Nokia 7.2 Review: The Verdict
The Nokia 7.2 is a competent midrange smartphone that's perfectly adequate for the money. While the Nokia 7.2 doesn't have any major flaws, it doesn't do quite enough to standout from fierce competition in the same price range.
What we love
- Nice design
- Runs Android One
- Good performance
What could be improved
- Average camera
- A little boring
The essentials
- Performance: Day-to-day tasks are all smooth.
- Battery: About a day per charge.
- Screen: Pretty good. No complaints.
- Camera: Can take good, detailed photos during the day, but lowlight performance isn't great. Photos tend to look a little washed out.
70/100
There are so many Nokia smartphones. Oh so many. They even can blend into each other a little. The Nokia 7.2 is one of the latest, but thankfully, possibly the most interesting.
At $549 outright, it's hit the sweet spot between functionality and value in the Nokia range. There's enough grunt under the hood for it to not feel like at a compromise, but affordable enough that it doesn't feel like you're spending top-dollar.
Of course, competition around the $500 or so price point this year has been fierce. While the Nokia 7.2 stands out from the Nokia range, there's the question of whether it does enough to differentiate itself from its rivals.
Nokia 7.2 - Performance
- 6.3-inch 1080p+ display
- Snapdragon 660
- 64GB or 128GB storage, 4GB RAM
- 48MP + 8MP + 5MP rear-facing camera
- 3,500mAh battery
For the most part, the Nokia 7.2 is smooth enough when it comes to day-to-day performance. Part of this can be chalked up to its unfettered version of Android, free from any modification.
Like the rest of HMD's stable of Nokia smartphones, the Nokia 7.2 runs Android One. Android One is a pure version of Android that Google plays a hand in maintaining. All Android One smartphones get security updates every month for a minimum of three years, and two major operating system updates. This should see the Nokia 7.2 through to Android 11.
HMD says the Nokia 7.2 should get about two days of battery per charge, but that wasn't quite my experience. I found I typically had a buffer of around 25 to 30% left at the end of a day. That's not bad, but it's far from what's being promised.
Nokia 7.2 - Camera
As promising as the Nokia 7.2 camera might sound, it's a bit of a mixed bag. It can take detailed photos in good conditions, but it starts to falter in lowlight. While there's an accompanying night mode, it tends to be rather inconsistent. It can add a little bit of extra brightness to shots, but often at the cost of sharpness. The resulting images are quite prone to motion blur, which in turn leaves them looking soft.
Looking more broadly, the Nokia 7.2 tends to leave photos looking overly cool in terms of colour temperature, to the point where they look undersaturated. While some phones are a bit more restrained when it comes to saturation to provide a more natural look, the Nokia 7.2 takes it a little bit too far. Photos can almost look washed out. You can always tinker with your images to restore a bit of colour, but this just adds an extra step.
Nokia 7.2 - Design
The Nokia 7.2 is mostly cut the from same cloth as most other modern smartphones - you've got the requisite tear-drop notch paired with a bezel-light design. The bezels aren't quite as slim as you'd find on some other smartphones, but it's nice enough. Both the front and back are glass, but the rear panel has been treated with a matte finish that's a tad less slippery than your standard smartphone. It also feels great in the hand, which when combined with the Nokia 7.2's reassuring heft, makes it a lovely phone to hold.
It's also worth calling out the Nokia 7.2's power button has an integrated notification light. If you've got unread notifications, the light will pulse gently. While this is quite simple, it's quite an elegant solution - the light is visible whether your phone is face up or face down.
Nokia 7.2 - Final Thoughts
The Nokia 7.2 pairs a premium design with reliable performance at an affordable price point, but it doesn't really standout. There are more interesting phones at similar price-points, and if your budget can stretch, it's overshadowed by the Pixel 3a. While the Nokia 7.2 feels a bit more high end thanks to a predominantly glass build, the Pixel 3a is a clear winner when it comes to photo quality.
Priced at $100 less than the Pixel 3a, the Nokia 7.2 is still a solid device. While no one aspect of it particularly stands out, there's no massive red flags either. It's just that spending a little more can get you a more exciting device.
Nokia 7.2 Camera Samples
I don't want a Nokia 7.2, what else can I buy?
Google Pixel 3a
The Pixel 3a is $100 pricier than the Nokia 7.2 and a little less premium thanks to a plastic heavy build, but offers a much better camera experience. If you can make you can make your budget stretch, the Pixel 3a is a smarter choice.
Realme XT
The Realme XT might be $50 cheaper than the Nokia 7.2, but if offers more bang-for-buck thanks to a faster processor, larger battery, and a stronger primary camera. There are a few differences when it comes to software; the Realme XT's take on Android is heavily customised and doesn't have the same three year guarantee when it comes to software updates.
Motorola One Vision
The Motorola One Vision is another Android One smartphone, and it's $50 cheaper than the Nokia 7.2. While the pair are pretty similar, the One Vision is a little more unique thanks to its extra tall display.
Find a better phone plan
Thousands of mobile phone plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
Related Articles
Sign up for telco news, money-saving deals and more.
