Nokia 7.1 - Android 9.0 Pie - 64 GB - Dual Camera - Dual SIM Unlocked Smartphone (Verizon/AT&T/T-Mobile/MetroPCS/Cricket/H2O) - 5.84" FHD+ HDR Screen - Blue - U.S. Warranty

I bought this after reading countless reviews of 'mid-range' phones. Because my otherwise wonderful Galaxy had run out of capability with its uncompetitive 3/16 memory I decided to bet on this one. Having once owned a Nokia clamshell and a Nokia Windows phone I expected something pretty good and I think I got it with the 7.1. For brevity I'll say that the camera is excellent and the variable focus 'Bokeh' setting is a plus. I have no need to lug a digital camera around anymore.The phone dimensions give it a comfortable feel in the hand and more of a sense of holding a traditional phone.The great advantage to me lies in its being Android One and therefore not burdened with manufacturer vanity apps which take up space and cannot be deleted (my Samsung was one of these). That means that with its 4GB/64GB memory you have plenty of headroom to personalize the phone the way you like. There is a second SIM slot which doubles as SD storage if you really need it.I've used the phone intensively in the last couple of weeks while paying attention to what other reviewers have described as weaknesses. The first was the statement that volume is weak especially when on loud speaker. This is not true for me, the maximum volume shakes my eardrums.The second complaint had to do with a vague stutter, or hesitation that occurs when responding to a command. I have seen this- sometimes on swiping and sometimes from a key command, to the extent that I wonder if my tap failed and I try again. This behavior is rare, the phone in fact has not stopped working, and it's not serious enough for me to really complain about it. I have no idea what causes it.A note about apps- a few apps for basic operation are preinstalled and after that you rely on the Play store. The included Google file manager did not allow for file/folder shortcuts to desktop and for me that's important. The only third party app I know that still works for this with Android 9 is ES File Explorer.I should add that the phone came with Oreo and updated to Pie as soon as I stuck a SIM chip in it. It also carries a one year warranty, though not for accident.Finally one minor gripe- the Nokia manual is a real dud.I'm very happy with my purchase at the price and because I'm not a flagship phone buyer I'm inclined to think that overall this is about the best bargain currently available.

UPDATE (Aug 28, 2020)I really liked this phone, however suddenly the screen turned off, tried to turn it on again, and it started to boot, but didn't make it. Tried doing the soft reset holding down the volume up + power key, but nothing. It doesn't charge, it doesn't boot, it's dead. Won't buy Nokia again, I'll go with Moto next time.UPDATE (Aug 04, 2020)After almost two years of using this phone, it's still rocking, it feels snappy, and I think it has to do with the good specs and the work and compromise of Nokia, it's running Android 10 now, and still getting the security updates, so it's been a smooth ride so far.UPDATE (Nov 28, 2018)ANDROID 9 PIEI just got the software update notice to Android 9 (Pie), so now I'm running the latest OS with latest security updates. The new OS, runs just as fast as Android 8. In the update process I had an issue, I had to contact Nokia costumer support to resolve it, here is the explanation and the solution if it helps:After getting the Android 9 update notice, the phone downloaded the new OS update (1305 MB size), after that I restarted the phone, that's when the display turned off and the phone wouldn't turn on again, I contacted Nokia customer support, and they told me to do a soft-reset, to do that, you have to press at the same time the power + volume up buttons for 10 seconds until the phone restarts, that did the trick, phone started as normal and finished the Android 9 updated.UPDATE (Nov 27, 2018)After using the phone for the last couple of weeks, I want to address some features about the display and camera that I didn't write about in my original review that I think are important:DISPLAYThe quality of the display is outstanding, the HDR feature really makes the colors pop from the screen. Also the aspect ratio of 19:9 (1080x2280 pixels) is really useful in social apps like whatsapp and facebook, because it allows you to see a lot of content.CAMERAI like the detail of the photos, the setting "Auto HDR" is on by default and improves the contrast, you can get a little sharper images by turning off this feature, but I leave it on, as I like the overall image clarity. Portrait mode reveals some nice shots with bokeh effect.ORIGINAL REVIEW (Nov 19, 2018)I was looking to replace a 3 year old phone, I did my research and reduced my list to the following midrange phones:- Moto One- Moto G6 Plus- Sony Xperia XA2- Samsung Galaxy A6- Nokia 7.1After comparing the specs and features of the phones in above list, I finally settled for the Nokia 7.1 for the following reasons:OUTSTANDING SPECS:Comes with the powerful Snapdragon 636, this is a recent mobile processor that offers great performance. It's snappy, loads apps fast, I haven't experienced any slow downs like other reviewers have said. It comes with 4GB of RAM, that's plenty enough for current and future apps. And finally 64GB of internal storage, that you can expand to 400GB with a micro SD, I have already bought a Samsung 64GB EVO micro SD card for $10, efectively expanding storage to 128GB. The battery has a capacity of 3060 mAh battery (like most phones these days), and comes with a large charger that enables Qualcomm's quick charging feature.SOFTWARE EXPERIENCE:This phone comes with Android One, meaning it is a pure Android OS, without the bloatware that other phones come plagued with from the factory. With Android One, you get security updates for the following two years. This phone comes loaded with Oreo 8.1.0. Android 9 (Pie) is in the works, Nokia is supposed to release it soon.BEAUTIFUL DESIGN:The phone feels really solid in your hand, and you can feel the quality, the edges of the phone resemble a high end phone. I really like the design. I got the blue color, but I think the gray color looks really good too. And I agree with every one in here, you should definitely get a rugged protective case, because the phone is really slippery, I guess this is the price you have to pay for getting all glass design.LTE NETWORKI did my research, you should check the bhphotovideo web site, for network compatibility in your country/operator, mine displays correctly LTE next to the network signal status, so for those that show 4G instead, I think it depends on your telecom operator, not the phone itself.That's all for now, I will try to update this review in a few weeks.