Nokia 5.3 first impressions - Too much for too little - Android

Announced way back in March, the Nokia 5.3 is finally hitting Indian shores. A decidedly mid-range smartphone, the Nokia 5.3 is once again championing HMD Global’s cause of a clean and secure Android experience.

However, with Xiaomi’s stranglehold on the spec-crazed mid-range segment, and Samsung making moves to regain traction as well, the ho-hum spec sheet of the Nokia 5.3 might not hold up.

Is the Nokia 5.3’s user experience enough to offset the value for money offered by the competition? Let’s find out in Android Authority’s first impressions of the Nokia 5.3.

Design: More of the same

The Nokia 5.3’s design isn’t exciting by any means. Unless you have a preference for simplistic, low-key hardware, there are much better options to be had. In fact, the materials used aren’t particularly inspired either.

The back of the phone is made of polycarbonate, which, in of itself, is not really an issue. But the plastic doesn’t feel very premium and is a smudge magnet despite the matte finish. Meanwhile, the competition is far ahead with its copious use of glass and metal.

The circular camera module houses four sensors with a centrally placed LED flash. Meanwhile, a fingerprint scanner is available below. The phone was fast to unlock and there’s a face-unlock option available as well.

The phone gets basics like weight distribution right, but there’s better hardware to be hard. I found the unsegmented volume rocker a bit too small and had to shuffle around to adjust the loudness setting. Meanwhile, the power button sits a bit too high in the frame.

The notification LED hidden away in the power key, however, is a very nifty addition that I wish more manufacturers would adopt.

The notification LED in the power button and dedicated Google Assistant key are useful additions.

In my time with the phone, I really came to appreciate the handy access to Google Assistant with the dedicated shortcut key placed on the left side of the Nokia 5.3.

Elsewhere, there’s a headphone jack at the top and a USB-C port along the bottom edge for charging and data transfer. The single speaker sounds tinny and you wouldn’t want to use it for anything other than phone calls.

Over at the front, the Nokia 5.3 continues its last-gen look with large bezels and a waterdrop notch. Here’s where things get a bit perplexing. Not only does the front look last-gen, Nokia has opted for a 720p panel with Gorilla Glass 3 here.

The 720p panel isn't particularly bright and the default color tuning veers too much towards cooler tones.

The default color tuning is set on the cooler side and the phone doesn’t go particularly bright either. I found myself squinting at the screen when out in sunlight.

Additionally, there is significant light bleed around the edges. Basically, if media consumption is a priority for you, I’d consider looking at our list of the best mid-range hardware in India instead.

Of course, the Nokia 5.3 lacks any IP rating but that’s to be expected at this price point. Overall, the Nokia 5.3 doesn’t excite and the boring design, coupled with the below-average display disappoints. Additionally, the haptic feedback on the phone is right up there with the worst I’ve come across in recent years.

Software: Pure and secure