Nokia's first big HMD-made phone in the US is an 8.3 5G for Verizon
The Nokia 8 V 5G UW boasts a big screen and clever camera tech.
The Nokia badge hasn’t been attached to high-profile US carrier launches in a long time (its Windows Phones come to mind), but HMD Global wants to change that. It’s launching the Nokia 8 V 5G UW, an upper-mid-range Android phone exclusive to Verizon (Engadget’s parent company) and its first major American carrier deal. As the awkward name implies, it’s really a take on the 8.3 5G with support for Verizon’s mmWave 5G network — though that may be a good thing if you value display and camera tech above all else.
The 8 V 5G UW centers on a large 6.81-inch, HDR-capable display as well as a quad rear camera setup that promises better-than-usual photos with Zeiss lenses. The 64-megapixel primary camera with 1.6-micron “super pixels” (read: pixel binning) isn’t spectacular by itself, but you’ll also get a 12MP ultra-wide cam that can offer even larger 2.8-micron super pixels for stronger low-light photos. Gimbal-like video stabilization helps, too. A 2MP macro lens and a similarly-sized depth sensor offer some flexibility, though they won’t blow away other devices.
You’re otherwise getting a decidedly middling device with a Snapdragon 765G chip, 6GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage, although the 4,500mAh battery could last a long while.
Verizon will start carrying Nokia’s new phone on November 12 for $700 outright. That price makes it a tougher sell when phones like the Galaxy S20 FE, Pixel 5 and iPhone 12 series may offer higher performance or camera advantages for comparable prices. The 8 V 5G UW is at least competitive, however, and the combination of a giant screen and camera tricks might prove appealing.
