Video | Nokia 8 smartphone full review: ‘bothie’ gimmick apart, there’s nothing special about handset
Crisp display, powerful chipset, decent photos and good battery life can’t make up for Nokia 8’s dated design and lack of software features. It’s not good enough to hang with the best, nor cheap enough to be considered great value
The comeback of Nokia phones may have begun in February 2017 with the launch of four underpowered handsets, but it really wasn’t until last month’s release of the Nokia 8 smartphone that consumers began taking it seriously. That’s because the Nokia 8 is the first Nokia handset in more than decade that bears comparison with the best smartphones produced by rivals such as Apple and Samsung in terms of specifications and raw power. But is that enough?
Design and hardware
Right out of the box the Nokia 8 takes a hit because of its relatively large bezels. If this phone had been released even six months ago, when big manufacturers began adopting edge-to-edge screen, it would have been considered passable. .
But it’s autumn 2017 now and Apple, Samsung, LG, Huawei, Xiaomi, Vivo and even obscure Chinese brands have been launching all-screen phones. It’s hard not to deduct some points here. And lest you think slim bezels are just for looks, know that the Nokia 8 is roughly the same size as the LG V30 but the latter has a lot more screen.