The Nokia X20 is an affordable 5G smartphone that stands out with its three-year warranty and three years of software updates. This so-called 3 + 3 + 3 strategy should distinguish the device from the competition. In this Nokia X20 review you can read whether that works and how the smartphone performs on other points.
Nokia X20
Recommended retail price € 379,-
Colors Blue and bronze
OS Android 11
Screen 6.67″ LCD (2400 x 1080, 60Hz)
Processor 2.0GHz octa-core (Snapdragon 480)
RAM 8GB
Storage 128GB
Battery 4,470 mAh, charging with max. 18 Watt, no charging adapter included
Camera 64, 5, 2, and 2 megapixels (rear), 32 megapixels (front)
Connectivity 5G, 4G, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 5, GPS, NFC
Format 16.9 x 7.9 x 0.91 cm
Weight 220 grams
Website www.nokia.com 8 Score 80
- Pros
- Cleaned up software
- Three years of updates
- Three year warranty
- Complete specifications
- Negatives
- Simple screen
- Simple cameras
- clumsy
Nokia presented the X20 in April and will release it in the Netherlands in mid-May for 379 euros. You can choose from the colors blue (tested) and bronze. I’ve been able to use the Nokia X20 for two weeks and you can read my findings in this review.
Design
The Nokia X20 is a typical Nokia smartphone in appearance. This is mainly due to the large and characteristic camera module on the back. It gives the phone its own face and I can appreciate that. Especially because many smartphones are very similar. The Nokia X20 is made of plastic and has a matte back that shows fewer fingerprints. You still see them.
With its 6.67 inch screen, the device is not intended for those looking for a compact model. This smartphone is best operated with two hands. It is simply ungainly and with 220 grams also very heavy. You notice this especially when you operate it with one hand.
Thanks to its IP52 certification, the Nokia X20 can withstand a small rain shower and has a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack. On the left side you will find a button that starts the Google Assistant. On the right are the volume buttons and on and off button. The latter includes a fingerprint scanner. It took a remarkable amount of touch to set up my fingerprint, but after that the scanner worked properly. The scanner is noticeably slower than that of expensive smartphones.
It is nice that Nokia provides a case that really protects the smartphone. The case makes the device even bulkier.
Screen
As mentioned, the Nokia X20 has a large screen of 6.67 inches. The display itself seems to come from a device from one to two years ago. It is namely an LCD screen with only nice colors, an average maximum brightness and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. Many competing smartphones have a nicer LCD or OLED screen that can be brighter and more often offers a 90 or 120 Hz refresh rate. A higher refresh rate consumes a little more power but delivers noticeably smoother images. Because I am used to such devices, the screen of the Nokia X20 comes across as stuttering. If your current smartphone has a 60 Hz screen, the Nokia X20 is not a step back, but neither is it a step forward. That’s a shame, but basically the screen is fine. The image looks sharp thanks to the full-HD resolution and you can enjoy watching your favorite movies or playing games on the large screen. Typing with two hands is also more pleasant than on a handy smartphone.
Hardware
The hardware of the Nokia X20 is nice and complete. The device supports 5G internet, has an NFC chip for contactless pinning in shops and has a lot of storage memory (128 GB). You can increase this with a micro SD card. The smartphone accepts two SIM cards and has a remarkable amount of storage memory (8 GB). In this price segment, 6 GB is more common. More working memory means that the phone can keep more apps active in the memory and thus switch more quickly between recently used apps. The Nokia X20 does that well, partly assisted by the Snapdragon 480 processor.
Beforehand I had my reservations about the processor choice. For years, the Snapdragon 400 series consisted of simple chips for budget smartphones that were relatively slow. To my surprise, the Snapdragon 480 breaks with that trend. The processor is nice and fast and achieves good results in benchmarks. Even in daily use it is fast enough to quickly make the Nokia X20 feel. Of course, the performance is not comparable to a more expensive smartphone, but in this price segment it is more than sufficient. It may be said that you can buy faster smartphones for the same money, including the Poco F3.
Battery life and charging
The Nokia X20 has a relatively large 4470 mAh battery. It will last me a long day without any problem. I expect that most people can go a day and a half ahead with the smartphone. Then you can easily charge it via the USB-C port.
The focus on sustainability is also reflected in the charger. Or rather: you don’t see it, because there is no charging adapter in the box. Nokia only supplies a USB cable and reasons (rightly) that not producing charging adapters saves a lot of materials. You undoubtedly have a suitable charging adapter to charge the Nokia X20. Preferably use an adapter with an output of 18 Watt, because then the smartphone will charge as quickly as possible.
Nokia X20 camera tested
A camera module with four lenses is placed on the back of the Nokia X20. For this, the manufacturer works together with the renowned photography brand Zeiss. Impressive, but temper your expectations. For example, the 2 megapixel macro camera could have been better left out. Photos from very close up look dull and out of focus. And the 2 megapixel depth sensor helps the main camera with blurring the background, but some competing phones can do this without a special sensor. Nokia is lagging somewhat behind in this area.
The quality of the 5 megapixel wide-angle camera is fine, but certainly not above average. Photos are blurry on the sides too quickly and sometimes show a streak of sunlight – even if the lens has just been cleaned. Finally, the main camera. It has a very high resolution of 64 megapixels and shoots standard 16 megapixel photos for more detail and better results in the dark. A well-known approach that unfortunately does not work well. In less daylight, the photos are quickly a bit shaken. Fortunately, in most situations you can shoot a good picture, but don’t expect miracles.
Software and Update Policy
The Nokia X20 will run on Android 11 at its release and will use the Android One program. This means that Nokia uses the standard Android version and only makes minimal adjustments. There are two additional apps preinstalled (Netflix and Amazon Shopping), both of which you can uninstall. The software does not contain any unnecessary changes, advertisements or additional functions. I really like that because Android itself is complete and user-friendly, but that’s subjective. Some people find a software shell from a brand like Samsung, Xiaomi or Oppo more pleasant.
The update policy is a strong objective point of the Nokia X20. As part of the 3+3+3 strategy, Nokia promises three years of version updates and three years of monthly security updates for the smartphone. The device can therefore count on updates to Android 12, 13 and 14. Security updates will roll out until May 2024. The Nokia X20 will receive longer updates than many competing smartphones. Only Google’s Pixel series (not officially for sale in the Netherlands) and the Samsung Galaxy A51 and A52 use the same or longer update policy.
Conclusion: buy Nokia X20?
The Nokia X20 is a smartphone that does not rely on its specifications but on its 3+3+3 strategy. Nokia leaves a good decoration by giving the phone a three-year warranty and rolling out three years of software updates. Unique in this price segment. Only the Samsung Galaxy A52 and Google Pixel smartphones have the same update policy, but come with a two-year warranty. When I say the Nokia X20 isn’t a spec monster, I mean the screen and cameras are below average. Nokia partly makes up for that with a smooth processor, 5G support and a remarkable amount of storage memory. The battery life is also perfectly fine, although that applies to almost all smartphones today. The Nokia X20 is easily recommended if you are looking for a ‘just good’ smartphone that you can use for at least three years. Do you want an affordable device with the most beautiful screen or the best cameras? Instead, focus your eyes on the Google Pixel 4a (5G), Samsung Galaxy A52 or Poco X3 Pro.
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