in

Nokia C2 Tava Review: Affordable phone with a stylish look

Take a closer look at this comprehensive Nokia C2 Tava review. Find out how an affordable phone turns into a little capable device worth considering.

Nokia C2 Tava Review

Nokia C2 Tava was released in 2020 as a low-end phone by Cricket Wireless. The phone is marketed towards casual users who want to have a complete smartphone experience without spending extra money.

While flagship phones have become more advanced, the low-end ones are catching up. These days, cheap smartphones are not that obsolete. Manufacturers gradually implement features that were usually common in high-end phones.

The Nokia C2 Tava is another budget phone from the Finnish manufacturer that falls into this category. Despite being super affordable, the phone itself is almost a complete package.

Are you curious to find out what this phone has in store? Read this in-depth Nokia C2 Tava review to seek the answers and find out if the phone is worth your money.

Key Specs

Nokia C2 Tava specifications:

  • Weight: 180g
  • Dimensions: 151 x 72 x 9.2mm
  • OS: Android 10
  • Screen size: 5.45-inch
  • Resolution: 1440 x 720
  • CPU: 2GHz Quad-core, MediaTek Helio A22
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Storage: 32GB
  • Battery: 3,000 mAh, removable
  • Rear camera: 8MP + 2MP
  • Front camera: 5MP

Design

Nokia C2 Tava
Nokia C2 Tava

In terms of design, there is nothing special about the Nokia C2 Tava. Its overall appearance is ubiquitous and there is nothing out of ordinary.

The front area is made of glass while the frame and back cover are of sturdy plastic. Despite being an affordable phone, this device does not look cheap. The textured back cover feels comfortable to hold and does not look plain.

You can find two camera lenses and an LED flash on the back of the phone. The modules are lined up vertically. A moderate size Nokia logo and a loudspeaker are also located on the back cover.

The phone has bezels which we believe are a bit larger than its competitors. However, it does not stop the phone from giving a pleasant appearance. The earpiece speaker, selfie camera and the Nokia logo give an accent to its front look.

Our only complaint is the bottom bezel that looks empty. The area is such a waste of space. The phone weighs 180 grams when it could be a few grams lighter if they make the bottom bezel thinner.

The left side of the phone houses a Google Assistant button. It is unusual for a low-end phone for having a dedicated key. Meanwhile, the right side of the phone is where the power button and volume rockers are located.

Display

Nokia C2 Tava has a 5.45-inch screen with 1440 x 720 resolution. The phone only has 295 pixels per inch density due to its low resolution.

The display produces accurate colors and they look pleasant to the eye. The screen quality is on par with some mid-range phones. The screen brightness is tolerable and you definitely still can see texts under direct sunlight.

The manufacturer claims the phone is perfect for binge-watching your favorite contents. We are pretty torn about this. While it is not terrible, the low resolution is a downside.

Based on the device information, this phone only has a Widevine L3 license. That means the phone is only able to stream sub-HD videos, 720p and under. You will not be able to stream Netflix, Amazon Prime Videos and other streaming services in Full HD and above resolutions.

Another downside is its 5.45-inch screen, which is quite small for media viewing. Moreover, its 18:9 aspect ratio is not suitable for watching videos. Black bars will appear along the top and bottom of most videos.

Still, the Nokia C2 Tava has a nice display that is perfect for reading digital books or news portals. You can also set the font size according to your liking.

Read also:

Camera

Nokia C2 Tava Camera
Nokia C2 Tava Camera

This phone has two rear-facing cameras and a selfie camera. The rear-facing cameras consist of an 8MP main module with autofocus and a 2MP depth camera lens. The selfie camera has a resolution of 5MP.

Despite being a cheap phone, the Nokia C2 Tava’s cameras actually produce above-average pictures for a phone at this price range. They are not outstanding but the quality is acceptable. The shots are not embarrassing to post on social media.

The colors are accurate and they do not look oversaturated. You can still see blurs and noises at a tolerable level. The autofocus works wonders and the cameras can make quick focus adjustments.

The front-facing camera is not out of this world but still acceptable. You can take your own selfies with decent quality.

Videos recorded on the main cameras are average. The details are precise but they struggle when you make too many movements while recording. Your videos will be shaky as the phone does not have an image stabilizer. The best way to avoid this is to put your phone on a tripod.

The viewfinder is typical stock Android, neat and clean. You will not get lost in unnecessary manual settings. Several quick features are available on the main screen.

Storage

Nokia C2 Tava comes with two variants of storage, which are 16 and 32GB of internal memory. Both variants are common in low-end smartphones. We recommend you getting the 32GB variant as 16GB is too small to store files. You can install more apps, games and store media files with the 32GB variant.

Fortunately, the storage is expandable with a microSD. You can insert a microSD up to 128GB. If you think spending extra money is too much of a hassle, you can always clean your cookies and caches periodically. You can also use online storage services to save your files in the cloud and download them only when you need them.

Performance

This phone employs MediaTek Helio A22 Quad-core as its chipset. The chipset was released in 2018 to compete against another budget processor, Snapdragon 429.

This Nokia C2 Tava review finds the performance a bit underwhelming. It is probably due to its outdated chipset. It is understandable since the phone is very cheap.

The phone can still run essential apps fairly well. However, it struggles a lot to open demanding apps. Some apps such as Google Chrome and Google Maps kept crashing.

The multitasking experience is disappointing. The phone can barely run apps in the background seamlessly. You will either get lags or error messages. It becomes annoying when you are trying to finish your tasks quickly.

Transitions between apps are also disappointing. You will encounter noticeable stutters when trying to open new browser tabs or access new apps. Another downside is the phone sometimes freezes up or even restarts by itself during a call.

Despite those flaws, the Nokia C2 Tava is tolerable for media viewing. You can stream and watch your favorite movies or shows. The sound system is also commendable as the speaker is quite loud. However, you will not be able to listen to full sound if you put your phone on a surface since the speaker is on the back.

The best thing about this phone is it comes with Android 10. Even though Google has already released Android 11, most phones have not received the update. We believe the Nokia C2 Tava will at least get a year to two years of OS update.

With the latest update, your phone will also get the newest features and security patches. Security patches are essential in a smartphone to protect your phone from cybercrime.

This device itself is equipped with advanced security measures. You can protect your phone using face unlock, PIN, pattern and password. Face unlock is a rarity in low-entry phones. The accuracy depends on the lighting and your angle.

We actually prefer a fingerprint scanner more since it is faster and more secure. However, face unlock is probably more convenient for a lot of people.

In terms of sensors, Nokia C2 Tava only has an accelerometer and a proximity sensor. There is no gyroscope sensor so your gaming experience may not live up to its potential. The phone also does not have an NFC reader so you cannot use your phone for contactless payments.

Connectivity

This phone supports 4G LTE connections by Cricket Wireless. You can explore social media and read online news articles using the carrier’s network. The phone is not equipped with 5G but we do not think it matters now. 5G is still not as widespread as 4G.

If you have connection issues, you can connect to a WiFi hotspot in an instant. You can just slide down the notification bar and tap the WiFi icon. The phone is also able to turn into a mobile hotspot.

Bluetooth 4.2 is available on this phone. You can connect to nearby speakers, wireless earphones and smart devices.

Battery

Nokia C2 Tava is powered by a removable 3,000mAh battery. The manufacturer claims that the phone has 2-day battery life. It actually depends on your screen-on time and usage pattern. On paper, 3,000mAh is too small and our unit did not last more than a day.

This phone supports quick charging 10W but not wireless charging. It takes one and a half hours to two hours to fully charge our unit. In order to make your battery last a day, you can limit access for apps running in the background. Turning down the brightness and sound volume also helps save your juice.

Is Nokia C2 Tava a good phone?

You can get this phone for only $39.99. It is quite a deal for a phone from a reputable manufacturer. But is it worth your money? This Nokia C2 Tava review believes that the phone is worth it.

It is not a monstrous phone in terms of performance but other aspects meet our expectations. The camera quality itself is already above phones with similar prices. The design is stylish although the bezels could be a turn-off for some people.

As we said earlier, the performance is a bit disappointing. Lags and stutters are common to the point that they become a nuisance.

Nokia C2 Tava Pros

  • Stylish design
  • Affordable
  • Good cameras
  • 10W charging

Nokia C2 Tava Cons

  • Slow processor
  • Low screen resolution