Nokia 2.2: Features | Pricing | Specs

Where to buy

I'm starting to think that somebody at HMD Global gets in trouble if it doesn't release a new phone every couple of weeks.

The latest Nokia-branded phone to come out of the Finnish company is the ultra-affordable Nokia 2.2, an effective "sequel" to 2018's Nokia 2.1.

That phone was a simple, cheap Android Go device where the Nokia 2.2 jumps up to being a full Android One phone. Beyond that change, however, there's ultimately not that much exciting about the Nokia 2.2 at all. That's something of a first for HMD Global, but it's not a laudable first.

Design

• Plain plastic frame makes it feel terribly generic.
• Snap-on frames could give it some personality
• Removable battery is a rarity these days
• Google Assistant button onboard

• Read our full review of the Nokia 2.2's design

  When I first picked up the Nokia 2.2 out of its box, I was somewhat concerned that HMD Global might have sent me a in-store dummy phone. That's because when you first pick it up, it's astonishingly light and rather rattly in the hand.

  There's good reason for this. The Nokia 2.2 is one of the only Android phones we've tested this year that comes with a removable battery, and it's not installed by default.

  Putting it in is a process of snapping off the removable back cover, and it's not difficult to do. Like other budget Nokias we've seen, the Nokia 2.2 can take different coloured back shells to give it a touch of style, although I'm not too sure that the market for a $199 phone really wants to spend extra again on phone shells.

  Nokia's big play in Android is in affordable phones, but they've largely been phones with a distinct Nokia style to them that pushes them above other budget contenders.

  The Nokia 2.2 is the exception to that rule. It's a dull plastic and glass slab with a 5.71 inch 720 x 1520 LCD, which is in range for a budget phone. There's a top notch for the selfie camera, and like Nokia's other phones you can't opt to obscure it with a black bar as you can with other competing handsets.

  The Nokia 2.2 is the cheapest phone we've seen to incorporate a dedicated Google Assistant button on the right hand side if you're a fan of such features. What you don't get at all is any kind of fingerprint reader. The Nokia 2.2 will do facial recognition from the front-facing selfie camera for unlocking, but HMD Global does admit that this is less secure than a password -- so you're not getting a FaceID-quality scan there.

  There's nothing really offensive about the Nokia 2.2's design, and it's perfectly functional. But even compared to 2018's Nokia 2.1, it almost feels a little under-designed and plain. It's reasonable to expect that to an extent with a budget phone, but a little flair here would have helped the Nokia 2.2 properly stand out.

Camera

• Single 13MP rear lens delivers ordinary photos at best.
• Camera is very slow to launch

• Read our full review of the Nokia 2.2's camera

  HMD Global has made big strides in bringing more flexible and enjoyable photography to the budget phone space, but there's always been a bit of a gap between its true "budget" phones and those that tend towards more mid-range pricing when it comes to camera quality.

  Unfortunately, the Nokia 2.2 tends towards the lower-quality side of the equation when it comes to overall picture taking. There's a single rear 13MP lens at the rear and a 5MP front-facing camera, so you're not awash with focus choices.

  Nokia's claim with the Nokia 2.2 is that it uses artificial intelligence to punch up your low-light photos. I wasn't expecting Pixel 3a type performance out of the Nokia 2.2, but I ultimately struggled to see where it was picking up detail above and beyond other phones I've tested in its own price bracket. There's a solid quantity of shutter lag, and in some instances the Nokia 2.2 struggled to launch its own camera app when I wanted to take a quick snap.

  What this leaves you with is a phone that can take passable shots in the right circumstances, but one that never stretches beyond its price bracket in quality terms. HMD Global -- and other phone manufacturers -- are doing better than the Nokia 2.2 can manage in this regard.

  Nokia 2.2 sample photos

  
  
  
  

Performance

• Low performance, not helped by 2GB of RAM
• Android One, but Android Go might have been a better fit

• Read our full review of the Nokia 2.2's performance

  The Nokia 2.2 uses Mediatek's Helio A22 processor to keep its costs low, paired with just 2GB of onboard RAM. It's a recipe for low-power usage, but also low performance, although quantifying just how low proved to be rather difficult.

  The Nokia 2.2 absolutely would not run Geekbench 4's CPU test under any circumstance, insisting that it couldn't connect up to the Internet to run any tests. That's despite a rock-solid Internet connection, and the fact that it would quite happily do so for the Geekbench 4 battery test.

  It did run 3DMark's Slingshot Extreme test, with predictably low results. This isn't a graphics powerhouse of a phone, but you'd expect that at this price point.

  Overall performance was notably slow, with apps taking their sweet time to launch and quite a noticeable quantity of lag. That's despite the fact that like so many of its siblings, the Nokia 2.2 is running on the Android One platform. That means it's basically just running Google's apps and very few others, with the promise of 2 years worth of updates plus regular security patches.

  Here I'm torn. HMD Global has the best track record outside of Google itself for delivering Android updates to its phones, and the Nokia 2.2 could well gain some improvements when Android 10 arrives for it. That's a plus, especially in the budget phone market.

  However, previous Nokia phones in this price bracket -- including the Nokia 2.1 used Google's Android Go platform instead. That's a specially modified version of Android for low-power devices, with heavily optimised apps on board. I can't help but feel that the Nokia 2.2 might have been a more nimble and appealing phone if it wasn't straining under the weight of "full" Android.

Battery

• 3000mAh battery delivers fair performance
• Slow charging is a pain

• Read our full review of the Nokia 2.2's battery

  The Nokia 2.2 does stand out for its use of a removable battery, although it's less than clear if this will really be a battery that you can buy spares or replacements for down the track. It packs in a 3,000mAh battery, which is absolutely average for a phone in this price bracket in 2019.

  Not shockingly, that delivered absolutely average battery life figures in the Geekbench 4 battery test.

  In day-to-day usage, the Nokia 2.2 managed to pass a single day's use without too much fuss, although that does have to be quantified by its slow performance. It was far from my first phone of choice to use on a daily basis if I had any other choices.

  Charging is via microUSB, and it's notably slow with the supplied charger. The sensible course of action here is undoubtedly going to be charging it overnight to keep it running the next day.

Pricing and availability

Nokia 2.2

Nokia 2.2

Android One on a budget

With guaranteed Android and security updates, the Nokia 2.2 is a future-proof smartphone for folks on a budget.

Buy at Amazon

• The Nokia 2.2 retails for $199 and is available from retailers like The Good Guys, Big W and JB Hi-Fi.

Alternatives

Within the Nokia family, while it's still a phone with some budget compromises, consider the Nokia 3.2, which gives you a bigger screen and much better battery life.

At the same price point, while it lacks Android One, you could also consider the Alcatel 1X 2019.

Nokia 2.2 specs

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