Nokia 6 (2018) review

Competition

The Nokia 6 (2018) ticks many checkboxes, but the competition has some tricks left in the bag, too. While HMD has a broader market reach, the second-gen Nokia 6 will be a tough sell next to a recent Xiaomi.

The Mi A1, for example, is also part of the Android One program and as such is available in lots of markets. The A1 has a slightly inferior chipset, but its dual-camera on the back offers telephoto snaps and portraits with bokeh - some of the trendiest features lately.

The Redmi 5 Plus, also known as Redmi Note 5, is pretty much the Mi A1 on steroids - it comes with a taller 6" display, a larger 4,000 mAh battery, but it has just one camera on the back and runs on MIUI, for better or worse. Both Xiaomi phones are about €80 cheaper than the Nokia 6.1, so they are worth a consideration.

The Moto X4 costs as much as the Nokia 6.1, and it's also a part of the Android One program in some markets. It even runs on the same Snapdragon 630 chip. The X4 has a smaller screen but makes up for that with a beautiful glass body and a very capable dual-camera on the back. Oh, and it's water-tight!

HTC U11 Life is another Snapdragon 630 device that's part of Android One. It has a 5.2" 1080p display and packs a similar 16MP camera on the back but it has two notable features the Nokia 6.1 lacks - water resistance and Edge Sense (squeezable frame and various gestures). The U11 Life price equals Nokia 6's, so it's up to the brand loyalty we guess. If it were up to us, well, we'd choose water resistance any time.

Finally, we want to mention the all-metal Huawei Mate 10 Lite, also priced around the €260 that the Nokia goes for. The chipset is inferior, yes, but its tall 5.9" screen and four cameras (two at the back, two at the front) are quite tempting, especially if you fancy those bokeh shots.

Xiaomi Mi A1 • Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 (Redmi 5 Plus) • Motorola Moto X4 • HTC U11 Life • Huawei Mate 10 Lite

The Verdict

The Nokia 6 (2018) is a worthy improvement over its predecessor with a much better chipset and smaller body. Its 5.5" screen turned out great, and so did the performance. The camera is not much of an upgrade but at least the selfie shooter saves face (even literally) with its good image quality.

Being part of the Android One initiative guarantees a lightweight Android OS, the latest edition at that, with on-time updates for the next 24 months.

Pros

• Stylish all metal design
• Modern and snappy Snapdragon 630 chipset
• Latest Android OS with on-time updates thanks to Android One
• Very good 16MP snaps in daylight, impressive 4K videos
• The front camera produces some great selfies

Cons

• No waterproofing
• No dual-camera on the back
• Launch price is not that competitive

So, yes, we liked every part of the new Nokia 6. Except for the price, we guess. Its hard to argue in favor of the Nokia when Xiaomi sells its phones at these bargain prices. But even the competitors from the same bracket as the Nokia 6.1 offer more - increased ingress protection or a dual-camera. Then again, most of those got a price cut since launch, so it's not all that bad.

The Nokia 6 (2018) is a great smartphone for its class, and we are sure the Nokia fans will appreciate it.