Nokia G21 with big 90Hz display, 50-megapixel cameras launched, starts at about Rs 14,500

Nokia G21 is the latest phone in the kitty of HMD Global and comes with moderate specifications but the most attractive thing about it is the 90Hz refresh rate on the display, a first on a Nokia phone.

Nokia G21 has finally arrived as the next HMD phone after a short round of leaks recently. The new Nokia G21 is the successor to the Nokia G20 but does not really look like it because of how different it looks. Instead of a round-shaped camera bump on the back, the Nokia G21 goes for a rectangular one with rounded edges. And if you kind of wonder where you have seen this before, do not stress yourself because it was a Motorola G-series phone that the Nokia G21 reminds you of.

Away from the design, HMD is continuing with the promise of regular Android updates on the Nokia G21. You get Android 11 out-of-the-box, but the phone is upgradable to Android 12 and Android 13 in the future. There is no timeline, however, for that yet. HMD’s new Nokia G21 will be available in European markets soon, but the company did not say a word about the launch in other markets, such as India. Since Nokia G20 did come to India, the chances of the Nokia G21’s launch in India are decent.

The Nokia G21 costs EUR 170, which is roughly Rs 14,500. It comes in Nordic Blue and Dusk colours.

HMD’s Nokia G21 comes off as a modest phone for light users. Its 6.5-inch HD+ LCD is big enough for watching movies and shows, especially when HMD has ensured support for HD streaming on Netflix. The brightness should be high enough for most purposes, but the biggest addition would be the 90Hz refresh rate on the display. This is the first time a Nokia phone has used a high refresh rate, and it is a welcome move. The Unisoc T606 processor inside the Nokia G21 should be powerful enough for everyday tasks and some gaming, but do not expect it to handle high-graphics games unless you want lags, jitters, and whatnot.

The Nokia G21 comes with 4GB of RAM and two storage options, 64GB and 128GB. And if you think that is not enough, there is a microSD card slot to expand the storage. The phone’s back features three cameras, a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 2-megapixel macro sensor, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor, with support for features like Super Resolution and Night Mode. The 5050mAh battery inside the Nokia G21 should be enough to last a day, and support for 18W makes charging faster. But the bundled charger supports only 10W, so you may have to spend some extra bucks to be able to charge the phone faster.