GROUP TEST BUDGET PHONES
This steal’s on fire
Keen to get a smokin’ hot new phone, but not keen to spend more than £300 on it? Good news: we’ve weighed up your top six options…
[ Words Basil Kronfli ]
Nokia G50
What’s the story?
The G50 is a big-screened Android phone that serves up fast mobile data speeds, commanding styling and stonking value. Better suited to bags and baggy pockets than skinny jeans, it’s the chunkiest phone in this test. It also misses out on a Full HD screen.
What you are getting is a respectable amount of power and storage, as well as a long-lasting battery. If you can find room in your life for the Nokia G50, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better 5G phone for less.
Is it any good?
You can’t argue with the G50’s mobile internet speeds, screen size and battery life. But before you buy it, it’s worth asking yourself if you actually need 5G. If your area isn’t covered yet, or you don’t think you’ll make real use of it, look to the 4G phones in this roundup – they’re more feature-rich for just a bit of extra cash. Besides, 4G is still speedy enough for streaming Netflix or YouTube and WhatsApping with your mates.
If you do want those 5G speeds for bigger, faster downloads, and are buying a phone that can double up as a mobile hotspot for your laptop or smart TV for nippy Full HD and 4K streaming, the Nokia G50 is a proper value champ.
It’s also the kind of phone you might get your nan: it’s got big, clear icons, a clean interface and nice chunky buttons – plus a fingerprint scanner and up to 128GB of storage.
Intensive 3D games will be too much for the G50’s modest internals, and the 60Hz screen makes it feel less nippy than some, but day-to-day performance should be on the money… and with that big display, it’s perfect for watching on.
from £209 / stuff.tv/G50
Key specs
● 6.8in 1560x720 60Hz LCD