Nokia 2 has been launched in India at Rs. 6,999, marking the entry of yet another smartphone in the intensely-competitive entry-level segment. The Nokia 2 is targeted at buyers of low-end smartphones, which HMD Global claims constitute 30 percent of the country's market. The Nokia 2 comes with rather modest hardware and doesn't really match up to the competition when you look at just the specifications. However, the company believes that the end user experience will not suffer because of this due to the optimisations it has introduced. Nonetheless, buyers will still look at the likes of Xiaomi Redmi 4A and Moto C Plus when they are buying an entry-level smartphone, and not just Nokia 2. Here's a rundown of the differences between the three budget smartphones, and a look at what they offer.
Best Smartphones You Can Buy Under Rs. 8,000
Nokia 2 price in India has not been announced so far, with the company only saying it will bear a global average retail price of EUR 99 (approximately Rs. 7,500). So it is likely that the brand would keep the price under Rs. 7,500, going by how much the likes of Nokia 3 and Nokia 5 cost in the country. The Redmi 4A comes in two variants in India – one with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, the other with 3GB and 32GB internal storage. The former costs Rs. 5,999 and the latter Rs. 6,999. Moto C Plus is available in only one configuration, with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, and is priced at Rs. 6,999.
Nokia 2, slated to launch in India mid-November, has a 5-inch HD display; the company says its LTPS panel delivers 1:1300 contrast ratio for a crisp viewing experience. Then there’s the premium design that the company is touting as a highlight of the phone, with polycarbonate body and frame made of 6000 Series Aluminium. Other notable features include the Gorilla Glass 3 protection for display panel, the 4100mAh battery that is said to deliver 2-days’ worth of juice, and the promised upgrade to Android Oreo.
As for the remaining specifications, Nokia 2 is nothing out of the ordinary. The Android Nougat smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 212 chipset, backed by 1GB of RAM. You get just 8GB of internal storage, microSD card support up to 128GB, hybrid dual-SIM setup, and standard connectivity options like Micro-USB, 3.5mm audio jack, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.1, and Wi-Fi. The primary camera has an 8-megapixel sensor and comes with a LED flash, while the selfie shooter has 5-megapixel resolution.
The Xiaomi Redmi 4A is the most popular budget warrior, and comes in the two storage/ RAM variants mentioned above. The handset has a 5-inch HD screen too, MIUI 8 custom Android skin, and 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon 425 processor. The 4G VoLTE phone can support microSD cards for up to 128GB capacity; the standard connectivity features are available here too. At 3120mAh, the Redmi 4A battery capacity is significantly smaller than that of Nokia 2.
The highlight of Moto C Plus is the 4000mAh battery, which should deliver battery life similar to that of Nokia 2’s. Both the smartphones have stock Android Nougat software as well, though Nokia 2 is the only one in the price segment with Google Assistant support. Other features and specifications of Moto C Plus are 5-inch HD screen, 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MTK6737 SoC and 2GB RAM. The handset has 16GB internal storage and comes with provision for storage expansion only up to 32GB. However, unlike its other two rivals, the Moto phone has a dedicated microSD card slot, meaning you won’t have to choose between an additional SIM card or extra storage with this handset. The front camera has a measly 2-megapixel resolution, while the rear shooter is the standard 8-megapixel; there’s LED flash on both sides.
Let us know in the comments below if you will wait for the Nokia 2 to hit the market, or go for either the Redmi 4A or Moto C Plus.
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