The Nokia 3 series has consistently been a very good entry level option for users. When Nokia announced the Nokia 3.4, I was naturally looking forward to seeing what the upgrade brought to the table. And I was more than happy with what I saw. Here is my review of the Nokia 3.4
Nokia 3.4 comes with a 6.39-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 720×1560 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. Nokia 3.4 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The Nokia 3.4 runs Android 10 and is powered by a 4000mAh battery. The design has a definite flair to it. As always the Nokia design team deserves all the kudos that it gets when there is a new device. The solid battery is a very big plus for the users.
Its punch-hole screen was considered a sign of flagship phones and it adds to the allure of the device, given its price. The screen bezels are at the level of a much pricier mid-range phone. And the phone has a display that is large enough for comfy video watching. The display is one of the big plus points of the phone.
Holding the phone in hand does give a comfy and nice feel to you. The phone feels solid and good. The camera assembly and the fingerprint scanner right in the middle of the rear side. The left side of the phone has a dedicated Google Assistant button and the right has a volume rocker and a poIr button. The front display panel has a punch-hole camera and hence more screen real estate. The phone has a Type-C socket in the bottom for the charger and data connectivity. The symmetric arrangement of the camera assembly and the physical fingerprint scanner give the rear side a very refined look. The rear is sporting a matte finish and it grips very well.
In the camera front, the Nokia 3.4 on the rear packs a 13-megapixel primary camera and a second 2-megapixel camera. The rear camera setup has autofocus. It sports a 8-megapixel camera on the front for selfies. The front camera is a punch-hole assembly and hence does away with the ugly notch.
On further testing the cameras were able to turn in decent images consistently. I will be doing a detailed camera review soon. More details coming in the camera review.
Nokia 3.4 runs on Android 10 and packs 64GB of inbuilt storage that can be expanded via microSD card (up to 512GB) with a dedicated slot. The Nokia 3.4 is a dual-SIM (GSM and GSM) smartphone that accepts Nano-SIM and Nano-SIM cards. Both the SIM cards support VoLTE. The Nokia 3.4 measures 160.97 x 75.99 x 8.70mm (height x width x thickness) and weighs 180.00 grams. It has been launched in Charcoal, Dusk, and Fjord colours. So you get plain Android and assured updates. The dimensions and weight make it a comfortable hold.
When it comes to Connectivity options, the Nokia 3.4 include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth v4.20, USB Type-C, FM radio, 3G, and 4G (with support for Band 40 used by some LTE networks in India). Sensors on the phone include accelerometer, ambient light sensor, compass/ magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and fingerprint sensor. The Nokia 3.4 supports face unlock. As a whole package, the Nokia 3.4 sure looks all round and interesting.
This phone has a fairly dependable 4,000mAh battery, I found it outlasts most phones with this capacity. Even on heavy days that included several hours of audio streaming, far too much browsing of ecomm for bargain buys, and many WhatsApp checks, the Nokia 3.4 ended up with at least 30% charge left. Light users should find it lasts the two days Nokia claims. Battery life is the Nokia 3.4’s strongest aspect, alongside the decent screen.
What do all these technical specifications mean for the common man? Let us talk about that before getting to the verdict on the phone. So, in my opinion here’s what we have on the Nokia 3.4. HMD global has set out to make an entry level phone that has a clean and smooth software experience and a reliable battery. The design is pretty premium and the device feels good in the hand. The camera set up is good given the price. Also the display is clear and crisp, it is one of the key selling points of the phone. It is not a performance monster but does well given the price band that it is available for. Assured updates are a good feature to have.
Verdict
At a starting price of ₹11,999 this phone is a a mix of affordability, dependability and a smooth experience. Clean Android, Good Battery, Affordable Price Range all in one package
