Best Nokia phones 2022: find the right Nokia smartphone for you

PRICE
VERDICT
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
VERDICT
REASONS TO BUY
REASONS TO AVOID
The Nokia XR20 on a purple background
(Image credit: Future / Nokia)

The best Nokia phones tend to focus on providing consumers with affordable and mid-range options. Nokia doesn't release as many phones each year as some of its rivals, but it still has lots worth checking out.

We're still waiting to see if Nokia will branch out into high-end phones as there continue to be rumors about the penta-lens Nokia X50 along with the Nokia 10.

For now though, this list includes the best Nokia phones you can buy right now. This includes the likes of the ageing but consistently excellent Nokia 9 PureView as well as the newer, mid-range Nokia 8.3 5G

In recent times, we've seen a new number one too in the form of the Nokia XR 20 5G, plus there's room for the Nokia G50, G11 and G21 too. 

Keep reading to see where they all rank, along with an overview, pros and cons, plus links to their full review.

Don't forget to check our guides to the best phone, best Android phone, best iPhone, and best cheap phones, if nothing takes your fancy here. 

Best Nokia phones 2022

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Screen

(Image credit: Future)
Rugged yet stylish

Specifications

Release date: July 2021
Weight: 248g
Dimensions: 171.6 x 81.5 x 10.6mm
OS: Android 11
Screen size: 6.67-inch
Resolution: 1080 x 2400
CPU: Snapdragon 480
RAM: 4/6GB
Storage: 64/128GB
Battery: 4,630mAh
Rear camera: 48MP, 13MP
Front camera: 8MP

Reasons to buy

+
Android One
+
Large screen

Reasons to avoid

-
Can't customize Google Assistant button
-
Can't use two SIM cards and one microSD at once

The Nokia XR20 5G is rugged yet packs in a good-looking design. It's a remarkably thin phone for a rugged design with the front offering Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for extra safety. 

Besides its military grade level of protection, it offers some reasonable power with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chipset powering the 6.67-inch display. The display offers a resolution of 2400 x 1080 and it looks reasonably sharp. 

Elsewhere, you get a rear camera of 48MP+13MP with a front camera of 8MP for selfie-taking. The true highlight though is its use of Android One so you get a super clean interface, just how Google wants you to see it. It's the purest way of enjoying Android right now and it's perfect if you want simplicity backed up with fast 5G speeds, a hardy build, without worrying about extra features. 

Read our in-depth Nokia XR20 5G review.

Nokia 8.3 5G

(Image credit: TechRadar)
A respectable entry into the 5G market for Nokia

Specifications

Release date: October 2020
Weight: 220g
Dimensions: 171.9 x 78.6 x 9mm
OS: Android 10
Screen size: 6.81-inch
Resolution: 1080 x 2400
CPU: Snapdragon 765G
RAM: 6GB/8GB
Storage: 64GB/128GB
Battery: 4,500mAh
Rear camera: 64MP + 12MP + 2MP + 2MP
Front camera: 24MP

Reasons to buy

+
Good display 
+
3.5mm headphone jack 

Reasons to avoid

-
Annoying Google Assistant button 
-
Small storage size for some 

The Nokia 8.3 5G offers some strong specs for the price with a large 6.81-inch display that's ideal for watching movies while on the move or playing games. With a chunky battery lfe, it'll last you all day too, even if you are enjoying that extra screen space to its fullest. 

There's a dedicated Google Assistant button that invariably gets in the way and proves annoying, but otherwise, the Nokia 8.3 5G is reasonably well designed if unremarkable looking. Similarly, while the camera setup sounds impressive on paper, the macro sensor is rather mediocre so we wouldn't recommend this one for avid photographers.

Still, the Nokia 8.3 5G is an ideal Nokia-flavored option if you're desperate to try out 5G. With its strong battery life and large display, it should keep most people happy, despite its flaws. 

Read our in-depth Nokia 8.3 5G review

Nokia 7.2

(Image credit: TechRadar)
A solid if unexciting phone

Specifications

Release date: September 2019
Weight: 180g
Dimensions: 159.9 x 75.2 x 8.3 mm
OS: Android 9
Screen size: 6.3-inch
Resolution: 1080 x 2280
CPU: Snapdragon 660
RAM: 4/6GB
Storage: 64/128GB
Battery: 3,500mAh
Rear camera: 48MP + 8MP + 5MP
Front camera: 20MP

Reasons to buy

+
Strong main cameras 
+
Good performance 

Reasons to avoid

-
Bad wide-angle camera
-
Very slow to charge 

The Nokia 7.2 is a solid mid-range phone, but it struggles to stand out in the sea of Nokia Android devices. That said, it has smooth performance, a premium design and good quality main cameras. 

Unfortunately the wide-angle camera is not up to scratch, which is disappointing when that can be a fun shooter to use. It is also a very slow phone to charge up and isn’t waterproof.

But the Android One version of Android 9 Pie is a godsend, with attractive stock design and a guaranteed two years of OS updates and three years of security updates, which is as good as the Google Pixel line.

Read our in-depth Nokia 7.2 review

A photo of the Nokia G50 held in someone's hand, with the home screen visible

(Image credit: TechRadar)
Reliably long-lasting

Specifications

Release date: September 2021
Weight: 220g
Dimensions: 173.8 x 77.7 x 8.9mm
OS: Android 11
Screen size: 6.82-inch
Resolution: 720 x 1560
CPU: Snapdragon 480
RAM: 4/6GB
Storage: 64/128GB
Battery: 5,000mAh
Rear camera: 48MP, 5MP, 2MP
Front camera: 8MP

Reasons to buy

+
Great battery life
+
Clean software

Reasons to avoid

-
Low-res display
-
Chunky design

The Nokia G50 is a cheap way of enjoying 5G while still offering you up to two days of battery life. Like with other Nokia phones, it has a a clean Android build so it's a delight to use even if it isn't the fastest of phones. A Snapdragon 480 chipset is competent but not much more.

Similarly, the 6.82-inch LCD is large and bright but offers only a functional 720p resolution with 60Hz refresh rate so it's hardly thrilling. 

Camera performance is similarly adequate with the 48MP main sensor working well with solid images quality, but the moment you step into low-light scenarios, it suffers.

At this price though, everything works well even if nothing truly excels. 

Read our in-depth Nokia G50 review