Our first reaction to the Nokia 5 was how sleek the design was. Holding a 5-inch screen, it didn’t feel like a big phone. The body was smooth and while it didn’t feel heavy, it wasn’t flimsy either. The display is crisp with a clean, minimalistic user interface. This is one phone that will display every tiny detail in full clarity.
Smooth Performance
Although the processor in the Nokia 5 is an entry-level Snapdragon, you barely feel any lag in performance. The operations were smooth, which made swapping between apps or running a few parallel operations no big deal. Gaming and navigation were equally responsive without any hint of a blip in performance power. Precisely because the device uses an entry-level Snapdragon, the battery can last for a long while. Using up less processing power, the 3000mAh can run comfortably for a couple days with heavy use.
Disappointing camera
One let-down of the phone is its camera. The operation was rather slow and shooting in low light was disappointingly subpar. Although it works well enough in bright conditions, it is a decent camera that gives clear pictures. However, use it in a darker setting or with quick action shots and it fails to impress.
SIM and microSD
Instead of hybrid SIM trays, the Nokia 5 comes with separate trays for dual SIM as well as microSD card. No need to choose between a work number or extra storage!
One way speaker
There’s only one bottom-firing speaker. So, if you accidentally cover it with your hands, it would be rather muffled.
Hey, Google!
The phone comes with Google Assistant pre-installed, making life much more convenient and fun.
Byline: By Satoko Omata
Price: RM799
Dimensions (HxWxD): 149.7 x 72.5 x 8 mm
Weight: 160 grams
Processor: Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430, Octa-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Storage: 16 GB
Operating System: Android 7.1.1 (Nougat)
Display: 5.2-inch IPS LCD
Graphics: Adreno 505
Connectivity: GSM / HSPA / LTE, Bluetooth v4.1
Ports: Micro USB v2.0
Benchmark Score
AnTuTu 3D Benchmark – 45045
PCMark Android Benchmark – 3778
3DMark – Slingshot Extreme – 299
Blurp – Great from start to ‘Finnish’.
RATING – Out of 10 points
Value: 9
Features: 7
Performance: 8
Design: 9
Usability: 7.5
Verdict: Disregarding subpar camera functions, the phone definitely feels more premium than its specs suggest.
Total Score: 8.1
