HMD Global is releasing the Nokia G300, its most affordable 5G phone yet, and possibly one of the cheapest ones to ever launch in North America. Releasing on October 19, the phone will cost $199 and come in a charcoal color. However, it can only be purchased from the sellers Tracfone Wireless and Straight Talk Wireless. Nokia’s already announced and released six other phones across three series in 2021.
“We take pride in creating life-proof phones that you can keep for longer thanks to the durability of our devices inside and out,” said Cristian Capelli, vice president, North America, HDM Global. “What we have achieved with the Nokia G300 is an elevated yet affordable 5G smartphone with a two-day battery life, meaning you and your family don’t need to be chained to a charging cord, and you’ll have more time for the things that matter.”
Weighing 210 grams, the Nokia G300 features a 1600 x 720, 6.52-inch HD+ display with a V-notch. On the side, integrated into the power key, is a fingerprint sensor. The phone also uses face recognition on the front for unlocking, Brightness Booster, and OZO Audio Surround. Similar to previous Nokia models, the G300 comes with a dedicated Google Assistant button and 3.5mm audio jack.
The rear-facing triple-lens camera consists of a 16-megapixel lens with Portrait Mode, 5MP lens, and 2MP depth sensor. On the front side, the phone uses an 8MP camera. The aforementioned 16MP lens on the back allows for 1080p video at 60 frames per second with OZO spatial audio and wind noise cancellation.
Inside the phone is a Qualcomm SM4350AB processor with 4GB of RAM, which should be enough for basic tasks. It comes with 64GB of storage, expandable up to 1TB with a microSD card. The nonremovable, 4,470mAh battery offers up to two days of charge and can be topped up at 18 watts through a USB-C port. The phone makes use of its A.I.-assisted Adaptive Battery to help apps run more efficiently and save on power over time. Don’t expect high-end frills like waterproofing or wireless charging.
For connectivity — aside from its Bluetooth 5.0 — one of the main benefits of the G300 is that it’s 5G-enabled. With 5G availability growing in terms of both coverage and phones, the G300 has the potential to pull down blazing-fast download speeds. It’s still up in the air if the Nokia G300 is among the best 5G phones of 2021, but for its price, it might be, and we’ll surely be putting it to the test at some point.
