Nokia 7 Plus Hands On Preview

What is the Nokia 7 Plus?

The Nokia 7 Plus has the potential to be a half-price Pixel 2 XL. Pitched as an "affordable flagship", the Nokia 7 Plus is almost a dead ringer for the larger of the two new Pixel smartphones, at least from the front.

The phones both have extra-tall 18:9 displays, they both run pure Android, and the software on both is maintained by Google. But at $749, the Nokia 7 Plus is just over half the price.

There's some obvious differences between the two; the Nokia screen is 1080p+ as opposed to Quad HD+, it has a slower processor, it's not water-resistant, and it's only guaranteed to get two years of major operating systems updates as opposed to three. But hey, there's no blue shift issues on the display, it packs a massive 3,800mAh said to last up to two days, and it still has a headphone jack and expandable storage!

Nokia 7 Plus first impressions

The Nokia 7 Plus is gorgeous to look at and hold. While it's still technically a glass and metal build, it has a ceramic paint finish that gives it a unique, grippy feel. The copper accents are lovely, and help the Nokia 7 Plus standout from a very homogenous crowd; it feels like a phone with its own identity.

While the Nokia 7 Plus doesn't have a top end Qualcomm processor, it's powered by one of the fastest midrange chips around - the Snapdragon 660 - and it certainly feels like it. The pure Android installation almost certainly helps with speed too; the Nokia 7 Plus is completely free from any bloat that could cause slowdown. 

The Nokia 7 Plus has the same dual camera configuration as the new Nokia flagship - the Nokia 8 Sirocco - which is a promising sign. While the camera software wasn't finished on the unit I had to test with, I was still able to get some great snaps. 

Realistically, it's unlikely that the Nokia 7 Plus will have a camera that's "Pixel 2 good", but the samples I got in my time with the device turned out well, especially given the surprisingly dark and gloomy Barcelona weather. The phone was still quick to shoot and reliable in conditions that I wouldn't quite call lowlight, but not exactly bright either. I'll reserve my verdict for when I get a finalised Nokia 7 Plus, but I'm optimistic.

Overall, the Nokia 7 Plus has been one of my favourite phones from this year's Mobile World Congress. It could truly live up to the title of "affordable flagship". And while $749 isn't quite "Nexus cheap", the handset could help fill the void Google created when it moved away from affordable pure Android phones to make more premium Pixel devices.

Nokia 7 Plus camera samples

Nokia 7 Plus pricing and availability

The Nokia 7 Plus will be available in early May for $749. We're expecting to see it outright through JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman. No telco partners have been confirmed for the phone yet, but Vodafone currently ranges several Nokia devices.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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