HMD Global just announced a number of new Nokia-branded smartphones, none of them the high-end flagship you might be hoping. No, not even the Nokia 8.3 5G which, as the name might suggest, is the company’s contender in this slow 5G race. That, however, might be for the best because HMD is pushing the Nokia 8.3 5G as the world’s first truly global 5G, which sort of implies it will also be something that many should be able to afford.
That is why the Nokia 8.3 5G is pretty much a mid-range phone. Mind, Qualcomm is selling the Snapdragon 765G as its premium (in contrast to high-end) gaming-focused mobile platform with 5G included. With the phones 6 or 8 GB of RAM and 6.81-inch FHD+ screen with a small punch-hole cutout in the corner, it sounds pretty decent, at least on paper.
Although leaks were spot on with the circular form of the camera bump, the final result looks more like a sideways robot face than an Oreo cookie. Inside that circle are four sensors, a 64MP main shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro camera. Photography hasn’t exactly been HMD’s strong suit, even with the ZEISS Optics branding so we’ll have to see how well this combination works in practice.
The company’s “global 5G” claim comes from the phone’s support for practically all 5G bands available today. Wherever you are, it’s bound to work with your country’s 5G network, presuming it even has one. And if you don’t you might not exactly be paying that much extra for a feature you can’t use anyway.
The Nokia 8.3 5G will launch with a price of 599 EUR, around $645 stateside. It’s pretty much what you’d expect from this year’s mid-range phones, if not slightly higher. Of course, it’s still a disappointment for those hoping to see a true Nokia flagship by now but we’re still early into the year and that may still happen. Presuming HMD Global manages to keep its business going.
