The Nokia 5.3 was launched in Kenya recently and is available in retail stores across the country. This is the latest from HMD Global to launch in the country and one of the handful devices it has unveiled in 2020.
I do have a unit in to review and before I get to that, I thought I should highlight some of the things those interested in this phone or any phone might want to know before buying one.
This is one of the few devices that HMD Global will be launching in Kenya this year so look out for that. If you are interested in the key specifications of this phone, check them out below.
- Display Size: 6.55 inches with a resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665
- RAM: 3/4/6 GB
- Storage Space: 64 GB, can be expanded using a microSD card
- Android Version: Android 10 (Android One)
- Camera: 13MP (Wide)+ 5MP (Ultrawide) + 2MP (Macro) + 2MP (depth), 8MP front facing one
- Battery: 4,000 mAh removable battery
Also Read: The Nokia 5.3 Specifications and Price in Kenya
Price
The first thing you may want to know is the price. The Nokia 5.3 is available in Kenya for around Ksh 21,000. You can get the phone through online platforms like Jumia and offline it should be available through most smartphone shops across the country. The price will vary depending on where you get it from and the RAM capacity and storage space of the variant you choose.
Google Assistant Button
The Nokia 5.3 has a dedicated Google Assistant button on the left section of the phone. Pressing this activates the assistant and this eliminates the need of calling out the assistant or accessing it through the Google app on this phone.
You can use Google assistant to do a number of things on your phone including making appointments and sending messages, opening apps, finding information about the weather, control your music, access information from your calendars, control smart devices among other things. If you use the assistant on a regular basis, this button will be very useful to you.
Android One Device
The Nokia 5.3 just like all other Nokia smartphones running Android is part of the Android One program. These devices come with a pure version of Android with very little changes to the OS. You get the version of Android as Google intended it to be with no bloatware pre-installed.
Since HMD has not made any changes to the software, Android One phones are usually among the first ones to get major Android updates released by Google and even if they do not get the updates in time, they are still guaranteed to get them at some point. These phones get at least two major OS updates and since the Nokia 5.3 comes with Android 10, it is guaranteed to get Android 11 and 12 when they are available.
In addition to this, these phones get monthly security updates on time.
LED Notification on Power Button
With the Nokia 5.3, HMD ditched the traditional notch for a tiny waterdrop one. With this, the company also moveD the LED notification from the top of the display and has embedded that on the power button.
This is subtle but is also helpful in situations where you have the phone facing down on your desk. When you receive a notification, the LED light on the power button pulsates and you know there is a notification. This can be useful if you have your phone in silent mode but still want to know when you get a notification.
Quad Camera with 4K Video Support
The Nokia 5.3 comes with a quad camera setup at the back housed in a circular module. This is made up off a 13MP main sensor, a 5MP ultrawide sensor, a 2MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The main camera takes some good shots and for video recording, it can record 4K videos at 30 frames per second.