Why You Can Trust CNET Nokia 3 and 5 bring up the middle of its new Android phone lineup
The two phones come with plain Android Nougat software in classy casings.
Nokia is back in the game and expanding its range.
The legendary Finnish company probably made your first phone, but its dominance came to an abrupt end in 2014 when it sold its entire phone business to Microsoft. Fortunately for fans, a bunch of former Nokia employees have formed a company called HMD Global to make Nokia phones anew. They began with the Nokia 6, which is now joined by the mid-range Nokia 3 and Nokia 5.
Shop for Nokia 3 (16GB, matte black)
See all pricesThe Nokia 5 is a 5.2-inch mid-range model with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The 3 is a 5-inch phone with a quad-core chip.
Both phones are loaded with pure Android -- and nothing else. Nokia has added no extra bloatware to the Android Nougat firmware, which means the company can promise they stay "pure, secure and up to date". Nokia says it will also provide monthly security updates so your phone stays healthy.
The new phones are set to be released in spring this year, with exact dates (and specs) depending on countries. For example, some markets will get dual-SIM models while others will just have a single SIM card slot. HMD says they'll be on sale in more than 120 countries from 500 partners, including mobile carriers as well as retailers. You can register your interest in the new devices starting today.
The phones come in four colour schemes: black, silver, copper and white or a shade of midnight blue familiar to Nokia fans from classics like the 3310.
They're designed with the Scandinavian philosophy of "less is more" in mind, according to HMD. The 5 is carved from a block of aluminium, while the cheaper 3 has a metal frame and polycarbonate plastic back. They're both slickly-designed devices with a touch of class you don't get from other upstart phone manufacturers -- the old Nokia know-how seems to have been carried over to these new devices.
HMD says it's focused on displays and cameras that give you a good real-world experience rather than chasing high specs. That means respectable prices: the 3 is around €139, which directly converted is roughly £120, $147 or AU$190. The 5 is a respectable €189, which works out to around £160, $200 or AU$260.
The new devices were announced in Barcelona today at mobile extravaganza Mobile World Congress, alongside a special edition Nokia 6 and a rebooted version of the iconic 3310. Look out for a full review coming soon.
Nokia 5 specs
- 5.2-inch 720p screen
- LTE Cat 4
- Android 7.1.1 Nougat software
- Qualcomm Snapdragon octa-core processor
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB internal storage
- 13-megapixel rear camera
- 8-megapixel front-facing camera
- 3,000mAh battery
Nokia 3 specs
- 5-inch screen
- LTE Cat 4
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- 1.3Ghz Quad-core processor
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB internal storage
- Polycarbonate back
- 8-megapixel front and rear-facing cameras
- 2,650mAh battery
