged simply and logically. The lower the number, the cheaper the device. The higher, the more expensive and more interesting the filling. Some models can be conditionally called paired, such are Nokia 5 and 6, as they are close in cost. But if the first is a model with a 5.2-inch display, then the second offers a larger screen - 5.5 inches.

For Chinese manufacturers, which HMD Global is, despite all the attempts to use a brand leased for 10 years and pretend to be a purebred Finn, the segment of devices with a diagonal of 5.5 inches is one of the most important. Here you can see a number of popular models, for example, from Xiaomi, Meizu, Huawei under the Honor brand. These are devices that offer an excellent price / quality ratio and, due to this, outperform A-brands, for example, Samsung.

HMD Global positioning is somewhat confused in relation to the market. In the eyes of the manufacturer, the Nokia brand is already enough reason for a person to pay more for the device, the premium, depending on the model, ranges from 15 to 25%, this is an extra charge for the brand's popularity in the past. That is, the company does not start from those characteristics that are accepted in the segment, which are offered by competitors. HMD Global is playing the old game of trying to look flashy and save on parts in order to achieve a high profit margin for themselves. For a newcomer to the market, this strategy is understandable, but for the consumer, this means buying at full price devices with characteristics that are far from optimal. For example, in Nokia 6, the manufacturer saved on the chipset and installed the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, which can safely be called between the budget and mid-range segments. For example, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X has Snapdragon 625, which is a cut above, it has better performance, less load on the battery.

In Russia, sales of Nokia 6 have not become a noticeable phenomenon in its segment, this device is in moderate demand, this is a "difficult" position, it is difficult to sell it. Too many competitors, too few advantages in terms of filling, but an interesting design.

Design, dimensions, controls

For Nokia 6, HMD Global used a design that was popular a few years ago: a metal frame where the side edges are straight, with notches on the edges to see the texture of the metal. There are several color options, but the variant with a glossy body is only available for the 4/64 GB model, which is called Arte Black. The device is not officially delivered to Russia, it is turned back to you in the picture.

All other color options are very similar: a dark matte body, bright metal marks on the side edge, a black screen with 2.5D glass. It is up to you to decide which color to choose, but in real life the difference is almost invisible, we are talking about shades rather than bright, noticeable colors. Apparently, they tried to make the model universal.

The rear panel of the device is made of metal, antenna inserts are visible. As for me, the device turned out to be heavy, although the weight is only 169 grams, which is typical for such models. The feeling of heaviness arises from the fact that the body is rectangular, wide, cuts into the hand. We did not think much about the ergonomics of the device, for example, the fingerprint sensor was shifted to the lower edge of the case, you have to reach for it with your thumb. On the move, this is fraught with the fact that you can drop the device, balancing the case is simply inconvenient. Therefore, you should carefully press the sensor and hold the smartphone firmly. And it is important to say that I have big hands, but what about the owners of not such hands? The answer is obvious - be careful with the device.

The dimensions of the smartphone are 154x75.8x7.85 mm, there is also a protruding rim of the camera (8.4 mm), it does not interfere at all, it does not hurt in your pocket for anything, even when you take out the device. But the width plus the shape of the body make the smartphone not very comfortable. Perhaps, for me, this is one of the biggest complaints about the model.

On the left side there is a slot for nanoSIM cards, it is combined (you can install a microSD card instead of the second card). On the right side is a paired volume rocker, as well as an on/off button. On the top end there is a 3.5 mm jack, on the bottom end there is a microphone, a speaker, and a microUSB connector. Why did HMD decide not to put USB Type C in a fairly recent model? Saving on matches, we thought that such a connector would be quite appropriate in 2017. They are not alone in this, so it is not worth scolding the Chinese for this.

The LED indicator was removed from the device. Surprisingly, it is present in the model for the Chinese market. What is the deep meaning of such a change in the apparatus, I do not understand. Many people love such indicators, especially since in this device it would be appropriate in the absence of screen modes when you can see missed notifications.

There is no water protection in the smartphone, which is also typical for Chinese manufacturers and does not raise any questions. The touch keys on either side of the fingerprint sensor are backlit and cannot be reassigned.

The device is well assembled, there are no complaints about it, but when it was created, no one thought about conducting any tests on how it would work in real life. For example, NFC was placed behind a metal plate, which led to the fact that with Nokia 6 you have to dance with a tambourine to pay for something using Android Pay - freeze with the device at the terminal, touch it closely, which is inconvenient and annoying. This is a miscalculation of the Chinese who designed the device, they have little experience with NFC, and therefore such “childish” errors come out.

Display

The screen specifications are as follows: 5.5 inches, IPS, 1920x1080 pixels, 403 ppi, brightness up to 450 nits, Corning Gorilla Glass. In automatic mode, for some reason, the device was not added the ability to independently raise the brightness on the street, for this you need to get into the menu and turn on the appropriate setting (it was added to the firmware obviously later, since the menu item was not even translated).

But if we talk about the properties of the screen, then it is not outstanding, on the street it is a bit blind even in the not very bright sun (as well as in Nokia 5). Indoors, the brightness is sufficient, but the colors are not too expressive and lively. The usual screen for everyday use, without pretensions to something like that. There are no additional screen settings for yourself and your ideas about beauty - everything is very ascetic.

Battery

Built-in 3000 mAh Li-Ion battery. Unfortunately, HMD Global does not even indicate approximate operating modes and the expected time in each of them with a fully charged battery. Therefore, we can focus only on the results that we have received in practice. So, at maximum brightness, playing unconverted HD video in MX Player will give about 7 hours of work. For an IPS-matrix, this is a good result, there are no records, but there are no failures either.

When using the device for calls for an hour, browsing the web, chatting in instant messengers and social networks, it lasts for one daylight hours. At the same time, the screen backlight is set to 60%, with automatic backlight adjustment, the operating time did not change much. The total screen time was about 2.5 hours, the amount of transferred data was about 400 MB.

The battery charging time with standard charging (fast is not supported, wireless is also not) is about 3.5-4 hours. I could not find out why there is a difference in charging time, but these half an hour, apparently, are due to the fact that the device can synchronize some data and therefore charges more slowly, as energy is consumed.

Thrifty users who use the device from time to time, do not actively use data transfer, can achieve work in 1.5-2 days, but better results are no longer possible. In standby mode (without a SIM card), with data transfer disabled, the device quickly loses its charge, accidentally drew attention to this. Therefore, it is better to disable it if you do not use it.

In the game mode, the device is quickly discharged, it will last for 3.5-4 hours at most.

There are no special power saving settings, only the one that is standard in Android and can be activated when it reaches 15% charge. In a word, this device is quite advanced in this aspect.

Chipset, memory, memory cards, performance

Typically, Chinese companies offer a choice of built-in memory (both RAM and regular), but HMD Global for Russia presented one version of the device with 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal memory plus 128 GB memory cards. For the average consumer, this is enough for the eyes.

Snapdragon 430 chipset, it has 8 cores and fairly tolerable performance, as can be seen in synthetic tests. I would like to see updated 400-series chipsets in this device, but it was designed a long time ago, hence the choice of this solution. In synthetic tests, you can see the following results:

As for me, this device is not the fastest in its class, including in the interface, despite the fact that there are no shells here. Odnoklassniki from Huawei, Meizu, Xiaomi are faster, although this is not critical, but the difference is still present.

Communication options

A budget solution, and that says it all, there is no USB Type C (it's a little more expensive), a regular microUSB, but it's good that they left OTG. There is no second band for Wi-Fi, which immediately makes you hostage to good internet and absent neighbors transmitting a lot of data on their Wi-Fi networks.

NFC is supported, including for Android Pay. It does not work well, since the case shields the chip, I wrote about this above.

The device supports LTE Cat.4 and the following bands: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40. The implementation of frequency support is very frivolous, there is no aggregation, which is understandable, but there is also no reliable operation at the declared frequencies in other countries. For example, my Nokia 5 in the USA refused to work in the AT&T LTE network (although it regularly received SMS messages on reboot, that is, it clung to the network and then fell off). For those who travel to other countries, this can be a serious pitfall, as it is impossible to check the device’s performance in other countries in advance.

cameras

The front camera is 8-megapixel and does not offer any special image quality, there is autofocus. For a device of this price, this is to be expected.

The interface of the main camera is simple, but there are additional and interesting settings hidden here. For example, you can activate the "Retouch" mode (in fact, blurring the skin is the main application of this mode). You can turn on the electronic compass, then it will be displayed on the screen during shooting. There is also a lighting detection mode, when the exposure is worked out automatically, it works plus or minus normally. You can set up watermarks, and then they will appear on each of your photos.

The resolution of the main camera is 16 megapixels (f / 2.0), it has a two-section flash and autofocus. The focus time on the subject is negligible, I can’t say that the camera is fast, but it works out the scene in an acceptable time. The HDR mode does not work very well, when the flash is on, it automatically turns off.

In several reviews of this device, it is praised for a very high-quality camera, it did not seem to me as such either in the first or in the second approximation. An ordinary camera for such products, in the sun, produces more or less digestible pictures, at night it takes very bad pictures. However, look at examples of photos and videos, evaluate the quality of the camera yourself.

Software

The model came out on Android 7.1.1, almost all interface elements are similar to what we see in Android 7. I will not describe the standard Android functions, you can read about them in a detailed review.

The localization of the device is well done, but in some places, where new functions have been added, there are leftovers of English terms. For example, you might see an English menu item in the Display section. Such flaws occur, but they do not spoil the impression of the device, it is clear what this or that item means.

Built-in FM-radio is usual, there is nothing special here.

The multimedia capabilities of the device are modest, the headphones from the kit are of disgusting quality. It's a shame to put this in a box, it spoils the impression - it's better without headphones than with such China.

There is support for Dolby Atmos, you can enable it in the Play Music settings.

There is no additional software as such, it is pure Android (moreover, Google actively supports Foxconn in this, and many updates arrive here first). All security updates arrive on time and fairly quickly. Pure Android is not convenient in everything and not for everyone, but there is a small layer of those who consider it a plus.

Impression

There are no complaints about the quality of communication, the call is quite loud, vibro can be skipped. There are no problems with working in 4G in Moscow and Russia, but in other countries the device does not see all LTE frequencies, although they are present in it (exactly the same trouble in Nokia 5). In 4G it works, albeit slowly.

The voice quality has nothing to do with the previous Nokia, although Nokia 8 tried to restore it and installed several microphones and an advanced noise reduction system, but here it simply doesn’t exist (the second microphone only works when recording video).

The price of Nokia 6 is 15,990 rubles (3/32 GB), which makes the device unbalanced, especially against the background of competitors.

Meizu M5 Note can serve as a direct competitor for Nokia 6, it also has a metal case, a fingerprint sensor on the front panel, a similar screen, but the processor is from MediaTek, which is rather an advantage here, since it is higher class. 4000 mAh battery, fast charging, cameras are comparable.

At a price of 14,990 rubles, it is also cheaper, which makes the device more interesting in the eyes of a potential buyer.

Quite interesting due to the dual camera Honor 6X, the model came out a long time ago, but is in demand, and the price is in the range of 12-15 thousand rubles, which is also cheaper than the offer from Nokia. It is possible that in terms of aesthetics this device is inferior to Nokia 6, but it is noticeably more comfortable in the hands, and other characteristics are better.

I will not talk about Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X, this is an outgoing model, but it is also in high demand. And among those listed, I mentioned only noticeable devices, this is the tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of real competitors of Nokia 6, and against their background, the device from HMD does not look the best - it is expensive, has no distinctive features in the filling, somewhat boring. Slow camera, lack of fast charging, not to mention wireless, and many other "little things" make us think that the real price of the device is overpriced by at least 20%.

The Nokia 6 is the return to the market of the once main manufacturer of mobile devices in the world. The company lost its leading position with the beginning of the smartphone era, initially abandoning the use of the Android OS in favor of its own Symbian operating system, and later, after moving under the wing of Windows, failed with the Windows Mobile platform.

Now Nokia is owned by the HMD Global brand, founded by former employees of the Finnish company, who see China as their main target market. That is why Nokia 6, designed to resurrect the cult brand, is still sold exclusively in China. But the manufacturer is already promising a European version, similar to the one that came to our review. Let's figure out how successful the new product turned out to be and whether it can compete with popular smartphones in its price segment and what else can please us.

Price and main characteristics

Nokia 6 went on sale at the official price of $255, however, due to the increased hype, all Internet sites (Aliexpress, JD.com) raised the price to $300-330, which will drop no earlier than the first month or two of delivery of the device.

Features Nokia 6

• display: 5.5”, IPS LCD Full HD 1920*1080 px;
• processor: Snapdragon 430 (1.4 GHz) + Adreno 505 video accelerator;
• RAM: 4 GB;
• internal memory: 64 GB + micro SD memory cards up to 128 GB;
• camera: main - 16 MP, front - 8 MP;
• communication: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, LTE;
• battery: 3000 mAh.

At first glance at the characteristics of the gadget, the question involuntarily arises, why pay $ 250 for it? Indeed, smartphones from Xiaomi, ZTE, Le Eco and Meizu with similar technical characteristics are much cheaper, around 150 bucks. However, let's not jump to conclusions.

Equipment and appearance

Nokia 6 comes in a fairly large cardboard box, on the front of which there is an image of closed hands and the Nokia logo. The box is strong, the cardboard is thick - you should not be afraid of damage to the package upon delivery from China.

Smartphone comes with:

• Micro-USB cable;
• charging adapter (5V, 2A);
• wired headset;
• clip;
• documentation.

The device is presented well, it is really pleasant to open the package and the many bags in which each of the accessories is located.

The design of Nokia 6 is a strength of the smartphone, the gadget is made really cool. It is made in a black all-metal case with almost invisible plastic inserts for antennas. The metal surface is matte, has a tactilely pleasant rough finish, does not slip in the hand and does not collect fingerprints.

The camera block protrudes somewhat beyond the surface of the housing cover, which causes concern for the safety of the optics. Nokia does not say what kind of glass the camera module is covered with, if it is not sapphire crystal, one should expect scratches on the camera during operation.

The glass on the front side of the case is made using 2.5D technology; it is a tempered impact-resistant material Corning Gorilla Glass 3, resistant to scratches and mechanical stress. There are touch navigation buttons under the screen, there is a backlight, but their layout is somewhat non-standard: return - on the left, on the right - calling running applications. The central Home button is combined with a fingerprint scanner, it works stably, but does not beat performance records.

Above the display is the company logo, front camera, earpiece and notification light.

The side frame is aluminum, it protrudes slightly beyond the main surfaces, which does not impair the ergonomics of the smartphone. The location of functional elements on the side frame of the smartphone is standard: on the left is a hybrid slot for 2 Nano and Micro-SIM cards or one SIM card and Micro-SD (up to 128 GB).

On the right is a mechanical volume rocker and a screen lock key. Button travel is smooth with good feedback.

Below is a Micro-USB 2.0 port, a hole in the main speaker and a second microphone for noise reduction.

Top - 3.5 mm headphone jack.

In general, the assembly of Nokia 6 can be called excellent. When a smartphone is in hand, you feel that you are holding a flagship device, and not just another mid-range gadget that looks like thousands of the same devices.

Screen

Nokia 6 is equipped with a 5.5-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1920*1080 pixels and a pixel density of 403 ppi. The display is made using inCell technology, there is no air gap. In all respects, the screen is good, it has the correct color reproduction, high contrast and sufficient brightness for comfortable use of the smartphone in the sun. Automatic brightness control also works well.

The display is covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 3, on which not a single scratch appeared during several days of testing. The oleophobic coating is good, the screen collects prints in a small amount and wipes off them without problems.

Performance

The greatest indignation of the public after the presentation of the novelty caused precisely the performance of Nokia 6, which is seriously inferior to competitive solutions in its price segment. Of course, the smartphone does not claim to be a gaming smartphone, but for people who are indifferent to gaming, its power is enough.

So, the 8-core Snapdragon 430 (1.4 GHz, 64 Bit) ensures fast and smooth operation of the interface, Internet scrolling and the operation of any applications, and you can play all toys on your smartphone, even the most demanding ones, but not at maximum graphics settings .

Now to the pluses. Memory - RAM here is as much as 4 GB, which allows the smartphone not to experience problems with speed and keeping running applications in the cache, 64 GB of internal memory (52 GB available out of the box), it is possible to expand the storage with cards up to 128 GB. Features are intelligent and balanced for comfortable everyday use of the phone.

Camera

We liked the Nokia 6 camera. The main 16 MP module with an aperture of f/2.0 and a pixel size of 1 μm produces images with excellent detail and sharpness, the dynamic range of the matrix is ​​​​wide - overexposure is extremely rare even in bright sunlight. The only complaint about the color reproduction, sometimes the picture is too faded and low contrast, but these are already software problems and, most likely, they will be resolved with the release of a firmware update.

The quality sags only when shooting in poor lighting, there is a lack of optical stabilization and not the highest aperture ratio of the optics, but the image does not turn into noisy soap and the quality remains quite acceptable.

The camera can record video in FHD 60fps format, digital stabilization works very well here, and autofocus when recording video can be called one of the fastest on the market. In general, in terms of photo capabilities, Nokia 6 does not disappoint and gets a well-deserved 4+.

speaker, sound quality

The device is equipped with high-quality stereo speakers with a total power of 8 db, for the volume of which the paired TFA-9891 sound amplifiers are responsible. The sound of the smartphone is really cool - there is no metallic color of the sound, there are tangible low frequencies. It is pleasant to listen to music, watch movies from the phone, and thanks to the large volume reserve, incoming signals and notifications can be heard even in noisy places.

The sound in the Nokia 6 headphones is not bad, but not outstanding. The audio path of the Snapdragon 430 processor produces clear sound with adequate frequency range, which allows you to achieve good results when using high-quality headphones. And thanks to the presence of a dedicated amplifier, the smartphone is able to pump any equipment - from in-ear headphones to professional closed-type headphones.

Battery

The Nokia 6 has a 3000 mAh non-removable battery. At first glance, this is a very modest indicator, but in practice, the smartphone confidently lives a working day. It affects not the most powerful hardware and adequate screen resolution. The smartphone supports Quick Charge 3.0 technology, fast charging from zero to maximum takes no more than 60 minutes. Charging using a standard adapter takes 100-110 minutes.

Communication and Internet

The Chinese version of Nokia 6 supports most common GSM, WCDMA and CDMA bands. The smartphone works without problems with all domestic operators, confidently catches a communication signal, 3G and LTE Internet. As for wireless interfaces, everything is standard - Wi-Fi at 2.4 5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS and Baidu navigation.

What is not happy is the use of the outdated USB 2.0 instead of USB Type-C. To connect external drives and peripherals to your smartphone, you will have to additionally use an OTG adapter.

Video review of Nokia 6

Competitors, conclusion

Nokia 6 is a good smartphone, but it would be even better if it cost $150-200. We can state a fact - the price of the gadget is clearly too high, however, as we can see, this does not prevent it from being successfully sold. According to the manufacturer, the first batch of 1 million smartphones was sold in one minute.

Many people have been waiting for the return of Nokia and, by and large, got what they wanted - a well-made device with an interesting design, a cool camera and performance that can fully satisfy the needs of an ordinary user.

Add to this the strength and reliability of the gadget (the description of the above video is redundant - Nokia 6 is going through something after which not every rugged phone will work), the presence of fresh Android 7.0, as well as a potentially large community of owners, in which a lot of custom firmware will appear. As a result, we have a cool device, the only serious drawback of which is the price.

If the article was useful to you, do not forget to bookmark (Cntr + D) so as not to lose it and subscribe to our channel!

Fast processor. juicy screen

Minuses

Bad video camera (when recording at concerts, the sound is recorded with a terrible wheeze). Regular photos. Gets hot when using simple gaming applications. Stopped charging after a year (after warranty expired)

Review

This unit was waiting and bought it as soon as it went on sale (08/01/17). Before him, I only had Nokia, and I was happy to receive the news that Nokia is releasing new smartphones. Therefore, I compare Nokia 6 with Nokia n8, which served me faithfully for many years and was literally washed with jeans in the washing machine. When buying, I can’t say that the phone pleased me, unlike the previous n 73 and n8, I ended up with an ordinary smartphone in my hands. The Internet is fast, but as fast as all colleagues. The photos are ordinary, I didn’t hear any “wah” from myself. The operating time from charging to charging was up to 1.5 days no more, and with games it could not be enough until the end of the day. The first complete disappointment in the model appeared in February, when I tried to record what I saw at a concert. The video turned out to be mildly so-so, but my panoramic shots of the scene were grainy, and compared to the n8, it's a shame. The sound on the video was constantly wheezing, so I guessed about the song that was recorded. In July, at the concert, the situation worsened even more, the sound quality became even worse. After the end of the warranty, the phone stopped charging and is now a brick. I am not an active user of phones and usually buy them for a long time. But after the last experience, I was completely disappointed in Nokia and do not recommend the products of this brand. I tried to write to support, but two days later no one answered. So technical support is the same as the product.

It is quite difficult to find a person who has never had a phone or smartphone from the Finnish company Nokia. Moreover, there were times when it was difficult to imagine that Nokia would be in the role of catching up, and not the leader in this market. Now the brand is owned by HMD Global, which is gradually bringing it back to life, re-issuing even such legendary models as (even if it doesn’t look like the original at all). New devices starting from mid-summer in Ukrainian stores. We have already visited models and , and this time it's the turn for Nokia 6.

Equipment and first impressions

Like the younger models, Nokia 6 will leave the store in a small box with a large image of the smartphone. Inside with it there is a charging block, a cable, a headset, a paper clip to remove the SIM card tray and a couple of pieces of paper. Pretty standard, no frills.

Right out of the box, the user will have Android 7.1.1 with a fresh security update. Not every smartphone can boast of this, especially in the segment of inexpensive devices. True, at first glance you can’t say that the gadget has such a price tag, because it looks good and works quite quickly, which makes it seem that the gadget is more expensive.

Design and Usability

All the latest Nokia models are similar to each other. But there is still a difference in the details. So, if models 3 and 5 are made with rounded sides, then Nokia 6 has smooth ones with small polished corners. The case is all metal, but there are a couple of well-camouflaged "strips" for antennas like the iPhone. The size of the smartphone does not stand out against the background of 5.5-inch devices with noticeable frames around the screen: 154 × 75.8 × 7.85 mm, in the place with the camera protrusion, the thickness is 8.4 mm, and the weight is 174 grams.

Gadget assembled perfectly. The buttons and the SIM card tray fit perfectly into the monolithic body. Polished edges and a silver frame around the camera glare beautifully, and on the matte body, handprints are almost imperceptible. The smartphone can be issued in five versions: black (like our sample), silver, indigo (blue), copper (orange) and a limited black glossy series. Regardless of the color of the case, the front panel will remain dark. In my opinion, the best available options are black and blue (which can be called classic for Nokia).

All the main controls on the smartphone are quite familiar. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side, while the SIM card and memory card tray (or second carrier card) is on the left. Bottom microUSB, speaker and microphone, and top headset jack. At the back, along with the camera and flash, there is a slot for an additional microphone. On the front panel, under the display, there is a fingerprint scanner recessed in the glass (by the way, it’s quite good), which also works as a Home button, and around it are the Back and multitasking touch buttons. Above the display is traditionally a set of sensors, a camera, a speaker and a company logo, but they are almost invisible.

Despite the fact that the case is large, and the coating of the smartphone is not the most tenacious, it does not slip out of the hands. But it will still take some time to get used to the size. You will have to intercept it a little when you need to reach for the touch buttons. The rest of the Nokia 6 is not much different from other big phones.

Display

Today's guest of our editorial office has a 5.5-inch screen with Full HD resolution. The pixel density is 403 ppi. Naturally, this resolution is entirely sufficient for comfortable use. It's nice that even inexpensive smartphones already have such screens.

An IPS matrix is ​​responsible for the colors. She's a little colder than usual. You can't fix this in the settings. However, the picture is good. There are enough flowers, at an angle they practically do not change. Combined with pretty high resolution, the display showed itself perfectly in daily use. The only thing missing is the "evening" mode, which would make the display a little warmer, the eyes get tired of the cold picture.

With the declared maximum brightness at 450 nits, in fact this figure is higher than 500. Of course, there is still quite a lot of glare in the sun, but nevertheless, it is possible to make out what is happening on the display. And auto-brightness doesn't go to extremes, which is still a rarity for inexpensive devices. To the operation of the sensor, too, do not find fault. And all this will be complemented by Gorilla Glass with a 2.5D effect and a sane oleophobic coating.

Sound

There is only one main speaker, but when it is needed, the conversational one turns on and when watching a video, you can get a bit of a stereo effect. The lower speaker itself is quite loud and practically does not repeat. As for such a smartphone, the sound is good. With it, even music videos are quite pleasant to watch. The bundled headset does not sound very good, because the “earbuds” rarely have a sane sound, but if the user has suitable headphones, the smartphone will cope with them.

The speaker is hard to hear when it complements the main one, but it fulfills its main purpose without any problems. The same can be said about the microphone and noise reduction system.

Performance and Software

Hardly anyone expects inexpensive smartphone flagship metrics. Nevertheless, the manufacturer managed to achieve some success here. Our sample has an eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 with an Adreno 505 video core. The amount of RAM is 3 GB (4 GB for the glossy version), and the storage capacity was enough for 32 GB (which can be increased up to 128 GB with a memory card). The smartphone supports all the necessary communication options, including support for LTE and NFC (which is not often found in all-metal smartphones).

In the results of synthetic tests, a miracle did not happen, as well as in demanding games, where there is a lack of frames and frequent delays. But everything else works pretty quickly and nicely. We can immediately conclude that the gadget is not intended for fans of games and fans of the most powerful hardware. And all other users who do not set such tasks for a smartphone should be satisfied with the speed of the smartphone.

What the company is really proud of is fresh Android version with the latest security patches. What's more, Android O developer is pretty fast too. The current version 7.1.1 works quite well, but sometimes there are "surprises" in the form of missing widgets after a restart or a power saving mode that does not turn off. Otherwise, even in multitasking mode, the smartphone copes well. Fans of “pure Android” will enjoy the original appearance of the system without add-ons and third-party applications.

autonomy

The Nokia 6 has a 3000 mAh battery. Given the not very powerful processor, you should not expect an instant discharge. Moreover, even taking into account the short use of the navigator, I could not get less than 5 hours of screen time per day, and the battery reserve was 20-25%. In the PCMark test, the battery lasted 6.5 hours.

It takes two and a half hours to charge from a standard power supply. Alas, there is no talk of fast charging. But given the survivability of the gadget, you won’t have to run from outlet to outlet.

cameras

Oddly enough, but the cameras also have something to praise. In Nokia 6, there were still no paired sensors, and both the front and rear have one camera each: the front one with a resolution of 8 MP, and the main one - 16 MP and supplemented by a dual flash.

Pictures from the main camera can be very decent, but patience is required. It takes a little time to take a photo, especially if you do not turn off the HDR mode (then all the more so for 3-4 seconds you need not move). But as soon as the user gets used to it, the results can be very good, with fairly natural color reproduction and suitable detailing. Unfortunately, you will have to forget about the shots on the go and some dynamic shots.

Video is a little easier. The camera shoots a maximum of Full HD, and by lowering the resolution you can even shoot slow motion video. Focus and exposure settings are quite fast, and colors are close to natural. But there is a strong lack of stabilization, at least software.

The front camera is pretty capable too. The main thing is not to rush and review the result right on the spot. Better yet, take multiple shots at once.

The camera app is simple. This is probably the only application that works slowly and can make you nervous. It takes a long time to launch, and the animations inside the app can sometimes be confusing due to delays. Minimum settings and they are all at your fingertips. Globally, if there were no problems with performance, such minimalism could simply be welcomed. In the meantime, it remains to be hoped that with future updates the camera will work faster, because it can already take good pictures.