HMD launched the New Nokia 6 at MWC 2018, with an updated look and faster internals

Now that MWC 2018 is in full swing, I’m convinced Nokia has an announcement problem. With the firm making a big song and dance at the annual tech conference for the second year in a row, HMD Global – the Finnish team behind Nokia – has once again launched a long laundry list of phones.

Chief among them is the Nokia 8 Sirocco flagship and the latest nostalgia phone, the 8110 4G. But never mind those headline-grabbing phones: I’m here for the mid-range New Nokia 6, an affordable phone that’s in danger of falling by the wayside. And I really don’t think it should.

New Nokia 6 review: UK release date and specifications

• 5.5in Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) display
• Octa-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
• 3GB RAM
• 32GB storage (expandable via microSD)
• 16-megapixel rear camera
• €279
• April 2018

New Nokia 6 review: Design, key features and first impressions

I know, it really is called the New Nokia 6. It’s a silly name, but HMD is very keen to distance this phone from last year’s effort, with updated specs and a brand-new design. And yes, the New Nokia 6 is absolutely lovely.

As with many of Nokia’s phones, the New Nokia 6 is crafted from a single block of aluminium and is finished in a two-tone anodised paint, with either a copper or silver trim around the sides and surrounding the rear camera module. It really does look great.

But that’s not surprising really. Nokia is nailing aesthetics, and shifting its focus toward design is really paying off for the long-standing smartphone firm. In design terms, there’s very little in the way of competition and, despite its price, the New Nokia 6 looks even better than some of 2018’s flagships.

The New Nokia 6 also features a 5.5in Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS display. Sadly, this isn’t one of those 18:9 beauties we’ve seen recently, and it may lack the long-tall form factor of the similarly priced Honor 9 Lite, but it looks nice on first impressions.

There’s no dual-camera arrangement on the back, either, with the New Nokia 6 settling for a single Zeiss-branded 16-megapixel camera with an aperture of f/2.0. It does have phase-detect autofocus and dual-LED flash, though, so it’s not entirely bad.

On the front is a 5-megapixel selfie snapper, which comes in handy with Nokia’s reprised “Bothie” feature. We first saw this feature in last year’s handsets, allowing you to capture front and rear footage simultaneously, and even broadcast live to Facebook and YouTube.

While vastly improved on last year, the technical specifications aren’t particularly punchy. The New Nokia 6 is powered by Qualcomm’s 2.2GHz Snapdragon 630 processor, complete with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. For the price, though, it should be just as speedy as the competition.

New Nokia 6 review: Early verdict

Nokia seems to have an announcement problem – and may need to check itself in to smartphone rehab – but that’s clearly not a bad thing. The firm has a phone for every budget and, at just €279, the New Nokia 6 is certainly a welcome addition to the market – even if it’s not quite as headline-grabbing as its siblings.

It’s reasonably priced and it looks great, and performance should be much better than last year’s showing. I have high hopes for the New Nokia 6, even if it is a silly name, but competition is fierce, and it may struggle to find its footing when it launches in April.

Source: expertreviews.co.uk