It wasn’t that long ago that the only Nokia phones you could buy were Windows OS Phones; I remember one of my gadget wishes being that Nokia would release their same fabulous hardware but with it running Android. That day has come, and the Nokia 6 is an excellent combo of Nokia’s fab hardware with Android OS.
The Nokia 6 from Amazon Prime Exclusive Phones gives you the option of buying the phone with or without lock screen offers and ads. This is similar to the model that Amazon uses with their Kindles in that you can save a bit of money if you don’t mind seeing the ads. In the past, I’ve preferred buying Kindles with the ads because some of them are really good, and I’ve never found them intrusive or obnoxious. I wasn’t sure how this model would work on a mobile phone, so when Amazon offered the choice of reviewing the Nokia 6 on loan with or without ads, I opted for “with ads”.
This is similar to the model that Amazon uses with their Kindles in that you can save a bit of money if you don’t mind seeing the ads. In the past, I’ve preferred buying Kindles with the ads because 1. I like saving money, and 2. some of them offer good savings on things I might not have known about otherwise, and I’ve never found these ads or lock screens to be intrusive or obnoxious. I wasn’t sure how this model would work on a mobile phone, so when Amazon offered the choice of reviewing the Nokia 6 on loan with or without ads, I opted for “with ads”.
I wasn’t sure how this model would work on a mobile phone, so when Amazon offered the choice of reviewing the Nokia 6 on loan with or without ads, I opted for “with ads”.
Included in the box are the Nokia 6, a pair of in-ear headphones, a microUSB to USB charging cable, a wall charger, a SIM pin, a user manual, and a product and safety information pamphlet.
The Nokia 6 measures 6.1″ tall by 3″ wide by 0.3″ thick; it weighs 5.8 ounces, and it has a 5.5″ screen with thin borders that dominates the front side. The phone’s body is “crafted from a single block of 6000 series aluminum, anodized, polished and finished with bright diamond-cut edges,” and the screen is Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The overall effect is a larger phone that feels solid in hand
The phone’s body is “crafted from a single block of 6000 series aluminum, anodized, polished and finished with bright diamond-cut edges,” and the screen is Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The overall effect is a larger phone that feels solid in hand; light, yet quite sturdy. The Nokia 6 feels like a premium phone, which is why I found the $179 (with ads)/$229 (without ads) price slightly shocking and very agreeable; it’s definitely an exception to Carly’s recent Android price rant/editorial.
The ad isn’t too obnoxious, right?
I received the black Nokia 6; it is also available in copper, blue, and silver. On the front top to the side of the ear speaker, there is an 8-megapixel front facing camera.
At the bottom of the screen, there is a back button, a combination home button with integrated fingerprint reader, and a square recent-apps button that shows you cards for all opened apps when pressed.
On the left side of the phone, there is a combination micro SIM and microSD tray. The Nokia 6 has 32GB of onboard memory, so if you are willing to forgo the memory card, you can actually load a second SIM in the microSD tray. I love Dual-SIM capable phones, as they are perfect for those who might otherwise have to carry a separate work and personal phone, and they also come in very handy when traveling internationally.
On the bottom of the phone, there is a microphone, a microUSB sync/charge port, and a speaker. I’ll admit that I was disappointed Nokia didn’t go with a Type-C port, but it’s not a deal-breaker.
On the right side, there is a power button and a volume rocker. The power button is slightly recessed, so it is easier to find the volume rocker without accidentally pressing the wrong thing; both sets of buttons feel like they are also made of aluminum. You’ll notice the shiny silver aluminum edge that circles the top of the phone going into the beveled edge that meets the screen; this adds a nice flash of interest to the phone, and it breaks up all that black.
On the top of the phone, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack. I know that many phones have removed this port in favor of wireless audio streaming only, but I do like it when it’s still an option.
The breaks in the silver border are a sleekly disguised antenna.
The back of the phone is all aluminum with a bright silver ring around the 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and LED flash. You can see the slightly duller matte antenna at the top and bottom of the aluminum case.
Here are the Nokia 6 Specifications:
Android OS Version: 7.1.1 (Nougat)
Display: 5.5″ diagonal, IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, Full-HD (1920 x 1080, 16:9), 403 ppi pixel density, 450 nits brightness, and readable in sunlight
Processor: 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor
Cameras: 16MP PDAF, 1.0um, f/2, dual tone flash rear camera, and 8MP AF, 1.12um, f/2, FOV 84 degrees front-facing camera
Networks: Network speed LTE Cat. 4, 150Mbps DL/50Mbps UL; Networks GSM: 850/900/1800/1900; WCDMA: Band 1, 2, 5, 8; LTE: Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40
Connectivity: Micro USB (USB 2.0), USB OTG, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
Sensors: Accelerometer (G-sensor), ambient light sensor, e-compass, Hall sensor, fingerprint sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor, NFC (sharing)
Memory: 3GB RAM and 32GB internal memory with microSD card option
Speakers: Dual speakers (one on the bottom and the ear speaker together for stereo sound), Smart amplifier with 7.2W peak output and Dolby Atmos
Battery: Integrated 3,000mAh Lithium-Ion
During the usual first-time setup sequence, one of the screens that will pop up asks you to sign into your Amazon account; this will help personalize the ads you’ll see so that they are things you might be more interested in.
On top of coming preloaded with all of the Google apps we’ve come to expect from any Android phone, the Nokia 6 also has a suite of Amazon apps including the Amazon retail app, Prime Video, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Music, Audible, Alexa, IMDB, Goodreads, Prime Now, Amazon Drive, and Prime Photos.
There’s also a widget that helps you keep track of your lists, your orders, and other deals that might interest you.
I like that although this phone is meant to be used with AT&T and T-Mobile (as well as any other US GSM carriers), there are no branded or extra bloat-ware apps for and from those carriers. Another huge benefit to this phone is that it is contract-free. Being able to buy an unlocked phone outright for such a reasonable price is wonderful, especially when you are used to the prices seen for iPhones and Samsung Android devices. The only things that you are adding when you take the $50 discount for the Prime version are ads that will sometimes show up on your lock screen and an ad that will show up at the bottom of your tray.
While the processor isn’t the latest and greatest, I found it more than capable for my use. Flipping between apps, loading multiple browser pages, watching streaming content, listening to streaming content, playing the games I typically play (word-based), and reading — it handled everything like a champ. If you are a heavy gamer, then the processor might be a bit slower than you’d like, but otherwise, I don’t think it will ever give you an issue.
Listening to music or watching video on the Nokia 6 is enhanced because of the dual speakers; it sounds much better than some other more expensive phones I’ve reviewed, and the screen is large enough to really enjoy watched video on.
Nokia has always, in my opinion, offered better than average cameras, so I went into the Nokia 6 review with high hopes. I think it did a very good job, don’t you?
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- Great details on macro shots
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- Great details on macro shots
Both the front and rear cameras offer a beauty filter, and the e-compass feature was interesting.
The Nokia 6 has a lot going for it; it has an excellent large screen, a very good camera, a large battery, and a fast enough processor for most users. Whether it’s worth paying the extra $50 to remove the Amazon ads and Prime content will be up to you, but I think they are done in a way that isn’t too intrusive and they are somewhat relevant.
If you are looking for a budget-priced Android phone that doesn’t feel like a budget phone and that doesn’t come loaded with a lot of carrier installed bloatware, the Nokia 6 is a great option.
The Nokia 6 retails for $229.99 or $179.99 as a Prime Exclusive with ads and special offers; it will be available from Amazon on August 18, but you can pre-order it now. There is also a 64GB version available without the Amazon Prime Exclusive pricing.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample on loan
What I Like: Excellent Nokia build-quality running Android; Dual-SIM is perfect for those who carry a work and personal phone or who travel; Large battery; Great camera; Option of paying an extra $50 to remove ads: Android on a Nokia phone!
What Needs Improvement: Uses a microUSB port rather than Type-C; If you are a heavy gamer, the processor may not be quite fast enough for you
