Nokia X20: This Snapdragon 480 5G powered phone costs RM1,599

HMD Global has just introduced a total of 6 phones for the Malaysian market and the highest offering is the Nokia X20. According to smartphone-maker, the Nokia X20 provides three times the peace of mind as well as experiences and quality far above its price tag. This is also probably the most expensive smartphone that’s powered by a Snapdragon 400 series chip.

Nokia X20 Malaysia pricing and availability

The Nokia X20 is officially priced at RM1,599 in Malaysia. Available only in Nordic Blue, the device is equipped with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.

If you’re interested, you can pre-order the Nokia X20 online via Shopee. During the pre-order period from 14th to 18th October, you will receive a limited edition “No Time to Die” insulated water bottle and a phone card wallet while stocks last. The Nokia X20 will be available at all participating Nokia retail stores in Malaysia from the 25th of October 2021.

Nokia X20 Specs

The Nokia X20 is essentially a “mid-range” 5G phone and it features a 6.67″ Full HD+ LCD display. Under the hood, it runs on an 8nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G chip that’s mated to 8GB of RAM. The device has 128GB of internal storage which is expandable via microSD card up to 512GB.

For taking pictures, the device gets a quad-camera setup with Zeiss optics. It has a 64MP main camera, 5MP ultra-wide-angle shooter and two 2MP cameras for depth and macro. Some of the camera features include a Dual Sight multi-cam mode which lets you shoot using both front and rear cameras simultaneously. Alternatively, you can also shoot with both wide and ultra-wide-cameras at the same time.

Upfront, the small punch-hole on the screen houses a 32MP selfie camera. The device comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor as well as a dedicated Google Assistant button.

In terms of connectivity, it supports 5GHz 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC. It still has a 3.5mm headphone jack and the device also supports FM Radio when a headset is plugged in. Powering the device is a 4,470mAh battery and it supports 18W fast charging via USB-C.

HMD Global also said the Nokia X20 is designed with a sustainable mindset that takes packaging, energy consumption and recycling into consideration, to create a product that is better for the environment. Each box will come with a 100% compostable phone case which is said to be tough on the ground but soft on the earth.

Of course, smartphone brands these days can’t talk about sustainability without ditching the charger. According to the official product page, the Nokia X20 will not come with a charger included.

[ UPDATE 15/10/2021 15:50 ] HMD Global Malaysia has alerted us that the Nokia X20 for the Malaysian market will ship with an 18W charger.

3 years of warranty, software and security updates

The biggest highlight of the Nokia X20 is warranty and software support. The device comes with 3 years warranty, which is three times the duration offered by most brands. On top of that, you’ll also get 3 years of security and software upgrades for greater peace of mind.

With a price tag of RM1,599, it is hard to recommend Nokia X20 over its competitors. As a comparison, the Oppo A74 5G which also runs on a Snapdragon 480 5G and has a 6.5″ Full HD+ display with 90Hz refresh rate is priced at RM1,099. There’s also the OnePlus Nord N10 5G that runs on a more powerful Snapdragon 690 5G which is priced at RM1,199.

If you already have a budget to spend RM1,599 for a phone, it is probably more sensible to fork out an additional RM100 and get the Xiaomi 11T. The 11T with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at RM1,699 and it comes with a flagship-class MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chip and a 6.67″ Full HD+ AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Looking for an affordable phone as your daily driver? You can check out our list of best smartphones under RM1,000.