Nokia 5.1 (2018) Review: The Verdict
The Nokia 5.1 is a no nonsense phone with a no nonsense price tag. It's solid, reliable, and the Android One operating system should ensure it remains so for a pretty long time. If you have a little patience, you can get great photos out of it too. Just don't try the selfie camera.
What we love
- Solid build that shouldn't easily break
- Great update support with Android One
- Reliable performance
What could be improved
- Storage is low
- Rear camera is hit and miss
- Selflie camera sucks
The essentials
- Performance: Fast enough that you won't notice it. But it won't blow you away.
- Battery: Will last a day with heavy use, a day and a half with light.
- Screen: Struggles in very harsh light but otherwise no complaints.
- Camera: Awesome, except when it isn't. Be prepared to snap a few times for a great shot.
80/100
$329
- 5.5 inch Full HD display
- MT6755S Octa-Core 2.0 GHz
- 16GB storage, 2GB RAM
- 16MP rear-facing, 8MP front-racing
- 2970mAh battery
When it comes to the new generation of Nokia phones, the phrase that tends to spring to mind is "no nonsense". No easily breakable parts. No weird customisation of the Android operating system. No bloatware. No problems.
The Nokia 5.1 is just such a no nonsense phone. And it comes with a no nonsense price tag. And as long as you don't mind snapping a few times to get a great shot with the camera, this could be a great no nonsense buy.
Built to last
As we've come to expect from Nokia smartphones, the Nokia 5.1 has a solid look and feel. I'm not saying it's unbreakable, but I reckon it could survive a few knocks. It already survived one this morning when I dropped it onto the edge of my desk. (It was an accident!)
And with Android One onboard, the Nokia 5.1's functionality will probably survive a good while too. Android One is an unmodified version of the Android operating system that's essentially maintained directly by Google, rather than Nokia. Google has promised that all Android One devices will get at least two years of major operating system updates and three years of monthly security updates. That should see the Nokia 5.1 working smoother for longer, although only time will really tell.
Android One also means the Nokia 5.1 is free from bloatware and pretty easy to use. And despite having only 2GB of RAM, the Nokia 5.1 ran fast enough that I didn't even really notice the performance. The battery on the Nokia 5.1 is also fine. I found myself with about 25% left after a day of heavy use, and 54% after a day of light use. Unless you're an extremely demanding user, you should have no problems as long as you charge nightly.
Basically, the phone works. And it works just fine. It's just worth noting that the storage is quite limited. You only get 16GB out of the box, and around half that is taken up by the operating system. But you'd be hard pressed to find any phone in this price category that can do any better storage-wise, and you can always pick up a micro SD card for not too much extra. (At the time of writing, Officeworks is selling a 32GB card for $14.92.)
A few gos to get the photos right
The Nokia 5.1 camera is, I have to say, pretty awesome for the price. Except when it isn't. The camera can handle still objects just fine and can even take some impressively decent shots at night. But when I tried to take photos of objects prone to movement (like humans, for example, or cats) I'd invariably end up with five or six blurry or unfocused shots, and one good one. Mind you, the good one tended to be really good and at $329 you might not mind taking a few snaps to get a great shot.
The biggest problem for me was that I couldn't get sharp selfies. Every photo I took of myself was just a little grainy or unfocused. Maybe the Nokia 5.1 just doesn't like my face. More likely, the front-facing camera is one of the compromises it makes to keep that price tag down.
Who's the Nokia 5.1 for?
The Nokia 5.1 is a great "good enough" buy that'll satisfy anyone who just wants a device that'll do the job and probably do it for a long time, or anyone who cares more about savings than selfies.
If you need a tonne of storage and a camera that takes a great photo every single time, this is not the phone for you. But then, we doubt any phone in this price range would meet that need.
Nokia 5.1 camera samples
I don't want a Nokia 5.1, what else can I buy?
Nokia 6.1 (2018)
If you've got a little more money to spend, it's worth considering the Nokia 6.1. At $399 it's only $70 extra and the premium will get you a faster processor, twice as much internal storage and a more reliable camera.
Motorola Moto E5
If you prefer to spend less, at $229 the Moto E3 is a budget smartphone that makes surprisingly few compromises. Yes, the camera performance is hit and miss and there's only 16GB of storage, but it has a massive battery life and solid overall package that feels like more phone than you're paying for.
HTC U11 Life
At $599, the HTC U11 Life does cost considerably more than the Nokia 3.1, but like the Nokia it also runs Android One. For your money you'll get water-resistance, good day-to-day performance and a much more reliable camera. There's no headphone jack, though.
SIM-only plans to go with your Nokia 5.1
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#1
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Pivotel
25GB Mobile Swift Plan
$11.45/mth
Min. cost $11.45
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#2
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SpinTel
Editor's Pick
$23 Mobile Plan
$12.00/mth
Min. cost $12
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#3
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Swoop
30GB SIM Only 5G
$14.00/mth
Min. cost $14
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#4
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Boost Mobile
$14 Prepaid
$14.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
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#5
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Kogan Mobile
Small Monthly Plan
$23.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
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#6
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Dodo
Small Mobile Plan
$25.00/mth
Min. cost $25
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Jacqui Dent
Editorial Strategist
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