Want to buy something that’s a bit out of your budget? Make sure you make a confident choice by reading this in-depth Nokia G20 review.
The Nokia G20 smartphone was released in April 2021. Nokia has been making a name for itself by launching modern phones to the public. The Nokia G20, known for its iconic 5,050mAh battery, has attracted newfound attention because of its Nordic-inspired design.
The phone is developed with stylish exteriors and state-of-the-art features. Beneath the exterior, it boasts a processor used for gaming and supportive RAM.
But with its price point, does the device walk the talk? With all these impressive features, the phone sounds way too good to be true.
In this Nokia G20 review, we’re going to dissect the device from top to bottom. Check out this extensive review to see what’s actually in store with the smartphone.
Page Contents:
Key Specs
Nokia G20 specifications:
| Weight | 197g |
| Dimensions | 164.9 x 76 x 9.2mm |
| OS | Android 11 |
| Screen size | 6.5-inch |
| Resolution | 1600 x 720 |
| CPU | 2.3GHz Octa-core, MediaTek Helio G35 |
| RAM | 4GB |
| Storage | 128GB |
| Battery | 5,050mAh, Non-removable |
| Rear camera | 48MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Front camera | 8MP |
Design
The Nokia G20 takes inspiration from minimalist Nordic designs for its simple build. The phone is wrapped in a lightweight casing with impressive durable qualities. Available in two colors, Night and Glacier, the elegant shades represent the beauty of Nordic nature. Sleek and slim, the phone is easy to carry and compact enough for casual usage.
The front side of the device features a display screen that elongates from side to side. Right above, there’s the front camera located in a tiny bezel notch. Below, we see the trademark Nokia logo in its bezel. Design-wise, it’s far from average and gives off a highly modern touch that matches the current market trends.
The back has an interesting twist, especially with how the phone cameras are placed. While the overall back design is simplistic itself, the camera layout gives it a unique touch. All four rear cameras are placed in a circular layout and the top center. This is an uncommon layout, and we’re happy to see the small detail in place.
All in all, it’s a good-looking phone that does not resemble any typical-looking device. Nokia has paid attention to the small details. Whether it’s the choice of color, to the camera placement, the exterior alone is already eye-catching. Additionally, this phone is also waterproof.
Display
The Nokia G20 has a big 6.5-inch screen to give users room to do more activities. The screen accommodates more than just daily Internet browsing or social media scrolling. The screen size alone allows users to perform more complex functions such as editing photos on the go or creating important documents. It’s a fully functional display screen for various activities.
The phone’s 1600 x 720 resolution, along with its 20:9 aspect ratio, make it possible for widescreen viewing. When watching videos, you can zoom in on the clips to ensure that they fit the entirety of the screen. The best part is that quality is not compromised – even though it’s zoomed in, the content isn’t pixelated.
For better readability and viewability, the display screen comes with a brightness boost feature. This helps to adjust the brightness levels to match the environment you’re in. Whether it’s sunny, or cloud, the brightness boost will ensure that the phone’s brightness adapts accordingly.
The display screen has HD+ quality. The color tones are sometimes a little bit off. A certain color on the display screen might not exactly match when we print out the documents. So keep that in terms of color accuracy. We think the display quality can be better.
Camera
The Nokia G20 camera has a 48MP main rear camera to take shots in sharp clarity. With its high megapixels, you can take outstanding photos. What’s even better is that the phone comes packed with studio-quality editing tools. Photography fans can capture and edit photos on the go without having to use complex software.
Besides the 48MP camera, there is also a 5MP Ultrawide, 2MP Macro, and 2MP Depth rear camera for various shooting modes. Let’s not forget the 8MP Front Facing camera, which is just the right amount of megapixels to take impressive selfies.
The Ultrawide is perfect for beautiful widescreen shots of landscapes. Meanwhile, the Macro creates detailed images. Lastly, the Depth mode blurs out the background to get focused portrait images.
Generally speaking, all the cameras take incredible quality shots. However, we noticed that because of the large 48MP quality, there’s not much brightness to the shots. This is because, with larger megapixels, more light is needed to capture the photos.
As a result, some shots don’t look too clean in certain instances. But for a phone at this price point to have four rear cameras, and one front-facing camera of high quality, we’re not complaining much.
Read also:
- Nokia G10 Review: Feature-Rich, Affordable Price
- Kyocera DuraXE Epic Review: Durable with Clear Connectivity
Storage
The Nokia G20 comes with 128GB internal memory storage to keep our documents, videos, pictures, and more. The internal storage is more than enough for daily apps and files. With more apps being developed in bigger sizes, the available internal storage is just the right size. You will be able to keep all your files without having to delete documents to make more room.
However, if 128GB is not enough, you can expand the memory storage with a MicroSD card. The phone allows up to 512GB of expandable memory. However, the MicroSD card does not come included with the device purchase. You’ll need to buy it separately.
Performance
The Nokia G20 is supported by a MediaTek Helio G35 processor to run the system. The CPU is designed as a gaming-focused chip to maximize our mobile gaming experience. This is made possible thanks to the chipset’s upgraded performance optimization. Featuring intelligent resource management to maintain a sustained level of performance, our gaming experience is pretty smooth.
With a CPU speed of 2.3GHz, the Octa-core chipset supports 4G and a smooth internet connection. Thanks to the processor’s trademark MediaTek HyperEngine technology, you will receive faster responses with your connectivity. That way, you can always stay in touch with more reliable connections and minimum lags.
The Nokia G20 runs on 4GB RAM, which is a good sign for the phone. Nowadays, 4GB is a sufficient amount of RAM for normal usage. Whether it’s browsing social media, watching movies, or editing photos, the phone’s RAM can support it all. Multi-tasking between different apps on the device is a smooth experience, with little risk of crashes.
When it comes to gaming, there’s a concern that 4GB RAM isn’t enough. Gaming apps tend to lean on the heavier side and require more RAM power than usual. Thankfully, most Android-based phones automatically adjust their RAM space to fit different applications. So we don’t have to go through the hassle of constantly clearing the cache before we open a heavy app. For gaming, it’s advisable to avoid ultra settings for best performance.
In this Nokia G20 review, it’s important to note the phone’s Android 11 operating system (OS). Android is well known for its multiple updates, and Android 11 is no exception. The changes between Android 11 and its predecessor, Android 10, might not be noticeable at first. But Android 11 has a couple of nifty features.
For starters, the OS has a neater way of managing conversation notifications. This allows users to better prioritize notifications without cluttering the device too much. Another useful feature to take notice of is the latest media controls. The media controls are minimized to a smaller size to make more room on the phone layout.
With the fingerprint sensor located on the side power key, we were able to unlock the phone with a simple touch. Alternatively, we can activate the face unlock feature as well. These two features provide more accessibility in accessing the device.
Lastly, the Nokia G20 comes with multiple sensors, such as an accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor. The accelerometer and gyroscope work together to identify the phone’s orientation by detecting rotations or twists. The ambient light sensor is responsible for automatically adjusting brightness levels. Meanwhile, the proximity sensor avoids accidental screen touches.
Connectivity
The Nokia G20 supports up to 4G LTE connections, with reliable speeds to keep in touch with your loved ones. To obtain this cellular connection, you need to install a Nano-size SIM card. This kind of SIM card is very common amongst modern smartphones in the market.
Besides cellular connection, the smartphone comes with Wi-Fi to connect to hotspots. Other features include functioning Bluetooth Version 5.0 for wireless external devices. Alternatively, you can use the USB Type-C port to stay connected with a reliable wire. Lastly, the phone also supports NFC for seamless payment.
Battery
The Nokia G20 takes pride in its longest-lasting battery, with a 5,050 mAh capacity. It’s a very impressive battery size that’s become a huge feature on the device. With a battery size this large, you can continue to use the phone for up to 3 days.
Users don’t have to worry about damaging the phone battery. Since the battery’s non-removable, it reduces the chances of getting cracked or dropped from the phone. So not only does the device last for long periods, but it has a long shelf life as well.
Is the Nokia G20 a good phone?
Without a doubt, the Nokia G20 packs an incredible punch. We were initially skeptical that a device at this price point has the interiors and exteriors to meet today’s trends. But once we’ve taken a look at its various cameras, the display screen, and overall performance, we’re thoroughly impressed.
Selling for $200, the phone absolutely does what it says in its specifications. While it has a few flaws here and there, this phone excels at its basic features and has significant additions to make it incredibly marketable in the market. To summarize our Nokia G20 review, this phone is perfect for those looking for a bang for their buck.
Nokia G20 Pros
- Stylish and durable design
- Quad-camera
- Gaming-level processor
- Huge battery capacity
- Best value for price
Nokia G20 Cons
- HD+ quality might be too low for some