Design, camera and screen
Nokia X7 owns 4 inch big screen and a thickness of 12mm, although not classified as thin ranks of smartphones, but more than enough to please users. Ministry casing is made of metal for solid feel and “dress up”.
Equipped with an 8 megapixel camera with 2 flash, X7 for the picture quality is quite good. Features high-quality HD video recording is also a point of concern of the Nokia X7. However, 8 megapixel camera and HD video recording can hardly considered an advantage in today’s high-end smartphones. AMOLED display for crisp, bright images and Nokia X7 has brought real strength in its ability to process film and entertainment performances. Color fidelity and the ability to run smoothly at high resolution will certainly make many people surprised.
Display
So the Nokia X7 comes with a 6.18-inch IPS LCD screen, running at 1080 x 2280 pixels, and yeah that works out to roughly 408 pixels per inch. It’s basically a Full HD+ panel and honestly it’s one of the things that stands out most on the device. The picture stays crisp and the colors look pretty lively, which is pretty impressive considering the price bracket.
Because it’s IPS LCD, the phone keeps decent color consistency and offers wide viewing angles too, so it’s fine for watching clips, scrolling the web, and even messing around with games. On top of that the display supports HDR10, which basically boosts contrast and the color range when you’re on compatible content, so the visual experience feels more layered rather than flat.
Brightness is also more than enough, like outside even when there’s direct sunlight. The screen includes Nokia’s PureDisplay tech as well, it’s meant to improve video playback by tightening up contrast and dynamic range. In practice, that tends to show up well when you’re streaming HDR stuff, say on Netflix or YouTube where the content actually supports it.
The screen-to-body ratio sits around 81.2%, not bad, but still it’s not on the same level as those near bezel-less designs you see on some flagships. There’s also that chin area along the bottom, and sure, some people might find it annoying, but it doesn’t really ruin the overall viewing feel.
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Symbian Anna
Symbian Anna has added several new enhancements, however, is still too small for this OS can compete fairly with Android, iOS or Windows Phone 7. With the X7 you can return to the main screen with 1 button, rather than having to manipulate pretty much like other Nokia smartphones. Touchscreen with a QWERTY keyboard as well as a new feature included in Symbian. But the arrangement was a little bit keys differently than other operating systems and you will have to take some time to get acquainted.
X7 web browser has improved although other but the speed is still slow loading site. You will be familiar with the concept of lag, especially in the page contains many videos. This is probably the issue of the operating system Symbian Anna, because the configuration of the X7 is not bad.
Performance
Under the hood , the Nokia X7 is driven by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 chipset, it uses an octa-core setup built on a 10nm process. In other words it was made to keep a sort of sweet spot between performance and power efficiency, so it works pretty nicely for mid-range phones like the Nokia X7.
The Snapdragon 710 then teams up with the Adreno 616 GPU , which takes care of graphic heavy jobs with relative ease. You get the phone in two memory arrangements, one with 4GB of RAM plus 64GB of built in storage , and another with 6GB of RAM along with 128GB internal storage. On top of that both versions come with microSD card support , letting you stretch storage by as much as 400GB, pretty convenient if you actually store a lot of videos or music.
In everyday handling the Nokia X7 feels pretty smooth and quick, like it knows what you want before you finish typing. Apps pop open fast, task switching is pretty effortless, and the whole interface kind of keeps gliding along. The Snapdragon 710 chipset is a big part of that, since most things—from web surfing to scrolling social apps—tend to move along efficiently with out any real, noticeable stalling.
Gaming is honestly also pretty decent. Casual stuff like Candy Crush or Subway Surfers runs smoothly, while heavier titles such as PUBG Mobile and Asphalt 9 are playable at medium settings. The Adreno 616 GPU usually lands decent frame rates, though you may still catch the odd dip when scenes start getting graphically demanding, you know that moment where everything gets busy.
Heat management is another strong point. The Nokia X7 thermal control feels impressive, even if you game for a while, or keep several apps running side by side, the device stays cool to the touch. That steadiness really points back to how efficient the Snapdragon 710 is, and also to the overall device engineering behind it.
Software
The Nokia X7 ships with Android 8.1 Oreo right out of the box, but yes it can be updated to Android 9.0 Pie. Since it’s part of the Android One program, you get a cleaner user experience, less clutter, and almost no bloatware. There’s also the promise of regular security updates and fairly timely Android OS upgrades.
The “stock” Android vibe on the Nokia X7 feels like a major plus , especially for people who just want it simple, not crowded with extra stuff. With very light customization, and fewer of those unnecessary, pre installed apps , the whole thing tends to run smooth and efficient. Plus, Google’s own collection is already there, like Google Assistant, Google Photos, and Google Drive, so it all syncs without too much fuss with Google services.
And yeah, Android One kind of ties in here too, because the Nokia X7 also benefits from Google’s attention to security and privacy. You get regular security patches, which basically helps shield the phone against newer threats and fresh vulnerabilities. On top of that, since it sits in the Android One program , the Nokia X7 should receive major Android upgrades for at least a couple of years after it launches, so you’re not stuck with an outdated system too fast.
There are also a few software extras worth mentioning, like adaptive battery management, which quietly adjusts power use based on how you actually use the phone. Then there’s digital wellbeing, with tools that let you keep track and manage screen time in a more controlled way. Together those touches make the everyday experience feel a bit more tailored and also more responsive.
Camera
For photos, the Nokia X7 has a dual-camera arrangement on the back. It includes a 12MP main sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, plus a 13MP secondary sensor mainly used for depth sensing. The main camera uses a Sony IMX363, and that one is usually praised for low-light performance and fast autofocus.
In bright, well lit scenes , the Nokia X7 camera produces strong results. Images come out sharp, with solid detail and colors that look accurate. The dynamic range is also pretty impressive, largely because the camera supports HDR. You can also find multiple shooting options in the camera app, such as portrait, panorama, and pro mode, so users can kind of shape the look they want, not just take one default style and call it a day.
Honestly, the Nokia X7’s low light performance is kinda where it really shows off . With an f/1.8 aperture, plus that bigger 1.4μm pixel size on the main sensor , the camera can grab more light, so you end up with better exposed pictures and less noise, even when it’s dark. On top of that, the night mode kinda does its thing by stacking several frames, which boosts brightness and brings out finer detail, so shadows don’t look as mushy.
Then there’s the 13MP secondary sensor, which is mostly there for depth sensing. This is what helps the Nokia X7 do bokeh in portrait mode . The blur effect usually looks pleasant, pretty natural, and it helps the subject separate from the background . Still, the edge detection feels hit or miss, especially when the scene gets busy, like busy streets or backgrounds with lots of small patterns where the outlines get confused a bit.
For selfies, the Nokia X7 uses a 20MP front-facing camera, paired with an f/2.0 aperture. It takes fairly detailed portraits, with decent color reproduction, and the AI beautification options let you tweak things using different filters and effects. Portrait mode also works on the front camera, but it depends on software-based bokeh, so the separation can be less reliable compared to the hardware-style depth approach on the back cameras.
Video wise, the Nokia X7 is limited to 4K at 30fps . The footage quality is alright, with solid detail and pretty accurate colors, but no OIS is a noticeable downside , because handheld shots can end up shaky, especially at night or indoors. There is electronic image stabilization, EIS, which smooths things a bit, though it’s not quite on the same level as optical stabilization.
Battery Life
The Nokia X7 runs on a 3500mAh battery, which is pretty normal for a phone of this kind size. With that and the power efficient Snapdragon 710 chipset, plus the Android One adjustments ,it ends up giving decent battery performance.
In day to day use , the Nokia X7 will usually carry you through a whole day on one charge, assuming moderate usage. That means a blend of things like web browsing, social apps, video watching , and some games. If you’re the more cautious type, you might even manage to push it out to about a day and a half, no big stress.
Charging wise, it supports 18W fast charging over the USB-C port. In practical terms , it can go from 0 to 50% roughly in 30 minutes. A complete charge takes around 90 minutes, pretty quick for a 3500mAh cell. Still, the Nokia X7 does not include wireless charging, so anyone who likes the “no cable” approach may see that as a small letdown.
On top of that, Android One battery management tools , like adaptive battery and the battery saver setting, help squeeze more endurance out of every charge. They reduce background work for apps you don’t use often. In practice, this kind of system tuning works smoothly, and it gives you that extra bit of control if your goal is to maximize battery life.
Summary
Upgrade of Symbian Anna was not enough to convince users to increasingly discerning when they has very much ahead of the OS choices. The operation is executed on the X7 is still slow, and with a few minor updates, the X7 only slightly better N8 at operating speed and touch keyboard more intuitive.
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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.