Introduction
The Nokia G60 5G retail version is available for purchase now. The price is reasonable as the Nokia G60 5G has many improved hardware compared to the previous G series. In fact, the new G series has created a new benchmark when it comes to performance and build quality.
My previous G series, the Nokia G21 was an affordable device that runs on a much conservative hardware. But what attracted me to try the device is the new 50 MP AI camera that adorns the back. But being marketed at a much budget friendly price, the Nokia G21 does what it meant to do at its own pace. The G60 5G on the other hand seems to outdo the G21 in every aspect and brings the much needed performance that we expect from Nokia.
Nokia G60 vs Nokia G21
Having both the device side by side, it is more apparent that HMD Global has invested more resources into fortifying the midrange devices. Both the device look very similar from the front and in terms of dimension that you can easily mistaken one for the other especially if you have a case to protect the back cover.
But the Nokia G60 5G is definitely built different, feels different and performs better. While the recycled material used is certainly a plus point for the Nokia G60 5G , it feels much solid in the hand though the both feel the same. The display used on the G60 has nearly twice the pixel density for a sharper viewing experience. But that is just half the story. What if I say the display quality is very good that it can even rival Puredisplay devices? Well, I tested the Nokia G60 display against Nokia 8.3 5G, Nokia XR20 5G and Nokia 7.2 in this video here. The 120 Hz refresh rate is certainly a change that you would experience and its not just a marketing gimmick.
The Camera
Eventually, all my review boils down to the camera performance. One noticeable difference that needs to mention is that the camera island on the Nokia G60 5G is built from a different material that seems to be more durable than the one used on G21 that has many scuffs.
Now, we all can agree that the word AI has been abused many times for the sake of marketing. Almost everything is running with AI integration. The 50MP AI camera on the Nokia G21 is good, but the pixels could definitely be used better.
With the Nokia G60 5G, we see a similar 50MP AI camera branding. But are they actually same? Though both units have a triple camera setup, the Nokia G21 lacks an ultrawide sensor and instead has a 2MP camera.
Images from primary camera;
In adequate lighting, both sensors perform well. But the Nokia G60 5G AI has better scene recognition and has much better color accuracy. The images above taken late evening shows that the G60 5G has much better dynamic range, and better color reproduction. In terms of details, this boils down to individual preference. The Nokia G60 5G does not over sharpen images and the common theme in all their settings is less sharpening, less noise. To me, at a glance in terms of details, both devices have ample to offer, but upon zooming in, many might feel that the sharpness of the G21 means it is better until they realize the amount of noise and artefacts in the image.
Nightmode
Both devices perform well at night especially in the presence of adequate lighting. The more mature algorithm on the Nokia G60 allows it to control blow outs from bright objects that can be well appreciated here. The AI also has a better implementation of white balance which can be tricky in situation like this. In terms of details, the Nokia G60 continues its mantra to have less sharpening and hence less noise.
In a more challenging situation like above, it is easier to appreciate the differences that the Nokia G60 has to offer. The scene above is pretty dark with a single street light. At a glance, it looks like both devices did a good job. But if you observe closely, you will notice the amount of noise in the G21 that is not seen on the G60 5G. The difference becomes more apparent when zooming in where the G21 images will turn out like an oil painting due to artefacts.
Dark Vision?
To be honest, I have not find a case use scenario for the Dark Vision mode. Yes you are able to capture details in almost complete darkness as above, but is it useable?
Tripod Mode
This is a game changer for Nokia devices. Certainly powerful if used as intended as the differences is night and day.
I have shared in my twitter what you can expect from the G60 5G’s tripod mode and it certainly is a very useful feature.
Front facing Camera
When it comes to the front facing camera, the Nokia G60 5G has the clear advantage with its more sophisticated AI Potrait which preserves details, dynamic range and has good edge detection. One of the short coming of the previous Nokia devices including the Nokia 8.3 5G is the rather poor implementation of the portrait mode that aggressively sharpens images and adds unneeded contrast to it.
This is the link to the Nokia G60 5G unboxing and initial impression.
For more image samples comparing both devices as well as video recording samples, check the link below:
Nokia G60 5G represents a renewed wow by HMD Global to bring justice to Nokia branding. From their selection of material, the choice of hardware and even the software implementation, this renewed energy is exactly what the Nokia fans need! Which phones would you like to see the Nokia G60’s camera compared to next?
***for those curious to test out the new camera algorithm, do check my unboxing video for details to get the original untouched apk. It works on certain devices like the XR20 and the Nokia G21 but do proceed with caution.
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