Nokia 3.1 Plus Review: Solid Built, Long Lasting Battery

Close on the heels of Nokia 6.1 Plus (review) and 5.1 Plus, HMD global brought in a third affordable phone, the Nokia 3.1 Plus, in India. Bringing anarchy to naming (and pricing) conventions, the Nokia 3.1 Plus is more expensive than its glass-finish sibling, the Nokia 5.1 Plus. (Nokia 3.1 Plus Review हिंदी में पढ़े)

That’s because unlike the Nokia 5.1 Plus, it’s meant to retail at offline stores. The 3.1 Plus has a bigger screen and a bigger battery to show for the increased price. It also has dual cameras, a MediaTek chipset, and is one of the rare few phones in its class that promise Android 9.0 Pie upgrade somewhere down the road! But is it a phone you should buy? Is the Nokia 3.1 Plus better than the Nokia 5.1 Plus? Let’s answer these questions and more in our Nokia 3.1 Plus review!

Page content:

• Nokia 3.1 Plus Review: Specification
• Nokia 3.1 Plus Review: Design and Build
• Display Review for Nokia 3.1 Plus
• Nokia 3.1 Plus Review: Performance and Software
• Camera Review for Nokia 3.1 Plus
• Nokia 3.1 Plus Review: Battery and Audio
• Nokia 3.1 Plus Review: Verdict with Pros & Cons

Nokia 3.1 Plus Specifications

Nokia 3.1 Plus Design and Build

The Nokia 3.1 Plus feels compact for a 6-inch display phone. HMD Global is using an 18:9 panel with narrow side bezels. Unlike the 5.1 Plus there is no notch at the top, which could be both good or bad depending on your individual preferences.

On the back, the phone has a three-layer structure with metal at the center and plastic caps at top and bottom. The metal part has a grippy soft-touch texture which makes the 3.1 Plus pleasant to hold.

The power button, volume rocker, and the fingerprint sensor are within reach. The phone feels extremely solid and well built.

The bottom edge has the speaker grill, primary mic, and a regular micro USB Type-B port. The 3.5mm audio jack is present up top. Also, the Nokia 3.1 Plus has a separate SD card slot.

ALSO READ: Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Review

Nokia 3.1 Plus Display

The HD+ resolution isn’t much for a 6-inch screen, and the softness in text and images is noticeable to trained eyes. The color temperature leans on the cooler side, and the contrast and dynamic range are quite decent for the price.

Outdoor visibility isn’t great and the display shows color shift while viewing from an angle. Overall, the Nokia 3.1 Plus display is not outright impressive, but perhaps it isn’t a dealbreaker either. It’s about average.

ALSO READ: Nokia 7 Plus Review – Is it worth Rs 26,000?

Nokia 3.1 Plus Performance and Software

The handset employs MediaTek Helio P22 chipset paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage.  You get the option to add secondary storage using a dedicated microSD card slot as well.

The 12nm TSMC process based chipset is the same one that we earlier experienced on the Redmi 6A (that cost way lesser, by the way).

The performance shouldn’t be a problem for basic and moderate users. This isn’t quite a gaming phone, though. The mobile platform fires light and pure Android 8.1 Oreo software. UI transitions and multitasking are smooth but not snappy.

The fingerprint sensor is fast and responsive, and connectivity options work fine. The Nokia 3.1 Plus supports Dual SIM Dual VoLTE as well.

The software counts as a huge plus point in our opinion. The simplistic Android interface is always a safer bet since it’s easy to navigate and doesn’t get in the way of doing things.  HMD Global has already confirmed the Android 9.0 Pie update for the phone, without mentioning a time frame. At the same time, people accustomed to feature-rich skins like MIUI might find it a bit bland and insipid.

Nokia 3.1 Plus Camera Review

Unlike the software, the camera isn’t the strong point of the 3.1 Plus. There are two cameras on the back – a 13MP primary shooter and an additional 5MP depth sensor to empower portraits.

The camera finds it tough to focus on nearby objects and colors turn out a tad warm and at times oversaturated. The rear camera captures good details outdoors. Indoor, the camera performance deteriorates, which is something expected at this price point.

The portrait mode is a let down. Edge detection is poor and the blur isn’t very well balanced.

The selfie camera quality is fairly average too and certainly left us wanting for more.

Battery backup and Audio

Thanks to the power efficient chipset and HD resolution screen, the 3500mAh battery can easily last for more than a day. Nokia bundles a 5V, 2A (10W) charger in the box; fast charging isn’t supported though.

The Nokia 3.1 Plus has a mono speaker at the bottom. The speaker is loud and clear. Audio via headphones is pretty good too.

ALSO READ: Realme C1 Vs Redmi 6A – Crown For The Best Phone Under 7K Belongs To?

Nokia 3.1 Plus Review – Should you buy it?

The Nokia 3.1 Plus is good looking and solidly built phone that runs stock Android and has a big battery advantage. On the downside, the performance hardware and camera are strictly mediocre. Overall, the Nokia 3.1 Plus covers most basics and is a fine phone, but since this is an offline phone, the pricing feels a bit off.

The Nokia 5.1 Plus that costs lesser offers a similar experience, has a comparatively better chipset and retains most of what’s good with Nokia 3.1 Plus.

The 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant cost 11,499 INR, which is again on the higher side.

Nokia 3.1 Plus Pros and Cons