You’re not getting anything too dynamic with the G21, but there are some features to note. The Nokia G21 has a teardrop notch rather than a punch-hole unit. Its side-mounted fingerprint scanner is reliable, and while a beat off the speed of a mid-range Android, it kind of matches the tempo of the phone in general.

To start this list, we have the ELANGEL Case for Nokia G21. The case is made of high grade leather and materials for durable use and an elegant look. The inner case made of soft TPU holds the phone firmly without scratching it. The case gives all-around wrapping of mobile phones. Effectively prevents the mobile phone from being scratched by everyday usage.Gameloft’s Asphalt 9 ran much better. The frame rate wasn’t perfect, but it was completely playable at “high” graphics settings. We’ve seen theoretically more powerful phones run the game far worse, suggesting that either Gameloft has made some optimizations, or that the version of the game 720p phones run is less taxing than the one 1080p Androids get. Cameras When it comes to processing speeds, what you’re getting here is a low-cost phone that can just about keep up with Android 11’s various actions and applications, but don’t expect day-to-day performance to be stress-free. This is a classic example of what you get in a small pixel-binning sensor, designed to use several pixels of the sensor to create one in the final image. Matters don’t significantly improve when you use the 50-megapixel mode, either. Note, too, that we found the HDR mode a bit inconsistent. Third on the list is the BoerHang Armor Case for Nokia G21. The inner surface of this case adopts a soft TPU design, thin and durable. The outer surface of the protective shell adopts a textured design and a non-slip and scratch-resistant material design which does not fade. The four corners strengthen the protection design. The protective shell is higher than the screen and camera, which can protect the phone more effectively. Video quality is awful, however. You can only shoot at resolutions up to 1080p, there’s no software stabilization at all, and the actual image looks more 360p resolution than 1080p.

In the Geekbench 5 single- and multicore tests, the Nokia G21 scored 311 and 1,190, which is about on a par with the Moto G31, but trails slightly behind the Nokia 5.4. Predictably, not a single one of these phones is a match for the pricier Xiaomi Redmi Note 11. This doesn’t ruin the overall experience of using a Nokia G21, but phones costing not much more have managed to make the real-world performance differences between cheap Android devices and more expensive models start to disappear. The biggest downside (although it’s by no means a deal breaker) of the G21 is unfortunately its screen. It’s not the crispest picture by any stretch, and the colours don’t particularly pop: the display in general actually seems quite low quality for the price, although this might just be because we expect better from Nokia. Next on the list is the LMLQSZ Case for Nokia G21. The case is a silicone Phone Cover for Nokia G21, that provides full body protection for your device, keeping it safe from light scratches and dust in everyday use. The TPU protective cover is made of high quality and easy-care TPU, Very low weight and the use of mobile phone are not affected, No disturbing smell of rubber.

How we tested

The camera is the main reason to buy the Nokia G21 over the Nokia G11. The phone comes with a 50-megapixel primary sensor, which seems to be this week’s hot resolution, seen in flagship phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S22. Ark: Survival Evolved had a slideshow-like quality with the graphics maxed-out. To get it to a nicely smooth playable speed we had to set the graphics to “low” and bring down the resolution, making it look more like a PS2 game. Why might the Nokia G21 benefit, in particular? It runs an unusually clean version of the software. No superfluous apps, and no contentious additional interface elements. The Nokia G21 has a slightly unusual Unisoc processor, the T606. This entry-level SoC is only used in cheap phones such as the Samsung Galaxy A03 and the step-down Nokia G11. The Nokia G21 has a high-capacity 5,050mAh battery that Nokia claims can last up to three days between charges. Given two-day use is the typical optimistic claim we hear, this is a big one.

Thirty minutes of high-end gaming consumes 7% off the battery, suggesting that a full charge will last you a little over seven hours. Again, this is excellent. The Nokia G21 runs Android 11, now the older version of the operating system. The newer Android 12 makes some neat surface-level changes – such as more color in the menu system – that would potentially enhance a phone such as this one. There are also a good number of shooting modes at your disposal. The Nokia G21 can capture slow-motion and timelapse videos, as well as stitched-together panorama images. Video quality is decent and is capped at 1080p 30fps. Nokia G21 review: Verdict To be fair to Nokia, it told us as much. The screen is rated for 400-nits of brightness, not the 600-plus seen in budget phones with high brightness modes that engage when there’s plenty of light. The 400-nits here is more what you’d expect from a decent laptop screen; it doesn’t cut it in a phone.

However, in 2022 even fairly cheap display panels can be remarkably good. Sadly, this isn’t the case here. The Nokia G21’s panel is below average, despite having a 90Hz refresh rate that makes menus appear to scroll more smoothly – when they’re not afflicted by mild UI judder, which happens fairly regularly. The 90Hz maximum refresh rate is something rarely seen at this price point, but is let down by the 720p resolution on offer. It’s certainly not the worst screen we’ve seen on the market, but if you’re looking for a super-crisp experience, we suggest bumping up your budget a little. That being said, I don’t think the Nokia G21’s cameras can do enough to outweigh the phone’s long list of negatives. Yes, the design is rather nice and the clean Android installation is always a positive, but the phone’s so-so performance and weak battery life don’t help the Nokia G21 pull away from the competition. However, what you shouldn’t expect is what the high-res sensor appears to promise: detail. The Nokia G21’s images don’t hold up as expected when zoomed-in. They’re a tad soft down at pixel level, and dense textures such as the leaves of distant trees just don’t look all that realistic up-close.