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Nokia X20 smartphone review - Long warranty and 5G

Sustainable and lovable? The Nokia X20 shows where the Finnish traditional manufacturer is headed: New cell phone names, more sustainability, even more customer-oriented. With 5G, an extra-long warranty, and compostable accessories, this could succeed. We take a closer look in the test.
Nokia X20
Nokia X20 (X Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G 8 x 1.8 - 2 GHz, Cortex-A76 / 55
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
Display
6.67 inch 20:9, 2400 x 1080 pixel 395 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash, 128 GB 
, 110 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD up to 512GB, shared, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: acceleration sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, 2G, 3G, 4G (1/​2/​3/​4/​5/​7/​8/​12/​20/​28/​38/​39/​40/​41/​66), 5G (n1/​2/​3/​5/​7/​28/​38/​41/​66/​78) , Dual SIM, LTE, 5G, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9.1 x 168.9 x 79.7 ( = 0.36 x 6.65 x 3.14 in)
Battery
4470 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 18 watt quick charge
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 11
Camera
Primary Camera: 64 MPix phase comparison-AF, LED-flash, Videos @1080p/​60fps (Cam 1); 5.0MP, wide angle (Cam 2); 2.0MP, macro (Cam 3); 2.0MP, depth of field (Cam 4)
Secondary Camera: 32 MPix Videos @1080p/​30fps
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, USB cable, SIM tool, compostable bumper, 36 Months Warranty, FM radio; SAR: 0.51 W/kg (head), 1,29 W/kg (body), fanless
Weight
220 g ( = 7.76 oz / 0.49 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
399 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible competitors in comparison

Rating
Rating Version
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Price from
80.6 %7
05/2021
Nokia X20
SD 480, Adreno 619
220 g128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.67"2400x1080
82.9 %7
08/2020
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
SD 730G, Adreno 618
204 g64 GB UFS 2.0 Flash6.47"2340x1080
83.6 %7
09/2020
Google Pixel 4a
SD 730G, Adreno 618
143 g128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash5.80"2340x1080
83 %7
04/2021
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
SD 750G 5G, Adreno 619
189 g128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash6.50"2400x1080

Case, features and handling - Quite heavy and with Gorilla Glass 5

The Nokia X20 is a mid-range phone. It is 5G-capable and for now the fastest Nokia smartphone under the new naming. If you compare it with the devices of the last generation, it can probably be best described as the successor of the Nokia 5.4 ...

The casing is made of plastic at the back, and the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The back is matte and shimmers either bluish or orange, depending on the selected color. It thus looks chic, but is not as well protected from fingerprints. The chassis is quite sturdy, but can be easily dented in the center.

The Nokia X20 is a large, wide and also quite heavy smartphone, so it is rather less suitable for small hands.

Pure Android 11 without additionally installed apps is installed on the smartphone. What we noticed: There seems to be a bug with the app switcher. It sometimes does not display any apps, even though they are running in the background. Previews of the apps usually do not load; there are only completely white or black windows.

Nokia strives to become more sustainable and therefore omits the charger in the package. If you already have a charger at home or need a new one, Nokia has listed exactly which specs you need on this website which specs are best to bring along. Instead of the charger, you get a cover made of compostable material as an accessory, which is supposed to protect the smartphone from bumps and thus extend the lifespan as much as possible

Nokia also offers a detailed environmental profile of its smartphone on the Internet on the Internet. In addition, there is a 3-year warranty and the promise for 3 years of software updates, so you can use your smartphone longer.

The Nokia X20 is a 5G smartphone. Although this is becoming more and more common in the price range around 400 Euros, it is not yet a matter of course. WiFi 5, on the other hand, is standard. Nokia's X20 is a bit slower than similarly priced devices in our test with the reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12.

Nokia X20
Nokia X20
Nokia X20
Nokia X20

Size comparison

168.9 mm / 6.65 inch 79.7 mm / 3.14 inch 9.1 mm / 0.3583 inch 220 g0.485 lbs159.9 mm / 6.3 inch 75.1 mm / 2.96 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 189 g0.4167 lbs157.8 mm / 6.21 inch 74.2 mm / 2.92 inch 9.67 mm / 0.3807 inch 204 g0.4497 lbs144 mm / 5.67 inch 69.4 mm / 2.73 inch 8.2 mm / 0.3228 inch 143 g0.3153 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)
SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
40.8 (34.7min, 35.008P1 - 52.4max) MB/s +19%
Nokia X20
  (Angelbird V60)
34.4 (19.9min, 26.743P1 - 40.8max) MB/s
Average of class Smartphone
  (11.4 - 49.7, n=96, last 2 years)
34.4 MB/s 0%
SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB
Average of class Smartphone
  (42.6 - 1269, n=96, last 2 years)
82.8 MB/s +9%
Nokia X20
  (Angelbird V60)
76.1 (15.3min, 44.098P1 - 86.7max) MB/s
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
74.7 (45.4min, 50.256P1 - 80.4max) MB/s -2%

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

0510152025303540455055606570758085Tooltip
Nokia X20; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø34.4 (19.9-40.8)
Nokia X20; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø76.1 (15.3-86.7)
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Google Pixel 4a
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
620 (560min - 703max) MBit/s +179%
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
324 (310min - 330max) MBit/s +46%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
282 (275min - 287max) MBit/s +27%
Nokia X20
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
222 (126min - 326max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Google Pixel 4a
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
668 (592min - 685max) MBit/s +113%
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
341 (334min - 349max) MBit/s +9%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
331 (322min - 337max) MBit/s +6%
Nokia X20
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
313 (190min - 343max) MBit/s
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340Tooltip
Nokia X20; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø312 (190-343)
Nokia X20; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø222 (126-326)

Cameras - 3 usable lenses in Nokia phone

Recording front camera
Recording front camera

There are a total of 4 lenses on the back, but only 3 of them can really be used for taking pictures: The main camera with 64 megapixels, the wide-angle camera with 5 megapixels and a macro lens with 2 megapixels.

The main camera, as is now common for most cameras, uses pixel binning to combine four pixels at a time into one pixel. This allows a higher light yield to be achieved. However, the full resolution can also be used in a special mode

Photos look quite good at first glance, but fine details are lacking and the dynamics are noticeably weaker than in more expensive smartphones. We like the image sharpness under normal lighting conditions. In low light and high contrasts, the image brightens up well, but the sharpness is lost a bit.

Pictures from the wide-angle camera are quite dim and not really sharp. The camera is sufficient for snapshots on bright days

Interesting: A custom watermark can be set via the camera software, which can then be reflected in the pictures.

Videos can be recorded in a maximum of 1080p with 60 fps. We would expect 4K video recording in this price range.

The front-facing camera also uses pixel binning and takes decent selfies if you do not pay too much attention to details.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Hauptkamera BlumeHauptkamera UmgebungHauptkamera Low LightWeitwinkelkamera
click to load images
ColorChecker
15.7 ∆E
8.4 ∆E
14.3 ∆E
16.5 ∆E
11.1 ∆E
8.9 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
12.4 ∆E
9.3 ∆E
7.5 ∆E
9.2 ∆E
8.9 ∆E
9.4 ∆E
11.7 ∆E
9.3 ∆E
2.8 ∆E
8.8 ∆E
13.7 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
4.5 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
10.6 ∆E
11.3 ∆E
3.6 ∆E
ColorChecker Nokia X20: 9.75 ∆E min: 2.82 - max: 16.5 ∆E
ColorChecker
29.4 ∆E
53.5 ∆E
39 ∆E
37.8 ∆E
43.3 ∆E
62.9 ∆E
53.7 ∆E
34 ∆E
41.9 ∆E
27.1 ∆E
65.8 ∆E
64.9 ∆E
28.8 ∆E
48.8 ∆E
36.7 ∆E
77 ∆E
41.8 ∆E
44.2 ∆E
87 ∆E
70.4 ∆E
52.2 ∆E
37.3 ∆E
24.4 ∆E
14.4 ∆E
ColorChecker Nokia X20: 46.5 ∆E min: 14.36 - max: 87.04 ∆E

Display - Nokia without PWM

Subpixel recording
Subpixel recording

With just under 617 cd/m² as an average value, the display of Nokia's X20 is on class level in terms of brightness. You should be able to use the smartphone outdoors even on very bright days. Samsung with its Boost mode for bright environments manages even more luminosity, though.

Since it is an IPS panel, there is no perfect black like in the comparison models. The black value of 0.7 cd/m² is even quite high, resulting in a contrast ratio of less than 1000:1. Those looking for a particularly true-color display should also look elsewhere.

594
cd/m²
584
cd/m²
598
cd/m²
619
cd/m²
646
cd/m²
616
cd/m²
624
cd/m²
654
cd/m²
616
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 654 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 616.8 cd/m² Minimum: 3.19 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 646 cd/m²
Contrast: 923:1 (Black: 0.7 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.71 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
98.7% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.122
Nokia X20
IPS, 2400x1080, 6.67
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
AMOLED, 2340x1080, 6.47
Google Pixel 4a
OLED, 2340x1080, 5.80
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.50
Response Times
67%
80%
90%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
43 ?(23, 20)
10 ?(5, 5)
77%
8.8 ?(4.4, 4.4)
80%
3.2 ?(1.6, 1.6)
93%
Response Time Black / White *
18 ?(5, 13)
8 ?(3, 5)
56%
3.6 ?(2, 1.6)
80%
2.4 ?(1.2, 1.2)
87%
PWM Frequency
176.1
255.1 ?(99)
250 ?(100)
Screen
41%
46%
32%
Brightness middle
646
605
-6%
705
9%
744
15%
Brightness
617
608
-1%
707
15%
749
21%
Brightness Distribution
89
95
7%
96
8%
98
10%
Black Level *
0.7
Contrast
923
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.71
0.84
85%
0.9
84%
2.2
61%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.9
1.8
80%
1.9
79%
7
21%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.2
1.3
79%
1.3
79%
2.1
66%
Gamma
2.122 104%
2.211 100%
2.26 97%
2.06 107%
CCT
8256 79%
6310 103%
6576 99%
6516 100%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
54% / 47%
63% / 54%
61% / 47%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
18 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 34 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
43 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23 ms rise
↘ 20 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 67 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.


CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color space
CalMAN color space
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation

Performance, emissions, and battery runtime - SoC on par

The still quite new Snapdragon 480 5G is used as the SoC in Nokia's X20. Thanks to the 8 nm manufacturing process, more modern cores and higher clock rate, it is significantly more powerful than the predecessor Snapdragon 460. Thus, the Nokia X20 still lags slightly behind other devices in the price range in terms of performance, but the gap is minimal. The performance remains on a high level even during longer load.

Since the considerably faster Adreno 619 is installed as the graphics module, the graphics performance is also almost on par with the other devices in this price range, which are all equipped with SoCs from the Snapdragon 7 series.

The Nokia X20 does not break any speed records with the UFS 2.1 storage, but it can largely keep up with the other devices.

A clearly noticeable heating up to 44.1 °C is present in the upper front area when the device is loaded for a longer time. This is tolerable in itself, but can become unpleasant on hot summer days.

The mono speaker is located on the bottom edge. The sound is quite treble-emphasized, which is even more noticeable at maximum volume. Nokia's X20 also offers a 3.5 mm jack or Bluetooth 5.0 for sound transmission to external devices.

With 4470 mAh, Nokia's X20 does not offer the highest-capacity battery in the price range despite its quite heavy casing. Nevertheless, the runtimes of 14:39 hours in our Wi-Fi test are quite good and are also sufficient for several days away from the power socket in normal use. The smartphone can be charged with a maximum of 18 watts. The device is fully charged again after approximately 110 minutes.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
510 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
547 Points +7%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
549 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
636 Points +25%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (503 - 520, n=9)
511 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=211, last 2 years)
900 Points +76%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
1663 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
1690 Points +2%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
1646 Points -1%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1878 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (1618 - 1713, n=9)
1665 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=211, last 2 years)
2944 Points +77%
PCMark for Android - Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
6380 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
7628 Points +20%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
8683 Points +36%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
9573 Points +50%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (6380 - 7713, n=2)
7047 Points +10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +70%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
39491 Points
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
34678 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
53194 Points
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
53548 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
20767 Points
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
15527 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
3461 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3594 Points +4%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3543 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3902 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (3461 - 3599, n=7)
3528 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3548 Points +3%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
3647 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3610 Points -1%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3629 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
4076 Points +12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (3647 - 3792, n=7)
3699 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3905 Points +7%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
2938 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3294 Points +12%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3273 Points +11%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3394 Points +16%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (2938 - 3103, n=7)
3037 Points +3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
3005 Points +2%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
3639 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3594 Points -1%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3647 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
4040 Points +11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (3602 - 3666, n=7)
3640 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=115, last 2 years)
9038 Points +148%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
3842 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3751 Points -2%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3750 Points -2%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
4239 Points +10%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (3817 - 3872, n=7)
3840 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=114, last 2 years)
15757 Points +310%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
3070 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3134 Points +2%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3329 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3469 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (3008 - 3118, n=7)
3078 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=114, last 2 years)
4335 Points +41%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
2419 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
2459 Points +2%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
2468 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2750 Points +14%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (2419 - 2478, n=8)
2443 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=102, last 2 years)
2685 Points +11%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
2289 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
2298 Points 0%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
2310 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2603 Points +14%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (2287 - 2346, n=8)
2308 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=102, last 2 years)
2675 Points +17%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
3017 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3257 Points +8%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3247 Points +8%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3428 Points +14%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (3017 - 3180, n=8)
3076 Points +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=102, last 2 years)
3127 Points +4%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
2536 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
2577 Points +2%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
2615 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2927 Points +15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (2536 - 2596, n=8)
2567 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=174, last 2 years)
6545 Points +158%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
2440 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
2466 Points +1%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
2467 Points +1%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
2802 Points +15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (2440 - 2471, n=8)
2450 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=173, last 2 years)
9330 Points +282%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
2941 Points
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3058 Points +4%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
3309 Points +13%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
3466 Points +18%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (2941 - 3230, n=8)
3085 Points +5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=173, last 2 years)
4158 Points +41%
Wild Life Score (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
980 Points
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1103 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (980 - 997, n=9)
983 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (395 - 9839, n=130, last 2 years)
2548 Points +160%
Wild Life Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
974 Points
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
1097 Points +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (969 - 979, n=9)
975 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (394 - 20068, n=193, last 2 years)
6048 Points +521%
Wild Life Stress Test Stability (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
99.6 (973min - 977max) %
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
99.7 (1097min - 1100max) % 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (99.1 - 99.8, n=7)
99.6 % 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (36 - 99.8, n=181, last 2 years)
84.5 % -15%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
16 fps
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
17 fps +6%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
17 fps +6%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
18 fps +13%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (16 - 31, n=9)
20.7 fps +29%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=218, last 2 years)
43.3 fps +171%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
18 fps
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
18 fps 0%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
18 fps 0%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
20 fps +11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (17 - 19, n=9)
18 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=218, last 2 years)
62.9 fps +249%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
9.9 fps
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
11 fps +11%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
11 fps +11%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
11 fps +11%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (9.9 - 19, n=9)
12.9 fps +30%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 105, n=218, last 2 years)
32.2 fps +225%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Nokia X20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G, Adreno 619, 8192
6.5 fps
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
6.7 fps +3%
Google Pixel 4a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, Adreno 618, 6144
6.6 fps +2%
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G, Adreno 619, 6144
7.6 fps +17%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G
  (6.4 - 6.7, n=9)
6.53 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=218, last 2 years)
25 fps +285%
Nokia X20Xiaomi Mi Note 10 LiteGoogle Pixel 4aSamsung Galaxy A52 5GAverage 128 GB UFS 2.1 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
-21%
-4%
31%
1%
116%
Sequential Read 256KB
489.3
501
2%
502
3%
927
89%
763 ?(427 - 1011, n=112)
56%
1468 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
200%
Sequential Write 256KB
462.7
213.2
-54%
246.8
-47%
484.6
5%
295 ?(13.6 - 719, n=112)
-36%
1078 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
133%
Random Read 4KB
165.4
134.6
-19%
162.9
-2%
176.1
6%
152.4 ?(92.6 - 239, n=112)
-8%
242 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
46%
Random Write 4KB
144.6
125.8
-13%
187.4
30%
179.2
24%
130.6 ?(18.2 - 290, n=112)
-10%
266 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
84%

Temperature

Max. Load
 44 °C
111 F
42 °C
108 F
41.1 °C
106 F
 
 44.1 °C
111 F
41.9 °C
107 F
42.8 °C
109 F
 
 43 °C
109 F
41.6 °C
107 F
41.9 °C
107 F
 
Maximum: 44.1 °C = 111 F
Average: 42.5 °C = 109 F
35.9 °C
97 F
40.7 °C
105 F
43.9 °C
111 F
39.2 °C
103 F
41 °C
106 F
43.8 °C
111 F
39.2 °C
103 F
41.2 °C
106 F
43.7 °C
111 F
Maximum: 43.9 °C = 111 F
Average: 36.1 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.9 °C = 104 F | Room Temperature 21.5 °C = 71 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 42.5 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.1 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 43.9 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.


Heatmap Front
Heatmap Front
Heatmap back side
Heatmap back side

Loudspeaker

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.635.2253535.73124.821.24024.922.55028.525.76327288015.717.410016.521.612515.722.616014.437.72009.141.32509.6463157.549.440010.655.650012.358.263018.760.880017.665100015.772.7125011.574.2160010.875.820009.974.425001372.1315016.468.1400015.461.750001761.3630018.266.1800020.2741000020.475.21250017.361.81600017.845SPL28.383.4N0.952.2median 15.7median 61.7Delta3.213.139.642.434.734.424.726.623.521.642.433.528.425.523.925.920.425.115.331.62049.814.64813.153.61461.11160.310.363.11163.710.267.210.372.210.874.610.977.211.680.212.278.912.277.512.58113.477.513.177.11574.213.873.714.166.91659.424.7890.673.6median 13.1median 72.2211.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseNokia X20Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Nokia X20 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (27% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 65% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 30% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 79% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 16% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy A52 5G audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 6.2% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 19% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 72% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 41% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life

Nokia X20
4470 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
4500 mAh
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
5260 mAh
Google Pixel 4a
3140 mAh
Average of class Smartphone
 
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
879
710
-19%
1095
25%
669
-24%
908 ?(424 - 2844, n=219, last 2 years)
3%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
14h 39min

Pros

+ long warranty
+ flexible cameras
+ no PWM
+ pure Android 11
+ 5G
+ good runtimes

Cons

- low-contrast screen...
- ... with little color fidelity
- blurry wide-angle camera
- heavy and quite wide

Verdict - Good cell phone with sustainability aspects

In review: Nokia X20. Test device provided by Nokia Germany.
In review: Nokia X20. Test device provided by Nokia Germany.

Looking at the model number of the SoC, one might suspect bad things: After all, the Snapdragon 4 series was previously intended more for entry-level devices. But the new Snapdragon 480 5G does almost as good a job as the more expensive mid-range SoCs from last year. Thus, the currently most expensive of Nokia's new smartphones is on par with older devices, but there should be much faster devices for the same money in the near future. Thus, the decision for the SoC is not very forward-looking.

However, those who are looking for a mid-range device with 5G, a decent camera, pure Android, a long warranty and without PWM flickering on the screen will find what they are looking for here

The device is less suitable for those who want a light and handy smartphone. Nokia's X20 simply has too much screen space for that and is quite heavy. The IPS screen does not offer accurate colors and is also quite low in contrast, so fans of OLED displays will probably turn away.

Nokia's X20 is a mid-range smartphone with a long warranty, good runtimes, and 5G.

It is commendable that Nokia tries to become more sustainable. The protective cover made of compostable material instead of the charger might not be to everyone's taste, but at least it shows that it does not always have to be environmentally harmful plastic. In order to protect itself against accusations of money-making, Nokia also donates all the money that is earned with the sale of chargers. The manufacturer is at least concerned about the environmental impact of its devices, and that alone is a step in the right direction.

Price and availability

At the time of testing, the Nokia X20 is available directly from the manufacturer available. It is also available in some online stores, but mainly from Austria. The device is now also available from German retailers, for example Cyberport or amazon.de.

Nokia X20 - 05/04/2021 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
85%
Keyboard
66 / 75 → 88%
Pointing Device
94%
Connectivity
52 / 70 → 74%
Weight
88%
Battery
90%
Display
83%
Games Performance
30 / 64 → 47%
Application Performance
67 / 86 → 78%
Temperature
87%
Noise
100%
Audio
64 / 90 → 71%
Camera
64%
Average
75%
81%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Nokia X20 smartphone review - Long warranty and 5G
Florian Schmitt, 2021-05- 6 (Update: 2021-05- 6)