Category: Mobile Phone Reviews

Mobile Phones, Smart Phones, Cell Phones and anything like them review and comparisons.

  • Samsung J7 Duo Review

    Welcome to the review on the Samsung J7 Duo version review. We bought the J7 Duo as we needed a new dual SIM smartphone at a reasonable price and with decent performance and hardware specifications. The Samsung J7 Duo is a European and Asian/Indian marketed phone where many need multiple SIMs for travelling in different countries and for many who use it as a personal and work phone. In terms of construction the J7 Duo is a slim phone made of plastic. The back comes off so you can insert the SIM card and the memory card. The rear cover is highly integrated so you wouldn't notice it, hence it is a good design. The rear cover is typical Samsung fashion is slim and tight in the same vein as the benchmark Note but not as premium in feel. The screen is a glass one that makes the J7 Duo feel better than it should. Overall is very good for the price. In terms of hardware the J7 Duo is packed with the latest tech again beyond the price tag. That includes a Super AMOLED screen, an Octa-core 2.2 Mhz CPU, 32 GIG memory, 4G or LTE, finger print reader and an FM radio amongst it's hardware features. Note that specification often say its has 4Gig Ram but our version only had 3 Gigs which didn't seem to effect performance. For a brand like Samsung to have this sort of specifications is impressive. In terms of use the J7 Duo is impressive. It's fast and smooth despite some additional Samsung and Google apps installed as standard. Loading apps is fast and equal to any iPhone up to the 8. The finger reader is the fastest we've used is worth noting. The camera takes good pictures likewise video so we have no complaints. We like that you can place a widget on the home screen that allows you optimise the performance of the phone which it's competitors especially the iPhone really needs as the lasses iOS really lags in this area now. Yes the comparable iPhone 6S slows down notably more so that the J7 Duo! In conclusion the Samsung J7 Duo is definitely one of the best dual SIM Android OS smart phones you can buy in 2018 and 2019. (Hence we bought one) The J7 Duo sells for under 200 Euro and estimated mid $300 AUD there's little competition even from the Chinese brands. Note that getting a J7 Duo is difficult in many countries so if you happen to be Singapore, Malaysia or India see if you pick one up! Specifications Samsung J7 Duo
    • Network Quad-band GSM, 3G 4G LTE Dual SIM
    • Design Touch screen
    • L153.5 x W77.2 x D8.2 mm
    • Weight 174 grams
    • Display 5.5 inch 1,280 x 720 Super AMOLED
    • Camera 13 MP auto-focus LED Flash
    • Video Camera 1080 HD 30FPS main video camera 5Mp front camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4.2
    • CPU Octa-core 1.6 Ghz (Exynos 7885) Separate Mali-G71 GPU
    • Memory 3 or 4Gig RAM Up to 32 Gig for user Up to 256Gig microSD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, GLANOSS, BDS Finger printer sensor 3000 mAh battery Up to 7 days standby single SIM
    • Price (RRP) history Approx: under 200 EURO August 2018 (Outright)

  • Nokia 3.1 Review

    Welcome to the 2018 Nokia 3.1 smartphone review. In one with the 5.1 the entry level 3.1 is another 'cheap' Android OS phone you can buy. Being one of the entry level phones for Nokia it's the top of the range entry level phone. So is the Nokia3.1 worth buying? In terms of construction the Nokia 3.1 is very good. It is just like the rest of the Nokia range mean it feels light but solid with metal and glass faced screen. There are only 3 buttons on the side, a headphone jack and SIM + memory card slot. Overall it's just another well made entry level phone. In terms of hardware the Nokia 3.1 is specifications there's a 1.5 Ghz Mediatek CPU and 2Gigs of RAM and 16Gigs of memory with a decent 5.2 inch screen and 13 MP camera and 8 MP selfie camera. In the end the specifications are not particularly impressive for the price. In the end of 2018 a we edit this review you really need more than this even in an entry level phone. In terms of use the Nokia 3.1 is good. It can run basic apps without any issues but there seems to be a bit laggy with multiple apps running. Being 99% pure Android OS this is surprising. The key feature of the Nokia 3.1 is that it is part of the Android One category of phones which means it uses unmodified version of Android OS and set standard for specifications supported by Google and the insurance of OS updates for 2 years. In conclusion the Nokia 3.1 is a decent phone for the price but there are others you can consider around the same price point. The key selling feature is the guaranteed Android OS system updates for a few years which 99% of its competitors don't even bother with. So at around $250 is a decent phone but we think that if the price dropped to $200 AUD would be definite must buy if your needs are basic. Specifications
    • Nokia 3.1
    • Network Quad-band GSM All 3G frequencies(dependent on country) All 4G frequencies (dependent on country) Dual SIM available
    • Design Touch screen
    • L146.3 x W69 x D8.7 mm
    • Weight 138 grams
    • Display 5.2 inch 1440 x 720 AMOLED
    • Camera 13MP auto-focus LED Flash 8MP 2nd forward facing still/video call camera
    • Video Camera 1080 HD 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4.2
    • CPU Octa-core 1.5 Ghz (Mediatek MT6750N)
    • Memory 2 Gig RAM Up to 16 Gig for user Up to 128 Gig microSD expansion
    • Features Android ONE Li-Po 2990 mAh battery Up to 14 Days standby for average use.
    • Price history Approx $250 AUD October 2018 (Outright)

  • Motorola G5S Plus review

    Welcome to the 2018 Motorola G5S Plus review. After checking out the G5S we really had to compare it to the larger G5S Plus. Since both are now in run out to make way for the G6 series they now get our attention.  The G5S Plus is the bigger screened version of the regular G5S but there is more changes than. The G5S Plus is currently priced under $350 AUD which is impressive for the spec. In terms of construction the Motorola G5S Plus is just like the G5 which is very good. The styling is old fashioned but 2018 but it still looks good enough be considered mid range. Like the G5 Sthe back panel is not longer removable and as a 2 piece slab style smartphones go it is very well made and certainly no complaints for the price. In terms of hardware the G5S Plus has better specs than the G5S better CPU, bigger screen and so forth. There are no fancy edge to edge screen, or AMOLED even multi-megapixel screen just a reasonable 1080P. Once again due to it's price we have no problems with it parts mix and it is certainly better specified than the Nokia's as an example. In terms of use the Motorola G5S Plus has a stock-ish Android interface that means it works smoothly and fast considering the hardware. We had not complaints about speed or performance in general. We also think the the Snapdragon 625 CPU SOE is probably the ideal budget compromise in terms of operation in 2018. In conclusion the Motorola G5S Plus is a great phone with the spec of a phone that usually sells for $100 more eg. Nokia 7. The G5S Plus is hard to go past when priced at a very affordable $329. Although $50 more than the regular G5S the Plus version is well worth it for the faster CPU and graphics. The G5S Plus is arguably the best value Android based smartphone you can currently buy in mis-2018. However note that Motorola's new owners Lenovo no longer offer regular or if all Android software updates so you're stuck with what ever bugs came with the phone you bought. Hence they will never be recommended by us over a brand that does eg. Nokia. Specifications
    • Motorola G5S Plus
    • Network Quad-band GSM All 3G frequencies(dependent on country) All 4G frequencies (dependent on country) Dual SIM available
    • Design Touch screen
    • L153.5 x W76.2 x D8 mm
    • Weight 168 grams
    • Display 5.5 inch 1,920 x 1080 AMOLED
    • Camera 16MP auto-focus LED Flash 5MP 2nd forward facing still/video call camera
    • Video Camera 1080 HD 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4.2
    • CPU Octa-core 2.0 Ghz (Snapdragon 625) Separate Andreno 506 Graphics CPU
    • Memory 4Gig RAM Up to 64 Gig for user Up to 128Gig microSD expansion
    • Features Fast charging capable A-GPS, GLANOSS, Compass, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, fingerprint scanner Li-Po 3000 mAh battery Up to 25 hours for average use.
    • Price history Approx $329 AUD July 2018 (Outright)

  • Motorola G5S Review

    Welcome to the 2018 Motorola G5 review. The G5S is the newest entry level phone form Motorola. In 2018 there is so much more competition from less known brands and that make it hard to standout be be considered for purchase. Price, specification then branding are the keys to this market and the Motorola G5S is arguably one of the most known. We like the G5 series as we actually bought one and it still works well. With the release of the G5S it's logical successor of the G5 we decided to have a closer look. The Motorola G5S is priced at $279 AUD which makes it appealing and competitive. In terms of construction the Motorola G5S is just like the G5 which is very good, certainly better than the asking price suggests. However it is unfortunate that it looks like the older model. Overall there isn't anything to complain about considering the price. Of note that aluminium body is a nice touch at such a low price. In terms of hardware the G5S clearly has lower end parts but the upgrade for RAM to 3 Gigs means that its enough to handle multiple apps easily and helps the now Snapdragon CPU equipped some headroom. It has all the usual Android spec of microSD expansion, fingerprints and 1080p HD screen and surprisingly fast charging. Apart from that there is really no other standout features which is fair enough given the price and allows of the higher end G5S Plus some spec updates. In terms of use the Motorola G5S has virtually a stock Android interface that means it works smoothly and fast considering the hardware. Android is fully functional put of the box here days and there is little complain about in terms o fuse. It really reminders us of a PC that doesn't run windows. All the popular Apps will work well despite the low CPU except for graphic intensive games. In conclusion the Motorola G5S is a great little phone with the spec of a phone that usually sells for $50-100 more eg. Nokia 6 and that's why it will be a phone we will always recommend above the lessor or better promoted brands. It's a phone that works well as long as you don't run heavy duty games like Fortnite. If you want a bigger screen and better specs there is always the G5S Plus. Nonetheless as a phone for basics of Whatsapp, Facebook, instgram, banking, web browsing, videos and music it is hard to go past the Motorola G5S for the price of under $300 at the moment but you need to consider the G5S Plus...However note that Motorola's new owners Lenovo no longer offer regular or if all Android software updates so you're stuck with what ever bugs came with the phone you bought. Hence they will never be recommended by us over a brand that does eg. Nokia. Specifications
    • Motorola G5S
    • Network Quad-band GSM All 3G frequencies(dependent on country) All 4G frequencies (dependent on country) Dual SIM version available
    • Design Touch screen
    • L150 x W73.5 x D8.2 mm
    • Weight 157 grams
    • Display 5.2 inch 1,920 x 1080
    • Camera 16MP auto-focus LED Flash 5MP 2nd forward facing still/video call camera
    • Video Camera 1080 HD 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4.2
    • CPU Octa-core 1.4 Ghz (Snapdragon 430) Separate Andreno 505 Graphics CPU
    • Memory 4Gig RAM Up to 32 Gig for user Up to 128Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features Fast Charging capable A-GPS, GLANOSS, Compass, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, fingerprint scanner Li-Po 3000 mAh battery Up to 25 hours for average use.
    • Price history Approx $279 AUD July 2018 (Outright)

  • iPhone 6S Review

    Welcome to the Apple iPhone 6S review for 2018. The iPhone 6S has been around since late 2015 so it's a pretty old phone but is it with buying in 2018. It is still for sale on the official Apple website and priced relatively cheaper than the iPhone  7 and 8 not to mention the iPhone X. The iPhone 6S is officially priced at $649 in base trim or from $849 for the larger screen 6S Plus as an outright purchase. Don't even think about the regular iPhone 6 unless you have basic requirements or not into modern games. Is the iPhone 6S a budget mobile phone is it worth it? In terms of construction the iPhone 6s is very good. It has a weight to it that feels premium and on the screen side looks great. Unfortunately the rear side of the 6S is looking a little cheap due to the obvious antenna lines. Not many will see it's rear anyway as there will be some sort of case to prevent damage when it is inevitably dropped. Very good overall and definitely a benchmark despite the unsightly lines - surely Steve Jobs would object! It is a bit of a brick in 2018 and it looks exactly like the older iPhone6. In terms of hardware specifications the iPhone 6s can be judged by its technical specifications and the most annoying and obvious part is the screen resolution and display technology. The screen images is dull and the graphics appear faded, only those with rose coloured glasses on, like  iPhone fans cannot see it for how school it looks. Although the resolution is not even HD the high density of pixels make the graphics look better than it's resolution suggests. The speaker is a standout that actually sounds great for a tiny one and the real home button is nice to press and the fingerprint scanner works very fast! The low memory capacity is as always disappointing as the entry level 32Gigs is barely usable in 2018. In terms of use the iPhone 6s is still pretty good. After all the operating system and the hardware are designed as a pair. In the past simplicity has been a key factor in it's popularity however there is now 10 times the difficulty. Mind you it still lack the flexibility and functionality of an Android OS based phone. Nonetheless it works really well and mostly smooth until an App requires just a tiny bit extra power. We also noticed that when the iPhone's battery level gets under 30% there is a noticeable drop in stability and performance. Overall a good iPhone that the can most things only limited it's tiny memory. The conclusion is simple, the iPhone 6s is a very good phone and worth buying in 2018 if you're an iPhone convert but for anyone else it is expensive. It's not as slick as the latest iPhones which indicates that the operating system is getting bloated. Efficient systems like the late Windows Phone was amazing and could run on low powered CPUs easily and just a smooth. If you want an iPhone then the 6S is the cheaper alternative but support for it will disappear in the next 12 months so our recommendation to to get there expensive iPhone 8 or 7 if you can still find one. Alternatively the 5SE is worth a look and cheaper. Specifications
    • Apple iPhone 6s
    • Network All
    • Design Touch screen L138.3 x W67.1 x 7.1 mm Weight 143 grams
    • Display 4.7 inch LCD 750 x 1334 LCD
    • Camera 12 MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing video call camera 8MP
    • Video Camera 4K 30FPS main video camera 5MP front camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4 USB
    • CPU A9 1.8 Ghz CPU
    • Memory 1 Gig RAM Up to 32 or 128 Gig for user
    • Features NFC
    • Power 1715 Li-Po mAh battery Up to 10 Days Standby Up to 14 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx FROM $649 AUD May (Outright)

  • Telstra Tough Max 2 (T85) Review

    Welcome to the Telstra Tough Max 2 T85 review for 2018. The Max 2 is the replacement for the original Max model which was a decent enough phone that could handle a bit of rough by being ruggedised - but not as much as it's case suggests. The Telstra Tough Max 2 follow on from the original but now priced outright at $432. In terms of construction the Telstra Tough Max 2 is very good, bearing in mind the toy like materials the case is made from. It is a solid feeling phone in both bend-ability and in the hand feel. It doesn't look like a premium smartphone and that's what you should expect in ant sort of ruggedised phone. The blue colour is disappointing as it can blend in with its surroundings, a yellow or orange scheme would be idea. In terms of hardware specifications the Telstra Tough Max 2 is just slightly higher than an entry level smart phone for 2018. Why? the Max 2 has 3 Gig of RAM, only entry level phones have 2 these days. First thing you notice is how close the screen is to the glass it's impressive and surprising for a cheap phone. Better specs include a 16MP camera and 8Mp front camera. A fingerprint scanner on the back and a dedicated flash light button! Other features include NFC, quick charging and Wireless charging  and a good looking Gorilla glass screen. The screen resolution may only be 720 x 1280 but it does look as good. In terms of use the Telstra Tough Max 2 is Android OS based so a very good highly customizable interface and is smooth and fast. Launching apps like the browser is fast and dependent on the website can be quite speedy or slow. The feel in the hand is the expected bulky plastic ridges to prevent slipping out of the hand. It's not a premium feeling but that is expected. The interface is Android 7.1 so everything works as expected. The CPU may only be a 1.4 Ghz quad core but its quite quick when using Facebook, Instagram Whatapp and any other non-game app you can think off. The conclusion is simple, the Telstra Tough Max 2 is a notable improvement from the prior model and still made by ZTE and rebranded as Telstra. Now, we don't think the re-branding is of any good to both brands as past smartphone models in particular have been more cheap and overpriced. In addition all our ZTE/Telstra models have died just after 2 years some due to battery and others just stopped working, maybe we are just unlucky. Regardless the Tough Max 2 works well for it's specification but there are others, in particular the Motorola G5 Plus with a Otterbox case. Overall a good phone and worth a closer look. Specifications
    • Telstra Tough Max 2
    • Network 3G + 4G + LTE + VoLTE
    • Design Touch screen
    • L144 x W71.5 x D11 mm Weight 153 grams
    • Display 5 inch LCD 720 x 1280 LCD
    • Camera 16 MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing video call camera 8MP
    • Video Camera 1080p 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4 USB
    • CPU Octa Core 1.4 Snapdragon 430 Qualcomm Adreno 505
    • Memory 3 Gig RAM Up to 32 Gig for user MicroSD expansion
    • Features Android OS 7.1.2 Quick charger Qi Wireless charging IP67 toughness FM Radio NFC
    • Power 3000 Li-Po mAh battery Up to xx Days Standby Up to xx hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $432 AUD January 2018 (Outright)

  • Nokia 3310 (2017) Review

    Welcome to the Nokia 3310 (2017) review. Arguably the most anticipated and widely reported mobile phone release for 2017 is the re-imaged Nokia 3310. The version we tested was the 3G version hence 'series 2'. There are very few known brands that still make entry level mobile phones and the new brand owners have decided to remake the old 3310 essentially a retro phone. The model's release is essentially a marketing ploy by the new Nokia to relaunch the brand and it worked. Every news outlet regardless of specialty covered the release. So every country the original Nokia 3310 was sold in knows about the the new Nokia. In terms of construction the 3310 is very good  like the original. It's light and tight in the hand and completely built with a a little dash of shiny plastic or almost matt colors. For a cheap phone it is perfectly acceptable build quality. In terms of hardware it has all the basics that where state of the art 16 years ago. 2.4 inch screen, single 2 Megapixel camera. However modern inclusions include a microSD memory expansion and music player hardware. The updated version with 3G connectivity for sale in some countries or dual sim versions in others is a nice addition to the minimal spec sheet. The only thing missing is WI-Fi but with so little CPU power having that sort of data is pointless for the complex websites everyone seems to have these days. In terms of use the Nokia 3310 is very fast and responsive however any data or internet related functions it is going to be slow as it is using 3G. The physical buttons and old school keypad with predictive text are old school but work if you have patience. All the basics are there including MMS however the internet browser is basic and the low power CPU  is incapable of modern webpages. Unless  you have some numbers stored on your SIM card you will be busy typing them on the 3310. There is an App store and there are plenty of 'classic' games to choose from but they are relatively basic and don't have the essentials of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and so forth. The Nokia 3310 (2017) 3G edition is a phone for a niche set of people. Calls and TXT messages are its forte and of course the Snake game. There are a few very basic mobile phones like this still for sale in many parts of the world that don't the data network capability so this is perfect for them. In other parts or the world with high speed mobile data the 3310 is pointless. The 3310 is a retro ornament for a collector or enthusiast. It was great in the day but not in 2017. We'd like to note that the commonly promoted use for the new 3310 is at concerts, parties etc.. where you don't want to damage your main phone, however we all know that this is PR rubbish. We take our good phone to parties and concerts to get good quality selfies for Instagram, pictures of people doing stupid things, for Facebook etc... for posting in real time. Anyone saying or writing this as an excuse to purchase the 3310 is not worthy of your attention. Specifications
    • Nokia 3310 (2017)
    • Network Quad-band GSM Dual-band 3G (Dependent on country)
    • Design Candy bar
    • L109.8 x W45 x D11 mm Weight 188 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch  TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 2MP
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel @ 15FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V3
    • CPU ???Mhz
    • Memory Up to 64MB available to user 32Gig micro-SD card slot
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration
    • Features JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free USB charging LiPo 1200mAh Up to 30 days Standby Up to 22 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $80 AUD 2017 (Outright)

  • Sony Xperia XA1 Review

    Welcome to the 2017 Sony Xperia XA1 review. Low to mid range smartphones don't get much popular coverage because there's usually nothing special about them and there's little publicity due as they don't represent the aspirations of the company. They also make a higher profit margin due to lower end technology that they made with.  However make no mistake, the mid-range class for 2017 represent great value in terms of function for your money. They do everything higher end phones do albeit at a second or two slower. The Sony Xperia XA1 is priced under $400 but loser to $350 AUD at the time of this post. In terms of construction and design the Sony XA1 features a mix of metal and plastic. It's box like design is timeless and well put together with no visible flaws. The fact the Sony have stuck with the same design philosophy is brave yet admirable as it is clearly one of the best looking mid-range phones on sale in 2017. It also gets bonus points for not looking like an iPhone. The XA1 looks and feels better than our current favorite mid-ranger the Motorola G5 Plus which is like a tank in comparison. In terms of hardware the Sony Xperia XA1 has a number of features that make it standout in the mid range class. It has a great camera specs with 23MP on the rear and 8Mp on the front and the quality of the pictures are better than any we've seen in the mid range class. A separate camera button is a great feature to take advantage of the very good camera. The Sony also packs a very good set of audio controls including equalization and DAC effects. It nice to see that Sony has kept true to it's former music history. The XA1 CPU is the latest Mediatek Octa-core CPU with a fast x4 2.3GHZ and x4 1.6 Ghz and comes with 3GB RAM, up to 32Gig and decent separate graphics GPU, so it's fast and furious for a mid-range. It also comes with quick charging which is rare in the price range. The only feature missing is a fingerprint reader. The screen resolution is 720P which is virtually the same as the iPhone and on the XA1 it does look good and comes with adjustable RGB if you really want to adjust it. We find reviewers on smart phones saying screen is bad because the compare to RGB chart and saying a phone is bad because of it - which we think it is a little stupid. Our eyes are not RGB compliant people and you really need to judge how a screen looks based  your eyes not some chart. Many also complain that the XA1 only has a 720P screen yet the same don't complain that the iPhone 6 in particular is not even 720P! In terms of use the Sony Xperia XA1 is very good. The interface is smooth and fully functional with a number of Sony developed apps for the camera and Playstation. Apps open quickly and also operate smoothly. We have no complaints in regards to how fast to works considering it's price tag. There is just usual Android OS issue with 'complexity' due to the number of customization options if you don't care about that sort of thing and ignore it. Many people buy the mid range handsets but few bother to write about them because they are in the shadow of the top range counterparts. We liked the Sony Xperia XA1 it looks good in the hand and works well. If you can't afford to buy or don't want the latest top range smartphone the XA1 is a great choice as it will do everything that you want. Those into Instagram and Snapchat will love the quality camera for the price. Note that unlike other reviews we don't compare everything to the top range phones especially when it comes to camera quality and features as they are priced at less than half the price of top range phone you should expect less! As mid-range phone the Xperia XA1 is one of the best mid range phones you can buy at the moment. Yes it is better than the Motorola G5 Plus because it looks better and works just as well. Although the XA1 is priced under $400 we feel the $350 price tag would make these phone had to pass up. Specifications
    • Sony Xperia XA1
    • Network Quad-band GSM - All Tri-band 3G - All Tri-band 4G - All
    • Design Touch screen
    • L145 x W667 x D8 mm
    • Weight 143 grams
    • Display (XA) 5 inch 1280 x 720 IPS
    • Camera 23MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing video call camera 8MP
    • Video Camera 1080P HD 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth V4
    • CPU Octa-core 2.3 GHz Mediatek Dual Core Mali GPU
    • Memory 3 Gig RAM Up to 32 Gig for user Up to 256 Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, Compass, Accelerometer,Proximity, Ambient Light Sony Clear Audio system FM Radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2300 mAh battery Up to 22 Days Standby Up to 17 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Sony Xperia XA1 priced under $400 AUD September 2017 Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra prices under $500 September 2017

  • Nokia 3 Review

    Welcome to the Nokia 3 review.  Nokia relaunched the 3310 in early 2017 and now the 3, 5 and 6 series Android OS based smartphones. The Nokia 3 is the entry level model and has specifications to match. However there are a few surprises which we'll explain later. The Nokia 3 has an Australian retail and outright pricing of around $250. In terms of construction the Nokia 3 is very good for the price. The Nokia 3 has a metal frame, glass screen and a plastic back but differs to other similar priced smartphone by have equal or slightly better quality feeling and looking materials. It does't look or built cheaply which is the main factor and especially in the silver and white trim - very nice. However it does not feel like a top range phone. In terms of hardware the Nokia 3 packs a screen equal in quality to more expensive phones, it's pretty good for the price. It's probably just as good as the current iPhone SE. Unfortunately there's not much more in it's specification list to boast about. The Nokia 3 is missing features we consider essential like back lighting on the navigation buttons nitrification light. We do not consider a finger print sensor an essential feature due to the lack of security in any situation bar actually losing the phone. This is a entry level smartphone after all with just 1.5 Gig RAM is barely acceptable in 2017. It is also important to note that the Nokia 3 comes with a Mediatek CPU which means it should be priced cheaper. In terms of use the Nokia 3 is also acceptable. The main feature is that it comes with Android 7 and there are very few custom Nokia changes from stock Android we could see. The interface is smooth but it won't take much to see it get a little sluggish to jerky in some instances, with basic stuff like messages and apps like email slowing down the phone. We could already tell it's performance will be disappointing when loaded with Apps. The conclusion is that the Nokia 3 is a very ordinary entry level smartphone. We could already tell that this phone will struggle with any vaguely demanding Apps, causing noticeable sluggish performance. That said used as an email and social network platform it will be a good looking but just acceptable smartphone. If only it had another unique selling point apart from looking nice. In terms of pricing the Nokia 3's launch price is around $250 AUD outright in Australia which is a little high for the spec sheet and user experience.  That said the equivalent Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) doesn't look as good but honestly appears to perform better despite even lower specifications the biggest flaw s the tiny 8 Gig memory on some models, which should be outlawed in 2017. Should you buy a Nokia 3 ahead of the competition, in particular the Galaxy J3? We don't think so as the Nokia 3 is too expensive for the performance. Specifications
    • Nokia 3
    • Network GSM Tri-band 3G Tri-band 4G
    • Design Touch screen L143.4 x W71.4 x D8.5 mm Weight 140 grams
    • Display 5 inch LCD 720 x 1080 IPS LCD
    • Camera 16 MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing video call camera 5MP
    • Video Camera 1080p 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4 USB
    • CPU Quad-core 1.4 Ghz Mediatek Mali-T720MP1 Graphics CPU
    • Memory 2 Gig RAM Up to Approx 16 Gig for user MicroSD expansion
    • Features Android OS 7 FM Radio with RDS
    • Power 4000 Li-Po mAh battery Up to 31 Days Standby Up to 24 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $250 AUD June 2017 (Outright)