Review and testing of the smartphone Nokia XL Dual SIM. Questions about Nokia XL Why not on Nokia X el Microsoft

Remember, I said that Rostislav should write a review about our today's hero - Nokia XL Dual SIM. So, Rostislav is still on a drinking binge, and the review passed to me - as to the most responsible (of the two of us).
Before us is one of the heroes of the Nokia line, running on the Android system. What is the uniqueness of Nokia XL Dual SIM, what are the pros and cons of the smartphone - you can learn about this from our review.

Yes, a review of an "old" device, and we understand and know this.

Specifications

• Type, form factor: Smartphone, monoblock
• Communication standards: 2G (GSM), 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz, 3G (WCDMA), 900 / 2100 MHz, GPRS (up to 85.6 kbps), EDGE (236.8 kbps), HSUPA ( up to 5.76 Mbps), HSDPA (up to 7.2 Mbps)
• Number of SIM cards: 2
• SIM card type: Micro-SIM
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play (MSM8225): 2x Cortex A5 (ARMv5), 1GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 45nm process
• Graphics adapter: Qualcomm Adreno 203: up to 245 MHz, support for OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1 and Direct3D Mobile
• Display: 5", 800 x 480 dots (187 ppi), LCD IPS, 16.78 million colors, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 5 touches, scratch-resistant protective glass with anti-reflective coating
• RAM: 768 MB
• Memory: 4 GB
• Memory card support: microSD (up to 32 GB)
• Connectors: 1 x micro-USB 2.0, 1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack
• Camera: 5 MP, autofocus, HDR, flash, video recording with a resolution of 864 x 480 pixels at 30 fps, Front: 2 MP
• Communication options: WiFi, 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth V3.0
• Navigation: A-GPS, HERE Drive, HERE Maps
• Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, light and proximity sensors
• Battery: Li-Ion, removable: 2000 mAh, 7.4 Wh, 3.7 V
• Dimensions: 141.4 x 77.7 x 10.9mm
• Weight: 190 g
• Operating system: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

Equipment

The smartphone arrived in a small box made of thick cardboard, with a consistent Nokia style: yellow-orange-green.

The package includes a smartphone, charger, headset and accompanying documentation, unfortunately, there is no microUSB cable.

Appearance

The polycarbonate case is made in bright colors inherent in the series Nokia Lumia, the corners are slightly rounded.

For its size: 141.4x77.7x10.9, the smartphone weighs quite a lot - 190 grams. And although the case can not be called thick, the gadget itself seems rather bulky.

The front side of the smartphone is completely covered protective glass. In addition to it, the screen protects the body from scratches, which extends slightly beyond the edges, thereby preventing the display from touching the surface on which it can be placed.

Above the display is the Nokia logo, speaker, front camera lens and light/proximity sensor.

At the bottom of the screen is one touch button: tap on it - "Back", hold - "Home".

On the rear panel, there is a main camera lens and an LED flash on top, and a speaker at the bottom.

Under removable panel there is a removable battery, slots for microSIM-cards and microSD.

On the right side of the smartphone are the power button, volume rocker. Above is the headphone jack, below is the microUSB port.

The build quality is excellent, the case does not creak or flex, there are no gaps, and at first it even seems that the smartphone is monolithic.

Display

The smartphone received a 5-inch display with a small (even for a budget) resolution of 800x480 and a pixel density of 187 ppi.

The IPS-matrix provides wide viewing angles, but also conveys its inherent flaws, namely small shades of yellow and purple. In addition, the display has a small air gap between the matrix and the protective glass, from which the picture deteriorates a little, but this is not so critical and almost imperceptible.

But a significant and main disadvantage is the lack of an oleophobic coating. Fingerprints are instantaneous and hard to wipe off.

Of the advantages of the screen, it is worth noting high level brightness sufficient to read information from the screen in bright sunlight; and comfortable reading in the dark at a minimum level.

Excellent color reproduction, high contrast, good sensor sensitivity, multi-touch technology that supports up to 5 simultaneous touches - all this complements the positive impression of working with the display.

Sound

Nokia XL Dual SIM uses only a mono speaker located on the back of the smartphone. The sound is good, quite loud, but you can't expect much from a mono speaker. You definitely won't miss a call.

The sound is slightly better in headphones, so for watching videos or playing games, I advise you to use them.

As for the conversational dynamics - there are no complaints. The interlocutor is heard loudly and clearly, even when talking in a noisy place.

Camera

Nokia XL Dual SIM received two cameras at once - a 5 megapixel main camera with autofocus and flash, and a 2 megapixel front camera. Let's consider each separately.

Pictures on the main camera are of average quality, but when shooting on the street they look quite good. You can use the HDR function, set the white balance and ISO in the settings.

The video is shot in 864x480 resolution.

The front camera is best used for video calls only.

As mentioned earlier, the settings of the Camera app are quite wide. In addition to white balance and ISO, you can choose the level of sharpness, auto exposure, noise reduction, saturation, and more.

Interface

Since we have already described Nokia smartphones running under Android control, for us, such a turn is not a surprise.
Nokia XL Dual SIM received Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with Nokia X proprietary shell version 1.1.1.0, which visually equates Android to WP 8. That is, here you will not see the usual desktops with application icons and widgets. No, you still have the same tiles, only on Android.

Working with the interface is quite simple and intuitive: notifications are displayed at the bottom, on the lock screen.
To unlock the screen - swipe on a free area of ​​​​the screen or double there on the screen. To go to the current notification - swipe to the right.
In order to go to the "Recent" page, which displays recent activities, you need to swipe to the right on the desktop.

In the notification panel, you can perform standard actions: turn on / off wireless networks, go to settings, etc.

The strangest and most inconvenient thing about the Nokia XL Dual SIM interface is that it lacks Google services. Instead of Google Play, you are offered to work with Nokia and Yandex stores.

Prev installed applications quite a lot: HERE Maps, HERE Drive, "Alarm Clock", "Music Player", "FM Radio", etc.

Iron

As a processor, the smartphone received a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play (MSM8225) with a clock speed of 1 GHz. The amount of RAM - 768 MB, built-in - 4 GB; Qualcomm Adreno 203 is responsible for the graphics.

The main disadvantage of the hardware Nokia platforms XL Dual SIM is the inability to install the application on a memory card. That is, you cannot automatically download a heavy application or game to your smartphone. It's upsetting.

This smartphone is Nokia's answer to the "requests" and "wishes" of the market to see a handset running from the former leader of the mobile industry. A controversial decision in many respects, including alterations in the axis itself and the final price tag for the user. But let's talk about everything in order.

Contents of delivery

If you are already tired of blue packaging for Nokia devices, in the case of XL you will find little surprise- no blue, except for a small insert. Yes, the form factor has not been changed, but the appearance in a certain sense of the word has been “refreshed”, which is not bad.

Opening it, the user will find, of course, the smartphone itself, as well as the charger, warranty documentation and user manual, plus a wired headset with an answer button. But for some reason there is no micro-cable in the box, and this is despite the fact that such an accessory is provided for even more affordable solutions from competitors.

Design and build quality

If you expected that the appearance of the novelty will cause you, as they say, a wow effect, I hasten to reassure you - there is no sensation. The design of the XL dual-SIM is a cross between the Asha and Lumia lines. However, let's be fair, the model is in a relatively affordable price division, and besides, on a different platform. Thus, if only because of this, it is not obliged to have a radically changed appearance. Here the manufacturer has chosen the right path.

The dominant material of the case is polycarbonate, from which the back panel is made, as well as the "sides". The material is strong! For the sake of sporting interest, I tried to leave at least a slight mark on the surface. But, alas, even intense friction with the edge of the coin was not enough to achieve this goal.

At first glance, it seems that the case is non-separable and the user does not have access to the battery. Nevertheless, it is enough to examine the ends once already to ask yourself: “Where are the slots for SIM cards”!? The answer will be obvious.

You will have to get used to how the battery pack cover is removed, although not for long. It is best to perform this procedure by prying it on the left side edge. It's a little uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it over time. But thanks to this arrangement, it does not play against the body, which is also a plus!

However, the fitting of other elements to each other turned out to be good - no creaking, backlash or tangible gaps.

The handset sits well in the hand, thanks to the matte polycarbonate and, in my opinion, a noticeable weight - 190 grams. The device seems protected, does not burden the palm, and long-term use is quite comfortable. By the way, despite the presence of a 5-inch display "on board", the user can reach any hardware button and almost any touch.

Functional elements

The front panel of the smartphone is divided between large display, a speaker slot, a front 2 megapixel camera eye, light/proximity sensors, one touch button slightly below the display, and a built-in microphone slot. As for the mentioned key, it is responsible for the transition to the previous menu sub-item.

On the back side, which, as we remember, is completely covered by the battery pack cover, there is a peephole for the main camera and a flash, plus a speaker output speakerphone. Here, with the help of special paint, the logo of the manufacturer is applied.

Inspecting the right side face, the user will "find" the volume rocker, as well as the power on / off button of the device.

No functional elements are provided on the opposite edge.

The top end is notable for the classic audio jack, and the bottom micro-USB port.

Brief technical specifications

Standard cellular network	850/900/1800/1900 MHz; 900/2100 MHz
Dimensions	141.4x77.7x10.9 mm
Weight	190 g
Guarantee	12 months

Display

Nokia XL has a 5-inch matrix-based display. Resolution, in my opinion, is very modest - 480x800 pixels. Pixelation is visible, as they say, "to the naked eye."

Viewing angles are average both vertically and horizontally.

When working with the handset in bright sunlight on the panel, the displayed information “blinds”, although you can read the data.

Backlight adjustment is carried out both manually and automatically.
In addition, in the corresponding settings submenu, the user can activate or disable auto-rotate the screen, set up sleep mode, and activate the “Double tap” function. The latter "brings" the smartphone out of sleep mode by double tapping on the panel with your finger.

There are no problems with sensitivity - touch control is supported using five fingers at the same time.

The display is covered with tempered glass. I will say without prerequisites, the classic test, friction on the panel with the edge of a coin, was not enough for the appearance of marks.

Memory

With 4 GB of officially declared internal memory, a little more than 2 GB is available to the user: 1.12 GB is an internal USB drive, and another 1.19 GB is for installing applications.

The expansion is provided by memory cards up to 32 GB inclusive. "Hot" replacement of drives is not supported, as, by the way, and USB OTG.

Speakers

Nokia XL dual-SIM has two separate speakers - internal or communication, as well as speakerphone.

The capabilities of both are at a fairly good level. They probably won’t be able to stand out with something particularly interesting here, however, this opportunity is not determined by the price, but talking while on the street or a loud avenue, hearing a call while going down the subway, or listening to MP3 in a room - all this maybe.

The settings in the corresponding submenu are classic.

Battery and autonomy

Removable battery capacity 2000 mAh.

It is officially stated that on a single charge, the smartphone is able to work in talk mode for 16 hours.

In practice, one charge is enough for 2 days of work with a total load of at least 1.5 hours of calls, about 3 hours of WEB surfing and Email, up to 40 minutes of camera and video, the same amount of play. In my opinion, this is quite a good indicator.

There are no proprietary power-saving add-ons provided.

Equipment and performance

Nokia XL dual SIM runs a customized Android 4.1, which is called Nokia X software platform 1.1 here.

The user will not see any "binding" to the services of Goolge. There is also no access to the Play store! Instead, the Nokia store is offered.

The "heart" of the system is a 2-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, clocked at 1 GHz. In addition, 768 MB of RAM and Adreno 203 graphics are on board.

Concerning wireless modules and interfaces available in Nokia XL dual SIM, it is worth noting the presence of: 802.11 b/g/n; in the third edition, as well as the already mentioned support for dual-SIM mode, however, only in standby mode. In the settings sub-item of the same name, the user can set one of the "SIMs" as a priority, set the ability to select a card immediately before making a call, etc.

Performance testing was done with several popular utilities. Below are the results.

Shell

The skin in the Nokia XL dual SIM is a bizarre mixture of live icons from Windows Phone, as well as a notification bar plus a settings submenu from Android.

In fact, to be extremely precise, the icons in XL are more static than "live" - ​​if you do not influence them in any way, then you will not be able to see the movement in response.

All these windows can be edited by the user. "Changes" of the main ones come down only to manipulations with their sizes. But not the main ones can be resized, “painted” in different colors, and if not needed, deleted. In addition, it is possible to create home page folders and save several application icons of the same style in them. Widgets can be placed on the main screen.

On the notification panel, you can select a priority SIM card, as well as quick access to shortcuts for wireless interfaces, etc.

Camera

Main 5 megapixel camera with flash and autofocus for taking photos.
In addition, the user has the ability to adjust , saturation, activate the face detection item and much more.

- test photo

- test video

Impressions

With a price tag of more than two thousand hryvnia and such a potential, Nokia XL dual-SIM will be of interest only to fans of the brand. It's no secret that today with the same "iron under the hood" competitors can offer smartphones for 2-3, or even all 4 hundred hryvnia cheaper. However, it is likely that after the so-called "first wave" on the market, we should expect a certain decrease in the cost. The red price of the novelty, in my opinion, is 1600-1800 hryvnia.

pros

High-quality body materials and excellent assembly;
Tempered glass/double tap features;
Good autonomy

Minuses

Lack of a micro-USB cable in the package; Display resolution;
It is not possible to connect external drives;
Overpriced

Estimated price: 2140 hryvnia
The product is provided by the press service of Nokia in Ukraine
Sergei Reshodko

Since the advent of the concept of "smartphone" all major manufacturers mobile phones, which had the appropriate resources, began searching or creating the optimal operating system for a new class of devices. During this period, operating systems such as iOS, Symbian, Bada, MeeGo, Nokia Asha, BlackBerry OS and of course Android were developed. The latter is currently leading the list of the most widely used mobile operating systems in the world. Many analysts believe that Nokia could have avoided the sale of its shares and, to some extent, the loss of market positions, if the transition to Android was timely. However, the Finnish manufacturer has relied on its own software development, which in the end could not compete with the software giant Google, with its Play market and hundreds of thousands of applications.

The operating room became a kind of way out of the situation. Windows system Phone, which is currently the main shell of smartphones under the Nokia brand. Despite this, many fans of the Android OS and Nokia products have been waiting for the moment of their joint cooperation, so today we can say with confidence that such a moment has come.

Specifications

Manufacturer	Nokia
Type, form factor	Smartphone, monoblock
Communication standards		850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
		900 / 2100 MHz
High speed data transfer	GPRS (up to 85.6 kbps), EDGE (236.8 kbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps), HSDPA (up to 7.2 Mbps)
Quantity
SIM card type
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play (MSM8225): 2x Cortex A5 (ARMv5), 1GHz, L2 Cache - 512KB, 45nm process
Graphics adapter	Qualcomm Adreno 203: up to 245 MHz, support for OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1 and Direct3D Mobile
	5", 800 x 480 dots (187 ppi), LCD IPS, 16.78 million colors, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 5 touches, scratch-resistant protective glass with anti-reflective coating
RAM
Memory card support	microSD (up to 32 GB)
	1x micro USB 2.0 1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack
Multimedia	Acoustics
	Microphone
	Additionally	Nokia MixRadio, equalizer
	Main	5 MP, ¼-inch sensor, f/2.8 aperture, focal length 32 mm, minimum focus range 50 cm, autofocus, HDR, flash, video recording with a resolution of 864 x 480 pixels at 30 fps
	Frontal	2 MP, f/2.8 aperture, 720p video recording
Communication options
	Navigation	A-GPS, HERE Drive, HERE Maps
	Accelerometer, gyroscope, light and proximity sensors
Battery	Li-Ion, removable: 2000 mAh, 7.4 Wh, 3.7 V
Charger	Input: 100~240VAC e.g. at 50/60 Hz 120 mA Output: 5V DC e.g. 0.75 A
	141.4 x 77.7 x 10.9 mm
Operating system	Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage

Delivery and equipment

Smartphone NokiaXLDualSIM comes in a relatively small cardboard box, which has a very nice and colorful design. The packaging design does not contain unnecessary elements, and the colors used are very good in terms of perception. The entire front face of the box is occupied by a collage depicting three of the six color options for the body of the novelty: yellow, orange and green. In addition, the image shows happy users of the Skype application, which is preinstalled in the smartphone's memory by default.

On the back side there is a small list of the main characteristics of the phone and a few icons, under which there is a small string of multi-colored dots. The colors of the six circles reflect full set possible colors of the smartphone body, which, in addition to the three above, also include white, black, and blue options. The box opens sideways, not up, which is traditional for Nokia products. Due to the lack of a sticker (in our case), the inside of the box easily falls out under the device's own weight.

The Nokia XL Dual SIM package includes: a 2000 mAh Nokia BN-02 battery, a user manual, a charger with a fixed micro-USB cable, and a simple Nokia WH-108 headset with in-ear headphones. It is worth noting the absence USB cable↔ micro-USB, which is used to connect a smartphone to a PC (it must be purchased separately), which is a disadvantage for some.

Appearance and arrangement of elements

There is a positive stereotype among mobile phone users about Nokia phones: they are always of high quality and original, well assembled, and the percentage of defective models is extremely small. Over the years, this approach has remained unchanged, so the Nokia XL Dual SIM smartphone can first of all be described as a reliable device that feels solid. Its design continues the tradition of the Nokia Lumia line, which still offers the user a rich choice of body colors. This approach can be called simple, but very effective way increasing the popularity of devices among young people, especially against the background of standard black and white monoblocks.

The novelty has a very attractive appearance, with a pleasant light green color scheme. The body of the device is made of polycarbonate with excellent tactile performance and build quality: we have not recorded any design defects or other shortcomings. We also note the good rigidity of the case: the smartphone does not bend and does not change its geometry with moderate torsion. The corners of the phone and the side edges on the back are rounded, which, subjectively, has a positive effect on the ergonomics of the device. The dimensions of the 5-inch Nokia XL Dual SIM are 141.4 x 77.7 x 10.9 mm and weigh 190 grams. A fairly small case thickness stands out from these values, which still does not smooth out the feeling of the device's bulkiness.

The entire front side of the smartphone is covered with tempered glass (which manufacturer does not specify, but probably one of the versions of Corning Gorilla Glass), which is not pressed through and, accordingly, does not allow distortion of the display image. In addition, the screen is protected by a fairly good factory film. It is thin and provides optimal tactile sensations, as well as quite decent protection against minor scratches.

Along the contour of the front panel, between the glass and the sides, there is a small plastic insert that rises above the level of the glass and thus protects the screen when the smartphone is upside down.

Above the display are: the manufacturer's logo, speaker holes, front camera, light sensor and proximity. The mesh of the conversational speaker quickly clogs with dust, which over time can lead to a deterioration in the audibility of the interlocutor. The novelty is not equipped with an event indicator.

At the bottom of the front panel there is only one touch button, which, when pressed, performs the [Back] command, and when held, it performs [Home]. Subjectively, this button configuration does not create any discomfort when using a smartphone.

The back side of the device is represented by a lid, or rather - the base, which houses the main part of Nokia XL Dual SIM. In terms of the material of manufacture and tactile sensations, it has the characteristics described above. At the top of the frame is the main camera eye and LED flash, and at the bottom - slot multimedia speaker, which is covered with a fine-grained mesh.

To remove the cover, press on the protruding corners on the front side of the case. In general, the two parts of the phone's design are separated quite easily, while when assembled everything keeps just fine, and there are no gaps at all. As a result, when you first get acquainted with the novelty, you might think that the phone is solid and not at all collapsible. The buttons of the smartphone are part of the base (lid), which in some devices leads to poor tactile feedback, however, in our case, they are well defined and easy to press. Removing the cover reveals two Micro-SIM slots (one with 2G and 3G support, and the other with 2G only), a microSD slot, and a removable battery.

On the right side of the smartphone there is a volume rocker and a power / lock button, on top - a mini-jack audio jack. The left side face is solid and contains no controls. The micro-USB port is located on the bottom of the phone. It is not covered by a plug, like the audio jack. In general, the smartphone is quite convenient, but you have to get used to the large and angular dimensions. However, a relatively thin body significantly smoothes the impression of the size of a 5-inch device. The buttons are conveniently located for the right and left hand, so they are easy to reach.

Nokia XL Dual SIM is equipped with a 5-inch capacitive display based on IPS-matrix with a resolution of only 800 x 480 pixels, which at this diagonal provides a pixel density of 187 ppi. In general, this value is quite enough to display a detailed picture. Firstly, due to the fact that the proprietary shell is practically devoid of particularly small elements, and secondly, a 5-inch screen can be viewed from a greater distance than a screen with a smaller diagonal. In any case, if you set yourself such a goal, then distinguishing between individual pixels is not difficult.

The display is not without the standard disadvantage of IPS matrices: there is a shift in the color field to yellow and purple hues. but this feature it would be incorrect to consider it a disadvantage of the novelty. The screen has a good margin of brightness, the level of which is automatically adjusted based on the readings of the corresponding sensor.

Pleasant color reproduction and good level contrast complement the overall positive impression of viewing information on the smartphone display. In addition, thanks to the optimal viewing angles, it is quite comfortable to view multimedia on big screen without image distortion. It is also worth noting the presence of an air gap between the matrix and the protective glass, which slightly worsens the image. but given parameter subtle and very subjective.

The touch substrate has good sensitivity and supports up to 5 simultaneous touches. There is also support for double tapping to unlock the smartphone. Main disadvantage display - fingerprints that appear instantly and in large numbers. The reason for this effect is the lack of an oleophobic (fat-repellent) coating. But there is a fairly good anti-reflective coating, which, together with a good margin of display brightness, allows you to clearly distinguish information under the sun's rays.

The novelty is equipped with one main mono speaker, which is located at the bottom of the back of the phone. It can be called quite loud, and the sound it reproduces is quite high quality, as for a smartphone. If this direction disassemble into components, we note very weak low frequencies(barely noticeable "thud"), cut down in the lower range of mids, as well as quite good and detailed high frequencies. As a result, the speaker can be described as a fairly loud tweeter that does a good job of playing media, gaming applications, notifications, and more.

The complete headset provides enough good quality sound, but isolation from external noise is naturally insufficient. Subjectively, in this regard, it is better to use in-ear (vacuum) headphones.

The speaker does a good job of transmitting voice: the sound is pleasantly detailed and moderately loud.

The Nokia XL Dual SIM smartphone is equipped with a budget, but very good main camera module with a resolution of 5 megapixels, autofocus support, LED flash and HDR function. In addition to the mentioned characteristics, the manufacturer provided more in-depth parameters of the camera module, namely: aperture value - f / 2.8; focal length cameras - 32 mm; the minimum focusing range of the camera is 50 cm. Naturally, the numbers do not allow an objective assessment of the camera's capabilities, so let's move on to describing the shooting results.

The resulting images are saved with an aspect ratio of 2592 x 1944 pixels. Photo quality and detail is generally pretty good for a 5-megapixel camera. However, in low light, the footage is slightly degraded, as automatic does not raise the ISO level above 400. On the other hand, you can use the flash, but then you should expect an extremely incorrect determination of the white balance with a strong blockage in warm shades. The only disadvantage of the camera in photo mode is small dynamic range module, which is why HDR shots are often crossed.

We expected even more positive results from video filming, because. Nokia phones have always stood out in this regard in better side among competitors. However, the .3gp videos we shot are far from perfect: the video quality at 30 fps is not good enough even at high detail settings and maximum resolution (864 x 480 pixels), as well as the sound quality. In addition, attentive users may notice a certain image distortion effect that accompanies moving objects in the video example below.

The front camera with a resolution of 2 megapixels will be more than enough for video calls and self-portraits. It provides quite acceptable image quality and an optimal viewing angle for video communications. The f/2.8 aperture of the secondary camera module records video at 720p (1280 x 720 pixels), which is somewhat bewildering when compared to the rear camera's recording parameters.

The first thing we'll look at in the "modified" Android OS is the camera app. Unfortunately, the operating system prohibits the creation of "screenshots" of this application, so we will limit ourselves to a verbal description.

The interface of the camera application is quite simple, but intuitive. Quick access icons are standard on the left side of the screen. These include LED flash, white balance, exposure value, and camera settings. Clicking on the last icon opens an impressive list to the user additional options such as adjusting sharpness levels, auto exposure, noise reduction, saturation, sharpness, etc. At the top there is a slider for setting the required digital zoom value (the maximum possible is x4).

In the video recording points, you can choose one of three codecs for recorded videos, the duration of which, by the way, cannot exceed 30 minutes, as well as a codec for sound track and several other options.

In general, and in terms of settings, the shell of Nokia X has brought a lot of interesting things, but as a result, the user receives pictures not much better in quality than in 5-megapixel Nokia Lumia smartphones. As for shooting video, only very undemanding users can count on a smartphone in this regard. It is likely that due to the budget orientation of the novelty, the video mode capabilities of the main camera are somewhat limited, or these are flaws in the shell itself.

Shooting examples

Movie examples

Smartphone daytime example in maximum quality 864 x 480 at 30 fps

User interface

So it's time to introduce you to the main highlight of the smartphone - its new operating system. Yes, it’s new, because hardly anyone would have thought that a Finnish manufacturer would simply take a “clean” version of the Android OS and install it on their smartphone. Although many users wanted just such an implementation of the novelty. In fact, Nokia XL Dual SIM comes with a far from the latest version of the Android OS - Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, but with a proprietary Nokia X shell version 1.1.1.0 installed on top of it, which transforms the operating system we know beyond recognition. As a result, it becomes as similar as possible to Windows Phone 8: the same tiles, the same functions, the same rather small set of applications, available only from the company's store.

Various kinds of notifications can be displayed at the bottom of the lock screen. To simply unlock the phone, you need to swipe (“swipe”) on a free area of ​​​​the screen. A similar action, but to the left on the notification will remove it from the screen. If the notification is relevant at the moment, then the user can quickly go to this application by making a “swipe” to the right, which is very convenient. Also, unlocking the smartphone is possible thanks to a light double tap on the body of the device.

The desktop resembles the one in Windows Phone, which, again, can be perceived in different ways. The user himself should clearly determine which option is better: someone likes large elements, i.e. "tiles", and someone prefers five or six desktops with separate groups of small icons. The desktop, in fact, is the main menu, which contains all the application icons. The user can place them to his taste, as well as move individual items to the created folders. The right "swipe" on the desktop flips the screen to the "Recent" page, which displays the actions performed by the user. This menu named "Fastlane" by the manufacturer. To configure it, there are the necessary options that allow you to choose which actions should be displayed in the feed. The smartphone has a good set of important programs pre-installed, such as Skype, social applications. networks, Opera browser, game programs and others. By the way, the manufacturer as a gift gives the buyer of Nokia XL Dual SIM one month of free calls to any country in the world, which explains the joyful faces of people on the front side of the device's packaging.

The notification panel has standard features that are visually modified by the graphical shell. Here you can enable/disable modules wireless networks and view system messages or go to device settings.

The main disadvantage of the new shell is the complete absence of absolutely all Google services(Google Play store, maps, etc.). For this reason, the Phone app has very limited options for syncing with Google account(only data and contacts from Google+, although they were not loaded in our case). If, for example, all contacts are stored in Gmail, then they will not be automatically loaded into Nokia XL Dual SIM: all data will have to be entered manually.

Instead of the missing store Google Apps Play has Nokia and Yandex branded stores. However, some users report cases of errors when installing some applications or inability to update them. In this case new version programs can only be installed after downloading the apk file from the computer. However, such cases are the exception rather than the rule. With the interface of standard applications, such as "Alarm Clock", "Music Player", "FM Radio" and the smartphone browser, you can see on the "screenshots".

For user navigation on the ground, the cartographic application HERE Maps and the automobile HERE Drive are preinstalled. As for the support of the territory of our country, the situation here is the same: many maps are somewhat outdated, and there is no information about the transport system of many cities.

The Nokia XL Dual SIM settings menu already resembles the old Android OS in some outlines. The menu items are mostly standard, so we won't go into them in detail. We only note the changed appearance of icons and fonts.

As a small afterword, I would like to add that the Nokia X shell is in its own early version and some of the aforementioned nuances will be difficult for a certain number of users to come to terms with. The situation could be changed by the release of its new version, however, according to the manufacturer, this model will not be updated. On the other hand, experienced users in this area found third-party methods for installing Google services, which, of course, cannot be called simple solution tasks. If we assume who will like this shell, then, most likely, they will be fans of Windows Phone, Nokia, or users who want to learn something new. It will be quite difficult for supporters of the original version of Android to adapt to the changed interface.

Hardware platform and performance

Smartphone built on the basis of the budget processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play (MSM8225), 2 cores of which operate at a frequency of 1 GHz. The processor is made according to the 45-nm process technology, based on the ARM Cortex-A5 microarchitecture. The L2 cache is 512 KB. Graphics processing is performed by the built-in graphics core Qualcomm Adreno 203 with a working clock frequency of 245 MHz. Graphics subsystem supports technologies such as OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1 and Direct3D Mobile. The amount of RAM is only 768 MB, and built-in - 4 GB. The internal storage can be expanded with a microSD card up to 32 GB.

The main drawback of the smartphone, or rather its proprietary shell, is the inability to install applications directly on the memory card. Instead, installation is only available on internal storage. At the same time, only 1.29 GB of the phone's memory is allocated for data storage. In other words, the user can install applications with a capacity of no more than 1.29 GB, which is why it is not possible to install, for example, the Asphalt 8 game, because. it takes up 1.35 GB of free space. This shortcoming could be offset by an OS update, but for this model we are unlikely to see it.

The test results, given the cost of the smartphone, are quite expected: the hardware platform does not show better performance. However, its capabilities are more than enough for fast work OS, apps, browser, Full HD video playback, and smooth display of light gaming tasks. During the testing period, no slowdowns of the smartphone were noticed, which indicates a good optimization of the software part to the power of the hardware components.

Communication and communications

The novelty is equipped with two slots for installing micro-SIM SIM cards. The first of them can work in 2G and 3G modes, the second - only 2G. Cards are easy to remove: no need to use tweezers. The hardware platform of the phone supports networks mobile operators GSM standard (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz) and WCDMA (900 / 2100 MHz). During the testing of the smartphone, we did not find any shortcomings in the operation of the communication modules, such as spontaneous resets or poor voice quality. In this regard, Nokia phones have always been at their best.

The communication capabilities of the novelty are presented Bluetooth modules 3.0 and Wi-Fi with support for 802.11 b/g/n protocols. When a smartphone is connected to home network With throughput At 100 Mbps, we recorded the following data transfer rates: about 5 Mbps for receiving and 12 Mbps for sending information. Apparently, the Wi-Fi module has an extremely weak bandwidth. However, it is quite enough for watching multimedia online, especially given the good signal stability and fast connection of the smartphone to the network.

The GPS module works correctly and allows you to quickly navigate the terrain using the HERE Maps and HERE Drive applications. In an open area, the device identified 9 satellites and was able to connect to all of them. The connection itself is quite fast and takes no more than 5-10 seconds.

Nokia XL Dual SIM is equipped with a removable lithium-ion battery Nokia BN-02 with a capacity of 2000 mAh, which, with a rather modest smartphone performance, allows it to show good time battery life for different usage scenarios. In particular, in the normal mode of operation, which involves several hours of listening to music, about an hour of mobile Internet and 30 minutes of talking, the phone confidently keeps the battery charged for a day or two. To obtain more specific indicators, we conducted several standard tests.

As a result, watching HD video at 50% display brightness and enabled Wi-Fi and GPS modules drains the battery of the novelty in a little more than 4 hours. A game simulation using the Epic Citadel application (Guided Tour mode) with 100% display brightness and Wi-Fi and GPS modules on on a single charge was played for a little more than 3 hours before the battery was completely discharged. In general, the "survivability" of the phone can be described as standard. In this respect, the revised operating system did not introduce revolutionary energy saving technologies.

Charging the battery with a 3.75 W (5 V at 0.75 A) AC-20 kit takes about 3 hours. It is worth noting once again that, contrary to the widespread and very convenient way connecting your smartphone to your computer using a detachable charging cable, which is usually made in USB format↔ micro-USB, the Nokia charger uses a fixed micro-USB cable. This approach is not very universal, because in this case, the user needs to additionally purchase a cable to connect the smartphone to the PC, since it is not included in the package.

Smartphone NokiaXLDualSIM can definitely be called a kind of leader, who is entrusted with the task of "running in" a new vision of the operating room Android systems. Indeed, Nokia specialists have changed the popular OS beyond recognition by installing their own Nokia X shell on top of it. How did the latter affect the usability of a smartphone and its main parameters? We think it's positive. The phone is very interesting in everything, starting with a beautiful appearance with a wide choice of body color options and excellent build quality, ending with a "fresh" software component. In this case, the bulk of users will most likely be divided into two groups: those who were waiting for the basic and already familiar shell, and those who are happy to rush to explore the new features and options of the updated software.

However, it should be borne in mind that usually in the history of the development of any software product its full potential is revealed over time. Therefore, the Nokia X shell also has some flaws. The main disadvantage of a smartphone is the inability to install applications on a memory card. As a result, only 1.29 GB of free space is available to the user internal memory phone for this purpose. Usually such nuances were corrected in subsequent versions of the OS, however, according to the manufacturer this model will not be updated. Anyway software platform from Nokia is worth the attention of the user, like the phone itself, especially at a very reasonable price, which is about 1900 UAH. or $160.

Advantages:

• pleasant and stylish appearance;
• excellent build quality;
• two slots for SIM-cards;
• branded Nokia X shell;
• large OS interface elements that will be convenient for many users;
• preinstalled HERE Maps and HERE Drive apps;
• map support microSD memory up to 32 GB;
• good photo quality in daylight;
• relatively low cost;
• high-quality 5-inch IPS-screen;
• loud speaker.

Peculiarities:

• The modified OS interface takes some getting used to.

Flaws:

• only 1.29 GB of memory is available to the user for installing applications;
• no USB cable ↔mmicro-USB included;
• no oleophobic screen coating;
• the absence of absolutely all Google services (Google Play store, maps, etc.);
• insufficiently good video quality;
• shellNokia Xwill not receive updates in this model.

We express gratitude Ukrainian representation companiesNokia for the smartphone provided for testing.

"All prices for Nokia+XL+Dual+Sim"

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"Nokia on Android" - the secret dream of all geeks, nokiemans and nokiephobes has come true! For a long time they dreamed about it, argued and built photo-toads, but what was considered a “duck” has come true! Nokia held a presentation of the "X" line in Russia under the slogan "This is not a duck!"

Passed under the slogan "This is not a duck!" the presentation was richly decorated with ducks of all sorts and types.

Nokia X:: Overview:: What is it and why?

Actually, the main questions are what kind of “Android” is installed on Nokia X and why does the Finnish manufacturer need it? Why did Microsoft allow such things, which is about to buy the company entirely? Is this a last resort or something else?

In fact, there is no definite answer to this question ... New X-line is not able to attract gadget lovers with some special technical specifications- it does not have powerful processors, no good cameras, no particularly outstanding displays, etc. “Android” on it is also peculiar (more on that below), and it is not a complete analogue of android smartphones from other brands of “X” ... Therefore, there are two goals that are planned to be achieved using the X-series - firstly, at least somehow -something to associate the brand with the Android OS, while not going beyond the partnership with Microsoft, which is primarily interested in promoting its OS in the Lumia line and puts up with the budget "semi-smartphones" Asha. Well, like Asha - only on Android. Let it be!

The second point is more slippery. It is assumed that the appearance of the budget X-line, as it were, should not infringe on the general line of the flagship Lumia, but it is partly a response to complaints from the owners of the latter about the WP app store, which is clearly lagging behind Google Play in terms of the amount of content. Here the situation is borderline - the release of X-smartphones looks like an indirect recognition of the problems of the Windows Phone ecosystem, which is developing at an insufficient pace ...

However, "the blind man said - let's see!". We'll see. With time.

Nokia X:: Overview:: Operating system Nokia X 1.0

The X-smartphones have the operating system “Nokia X 1.0” based on Linux, “supposedly Android”, but do not expect the usual android interface and functionality in them. The interface practically copies the "semi-smartphones" of the Asha line, as well as Lumia, taking the latter as a basis - in fact, a variant of the Microsoft METRO interface.

In essence, the entire interface consists of two screens - the main screen, on which there are large shortcuts (in the form of windows tiles) of ALL installed applications, as well as a secondary screen - the "event screen". Who called-sms that it was established that both other and other were updated ...

The screens change by sliding across the display from left to right:

Main screen is an endless "sausage" of tiles installed programs. Getting to the bottom, if you are a fan of "market shopping" will not be easy ...

There is also a panel quick settings- brightness, wireless interfaces etc. As in Android (and also in Asha and even in latest versions long-dead Symbian), it appears from above - "pulled out" by moving your finger from top to bottom across the screen.

The main disadvantage of the “non-android android” interface is that in X-smartphones it is impossible to systematize and personalize desktops as conveniently as it is done in a real “robot”. There are no desktops themselves, no ability to organize applications into folders, and much more. Other features that Android allows you to implement (two-window mode with a couple of applications running at the same time, say) are out of the question here ...

Nokia X:: Overview:: Apps and Store

Another minus and plus of X-smartphones at the same time is the absence in them of the habitual android fans Google Market play. There is no shortcut or any other access to it. Android applications can be downloaded from 2 sources - Nokia Market and Yandex Market. These are android programs, but specially ported to the Nokia X-Android.

The advantages of this "indirect" shopping is that it is guaranteed that ALL applications will work clearly and perfectly, as well as 100% free of viruses. For all of them, as we are assured, have been tested by teams of engineers from Nokia and Yandex for perfect compatibility and the absence of viruses. After all, it's no secret that Google Play has been a mess, confusion and vacillation since time immemorial - running into an application with a "worm" is easy, but because of the huge range of phones different manufacturers there is no guarantee of stable work of programs. It works on some smartphones, on others it gets stupid and crashes ... Moreover, a stable working application may stop working after an update - this happens quite often ... This should not happen in “X”.

The disadvantages of a separate store are also obvious: in Nokia Market and Yandex Market you can find FAR NOT ALL of the applications available on Google Play! And only those that their developers were not too lazy to port to Nokia X!

Therefore, the situation in which a certain program will work on a regular Android, but for Nokia X it simply will not be, is quite real. However, the Nokievites claim that they have special software, which they provide to all android developers, allowing them to easily and almost in automatic mode"convert" app for X-series. Let's see what happens - let's wait for official figures to compare what part of Google Play will be programs for Nokia X?

Nokia X:: Review:: Inside and out

In view of the fact that everyone en masse admires the fantastic combination of “Nokia + Android”, I rightly pushed the stuffing and design of the X-line devices to the last place. As you understand, at the moment the fundamental moments are the most important, and not garbage in the form of processors, batteries and case coloring :) However, we finally got to them.

The concept of the X-series is affordable budget smartphones. Therefore, in the line, represented by three models - X, X + and XL - there are no expensive and technologically advanced gadgets. These are dual-core devices with a single design, modest cameras, which actually differ only in the diagonal of the display and the amount of RAM. All of them are dvuhsimochniki and have good IPS-screens. All of them use a design often used by Nokia, in which the phone block is inserted into back cover representing a "box".

Nokia X

RAM - 512 MB

Camera - 3 MP

Battery - 1500 mAh
Dimensions - 63x115.5x10.4 mm 128 g

Nokia X+

Display - IPS, 4 inches, 480x800
Processor - dual core 1 GHz
RAM - 1 GB
Built-in Memory – 4 GB + microSD slot
Camera - 3 MP
Other – 2 SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
Battery - 1500 mAh
Dimensions - 63x115.5x10.4 mm 128 g

Nokia X and X+ look the same:

Nokia XL

Display - IPS, 5 inches, 480x800
Processor - dual core 1 GHz
RAM - 768 MB
Built-in Memory – 4 GB + microSD slot
Camera - 5 MP + front 2 MP
Other – 2 SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
Battery - 2000 mAh
Dimensions - 77.7x141.4x10.9 mm 190 g

To put it simply, we can say this about the characteristics - "X" and "X +" are two identical devices that differ only in the amount of RAM (512 MB and 1 GB - and why such an assortment is needed is unclear ...) "XL" is already noticeably different gadget: the same hardware, but slightly better camera And the screen is 5 inches, not 4.

The cost of devices is about 5000 for X and about 7000 for XL.

Nokia XL Dual SIM is a development of Nokia's line of budget mobile phones, the older brother of Nokia X, with a diagonal of 5 inches. The manufacturer added about one and a half thousand to the price and rolled out a device with a “stretched” diagonal, while leaving the same low resolution. At the same time, the dimensions of the device have increased significantly - the smartphone is uncomfortable in one hand. Unusual interface and redesigned Android - it's not so scary. However, the absence Play Market, in our opinion, this is a serious minus. Although, it seems that consumers have even learned to live and cope with installing applications not only through the Play Market.

The processor of the beginning of 2012 is not the most recent solution, and the increase in RAM from 512 to 768 MB looks, in our opinion, simply not serious. But now the smartphone has a front camera, and the main camera has been slightly improved in terms of characteristics - its resolution is 5 MP. The manufacturer slightly tightened the battery life - larger body allowed to place a more capacious battery. However, its results are still significantly below the average for smartphones in general. Among the pluses, one can only note the support for two SIM-cards, the assembly of the case and a large number of colors for it. We do not recommend a smartphone for purchase, despite low price. In our opinion, Nokia has done a little work on the bugs and for a small surcharge pulled up the characteristics of the device to the level of inexpensive Chinese smartphones.

Dimensions and weight - 3.8

The 5-inch Nokia XL Dual SIM smartphone is thick, wide, and in its width it rather corresponds to smartphones with a 5.2-5.5-inch diagonal. The thickness of the case reaches 10.9 mm. The device is heavy, its weight is 189 grams, it is only a little short of catching up with such heavyweights as Philips W6610 or Asus Fonepad 6.

The appearance reminded us of a flattened brick, it is inconvenient to hold and control it with one hand. The case is collapsible, the battery is removed. The smartphone is made of polycarbonate, the build quality is good for a cheap model, all parts fit snugly, nothing creaks under pressure.

It should be noted the variety of colors for the body: Nokia XL Dual SIM is available in bright green, orange, yellow, blue, black and white.

Screen - 3.1

The Nokia XL Dual SIM uses an IPS-matrix with a resolution of 800 × 480 pixels, a screen diagonal of 5 inches, a PPI value of only 187. Perhaps today, smartphones with a lower number of pixels per inch are no longer produced, only very cheap phones with a diagonal of 2- 3 inches have ppi below. The viewing angles are average, the brightness level is also average, for most cases it will be enough to read information. However, on a sunny day, reading information from the display is already much more difficult. Due to the low ppi, individual pixels are almost immediately noticeable. In our opinion, this display is far from the best for long reading and watching videos.

Viewing angles and color deviations of the Nokia XL Dual SIM display. As you can see in the test image above, the brightness drops off quickly when tilted, the display has a slight bluish tint, and the blacks fade into each other. With such narrow viewing angles, talking about a shift in colors when the display is tilted is almost meaningless. Read more about the test.

Camera

They decided to improve the Nokia XL Dual SIM cameras a little, if Nokia X had one 3 MP main camera, here the cameras were already pulled up to the level of a typical, budget model: 5 MP for the main camera and 2 MP for the front camera, plus they added a flash and autofocus. In terms of any functions, everything is typical, standard set settings. The maximum resolution for photos is 2592×1944 pixels, while video recording is 854×480 pixels, which is very small. But there is a tracking autofocus and a recording speed of 30 fps. Sound is recorded in mono. The front camera takes pictures at a resolution of 1600×1200 and shoots video at a resolution of 352×288, that is, in very poor quality. The manufacturer, of course, formally improved the main camera and added a front one, but the result is still unsatisfactory.

Photos from the camera Nokia XL Dual SIM - 2.3

Working with text - 5.0

The standard keyboard in Nokia XL Dual SIM can be called comfortable. It has a markup of additional characters, both in Latin and in the Cyrillic layout. You can quickly dial numbers - on the top row of keys, a number row is used as additional characters. Not only stroke input is supported, but also handwriting input. However, there is one significant disadvantage here - switching between languages. To do this, you have to hold down the spacebar and then select the desired language from a long list that has fallen out, this is not very convenient, which is confirmed by user reviews.

Internet - 5.0

The pre-installed standard browser surprised us with the “wealth” of its settings, you can delete personal data in them, save / not save passwords, and that’s it. With a double click, you can move away to the general view of the page or get closer to some area of ​​interest. But, in addition to the standard browser, Opera is preinstalled with a reading mode, text autofit, etc.

Interfaces

Nokia XL Dual SIM supports common wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth (v3.0) and A-GPS. The device is capable of delivering Mobile Internet With using Wi-Fi. Smartphone cost without support for LTE and dual-band Wi-Fi. Everything works fine, only in our tests the GPS took a long time to determine its location.

The smartphone can work with two Micro-SIM cards, but alternately, since there is only one radio module in the device. There is a slot for microSD cards up to 32 GB and a Micro-USB 2.0 connector, without MHL and USB OTG.

Multimedia - 1.0

Preinstalled players support a limited number of video and audio formats. In our tests, the smartphone refused to play uncompressed FLAC audio, MOV and MKV video also played with great difficulty. Full HD video plays fine. True, the player does not support subtitles.

Battery - 2.2

We tested the Nokia XL Dual SIM in our two standard tests. The 2000 mAh battery (remember, Nokia X had 1500 mAh) showed not the best results: 4 hours and 20 minutes in HD video mode at maximum brightness and about 27 and a half hours in music listening mode.

Performance - 1.6

The device uses a rather old Qualcomm MSM8225 Snapdragon S4 Play platform with a dual-core 1 GHz processor and an unusual amount of RAM - 768 MB, 3/4 of a gigabyte. The main processor is accompanied by the Adreno 203 graphics accelerator. In terms of filling, the manufacturer left everything as it was with Nokia X, increasing only the RAM, but did not become generous by a whole gigabyte, but added only 256 MB. With daily use, the device practically does not slow down and works, if not quickly, then normally.

The device performed poorly in synthetic tests: 7686 points in the AnTuTu benchmark and 2360 points in the 3D Mark benchmark. You will not be able to play demanding games, as there will not be enough RAM or processor power with a graphics accelerator.

Memory - 4.2

The amount of built-in memory in Nokia X Dual SIM is 4 GB, but only 1.11 GB is available to the user. But there is support for microSD memory cards up to 32 GB. The memory card is not hot-swappable.

Peculiarities

Nothing particularly new, compared to Nokia X, has not appeared: the same converted Android, stylized as Windows Phone. In fairness, it should be said that the launcher can be reinstalled, and the lack of Google services, and especially the Play Market app store, can only be partially compensated by downloading and installing any other stores. Many applications can be installed by downloading the respective APK file and extracting it on your phone, but applications that require registration in Play Market, still won't start. Among the features, one can also note the dimensions of the smartphone: the dimensions of the case are rather suitable for a smartphone with a 5.5-inch display. The interface also has not undergone any changes. In the presence of a desktop with application icons, "swipe" to the left or right, you will be taken to the list of recent activities, which simply stores everything that you have done on the phone recently.

Competitors

On the one hand, Nokia XL Dual SIM is one of a kind, large budget 5-inch smartphones are not so popular, at least among manufacturers, and Nokia XL almost exclusively occupies this specific niche. On the other hand, if you add one and a half thousand rubles, then you can already buy a version of the Lenovo P780 with 4 GB of internal memory, which will be much stronger in all respects, from the display, processor, cameras to the battery.

Don't want to spend more? There's the Explay Rio, also with dual SIM slots, almost half the price, slightly lighter, almost the same display and battery. Nokia XL noticeably outperforms it only in terms of cameras.

LG L80 is only a thousand more expensive, but you get 1 GB of RAM, two SIM card slots, a larger battery, and a lighter and thinner body. Nokia XL surpasses it only with a large number of megapixels in the front camera.