Nokia 6.1 Plus long term review: A breath of fresh air in the mid-range segment

Since the time Nokia made a comeback with HMD Global, the company has been trying to make space for itself in the mid-range segment. The first generation of phones made a lot of buyers stand up and take notice but the average Indian buyer had already been spoilt by Chinese brands that offered similar specs with a much smaller price tag. Nokia phones, however, continued to offer what they were popular for, great build quality. But the prices kept pushing the Indian buyer away. With the Nokia 6.1 Plus, the company seems to have struck a sweet balance without sacrificing the impeccable build quality.

The Nokia 6.1 Plus sits snug in the mid-range segment with respectable specifications and the Android One badge. The major competition here are Xiaomi's Mi A2 and Motorola One Power which also come with Android One. The Mi A2 also comes with a slightly better camera and processor but what makes the Nokia 6.1 Plus recommendable is its all-around experience. For a buyer looking for solid build quality, stock Android experience, and a modern-looking phone, the Nokia 6.1 Plus seems to tick all the right boxes.

Design

The strongest point of the Nokia 6.1 Plus, which could also be its downfall (literally) is that it is definitely a looker. The phone (black review unit) has been getting incredible attention almost everywhere I take it. Somehow, the notch has become synonymous with premium and the glass sandwich design just accentuates that factor. The most asked question was 'how much does it cost?' and the answer seemed unbelievable to many.

On the downside, just like many flagships and premium mid-range smartphones in the market, the phone is extremely slippery. The company has used over 90 per cent glass on the surface area of the Nokia 6.1 Plus but the element that gives it elegance also sacrifices grip. You might end up using a case. However, the phone does come with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection which can deal with minor falls and scratches well.

Screen and Size

The tall display comes with an aspect ratio of 19:9, thanks to the notch. The pocketability of the Nokia 6.1 Plus is one of the best we've experienced lately. Despite the 5.8-inch display, the smartphone is compact in comparison to the bulky smartphones with the same screen size. The mid-range segment is now dominated by phones with large screens and a bigger overall footprint but Nokia 6.1 Plus can easily be managed single-handedly. In terms of quality, the screen is bright and colours are acurate. One can also hide the notch by opting for it in the settings. 

Power

The device is powered by Snapdragon 636, a relatively new chip by Qualcomm, which does its job rather well. The processor and Android One software sit well together. The performance, to put it simply, has been smooth. There was no noticeable lag during our extended testing phase.

Heavy games like PUBG and Asphalt 9 ran with no noticeable frame drops. However, the games automatically slotted into lower graphics for better overall performance. The UI was generally buttery smooth and at times overly responsive. The fingerprint sensor on the back panel is also very responsive and feels like has been borrowed from a flagship.

Android One makes Nokia 6.1 Plus a no-nonsense smartphone. There's no bloatware on the device and animations are snappy as ever.

Camera

The camera on Nokia 6.1 Plus is a dual lens setup which is capable of producing some good looking pictures. The front camera also meets expectations. The primary set up comes with one 16 MP lens with f/2.0 and phase detection auto focus (PDAF), and another 5MP depth sensor. The front facing camera has a 16MP lens with f/2.0 aperture.

In the daylight, images shot on the device are sharp with good details and dynamic range. The automatic HDR mode does its job well in containing highlights. For dimly lit areas, the camera does a decent job in letting more light in but the lack of image stabilisation required me to take multiple shots before getting the final shot. There is noticeable noise in darker areas of the picture. Both in day and night, the colour composition mostly felt accurate.

One area where the camera left us more than impressed was the portrait mode which is called "Live Bokeh" in the native camera application. The second lens does a good job of detecting edges and the pictures turn out to be impressive. The camera can also detect more than one person in the frame and adjust accordingly. One can select their desired level of depth while clicking the picture.

Disclaimer: Images have been re-sized to fit this page

The selfie camera also comes with a portrait mode and it's no exception when it comes to performance. The edges are clear with sufficient light but the unit could struggle a little in dark environments. All in all, you'll be more than happy with the phone's bokeh mode.

Battery

The battery is a 3060mAh unit which seems standard with a display size of 5.8-inch. However, in our usage, the Nokia 6.1 Plus did not disappoint. The phone can last a single day on 100 per cent charge. For context, my average day starts around 7 am and ends around 11 pm. Despite keeping the hotspot on for a couple of hours and gaming sessions that could last for 30 minutes, the battery never died on me. The phone gets Quick Charge 3.0 but the charger in the box does not support it.

Verdict

HMD Global's first generation devices were great but lacked in the most crucial aspect for a mid-range smartphone buyer, price. Nokia 6.1 Plus not only gets the price right but also offers a software experience that is mature and snappy. The camera may not be the best in the segment but is in no way a lousy performer. To top it all, the design language is still unique in the segment it is selling.

Buyers looking for practical size, good-looking LCD screen, modern and premium looking design, a decent camera with an amazing selfie unit, above average battery life and a stock but efficient software, can opt for the Nokia 6.1 Plus. The mid-range segment was in a desperate need for better options other than Chinese manufacturers and HMD Global seems to have delivered that while keeping the trusted Nokia branding.