Nokia XR20: This phone is designed for the long run

It’s a sturdy phone, reliable and built to last. Simply put, it’s a Nokia phone. Many among us recall our first mobile handset was a Nokia back in the late 90s and early 2000s. Slowly yet steadily, this iconic brand is seeing a revival of sorts among the consumers. HMD Global, which markets Nokia-branded smartphones and feature phones, has been introducing attractively designed and good performing phones at regular intervals.

“The consumer expectation from a premium smartphone is not only for advanced features, but also the longevity of the device,” says Sanmeet Singh Kochhar, vice president, HMD Global, while talking about the recently launched NokiaXR20; it features in the worldwide blockbuster James Bond movie No Time To Die and is said to be the toughest ever Nokia phone built to withstand the rough and tumble of everyday life. “The 5G smartphone is built to survive everything life throws at it: extreme temperatures from +55-degree C to -20-degree C, 1.8m drops, 1 hour under water, and more,” remarks Kochhar.

Nokia’s latest device is attracting a lot of consumer interest these days. We take a look at some of its features and overall performance.
The Nokia XR20 is available in Ultra Blue (our trial unit) and Granite colour options and comes in 6/128GB configuration at a recommended best buy price of `46,999. Undoubtedly, it’s a rugged phone but take my word, it’s both easy to use and tough to damage, all at a somewhat steep price, if I may put it in subtle terms. The XR20 has been designed and built to survive through the frequent drops, splashes and tumbles of daily usage. It’s a device that is designed for the long run, which consumers can keep for a long time, without worrying about its maintenance. With an up to two-day battery life (4630mAh, non-removable), it will also go the distance on a single charge, but should you need to power up quickly it supports 15W Qi wireless charging and 18W fast charging.

The Nokia XR20 come enclosed in an ultra-solid case and a very tough display glass (Corning Gorilla Glass Victus). The 6.67-inch display works great in sunlight as well. It’s scratch-resistant, drop-resistant, temperature-resistant, water-resistant and kid-and-pet-resistant. The sleek casing is made to the MIL-STD-810H military standard. So, you can drop it, get it wet, and even record your kid’s football game in the roughest weather. If it gets dirty, you can just clean it with soap and water. This phone comes with monthly security updates for four years and up to three years of software upgrades, so you can keep your hopes, dreams, ideas, pictures, notes, schedules and emails safe and secure into 2025. It comes with the latest, fastest, most secure Android 11.

A smartphone tough enough to face the action needs a serious good camera to capture it. For memories you want to remember forever, the reliable 48MP ZEISS Optics dual camera will provide very good portraits or broad landscape shots. Plus, the two flashes bring in the light to darkness. The all-new SpeedWarp mode lets you capture a whole lot of adventure in a compact, exciting montage. The Nokia XR20 keeps a steady hand on precious family memories —even when you’re at an adventure park, your footage will look stable with Action Cam mode. And for those moments that need to be recorded and brought back to life, the OZO spatial audio with wind-noise cancellation will ensure your videos are a true representation of the moment itself, without any unwanted sounds interrupting. When you want the audio to reach further afield, the OZO Playback will be there to broaden the sound with the support of extra loud stereo speakers—they’re mighty enough to hear over a crowd at a noisy gathering.

In general day-to-day use, the Nokia XR20 came across as super-fast and responsive phone. Its performance is good, the cameras are powerful and the screen is lovely too. It’s a truly exciting new offering from Nokia and I am sure there will be many takers for this device.

KEY FEATURES
Display: 6.67 inch FHD+ (1080 x 2400), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G Mobile Platform
Operating system: Android 11 (3 years of OS upgrades)
Memory & storage: 6GB RAM, 128GB internal storage
Camera: 48MP +13MP rear camera, 8MP front camera
Battery: 4630 mAh, non removable (15W Qi wireless charging)
Estimated street price: Rs 46,999