Nokia 6.1 (2018) Review

If the Nokia of old is remembered for anything, it's build quality. The 3310's reputation as unbreakable is quite possibly the closest thing the phone world has to a legend. If you dropped it, you were more worried about how the floor held up.

HMD, the brand behind Nokia's revival, has managed to recapture this legacy with the new wave of Nokia devices. When you hold the Nokia 6.1, you're overcome with the urge to drop it, to see if the phone is as solid as it feels. This, of course, is a terrible idea. The fact modern smartphones rely on glass screens makes them *a lot* more breakable. But as irresponsible as this might be, the temptation never quite goes away. If we didn't have to return it, we'd be giving this one the drop test treatment.

The Nokia 6.1 - also known as the Nokia 6 (2018) and "the new Nokia 6" - feels built to last. It certainly doesn't feel like a $399 phone, even if it looks like one. That's not to say the Nokia 6.1 is an unattractive device, it's just a fairly standard phone with a standard 16:9 display and noticeable bezels on all four sides. Nokia hasn’t gone down the ultramodern path with this one. Copper embossing on the edges is however a nice touch, and makes the Nokia 6.1 more than just an aluminium rectangle with a screen. You won't mistake the new Nokia 6 for an iPhone X or a Galaxy S9, but it has some flair of its own.

Bargain hunting

Do you want a phone that punches above its price in terms of performance? Well you should definitely consider the Nokia 6.1.

While the phone costs $399, the core hardware is almost identical to devices that cost at least $150 more. And it's good hardware: you get the same processor you'll find in the $549 Sony Xperia XA2 and the $599 HTC U11 Life. They both perform well, and the Nokia 6.1 does too. They all make a perfectly adequate daily driver.

The Nokia 6.1's camera isn't quite as good as either of the aforementioned, and it struggles in lowlight. The same can be said for the Xperia XA2 and the U11 Life, but they still have a slight edge. We wouldn't call it a "spend $200" more edge though.

And while the Nokia 6.1 is the cheapest out of this trio of devices, its build quality will lead you to believe otherwise.

Fun with Android One

Somewhat ironically, the fact that Nokia's new smartphones run a clean, unmodified, and up-to-date version of Android is one of the manufacturer's key points of difference. While most smartphone companies insist on putting their own mark on Android, Nokia's phones all run Android as Google intended.

Nokia has been using clean Android since the start of its rebooted smartphone journey, but this year its devices - including the Nokia 6.1 - will all ship with Android One. This means two things: the Nokia 6.1's software is essentially maintained directly by Google, and there's an Android One logo on the back of the phone.

Google promises all Android One will get security updates every month for a minimum of three years, and two major operating system updates. This will see the Nokia 6.1 through to Android Q, which is a very good thing. (It's worth noting Nokia made this promise for last year's phones, but the change to Android One should make updates more timely.) Unfortunately, many affordable smartphones often get left behind when it comes to software updates and security. Security patches can be infrequent, and in some cases, devices may never see a single update.

While post-purchase software support should be a given when it comes to cheaper smartphones, it's not. This alone makes it worth considering the Nokia 6.1.

Who is the Nokia 6.1 for?

If value is your primary concern, the Nokia 6.1 is a solid pick. Literally. We're still fighting the urge to face it off against the floor.

For the money, there's very little to complain about. Sure, the camera could be better, but that's a charge that could be levied across all affordable smartphones. And yes, the design could be more modern, but the Nokia 6.1 is hardly an unattractive device.

While there's certainly nits to pick, the Nokia 6.1 delivers on the fundamentals: performance, screen quality, software, and battery life. It's a worthy contender for the "best affordable smartphone" crown.

Nokia 6.1 camera samples

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I don't want a Nokia 6.1, what else can I buy?

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HTC U11 Life

HTC's U11 Life is about $200 more than the Nokia 6.1, also runs Android One, but has a few extra features. You get twice as much storage, water-resistance, noise-cancelling headphones in the box, an extra gig of RAM. There's no headphone jack, though.

Sony Xperia XA2

The Sony Xperia XA2 has fairly similar internals to the Nokia 6.1, but in a bit of a more elegant package. You do miss out on Android One, however.

Samsung Galaxy A8

If you're after modern trappings like water-resistance and an extra-tall display, you can pick up Samsung's Galaxy A8 for $649; it's almost like a Galaxy S9 with a flat screen. There is one potential catch though: it still runs Android Nougat, rather than the newer Oreo.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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