Nokia 8 Sirocco review

Competition

It's a little retro, the Nokia 8 Sirocco, and it's not just the name that brings back memories of simpler times. A 16:9 aspect display? Who dares do such a thing on a flagship in 2018? And no notch either!

Unfortunately, it's precisely the Sirocco's display that is a bit inadequate for a high-end handset - strong color shifts and blue edges should have been left in the past. It is QHD-sharp, OLED-contrasty, and plenty bright, so it's not bad overall, strictly speaking.

Which is one way to describe the camera. There's no stand-out awesomeness about it, but it will take good photos in most conditions, and the extra reach of the telephoto shooter is appreciated. No stabilization in 4K video, no option to turn off the EIS in 1080p and no 60fps 1080p mode mean you'll be missing options others are offering, though both 4K footage and stabilization in 1080p are actually great.

Speaking of great cameras, the Galaxy S9+ can now be had for Sirocco money, and it would take some serious Finnish brand loyalty not to at least consider it. A vastly more versatile handset, the S9+ has a headphone jack, memory card slot, stereo speakers, better battery life, and superior camera. It's got zero Android One, however, and Samsung's not known for speedy OS updates (though the monthly patches have been coming steadily). Plus, everyone's got a Galaxy, and we haven't seen too many Siroccos out in the wild.

The Huawei P20 Pro seems to be doing better in no small part due to its triple camera, which makes the phone an ideal travel companion (along with some processing magic in low light). Some will prefer the feature-packed custom software of the P20, other will appreciate the no-nonsense Android One on the Nokia - there's no right or wrong answer here. You could also be swayed in the P20 Pro's direction if you're not digging the Sirocco's black paintjob, quite as much as we are - Huawei's color scheme game is on point this year.

Fancy colors is what the LG V30 comes in too, be it S ThinQ or the regular variety. In any case it's the phone to go for if you're after an ultra wide camera (as opposed to the Sirocco's telephoto).

Hot off the presses, the OnePlus 6 will save you a significant amount of cash, while delivering better performance than the Sirocco. Its Optic AMOLED is neither as sharp, nor as bright as the Nokia's POLED, but it's got no pesky color shifts and it's color reproduction is customizable and overall superior. OnePlus has been sticking with a somewhat inexplicable camera setup and the Sirocco's telephoto secondary shooter makes more sense. Again, though - much cheaper, that OP.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ • Huawei P20 Pro • LG V30S ThinQ • OnePlus 6

Verdict

We've had a tough time with the Nokia 8 Sirocco. We so wanted to love it, and it didn't make it the least bit easy on us. Stupid objective tests yielding just 'good' results instead of the 'amazing' we were counting on.

Pros

• Unique looks, high-quality build (except for the small mushy buttons)
• Dependable battery life, quick top-ups
• Android One means timely updates, and zero bloatware

Cons

• While it is bright when it needs to be, the display's colors are off, there's a blue tint at an angle, and the curved edges are blueish when you're looking at the phone head on
• Photo quality falls a little short of top-tier standards, video is lacking in features
• No microSD slot, no 3.5mm jack, no stereo speakers

Ultimately, it's hard to recommend a flagship with a flawed display and merely okay camera and battery life. This would be the voice of reason. We choose to listen to another voice though, and it insists that going a decade back in time is worth putting up with a few imperfections. Nostalgic types, we are.