After returning to HMD Global, Nokia brand is having a strong return. Following the strategy of launching affordable smartphones in every segment, HMD has unveiled the Nokia 2.2 model in India.
Nokia 2.2 is the successor version of Nokia 2.1 released last year. Although the device is cheap, Nokia 2.2 has a rather modern and sophisticated design. The device has a 5.71 inch water drop screen with a maximum brightness of 400 nit. The screen around the screen is quite thick but acceptable because it is a cheap device.
Design and Build Quality
So the Nokia 2.2 is kinda minimalistic, but still functional you know, it kinda captures that whole budget smartphone vibe. The body is made of plastic, which is to be expected at this price point. But honestly the plastic is decent quality, it doesn’t come off overly cheap or kind of flimsy. There’s a glossy finish too, and it adds a bit of elegance, yet at the same time it attracts fingerprints and those smudges way too easily. The rounded edges and compact dimensions makes it comfy enough to hold, and using it with one hand feels pretty natural.
Also, the removable back and replaceable battery is one of the key highlights here. The Nokia 2.2 has a back cover you can take off, which is kinda rare on today’s phones. With that, you can reach the battery , the SIM card slots , and the microSD card slot pretty easily. Having a removable battery is a real plus if you plan to keep the phone for a long time, because you can just swap it out when the battery performance starts to fade. And yep, the back cover comes in multiple colors, so you can tweak the overall look without much effort.
Button Placement and Ports: Honestly the button placement on the Nokia 2.2 is pretty standard , the power button plus the volume rocker are set on the right side of the device. The keys feel tactile , responsive too, so it is not hard to use them day to day. On the left side , there’s a dedicated Google Assistant button , this one lets you pop open the virtual assistant with one press. That said, while it can be handy, some folks may end up tapping it by accident, especially if they are trying to tweak volume or keep the phone held steady.
At the bottom of the phone, you’ll find a micro-USB port for charging and data transfer. Yeah, micro-USB is getting outdated , and USB-C is what most people expect now, but you can still see micro-USB in budget handsets without it being a shock. Also, the device has a 3.5mm headphone jack up top, which is a small but welcome thing for anyone who likes wired audio accessories.
Overall Build Quality: Even though it’s all plastic, the Nokia 2.2 still feels solid when you hold it. The build quality is surprisingly good for an entry level phone, I did not notice any creaks or weird flexing when I apply a bit of pressure. Plus it’s light enough that it is easy to carry, and the size stays compact, so it should fit nicely in pockets and smaller bags.
In summary, the Nokia 2.2’s design is kind of minimal yet still functional, more about practicality than premium materials. The removable back, along with the battery inside, stands out as a big plus for long-term use and general user friendliness. It may not wow anyone on the street , but for the price, it’s completely adequate.
Screen Size and Resolution: The Nokia 2.2 comes with a 5.71-inch IPS LCD display, kind of a decent size for a entry-level phone, really. The resolution sits at 720 x 1520 pixels, so the pixel density ends up around 295 PPI. Sure, it won’t feel as crisp as higher-end devices , but for everyday stuff like web surfing, social apps, and video streaming it is totally fine. Text plus images look reasonably sharp, and those tiny individual pixels aren’t easy to spot unless you stare close, like really close.
Color Accuracy and Brightness: Color output on the Nokia 2.2’s screen is fairly solid, you get natural tones and a good balance in saturation. Because it uses IPS tech, the viewing angles are also pretty decent, colors don’t wash out as quickly when you tilt the phone sideways. That said, the brightness is a bit restrained, which can be annoying outdoors, especially under direct sunlight. Indoors it’s okay, but outside you might end up shading it with your hand, or hunting for a bit of shade , just to see properly.
Notch Design and Screen-to-Body Ratio: There is a small waterdrop notch on top that holds the front-facing camera. The notch feels fairly subtle, it doesn’t really ruin the whole viewing experience. The bezels are noticeable , though they are not super thick, and that helps it land at a screen-to-body ratio of roughly 79%. It’s not top-tier compared to premium phones, but for an entry-level model it is still pretty respectable, giving users enough screen space to interact comfortably.
Usability and touch response: on the Nokia 2.2 the touch reaction on the display feels pretty smooth and on point, with minimal lag or delay while you scroll through menus or punch letters on the on-screen keyboard. The screen size plus that 19:9 aspect ratio makes it decent for watching media and running light, casual games. There’s also adaptive brightness, so it kind of tunes the brightness based on whatever light is around, though honestly it can be a bit inconsistent sometimes.
The phone body uses a plastic back, which you can peel off, and it has that reflective look like certain glass panels. Inside there’s a battery rated up to 3,000mAh. Nokia even gave a dedicated button for the Google Assistant, placed near the left side, so you can call up a virtual helper without having to say a command each time.
Photography stuff: the Nokia 2.2 has a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. Camera features mention low-light shooting AI and HDR, and more details in that same general direction… but overall it’s meant for everyday snaps rather than anything fancy. Also, the device lacks a fingerprint sensor, so unlocking has to be via face recognition or a password.
Performance wise, Nokia 2.2 runs on MediaTek’s Helio A22 chip, paired with storage and RAM choices like 2GB + 16GB, or 3GB + 32GB. You also get a memory card slot, which lets you expand storage up to 400GB.
Software: it arrives with Android 9 Pie pre-installed and it’s part of Google’s Android One program. With Android One onboard, the Nokia 2.2 should receive operating system updates for 2 years, and security updates for 3 years.
Right now, Nokia 2.2 is available only in India, in two color options—gray and black. Pricing is 100 USD for the 2GB + 16GB model, and 115 USD for the 3GB + 32GB version.
Performance
So the Nokia 2.2 comes with a MediaTek Helio A22 processor, quad-core, set around 2.0 GHz, plus RAM. And yeah , it’s one of those budget style chipsets, made on a 12nm manufacturing process, so power efficiency is kinda the main idea there. You can get the phone in two different setups, first the one with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage , and then another version with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal space. On paper these specs are modest, but honestly it matches what you’d expect from an entry-level smartphone.
Now for day-to-day stuff, the Nokia 2.2 does fine with the usual basics. Messaging apps, web browsing, and social media feel pretty smooth, with only small delays or occasional hitching. But , since the RAM is on the limited side, multitasking isn’t its strongest lane. If you try to run more demanding applications, switching back and forth between multiple apps can start to feel sluggish, and sometimes apps reload after you come back to them. The 3GB RAM model helps a bit in that area, it feels a touch more responsive , but the improvement is not exactly huge.
Gaming performance on the Nokia 2.2 is kind of a mixed bag, mostly because it was never really built with gaming in mind . For everyday, casual stuff , like Candy Crush or Temple Run, everything feels pretty normal, and it usually stays stable . But once you try something heavier, such as PUBG Mobile or Asphalt 9, you can notice the slowdown, the frame pacing gets jumpy, and smooth play becomes hard to keep, even when you drop the settings down low . The limited CPU and the amount of RAM being what it is, makes it a lot tougher to process the visual load, so you get lag, plus dropped frames that break the flow. So if you only dabble in light games, the Nokia 2.2 is fine. If you’re hunting for more graphically intense titles though, it’s not really the best match.
Storage and expandability: The Nokia 2.2 ships with either 16GB or 32GB of internal storage, and honestly that’s on the smaller end compared with what many phones offer now. Still , there is microSD support up to 400GB, so you can stretch your space pretty far. That’s helpful for anyone who keeps a lot of photos, videos, or offline material saved directly on the handset . One thing to keep in mind: the internal storage fills up faster than you’d expect, especially if you get the 16GB version , so grabbing a microSD card is a smart move, not just a nice extra .
Benchmark Scores: In those synthetic benchmarks , the Nokia 2.2 does pretty much what youd expect from a cheap entry-level phone. On Geekbench 4, it lands at roughly 830 for single core performance and about 3,300 for multi core results. It’s kind of in the same zone as other devices in its price band, but you can still see the hardware boundaries pretty quick when you compare it with mid-range and high end smartphones.
Software Optimizations: A big plus for the Nokia 2.2 is that it’s part of the Android One initiative, so you get a cleaner and more tuned software experience. Because there’s little to no bloatware, and no extra pre-loaded clutter that you dont ask for, the phone stays responsive even when the internals are, well, modest. The whole Android One approach is light on system weight, and with Nokia’s stated habit of regular updates , the device should feel usable and reasonably secure as time passes.
Overall, the Nokia 2.2 manages the basics fine for everyday tasks and light use, but when it comes to juggling apps or running heavier programs it tends to stumble. Having Android One onboard really matters here, since it helps better manage the device’s limited resources and keeps things smooth for ordinary activities , like messages, browsing, and casual media.
Software and user experience
Android One Experience: The Nokia 2.2 ships with Android 9.0 Pie right out of the box, and there’s a promised upgrade path to Android 10 and beyond. Also because it’s part of the Android One program, the phone basically gives you a pure, stock Android experience, meaning there’s no manufacturer bloatware or custom UI skins getting in the way. That simple software setup is kind of a big deal for the Nokia 2.2, specially for people who want a streamlined, not-overcrowded interface.
Timely Updates: A major perk of Android One is the whole “we’ll keep it updated” idea. Nokia says it will deliver two years of major OS updates and three years of security patches for the Nokia 2.2. So the device can stay current with new features, plus security improvements, which matters a lot for budget-conscious buyers who don’t really swap phones very often, or at least not on a yearly schedule.
User Interface: On the Nokia 2.2, the user interface feels close to Google’s idea of Android, simple and fairly intuitive. The home screen looks clean, with only the essentials apps already there. People can easily adjust their home screens using widgets and shortcuts, while the app drawer is easy to reach via a quick swipe up. With fewer heavy customizations and fewer third-party apps, the whole thing feels smoother overall, and it’s not as confusing even if you’re new to Android, at least compared with more heavily skinned phones.
Google Assistant integration: On the Nokia 2.2 there’s that dedicated Google Assistant button , which feels like a nice little addition. It lets you summon the virtual assistant fast, without needing to unlock everything first, or use voice commands, like you normally would. In practice this can be handy for reminders , checking the weather, or just grabbing quick answers to questions. Still, as I mentioned earlier, some people might feel the button placement is a bit awkward,so you end up with accidental presses now and then.
Customization options: Even with the stock Android experience being kind of minimalistic, it does manage to offer a solid amount of tweaking freedom. You can change wallpapers, place widgets, and shuffle app icons so the phone looks more like “your vibe.” Also the Google Play Store opens the door to a bunch of customization apps, and those let users adjust the overall look and feel even further. But some of the extras you might see in custom Android skins, like gesture navigation or extra theming knobs, are not really there in the stock setup.
Digital Wellbeing: The Nokia 2.2 also includes Google’s Digital Wellbeing tools, which are meant to help people watch and manage smartphone use in a more calm way. With this you get reports on how much time is spent in different apps, how often the device is unlocked , and even the total number of notifications coming in. You can set app limits and turn on Do Not Disturb during certain hours, which reduces distractions. This is especially useful for anyone trying to keep a healthier balance between screen time and real life stuff.
Performance optimization features: the Android One software on the Nokia 2.2 has a few things built in, like adaptive battery management. It sort of learns how you use the phone, then it trims down background activity for apps you do n’t really touch, that helps extend battery life. Also, there’s adaptive brightness which changes the screen brightness based on the ambient lighting, so it ends up using less power without you thinking too much about it
Bloatware-free experience: the Nokia 2.2 software experience is also pretty clean, meaning there’s no bloatware. In contrast with a lot of other low-cost phones that ship with extra preloaded apps that can slow things down, this one sticks to what you need. You mostly get the essential Google apps, plus a few Nokia utilities. So you get better overall performance, and more usable storage space too, rather than it being gobbled up by “extra” stuff you may never open anyway.
Software updates and future proofing: Nokia really does keep at it with regular software updates, and honestly that’s a big deal, especially if you’re looking at a budget device. A lot of cheaper smartphones get sidelined pretty fast by their own makers, then you end up stuck on old software, sorta frozen in time. But the Nokia 2.2 kind of dodges that problem thanks to the Android One program and its guaranteed updates. So you get more than just new features here and there , you also get stronger security over time which makes it a more “future proof” choice for people watching their spending .
Overall software experience: To wrap it up, the software experience on the Nokia 2.2 is arguably one of the better reasons to buy it. The Android One interface feels clean , no heavy bloatware, and it runs in a way that’s smooth enough and not annoying, with a simple laid back approach that prioritizes efficiency. On top of that you get Google Assistant plus Digital Wellbeing tools which helps with everyday use. And because the updates keep coming , the Nokia 2.2 should stay useful and protected , for years to come.
Nokia 2.2 – Android 9.0 Pie – 32 GB – Single SIM Unlocked Smartphone (AT&T/T-Mobile/MetroPCS/Cricket/Mint) – 5.71″ HD+ Screen – Black – U.S. Warranty: Buy it now
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.