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Nokia completely revamps budget phone lineup, launches 6 new models

Nokia is shaking things up a bit. Its parent company, HMD Global, has announced a total of six new Nokia-branded handsets across three news series of smartphones, with two devices in each series. The new phones will replace Nokia’s current budget slate and will set the stage for future Nokia phone series that push into the higher-end. These announcements come alongside the company’s new mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), which it is launching in the U.K.

The lowest-end series is called the C-Series, and its phones will range in price up to around $130. Next is the G-Series, which will have phones ranging between around $110 and $300. Last but not least is the X-Series, which will have phones costing $250. Safe to say, none of these are truly high-end phones.

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A quick rundown of each of the new phones can be found below, but if you’re interested in buying, you may need to wait a little depending on the model you’re looking at. Currently, it’s just the Nokia G10 and G20 that are headed to the U.S., with others confirmed for the U.K. so far.

Nokia C-Series

The Nokia C-Series is the lowest-end of Nokia’s new phones, and so far consists of two devices — the Nokia C10 and the Nokia C20. Here’s a look at each.

Nokia C10

The Nokia C10 is Nokia’s cheapest device, and it’s aimed at offering a solid experience to those who want to spend as little as possible on a smartphone. The device has a Unisoc SC7331e processor, coupled with either 1GB or 2GB of RAM — so don’t expect to get much beyond very basic use from the device. You’ll get either 16GB or 32GB of storage, which should be enough for most users of this kind of phone. Thankfully, there’s a MicroSD card slot to expand that storage.

On the front, the display sits in at 6.5 inches, with a 720p resolution, and it has a teardrop notch on the top. Both the rear-facing and front-facing cameras are 5-megapixels, and while they’ll take photos, don’t expect those photos to be great. Powering it all is a 3,000mAh battery, which is charged through a MicroUSB port on the bottom.

The phone runs on Android 11 Go, and Nokia says it will get two years of upgrades. It’s not clear where the phone will launch yet, but HMD Global says it won’t reach the U.K..

Nokia C20

The Nokia C20 is a slight step up from the C10, though don’t expect a major upgrade. The device has a slightly higher-powered chipset in the Unisoc SC9863a processor, coupled again with either 1GB or 2GB of RAM. Again, you’ll get 16GB or 32GB of storage, and a MicroSD card slot to expand upon that storage.

The battery, camera, and display on the phone are pretty much the same as the C10, though the camera on the C20 does support HDR photography. The device also has a MicroUSB port, and the battery is removable.

Like the C10, the C20 comes with Android 11 Go, with two years of promised upgrades. So far we know it’ll launch in the U.K. through the Three network in early June, and cost 79 British pounds, or about $108.

Nokia G-Series

The Nokia G-Series is aimed at being a step up from the C-Series, offering more powerful chipsets and a full version of Android. There are two devices in the G-Series, including the G10 and the G20.

Nokia G10

The Nokia G-Series swaps out the ultra low-end Unisoc processors in favor of MediaTek chipsets. On the Nokia G10, you’ll get a MediaTek G25 processor, coupled with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and either 32GB or 64GB of storage. That’s a notable step up from the C-Series phones and should make for a smoother, faster experience.

The phone has more premium features too. Notably, you’ll get a triple camera system on the back, which consists of a 13-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth camera. Powering it all is a hefty 5,050mAh battery, which is charged through the USB-C port on the bottom of the device. The phone also has a dedicated Google Assistant button, which could come in handy, and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The Nokia G10 retains a similar design to C-Series phones, with a small notch on the top for the 8-megapixel front-facing camera. It has a 6.5-inch 720p display, like the C-Series phones. The G10 ships with Android 11, with a promised two years of upgrades. You can buy the Nokia G10 for $149 through Amazon, and in the U.K. for 110 pounds, or around $151.

Nokia G20

Next up is the Nokia G20, which again, gets a slight performance bump. The device has a MediaTek G35 processor, with 4GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of storage, which should be enough for most.

On the back of the device, the camera again gets more versatile. On the Nokia G20, you’ll get a quad camera system, with a 48-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth camera. On top of that, the device has the same impressive 5,050mAh battery and the same 6.5-inch display with its 720p resolution. Other features include the Google Assistant button and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The Nokia G20 ships with Android 11, will get two years of updates, and launched in the U.K. in May for 130 pounds, which is around $179. The G20 is set for a launch in the U.S. on June 28 at a $199 price point. It will be available in the Glacier and Night colorways.

Nokia X-Series

The highest-end of Nokia’s new phone series is the Nokia X-Series, however while X-Series devices are better than other new Nokia phones, they’re still decidedly budget handsets.

Nokia X10

The Nokia X10 is one of two new devices to feature a Qualcomm chipset. The device features the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chipset, which supports 5G connectivity. That’s coupled with 4GB or 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Safe to say, the Nokia X10 should perform a whole lot better than the lower-end Nokia devices.

The camera is likely to be better too. Nokia is continuing its partnership with Zeiss for the X-Series, and the Zeiss-branded camera on the Nokia X10 is a quad camera. You’ll get a 48-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 2-megapixel depth camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. On the front, there’s an 8-megapixel selfie cam. Powering it all is a 4,470mAh battery.

The display on the Nokia X10 is better too. You’ll get a 6.67-inch display with a 1,080p resolution, and a hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera instead of a notch. In other words, the Nokia X10 looks a little more modern than the other new Nokia devices.

The Nokia X10 keeps the Google Assistant button and the side-mounted fingerprint sensor too, and it ships with Android 11. For the X-Series, Nokia is promising three years of upgrades. The 6GB/128GB Nokia X10 will cost 250 pounds, or around $344, when it’s released in the U.K. in June. The 4GB/128GB version will be available only on the Three network.

Nokia X20

Last but not least is the Nokia X20, and it’s the best of these new phones. The device has the same Snapdragon 480 processor as the X10, but you’ll get 6GB or 8GB of RAM with that 128GB of storage.

The camera on this device is upgraded a little too. The Zeiss-branded camera has a 64-megapixel main camera, with a 5-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 2-megapixel depth camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The front-facing camera is 32-megapixels.

Other than that camera, the Nokia X20 offers the same experience as the Nokia X10. It has the same buttons and sensors, the same battery, and the same Android 11 software, along with the same three years of promised upgrades. If purchased in Europe or the U.K., HMD Global will add another year onto the standard two-year warranty, for three years total cover. It’s set for release in May, with the 6GB/128GB version priced at 300 pounds/$412 and the 8GB/128GB model at 320 pounds/$440.

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