I have been using the Nokia 8 for more than three months (it is November 2018 at the time of writing) and I would like to share some of my thoughts and experience with this smartphone, as I truly feel it is underrated in many ways.
Background
HMD Global started selling Nokia branded phones in 2017. In September of that year they launched their first flagship, the Nokia 8. It had the latest internals, Ziess branded cameras, a premium metal body, innovative internal cooling system, QHD screen, 4k selfie video, Ozo surround audio recording and pure Android. The initial asking price was reasonable too, around the GBP 500 mark in the UK for example.
Here is a link listing the specs in full:
https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_8-8522.php
Reviews
Despite the solid specs the reviews I saw on YouTube were mostly subdued. My impression in general was that the Nokia 8 was seen as moderate, not exciting. Perhaps because at the time 18:9 screens were all the rage and the Nokia 8 has the more traditional 16:9 screen with large top and bottom bezels. The bezels were criticised by reviewers but it interesting to note that at the same time Apple released the iPhone 8 with similar bezels and few complained about those.
Also many reviewers were not happy with the Nokia 8's camera performance. The camera software at launch was basic and uninspired.
At that time there was one review I watched, from Dmir Frank, that was more positive in general, here is a link:
https://youtu.be/O1Pl_J7dydU
That particular reviewer tends to look at the overall package and perhaps that's why he saw potential where others did not.
Bargain
In the summer of 2018 I bought the Nokia 8 for CHF 333 (approx. USD 330, EUR 300, GBP 250). That is a big discount on the original asking price. Basically I got a flagship for the cost of a midrange phone.
Handling
After three months I can sum up the Nokia 8 as, excellent. Of course it might not be for you, smartphones are very personal but here is my experience based on my subjective needs.
When you pick up the Nokia 8 it feels right. It is not a big phone but it isn't small either. The edges of the phone are curved and the phone body is thin, made of a premium metal. These factors definitely contribute to the feel of the in-hand feel. It is well built, the metal back rather than the currently more popular glass, gives the phone a more reliable, 'Nokia' quality.
Case
I prefer to protect my smartphone so I bought a Dux Ducis leather flip case. It looked great and had a nice feel. However, there were two problems with this case:
1) there was plastic covering the power and volume buttons, making it difficult to use. You had to really push hard to use the buttons.
2) the case allows for you to stand your phone to watch movies in landscape but it kept slipping. For these two reasons I do not recommend the Dux Ducis flip case.
Next I bought a simple back case, the
Mattes Plastik Softcase. It has cut-outs for the buttons and fits the Nokia 8 perfectly. What's more, it does not add much to the size and feel of the phone. The texture is nice too, it is silky but still grippy. I am really happy with this case.
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| Nokia 8 with Mattes Plastik Softcase and neoprene pouch |
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| The Nokia 8 power and volume buttons in the Mattes Plastik Softcase |
It is just a back case though, I don't like screen protectors so I
decided for some added protection to get a neoprene pouch. I bought a
cheap one off
eBay, I asked for the one to fit the Samsung Note 4. It's big enough to fit my Nokia 8 and plastic case. In total this
solution was a little cheaper than the Dux Ducis case so it just goes to
show that the best solutions don't have to cost extra. Well, in my case
I did waste my money on the Dux Ducis case though :-(
Screen
The screen is beautiful. The picture is crisp and bright under nearly all conditions. The auto-brightness works well. At 5.3" it is a good size and with the classic 16:9 ratio YouTube videos fill the screen.
Navigation
The bottom bezel has the navigation keys and home button that doubles as the fingerprint reader. I like this, the buttons do not take any space on the screen. The fingerprint reader is a bit of a narrow shape, it takes a bit of getting used to but it is fast. Having it on the front means you can unlock the phone without having to pick it up.
Battery
The battery lasts me all day. I often have 30 or even 40% left at the end of the day. Of course this varies, if I use YouTube a lot, it will drain faster. The Nokia 8 will fast charge with the supplied charger. I have been impressed with how fast it charges, after just a few minutes you are up from 20 to a more usable 40% for example.
Software
The software is plain Android, no extras apart from the camera app. There are no bells or whistles, the software just works. I thought I might miss some advanced features but I don't, it feels fresh. Security updates come every month, this gives some peace of mind when we hear about so many exploits.
It is not part of the Android One programme. However, HMD have been good with updates so far, at least another year of updates should hit my Nokia 8.
Cameras
I don't take many photos with my smartphone but when I have, I have no complaints. The Nokia 8 does a good job. The live bokeh mode works surprisingly well for example.
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| Nokia 8 Live Bokeh photo example |
The Bothie mode, called Dual-sight is fun to use. You can take photos using front and back cameras at once. The selfie front facing camera is 13 mega-pixels and has auto-focus. The video is where I feel the Nokia 8 shines because it has 4k back and front. The back camera has OIS which does a pretty good job of smoothing out the action. The audio is exceptional due to the surround sound recording from three mics. You can even choose the mic you want to use, for selfies use only the front facing mic, for example.
In the reviews from 2017 often the Nokia 8 camera app was criticized. Thankfully it has since been updated and is way better. Manual control is now included. I have also used OpenCamera, it works well with the Nokia 8.
Down-points
The bezels are large. There is no notification light, meaning you must turn the phone on to check for notifications. This doesn't bother me too much as I have a Gear S3 smart watch so I see notifications there. But still, it would've been better if there was a notification light.
Conclusion
I really enjoy using the Nokia 8. It is a solid phone. It has a headphone jack, expandable memory, an excellent screen, smooth performance, clean software that is updated regularly and it feels great to hold it. All these factors plus the price I paid mean that I feel it was the best choice. I highly recommend the Nokia 8. In more general terms I would recommend when looking for a new smartphone, take a look at last year's flagships, there may be a bargain to be had.
Disclaimer
These are all my own views. No one paid me and I am just writing this article in case it helps others. If you don't agree or had a different experience, that's OK. Feel free to write in the comments below.
Update December 2019
After one and a half years of constant use my Nokia 8 refused to recognise when the USB power was plugged in. The battery went dead, I couldn't charge. The phone was within the two year warranty, I sent it back to the company I bought it from, hoping to have it repaired. Instead they refunded me. I have mixed feelings about my Nokia 8. I stand by all I said here in this article, I really think HMD did a great job. But I am disappointed I had a fault with mine. My new phone is a Xiaomi model. I wanted another Nokia but there just wasn't a comparable model that took my fancy. It is a cutthroat market with so many great value handsets out there. In any case I wish Nokia the best for the future, I really did like that Nokia 8 so very much.
