In recent months, the entry-level smartphone hasn’t seen much activity. However, HMD Global now has a new choice in the form of the Nokia C01 Plus, which costs Rs 6,199. The gadget runs the Android Go 11 UI, has a single camera on the back, hefty bezels, and a few other features that are popular among inexpensive smartphones. Is the Nokia C01 Plus the right phone for you? The next gadget review will provide an answer to that query.
Price
The Nokia C01 Plus with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage costs Rs. 6,799. The Nokia smartphone with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage capacity was released in India in September 2021. It was originally priced at Rs. 5,999, but now costs Rs. 6,299. Nokia.com, as well as prominent e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, as well as physical retail establishments, sell it. It comes in two colour schemes: blue and grey.
Jio members will receive Rs. 600 in “immediate price support,” bringing the Nokia C01 Plus’s price down to Rs. 5,699 and Rs. 6,199 for the 16GB and 32GB storage options, respectively. Additionally, Jio members who recharge for Rs. 299 or more will receive up to Rs. 4,000 in perks from Myntra, PharmEasy, Oyo, and MakeMyTrip.
Specifications
The Nokia C01 Plus sports a tough, textured plastic body, with a single camera and LED module flat on the back. Nokia smartphones are recognised for their robust build quality, and it appears that the brand’s entry-level lineup is following suit. The power and volume rocker buttons are on the side and are extremely tactile. I can’t recall the last time I was able to remove the back cover of a smartphone and examine the battery inside, but the C01 does have one. The phone’s bottom has a tiny dip that allows removing the rear cover as simple as opening your lunchbox. The phone is, however, extremely thick, which is unexpected given the 3,000mAh battery.
On the top, there is a micro-USB connector as well as a headphone jack. The clumsy bezels that surround the display transport me back to 2014, when such a design was considered standard for a device’s fascia. While the 5.45-inch HD+ screen itself provides a good colour experience, the brightness settings are on the low side, and there is no WideVine L1 certification. The screen’s major value resides in its one-handed operation and casual YouTube viewing, both of which it does admirably.
Camera
The single 5MP camera on the rear is capable of shooting basic photos. Its strong characteristics aren’t accurate colour reproduction, noticeable dynamic range, or contrast ratios. Its primary function is to convey as much emphasis to the scene as the lighting permits.
In many cases, details are oversharpened, and the phone’s low-light camera performance is disappointing, with shots missing focus and details even in bright light. However, as an entry-level smartphone, the device’s image-taking skills are comparable to those of the competitors. Finally, the front-facing selfie camera features a 5MP sensor and is equivalent to the webcam on a laptop.
Table
| Chipset | Unisoc SC9863A |
| No of cores | 8 (octa core) |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| RAM Type | LPDDR4X |
| Height-Width | 5.83in-2.83in |
| Weight | 157 grams |
| Colours | Glacier Green, Graphite black |
| Resolution | 720 x 1440 pixels |
| Display Type | IPS LCD |
| Size | 5.45 inches |
| TouchScreen | Yes, Capacitive, Multi-Touch |
| Rear camera setup | Single |
| Rear Camera | 5 MP |
| Front camera | 5 MP |
| Flash | LED Rear flash, LED Front Flash |
| Charging Speed | 20% to 100% in 02h 41m 00s (in-house tested) |
| Battery Type and capacity | Li-ion, 3000 mAh |
| Fast Charging | No |
| Internal memory type | 16 GB, eMMC 5.1 |
| Operating System | Android v11 |
| Custom UI | Android Go |
| SIM Configuration | Dual SIM |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, with b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v4.2 |
| GPS | Yes with A-GPS |
| Fingerprint sensor | No |
| Face Unlock | Yes |
| Other Sensor | Light SensorProximity SensorAccelerometer |
Performance and Battery
The Nokia device’s performance is handled by the Unisoc SC9863A CPU. Although the quad-core processor is not capable of performing intensive CPU operations, Android Go’s efficiency allows the device to run common programmes like Chrome, YouTube, Google Maps, Facebook, and those with relative ease. BGMI takes a long time to load and crashes after around 30 minutes on the lowest settings, but the game is far too demanding for this device. The phone has 2GB of RAM, which should be plenty to keep a few programmes running in the background, and although the 16GB of internal storage may not be enough, it can be expanded to 256GB through a microSD card slot.
Nokia’s standard Android UI is tainted with bloatware such as MX TakaTak, MyJio, Solitaire, and a few games… all of which can be deleted. Even for an entry-level gadget, the single speaker on the rear sounds average. There is no fingerprint sensor on the phone, so you’ll have to unlock it with either a four-digit passcode or a sketchy face unlock mechanism. Finally, the device’s battery capacity is 3,000mAh, which may not seem like much, but because of the processor’s low power consumption, the phone may survive for more than a day on a full charge. It takes roughly 2 hours to completely charge using the 5W adapter included in the box.
Warranty Plan
| Warranty | 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty |
| Extended Warranty | 2 years Extended Warranty from the GoWarranty for the Nokia C01 Plus |
Verdict
With smartphone prices growing, there aren’t many enticing alternatives. However, for those on a tight budget, the Nokia C01 Plus might be a good option, ranking well in areas like build quality and software. The Nokia C01 Plus appears to be a viable alternative for the entry-level market, with features that should allow it to do basic smartphone functions. This is a gadget that may be aimed towards folks transitioning from feature phones, and it may be given to your grandparents or someone whose needs include access to WhatsApp and YouTube. At less than $700, the Nokia C01 Plus appears to be a smartphone capable of handling the essentials.
