I’ve spent some time with the Nokia C30 now, the July 2021 release that came as part of Nokia’s new brand positioning that promises quality, security and long battery life. The Nokia C30 is beautiful entry level phone that is selling at Ksh14,490. It is quite a heavy piece that feels quite solid in the hand. My review unit came in a deep green colour that really does make the phone stand out and gives it an executive look. There is also a white variant and though I haven’t seen it yet, I’m all for white phones.
What’s in the box?
The box has of course the phone itself, a free custom made silicone protective case that fits like a glove, comfortable earplugs with mouthpiece, a USB cable and wall adaptor. Then of course there is the literature paperwork.
Design
The back of the phone is clean and uncluttered, and I love that. There is only a subtle Nokia branding, the fingerprint scanner, cameras, and a microphone at the bottom. The back is made of a high-quality plastic which is rough to the touch, and this gives it the advantage of good grip. This goes well with the weight of the phone because as mentioned earlier, it has quite the weight.
The Nokia C30 has a 6.82” inch screen with a resolution of 720 x 1600. This is quite a good size especially for me since I’m coming from a smaller phone. But I adjust to new phones quite fast, so this is not a challenge. In-fact this is just the gadget to watch my favourite youtube videos on. The resolution is not high but that’s fine by me.
Android Go
The phone runs on Android 11 Go Edition. Android Go is a lighter version of Android that does not use up too much RAM, so it is good for phones with 2GB RAM or less. Phones that use pure versions of Android have the distinct advantage of offering fast secure updates ensuring an always safe and upto date phone and well curated software devoid of bloatware. To appreciate the magnitude of this feature, just think of the amount of data you have on your phone including photos and videos.
Camera
The phone has a 13MP back camera with 2MP depth sensor and a 5MP selfie camera. These specs on a Nokia phone which is known for good workmanship are pretty decent and though not so high, they fit well within the price range.
Storage
The phone has a storage of 32GB ROM and 2GB RAM. One would need to be careful not to store too much in the phone to avoid a slowdown. My trick has been to take time every week to delete files, especially videos that are no longer necessary. I also transfer some to laptop and this ensures that phone memory is not stressed.
Battery
The Nokia C30 has a massive 6000mAh battery which actually lasts 3 days minimum. I was able to get that much out of it and yet I’m a heavy user since a lot of my work is tech based. This goes to show that light users can go even a week on a single charge, and this is in line with Nokia’s new promise of unmatched smartphone battery life. The phone is not a fast charge though.
Conclusion
I feel that the phone fits the budget very well as an entry level phone. We all want sturdy long lasting phones and this is assured in the Nokia C30 as well as in other Nokia phones. Even though there are phones in the market with higher specs, this Nokia at the price of Ksh14,490/-, is a worthy purchase and still an enjoyable phone.
