Nokia 1 Smartphone Review
Nokia’s model offensive continues. The Finnish manufacturer clearly wants to be successful again in every corner of the smartphone world. The Nokia 1 succeeds the Nokia 2 as Nokia’s smallest smartphone. The Nokia 2 is relatively cheap and small itself. The Nokia 1 has a 4.5-inch IPS display and runs Android Oreo (Go Edition), a leaner version of Android that Google promises will provide devices with 8 GB internal storage double the available storage out of the box.
The Nokia 1 lacks much competition, the most comparable smartphone currently being the Lenovo B. We will also be comparing the Nokia 1 to the Lenovo Moto C, the Gigaset GS170 and the Nokia 2. It will be interesting to see what the differences are between the two budget Nokia devices.
Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! Wanted:
Details here
Case
Aesthetically, the Nokia 1 is reminiscent of classic Nokia devices. The Nokia 1 has a removable back and battery like classic mobile phones and a two-tone design akin to the Nokia Lumia 620. Theoretically, you could replace the back cover for aesthetic reasons, thanks to the Xpress-on covers. The Nokia 1 feels good in the hand due to its rounded corners. Meanwhile, the overall design feels more playful than serious.
The display visibly distorts when we applied pressure to the front or the back of our test device. Likewise, the removable cover creaks when we apply pressure or try to twist the device. The Nokia 1 is relatively thick too at 9.5 mm.
Connectivity
The Nokia 1 has 8 GB internal storage and 1 GB RAM, which is the absolute minimum for current smartphones. Neither the Nokia 2 nor the Lenovo B offer any more in this regard. Thanks to the lean OS, there is nearly 5 GB of internal storage free out of the box. The Nokia 1 supports microSD cards too, so the internal storage can be expanded by up to 128 GB. Oddly, our test device does not recognize our reference Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSD card. Other microSD cards can be formatted as either external or internal memory.
Software
One of the most exciting aspects of the Nokia 1 is that it runs Android Oreo (Go Edition). This is a leaner version of Android designed for budget devices that have little internal storage and RAM. Google uses a trick to reduce the OS size that reminds us of Firefox OS. Google has slimmed down its apps, with some just running in the browser. This is the case for some non-Google preinstalled apps too. Google services are online as well, so most data does not have to be stored on the device. The downside of this is that your device will need to be online to use many features otherwise they will not work. A network connection is typically required for Google Service on traditional Android though.
The Nokia 1 comes with Files Go preinstalled, which is a Google file manager, among other Go styled apps. There is also a custom feature that cleans data to maximize the internal storage on the device. Oddly, we had problems when exchanging data between a Windows PC and the Nokia 1. Our test device would not display the contents of folders in Windows File Explorer.
Communication & GPS
The Nokia 1 supports 802.11 b/g/n standards. Most devices in this price range only support these minimum Wi-Fi standards too. 5 GHz networks cannot be used, which limits transfer speeds. These are fine for a budget device though.
While the Nokia 1 supports European UMTS bands, it lacks support for 1900 MHz. This omission means that the Nokia 1 will struggle for a signal in certain parts of the USA. On the other hand, the Nokia 1 supports all nine LTE bands, which is unusual for such a cheap device. Our test device had an okay reception during our tests, which we conducted in a built-up area.
Networking | |
iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Nokia 1 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo B | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
iperf3 receive AX12 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Nokia 1 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Lenovo B |
The GPS module could not locate us indoors. Conversely, it could pinpoint our location outside to an accuracy of four meters. The Nokia 1 has no compass, so there is no compass option within navigation apps like Google Maps.
We took the Nokia 1 on a bike ride to test its navigational skills against the Garmin Edge 520, a professional navigational system. Our test device performed well comparatively. The Nokia 1 is good enough to be used for navigation if you do not need absolute precision.
Telephone Function & Call Quality
Android Go integrates the standard Google Phone app, which has many features and is easy to use.
Call quality is acceptable. However, call partners sound echoey and there tends to be a lot of background noise when the call volume is set too high. The sound is much better at medium volume. Moreover, the microphone cleanly reproduces our voice both when taking a call regularly and when on speakerphone. Our call partner sounds rather distant when on speakerphone though. Overall, the Nokia 1 has good call quality for a cheap smartphone.
Cameras
The Nokia 1 has a 2 MP front-facing camera and a 5 MP rear-facing one. Those specifications alone should indicate not to expect high-quality photos by current smartphone standards. The Nokia 2 is our only comparison device that is equipped with slightly higher resolution optics; the Lenovo B and the Moto C are equal to the Nokia 1 in terms of camera resolutions.
Front-facing camera photographs look blurry and have a noticeable blue tint to them. Furthermore, there are artefacts at the edge of the image, while the dynamic range is lacking in both dark and light areas. The camera has no problem with focusing on objects that are the appropriate distance away from the camera though.
The main camera has an LED flash, but generally photographs look quite dark. The camera has poor dynamic range, while details look washed out. Low light-performance is worse, with shots coming out blurry and poorly lit. Picture quality is respectable for a device at this price though.
The 5 MP camera can record videos up to 720p at 30 FPS. While colors look rough and uneven, exposure is accurate and the autofocus works without issue.
We also tested the Nokia 1 under controlled lighting conditions. Shots taken under these conditions have uneven colors and make areas of uniform color look blotchy.
Overall, the test chart looks sharp. The Nokia 1 particularly struggles with reproducing text against a red background though.
Accessories & Warranty
The Nokia 1 comes with a charger, a USB cable, a set of headphones and some brief instructions in various languages.
The Nokia 1 comes with 24 months warranty. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.
Input Devices & Operation
The display has a plasticky feel which feels cheap. This does not impede using the device, with the touchscreen working precisely throughout testing. Apps were easy enough to use despite the small display, with the device usually registering our intended input. It is worth bearing in mind that our test device suffers from input lag when first launching apps like Skype. This is probably because of the low system performance.
The Nokia 1 uses Google Gboard as its default keyboard, which works well.
The power button and volume rocker are on the right-hand side of the case. Both are easy to feel with the device in hand and each has a clear pressure point.
Display
The display has its downsides, namely the rather low average maximum brightness of 251 cd/m². By contrast, both the Moto C and Lenovo B have significantly brighter displays. However, brightness is not everything as the Lenovo B uses an outdated TN-LED panel rather than the more modern IPS technology used in the Nokia 1. The small screen offsets the relatively low 854x480 resolution. While not stellar, we could not pick out individual pixels.
|
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 257 cd/m²
Contrast: 2133:1 (Black: 0.12 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.82 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 5.2 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
89.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.3
Nokia 1 IPS, 854x480, 4.5" | Nokia 2 IPS, 1280x720, 5" | Gigaset GS170 IPS, 1280x720, 5" | Lenovo Moto C TFT, 854x480, 5" | Lenovo B TN LED, 854x480, 4.5" | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Screen | -40% | -60% | -54% | -74% | |
Brightness middle | 256 | 527 106% | 418 63% | 364 42% | 309 21% |
Brightness | 251 | 503 100% | 418 67% | 355 41% | 302 20% |
Brightness Distribution | 89 | 91 2% | 92 3% | 92 3% | 96 8% |
Black Level * | 0.12 | 0.68 -467% | 0.45 -275% | 0.31 -158% | 0.46 -283% |
Contrast | 2133 | 775 -64% | 929 -56% | 1174 -45% | 672 -68% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.82 | 5.3 -10% | 9.7 -101% | 10.4 -116% | 9.8 -103% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 11.75 | 9.2 22% | 18.9 -61% | 18 -53% | 19.7 -68% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 5.2 | 5.8 -12% | 11.3 -117% | 12.7 -144% | 11.5 -121% |
Gamma | 2.3 96% | 2.12 104% | 2.27 97% | 2.04 108% | 2.33 94% |
CCT | 7107 91% | 7894 82% | 10414 62% | 12904 50% | 12460 52% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM not detected | |||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. |
The Nokia 1 has an impressively low black level at 0.21 cd/m², which helps yield a high 2,133:1 contrast ratio. Colors pop and look vibrant.
We also used a spectrophotometer and CalMAN software to more precisely measure color accuracy. The average value in ColorChecker is considerably lower than those scored by all our comparison devices. Equally, the Nokia 1 has a grayscale value that is closer to the ideal than its competitors. Even the violet portion is relatively small.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ ms rise | |
↘ ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
43 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ ms rise | |
↘ ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 68 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms). |
We could only use our test device in the shade when outside because of the low screen brightness. In terms of viewing angles, we only noticed issues at acute angles. There are clear color shifts, but images are still recognizable.
Performance
The Nokia 1 is powered by a MediaTek MT6737 processor. This CPU has problems loading some benchmarks; many fail to load and some cannot even be installed. The benchmarks that do run demonstrate that the Nokia 1 is often slightly ahead of equally priced devices. The limited performance is noticeable in daily use despite the lean OS. For example, many apps take time to load, while there is often input lag. The home screen usually feels smooth though.
Graphics are handled by the ARM Mali-T720 MP2, which supports at least OpenGL ES 3.1. Graphics performance is acceptable but not outstanding.
PCMark for Android | |
Work performance score (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Lenovo B | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (2415 - 3624, n=18) | |
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (2313 - 2768, n=13) |
Geekbench 4.4 | |
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (450 - 581, n=11) | |
Average of class Smartphone (844 - 9574, n=85, last 2 years) | |
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (1252 - 1595, n=11) | |
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 34246, n=85, last 2 years) | |
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (938 - 1065, n=7) | |
Average of class Smartphone (5192 - 28121, n=61, last 2 years) |
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Lenovo B | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (6 - 14, n=17) | |
Average of class Smartphone (23 - 166, n=175, last 2 years) | |
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Lenovo B | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (5.1 - 10, n=17) | |
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=175, last 2 years) |
GFXBench 3.0 | |
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Lenovo B | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (2.1 - 8, n=17) | |
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 166, n=175, last 2 years) | |
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Nokia 2 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Lenovo B | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (1.6 - 4.5, n=17) | |
Average of class Smartphone (12 - 502, n=175, last 2 years) |
GFXBench 3.1 | |
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Lenovo B | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (1.2 - 14, n=17) | |
Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 166, n=175, last 2 years) | |
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
Nokia 1 | |
Gigaset GS170 | |
Lenovo Moto C | |
Lenovo B | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (1.2 - 5.5, n=17) | |
Average of class Smartphone (8.3 - 365, n=175, last 2 years) |
Web browsing is a slow experience. Pages take a while to load, with pictures arriving some time afterwards. The Nokia 1 performs comparatively poorly in browser benchmarks too. The experience in complex HTML5 websites, like Google Interland, is a jerky one albeit still usable.
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (11.6 - 21.9, n=17) | |
Gigaset GS170 (Chrome Version 59) | |
Lenovo B (Chrome 56) | |
Lenovo Moto C (Chrome Version 60) | |
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65) | |
Nokia 1 (Chrome 66) |
Octane V2 - Total Score | |
Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=210, last 2 years) | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (1730 - 3383, n=17) | |
Gigaset GS170 (Chrome Version 59) | |
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65) | |
Lenovo B (Chrome 56) | |
Nokia 1 (Chrome 66) | |
Lenovo Moto C (Chrome Version 60) |
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
Lenovo Moto C (Chrome Version 60) | |
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65) | |
Nokia 1 (Chrome 66) | |
Lenovo B (Chrome 56) | |
Average Mediatek MT6737 (10615 - 30114, n=17) | |
Gigaset GS170 (Chrome Version 59) | |
Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=167, last 2 years) |
* ... smaller is better
We cannot provide an objective test of the microSD card reader as it fails to work with our reference card. Subjectively, the reader was slow to access our Kingston microSD card that did work. Positively, our test device accesses its internal memory quickly; the Nokia 1 outperformed all our comparison devices in internal memory benchmarks.
Nokia 1 | Nokia 2 | Gigaset GS170 | Lenovo Moto C | Lenovo B | Average 8 GB eMMC Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AndroBench 3-5 | -21% | -8% | -9% | -59% | -42% | 1957% | |
Sequential Read 256KB | 208.3 | 131.1 -37% | 197.9 -5% | 179.3 -14% | 115.6 -45% | 128.8 ? -38% | 1883 ? 804% |
Sequential Write 256KB | 51.8 | 50.8 -2% | 44.79 -14% | 44.55 -14% | 8.1 -84% | 22.1 ? -57% | 1469 ? 2736% |
Random Read 4KB | 25.7 | 17.44 -32% | 18.34 -29% | 18.37 -29% | 12.4 -52% | 18.1 ? -30% | 278 ? 982% |
Random Write 4KB | 9.1 | 8.1 -11% | 10.45 15% | 10.9 20% | 4.2 -54% | 5.35 ? -41% | 310 ? 3307% |
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 81.9 ? | 37.41 ? | 13.5 | 24.16 ? | 43.1 ? | ||
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 61.2 ? | 21.34 ? | 10.7 | 16.8 ? | 29.1 ? |
Games
The Nokia 1 can run simple games like Angry Birds 2 without issue. More complex games like Arena of Valor are playable too and without major slowdowns. They will take a while to load though.
Touchscreen controls and the positional sensor worked fine throughout our testing.
Emissions
Temperature
We suspect that the SoC is close to the rear-facing camera as that is where surface temperatures get the hottest. The top third of the device averages 34.2 °C under load, with the hottest point reaching 36 °C. This is hot and could be uncomfortable if you put the device in your pocket after using it heavily. These are not dangerous temperatures though. Conversely, the rest of the device remains significantly cooler, averaging 28.3 °C.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34.3 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 36 °C / 97 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.2 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
Speakers
The Nokia 1 has a small mono speaker that is located on the back of the device. The positioning makes it easy to cover it up when holding the device. Fortunately, there is a little plastic nub above the speaker which you will only feel when your hand is over the speaker.
The speaker gets up to around 70 dB(A), which is not especially loud. There is no distortion at any volume, but the sound is unbalanced. There is no mid-bass or bass, but high tones are rendered linearly. Overall, the sound is perfectly fine for a cheap smartphone.
There is a 3.5 mm jack to connect devices like headphones or external speakers. The sound produced is clean and we had no issues during our tests. The same goes for streaming audio via Bluetooth too.
Nokia 1 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 61.2% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 61.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 61.2% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (127.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 97% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 0% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 99% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 0% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Nokia 2 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 35.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 77% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 19% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 88% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 10% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery Life
Power Consumption
The Nokia 1 does not have exceptionally good power consumption but still consumes significantly less power under load than either the Nokia 2 or the Lenovo B. Our test device consumes a maximum of 4.3 W under load, which averages out at 3.5 W. On the other hand, the Nokia 1 consumes considerably more at idle than our comparison devices. This may be SoC related though as the Nokia 1 consumes less power on average than the average for a MediaTek MT6737 device.
Off / Standby | 0.2 / 0.5 Watt |
Idle | 0.9 / 1.5 / 2 Watt |
Load |
3.5 / 4.3 Watt |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy |
Nokia 1 2150 mAh | Nokia 2 4100 mAh | Gigaset GS170 2500 mAh | Lenovo Moto C 2350 mAh | Lenovo B 2000 mAh | Average Mediatek MT6737 | Average of class Smartphone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | 13% | 12% | 12% | -14% | -39% | ||
Idle Minimum * | 0.9 | 0.55 39% | 0.54 40% | 0.64 29% | 0.869 ? 3% | 0.882 ? 2% | |
Idle Average * | 1.5 | 1.02 32% | 1.56 -4% | 0.96 36% | 1.987 ? -32% | 1.448 ? 3% | |
Idle Maximum * | 2 | 1.09 45% | 1.6 20% | 1.33 33% | 2.11 ? -6% | 1.606 ? 20% | |
Load Average * | 3.5 | 4.48 -28% | 3.18 9% | 4.59 -31% | 4.14 ? -18% | 6.57 ? -88% | |
Load Maximum * | 4.3 | 5.32 -24% | 4.42 -3% | 4.63 -8% | 4.94 ? -15% | 9.93 ? -131% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
The Nokia 1 has a 2,150 mAh battery that lasted 9 h 12 m in our practical Wi-Fi test. In this test, we run a script that simulates the load required to render websites. The battery is replaceable though, so you could swap in an additional battery rather than having to charge the device. Our test device lasted longer than most of our comparison devices in our Wi-Fi test. The only device to beat the Nokia 1 in this test is the Nokia 2, which lasted 50% longer.
Nokia 1 2150 mAh | Nokia 2 4100 mAh | Gigaset GS170 2500 mAh | Lenovo Moto C 2350 mAh | Lenovo B 2000 mAh | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | 52% | -20% | -6% | -20% | |
WiFi v1.3 | 552 | 840 52% | 442 -20% | 517 -6% | 442 -20% |
Reader / Idle | 1159 | ||||
H.264 | 529 | ||||
Load | 278 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
What can you expect from a smartphone that costs less than 100 Euros (~$115)? The Nokia 1 does not offer world-beating performance, but Nokia has produced a smartphone that does well for the money. The Nokia 1 is for those that have low demands from a smartphone. In return, you will get a smartphone with many positives. The Nokia 1 has a decent display with an impressive contrast ratio and good color accuracy. GPS is accurate, the speakers sound fine and the cameras are passable, albeit low-light performance is poor.
The occasional lags and stutters are annoying and will take some getting used to. However, this level of performance should be expected from a sub 100-Euro (~$115) smartphone. The good battery life and replaceable battery may somewhat compensate for the low performance.
The Nokia 1 is a decent budget smartphone that gets the most out of its limited resources. The removable battery, good display and interchangeable covers all impressed us.
The limited internal storage and RAM is offset by Android Oreo (Go Edition) which gives users more storage space and memory than traditional Android. There may be problems with exchanging data with a computer of which you should be aware. There will always be compromises at this price point, but this one is frustrating nonetheless. The Nokia 1 is only around 20 Euros (~$23) cheaper but offers much of what the Nokia 2 does, albeit with a smaller screen and lower resolution optics.
Nokia 1
- 05/18/2018 v6 (old)
Florian Wimmer