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Which Nokia Android phone should I buy?

Struggling to decide between the powerhouse Nokia 8 and the more affordable 3, 5 or 6? Here's what you need to know.

Andrew Lanxon Editor At Large, Lead Photographer, Europe
Andrew is CNET's go-to guy for product coverage and lead photographer for Europe. When not testing the latest phones, he can normally be found with his camera in hand, behind his drums or eating his stash of home-cooked food. Sometimes all at once.
Expertise Smartphones | Photography | iOS | Android | Gaming | Outdoor pursuits Credentials
  • Shortlisted for British Photography Awards 2022, Commended in Landscape Photographer of the Year 2022
Andrew Lanxon
3 min read
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Read our full review of the Nokia 8 Sirocco, the latest Nokia phone from HMD Global. 

Nokia relaunched into the smartphone scene this year with a whole raft of Android phones , from affordable entry-level handsets to powerhouse top-end superphones.

Each phone is suited to a different sort of user, with a different budget to spend. If you're keen on reliving your Nokia dreams of yore or you're just looking for something Android beyond Samsung, read through my guide to the whole range to see which phone is best for you.

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Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Nokia 3: The one for when every penny counts

Price: £120 or AU$249 (not officially available in the US, but we've seen it for $219 online)

Processing power is the sacrifice you're making here; the Nokia 3's 1.3GHz quad-core processor makes it sluggish to use and demanding games are not going to work well. It doesn't have a great camera, either, but it's unquestionably affordable. On the outside, its lovely metal body makes it comfortable to hold and makes the Nokia 3 look like a more premium device.

Buy it if: You're only after the basics and you value low price over high performance.

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Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Nokia 5: A bit more dough, a lot more 'go'

Price: £180, AU$329 (not officially available in the US, but we've seen it for $219 online)

The Nokia 5 costs a bit more than its little brother, but it still squarely falls into the "affordable" category. Unlike the Nokia 3 though, its 1.4GHz octa-core processor gives it a little bit more grunt under the hood. Popular mobile games like Candy Crush will play fine here and camera quality gets a boost to 13 megapixels, resulting in sharper, more evenly exposed photos that will shine on Facebook. Factor in a battery that'll get you through the better part of a day and the Nokia 5 becomes a solid choice for a cost-conscious everyday-use phone.

Buy it if: You want something to tackle your everyday needs that looks good and won't empty your bank.

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Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Nokia 6: For the design-focused bargain hunters

Price: £200, AU$399 (not officially available in the US, but we've seen it for $300 online)

With its angular metal sides and bevelled edges, the Nokia 6 is the best looking of the company's three low- to midrange Android phones. It's the largest, too, with a 5.5-inch, full HD display. That makes it the better choice if you want to watch Netflix on the move.

The drawback here is that this phone needs a lot more power than Nokia provided. The weak 1.4GHz octa-core processor, which is similar to the Nokia 5, results here in sluggish, often stuttery performance and demanding apps sometimes force quit.  

Buy it if: You value design and size. Just don't ask it to handle more than your everyday emailing and WhatsApping.

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Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Nokia 8: The premium powerhouse

Price: £500, AU$899 (not officially available in the US, but we've seen it for $679 online)

The Nokia 8 is the company's first true flagship Android phone and as such, it's packed with great kit. The powerful octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor ploughs through even the most demanding tasks with ease; the pin-sharp display makes images really pop; and there's a funky dual camera that takes shots with the front and rear camera at once.

Taking the Nokia 8's dual camera for a test drive

See all photos

While it needed a bit more excitement to hold its own against the Galaxy S8 , it's unquestionably the crown of Nokia's lineup and it's the one to go for if you're after the best the company has to offer.

Buy it if: You want a high-performance Android phone that'll power through anything you'll throw at it.

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Nokia 3310: The nostalgic throwback

Price: £50, AU$99 (not yet available in the US, but UK price converts to $65)

It doesn't have Wi-Fi, it doesn't have WhatsApp, Instagram or indeed any apps at all. It doesn't have a good camera and it's not waterproof.

And that's exactly the point. It's incredibly easy to use and it's got a battery that'll last the better part of a month. The new 3310 is all about nostalgia, or the glory days of when you used a phone only to make calls. If you ever owned the original 3310, you'll likely have a soft spot for this feature phone.

Buy it if: You're heading out on a rough-and-tumble trip and don't want to risk damaging your main phone. Its rock-bottom price makes it a great backup handset.