Nokia G22 Review: Repair It Yourself

Nokia has a spread of finances smartphones to select from. Nonetheless, the G22 has a really distinctive promoting level above others within the vary – and out there extra usually.

The G22’s construct is designed with repairability in thoughts, which means that it is best to be capable to change the battery, show and different elements at dwelling, with out the necessity to go to a specialist store. 

In idea, this could save each money and time – plus, it’s in-keeping with HMD World’s promise (as the present maker of Nokia-branded telephones) to be friendlier to the atmosphere with its merchandise. However how does this finances purchase carry out? Right here’s obtained the whole lot you’ll want to know.  

Design & Construct 

• Repairable construct
• IP52 ranking
• Headphone jack

The Nokia G22 is available in a alternative of two colors: Meteor Gray and Lagoon Blue, the model I examined. While the recycled plastic again has a pleasant shine to it, it’s liable to selecting up fingerprints fairly simply. It additionally isn’t fairly as premium wanting as another Nokia telephones just like the C32 with its shiny glass again, however that’s the trade-off for a repairable construct.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

The cellphone is sort of light-weight at 195g, although it isn’t the slimmest I’ve used. Nonetheless, its simple to make use of one-handed and can slot in bigger pockets. There’s a clear case included within the field, and the cellphone has an IP52 ranking, so it’s protected in opposition to some mild water spray however it received’t survive a dunk within the pool (or rest room).

There’s a side-mounted energy button with a fingerprint sensor built-in, which I discovered to work fairly persistently. When you favor, you’ll be able to simply depend on face recognition, or a trusty previous passcode.  

This cellphone fortunately has a headphone jack, a welcome inclusion when many different smartphones are ditching them in favour of USB-C earphones and wi-fi bud connections. You may as well use two bodily SIM playing cards because of the twin SIM slot, or you’ll be able to as a substitute use one SIM and a microSD card to develop the cellphone’s storage.

Now for the most important promoting level of the Nokia G22, the repairable construct. In idea, it is best to be capable to swap out the battery, show, charging port or rear cowl ought to they develop into broken or cease working over time.  

Nokia doesn’t embrace a construct package or elements with the cellphone. Nonetheless a package solely prices £26.99 after which shopping for the wanted parts on high ought to nonetheless price lower than in case you went to a store. The truth is, you don’t essentially want a instrument package – when you have a Phillips screwdriver, a pair of tweezers and a guitar choose, then it is best to be capable to do some repairs at dwelling.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

I made a decision to comply with the steps of ‘changing’ the battery (i.e., taking it out after which placing it in once more, in lieu of not having a substitute half). I used the iFixit information, which claims that this may be achieved in underneath 5 minutes.

While I’ve seen the duty accomplished on this time by a Nokia spokesperson, it’s unlikely that the common consumer will get it achieved this shortly – particularly in case you’re extremely cautious like myself. You’ll want the cellphone to be turned off first, and the battery to be beneath 25% to scale back the chance of fireplace. 

Undoing the clips that launched the again cowl was fairly tough, particularly on the corners. Then, after eradicating the fingerprint sensor and the motherboard cowl, taking out the battery from the very robust adhesive required almost extra muscle than my noodle arms may deal with.

After a quick panic assault the place I assumed I’d damaged the cellphone after not reattaching the battery cable correctly, I reassembled the cellphone and had a working G22 – good as new.  

The method is a little bit bit daunting, however after one go, I did really feel extra assured – and the iFixit guides cowl the steps in a very good degree of element. Nonetheless, this isn’t a fast five-minute job for newbies. It took me over half an hour with all of the fiddling and faults and will take others longer relying on how robust the adhesive is on the battery.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Display screen & Audio system 

• Unimpressive 720p show
• As much as 90Hz refresh price
• One speaker with OZO playback

To maintain the worth within the finances vary, Nokia has made sacrifices on the subject of the show. The G22 includes a 6.5in 720p LCD panel. While it’s enough for searching the net, movies and photographs don’t attain their full potential. It’s additionally actually exhausting to learn the show in shiny daylight because of loads of glare.

Rival telephones from manufacturers like Poco provide a lot better screens, so in case you spend loads of time streaming in your cellphone, I’d advise you to look elsewhere.  

While the cellphone has as much as a 90Hz refresh price, you’ll be able to solely have the cellphone set to adaptive (which switches between completely different refresh charges), or at 60Hz. There is no such thing as a choice to have it on excessive as commonplace.  

The G22 has one bottom-firing speaker with OZO playback, a Nokia-built tech that’s designed to create spatial audio. While audio generally is sort of loud for a cellphone with out stereo audio system, it doesn’t carry the identical depth or color as extra premium fashions, and has fairly a tinny really feel. Nonetheless, it was completely advantageous for podcasts and Twitch streams.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Specs & Efficiency 

• Identical processor because the G21
• 4GB RAM/128GB storage
• Laggy efficiency

One of many greatest downsides of the Nokia G22 is that this cellphone runs on the Unisoc T606, the identical processor as final yr’s mannequin, the Nokia G21. We weren’t followers of this chip then, and that sentiment hasn’t modified. Efficiency is fairly laggy on this cellphone for many duties, particularly when booting it up.

For fundamental internet searching and social media use, the Nokia G22 will work largely advantageous, although it does stutter when scrolling at a fast tempo via apps like Fb.

The cellphone comes with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. The microSD slot helps as much as 2TB further storage in case you want extra.

The the Nokia G22 is barely outpaced by equally priced telephones on this worth vary on the subject of efficiency and pace. You possibly can see the way it scored in our official benchmarking exams beneath: 

Cameras 

• First rate pictures underneath shiny daylight
• Struggles in dimmer circumstances
• Bokeh impact on selfie mode too robust

The Nokia G22 is made up of a triple digital camera set-up. That is led by a 50Mp predominant lens with a f/1.8 aperture, together with a 2Mp depth digital camera and a 2Mp macro digital camera. Like its predecessor, the G21, there’s sadly no ultrawide lens on provide.

Finances smartphone cameras are sometimes fairly blended, and the outcomes on the Nokia G22 comply with this sample. It performs finest in shiny daylight, with some colors just like the pink on blossom timber popping properly. The AI enhancing kicks in properly right here.  

Nonetheless, even a cloudy day is sufficient to suck a few of the life out of pictures, with tones wanting washed out. Indoors, photographs shine finest with plenty of pure mild, or synthetic lighting. Dimmer circumstances create fuzzy or blurred particulars, and the evening mode isn’t something to essentially shout about.   

It might attain as much as 6x digital zoom, however I wouldn’t advocate utilizing this as pictures develop into extraordinarily noisy and blurred. The 2x zoom additionally has some fuzziness, however can nonetheless be helpful for close-ups of scenic pictures.

The 8Mp selfie digital camera has a hotter tinge to it with the HDR mode on and will probably be enough for video calls and the odd selfie. The bokeh impact on portrait mode is sort of robust if left on the automated setting, with many stray items of hair blurring into the background. Nonetheless, the power and form of this may be altered in case you need. 

The G22 is able to filming video in both 1080p or 720p at 30fps. There is no such thing as a stabilisation modes, however the built-in mics choose up a good quantity of sound.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Battery Life & Charging 

• As much as two days of common use
• 20W fast-charging, however no brick included
• No wi-fi charging

Nokia claims that the 5050mAh battery on this cellphone can last as long as three days, however I’d say that’s with fairly conservative use – similar to simply utilizing it for calls and the odd picture. 

I discovered myself reaching for the charger day by day and a half/two days, relying on how a lot I used the cellphone for streaming, video calls, taking photographs and extra. This was additionally profiting from the battery saver modes.

In our benchmarking utilizing the PC Mark battery check, it lasted 12 hours and 6 minutes – the same time to the G21.

While the G22 helps as much as 20W fast-charging, there isn’t a charging brick included within the field – solely a USB-C cable. Nokia’s reasoning behind that is to scale back waste, however that does imply that in case you cost from a PC, then it’ll take a very long time – I solely managed to cost it by a pitiful 10% in quarter-hour from my laptop computer.

Utilizing a sooner charger I had mendacity round the home, I juiced the cellphone from flat to 44% in half-hour. Wi-fi charging isn’t supported, however that’s fairly commonplace on a cellphone of this worth.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Software program & Apps 

• Android 12, not 13
• Two years of OS updates
• Three years of safety updates

One massive benefit that this cellphone has over different rivals from the likes of Poco and Honor is that it comes with a clear Android interface. This implies it’s extraordinarily user-friendly, and there’s no extreme app bloat.

It does include Android 12 slightly than Android 13, however Nokia has promised two years of OS updates – so it is going to be assured to stand up to Android 14. There may be additionally three years of safety updates assured.  

These numbers are on par with the likes of Asus and Realme, however each Google and Samsung provide a lot better longevity. Personally, I’d have anticipated {that a} cellphone that’s constructed to final would additionally provide the identical promise within the software program – so this can be a disgrace.  

It’s price noting that the G22 solely helps WiFi 5 slightly than WiFi 6. It additionally doesn’t have 5G assist.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Worth & Availability 

The Nokia G22 price £149.99 when it launched and continues to be out there for that worth from the likes of Amazon and Argos within the UK. Nonetheless, Nokia is presently promoting it for £169.99, with no choice to lease it via its Round subscription scheme. It isn’t out there within the US on the time of writing.  

When you’re shopping for this cellphone for its repairable construct, you then also needs to take into account the price of elements and power kits. A substitute battery prices £22.99, a brand new show prices £44.99, a again cowl prices £22.99 and a charging port is priced at £18.99. In the meantime, an iFixit package prices £26.99 – although this isn’t essentially wanted when you have instruments mendacity round at dwelling.  

In the long term, these elements are almost definitely cheaper than what it could price to take the cellphone to a store, and there isn’t actually a finances cellphone available on the market that provides the identical form of construct. Nonetheless, the sluggish efficiency of this cellphone and lack of updates previous three years imply that it’s exhausting to advocate for lengthy, prolonged use.  

You might pay a bit extra and go for one thing just like the Fairphone 4, which additionally affords a repairable construct and OS updates all the best way as much as Android 15. Or, you would go for a extra stable however much less repairable finances purchase just like the Moto G62 – check out our record of the perfect finances telephones for extra choices.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Verdict 

It’s nice to see a significant producer produce a cellphone just like the Nokia G22 that may be fastened it at dwelling, encouraging prospects to carry onto gadgets for longer. Not solely does this cellphone save folks cash, however its additionally a lot better for the atmosphere. 

Nonetheless, the processor and short-term OS and safety replace promise on the G22 imply that irrespective of what number of occasions you change the battery or show, this cellphone will nonetheless decelerate over time and never be supported previous three years. It’d be nice if Nokia introduced this construct model to some extra premium and longer-supported handsets.  

The cellphone does profit from respectable battery life, and close to inventory Android for a really user-friendly OS – however there isn’t any getting spherical the truth that finances cellphone rivals provide higher shows and extra highly effective efficiency than the G22 for the same worth.

Specs

• Android 12
• 6.5in, LCD, 720p, 20:9 side ratio
• Unisoc T606
• 4GB RAM
• 128GB storage
• microSD card slot
• 50Mp Predominant digital camera, f/1.8
• 2Mp Depth sensor
• 2Mp Macro lens
• 8Mp Entrance digital camera
• WiFi 5
• Bluetooth 5.0
• 4G/3G supported
• Twin SIM
• 5050mAh
• 165x76x19.48mm
• 195g
• Launch colors: Meteor Gray and Lagoon Blue