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Nokia 8 Sirocco
Nokia 8 Sirocco
Nokia 8 Sirocco
Nokia 8 Sirocco
...


7.4/10
Informr score
The Nokia 8 Sirocco currently has an Informr score of 7.4 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 29 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The "1-Minute" Review

Verdict

While the phone looks stunning, sharp edges, hard to press buttons, and a badly calibrated display make the phone less stunning to use.

What's good

  • Snappy performance
  • All-day battery
  • Decent cameras
  • Plenty of storage
  • IP67 rating

What's bad

  • Poor viewing angles and color balance
  • No microSD support
  • Uncomfortable edges
  • Hard to press buttons
  • No 3.5mm headphone jack

Nokia has always been known for its sleek designs and attention to detail. With the latest release in their 2018 lineup, the Nokia 8 Sirocco pushes into flagship phone territory. However, the company has struggled to find that perfect balance of design, features, and price that could carry it back to its former glory. Does this phone reverse that trend?

The phone sports a familiar IP67-rated metal and glass design that, at first glance, wowed reviewers. However, upon picking it up, you’ll notice something -- they didn’t use aluminum, instead opting for stainless steel. This creates a sturdier feel at the cost of added weight. While far from bulky, the 177g Sirocco weighs as much as phones a good deal larger.

The rear of the phone includes a fingerprint scanner that reviewers found easy to reach and responsive. Heading to the sides of the phone, you’ll find a slight taper and a seam where the glass and metal pieces meet. While the thinness might look good, many reviewers found it uncomfortable to grip for extended periods. Even worse, they found the design made the power and volume buttons hard to find and harder still to press.

This curve extends around to the front as well with the 5.5-inch 1440-by-2560 pixel OLED display sloping to meet the edges of the case. While this has been a hit for Samsung in the past, reviewers found Nokia’s approach less successful. In the curved areas, many complained of distortion to both text and color. The display already runs slightly cool with bluish whites, but on the edges, the effect is even more pronounced.

Nokia chose a 2.36Ghz octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor with 6GB of RAM to power the phone. While not the latest chip on offer, reviewers found that the pairing offered more than enough performance for heavy multitasking, playing the latest games, and quickly bouncing around apps or snapping pictures. However, the curved screen sometimes caused issues for apps or games that used the edges of the display for controls.

As an Android ONE phone, the Sirocco ships with Android 8.1 Oreo and promises two years of rapid updates. Nokia’s touches to the interface are minimal and everything runs silky smooth.

You’ll find 128GB of internal storage but there’s no microSD card. Though, for the average buyer, 128GB is likely enough. 

The phone’s dual-lens 12MP/13MP rear camera features 2x optical zoom and a dual flash for even tones and lighting. Reviewers found the phone up to the task in decent lighting and the 12MP lens produced decent results in low-light. However, many had issues with noise and blurring when using the 13MP telephoto lens and recommended avoiding it when possible. 

The front-facing 5MP lens produces decent snaps for social sharing or video chat but is behind the 8MP lenses seen in many comparably priced phones in terms of detail.

If you’re looking for a phone that will last through the day with ease, the Nokia 8 Sirocco is a solid option. The 3260mAh battery with USB Type-C fast charging lasted most reviewers a full day and some of them could squeeze two days from a single charge. Fast charging provides a 50% charge in 30 minutes. There’s also Qi wireless charging for top ups while in the car or at your desk.

The phone only has one real flaw -- but it’s a major one. A screen with poor color balance and bad viewing angles isn’t something you expect at this price point. Due to that, most reviews recommend passing on the phone, despite its other strong points. 

ZDNet says, “As the screen is the key to a smartphone, this failing makes it difficult to recommend the Nokia 8 Sirocco.” Phone Arena agrees, saying, “To sum the Nokia 8 Sirocco in one sentence, it is a phone that is more pleasant to look at than it is to actually use on a daily basis.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.36 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.36 GHz
5.5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.5"
12+ MP, f/1.7
Camera
Camera
12+ MP, f/1.7
3260 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Gadgets 360
Gadgets 360

This Sirocco edition is all about style and luxury and in that sense, HMD Global has done a fantastic job. It might have come at a small cost to some ergonomics like the design of the buttons, but all in all, the phone fantastic. App performance is also good, the phone checks all the boxes for water...

- Roydon Cerejo, Gadgets 360
Gadgets 360
Gadgets 360

It looks great, feels good in the hand, and is still pretty high-end. It’s a worthy improvement over the Nokia 8.

- Jamshed Avari, Gadgets 360
DxOMark
DxOMark

The Nokia 8 Sirocco improves upon the manufacturer’s smartphone camera hardware, packing in a dual camera with tele-lens for optical zoom shots and a good PDAF autofocus system. Overall image quality is a step up from the predecessor Nokia 8, offering slightly more consistent results for exposure an...

- Paul Carroll, DxOMark
Pocket-lint
Pocket-lint

The flagship Nokia is about design: it's slim, with curved glass edges to its 5.5in screen, and a clean Android One software experience. But it launches on dated hardware and which, along with some connectivity issues, spells issues. It's got merit, just not quite enough of it.

- Chris Hall, Pocket-lint
Tech Advisor
Tech Advisor

The Nokia 8 Sirocco is a really interesting device that’s completely different to its other phones. With similar design, it’s a direct rival to the Galaxy S9 with it's curved glass design. There's no doubt this is one of the most stylish Nokia phones to date but the edges are slightly sharp and it d...

- Chris Martin, Tech Advisor


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Nokia 8 Sirocco user manual here.


Nokia backs up the 8 Sirocco with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your 8 Sirocco has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Nokia support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Nokia's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
5.5"

The Nokia 8 Sirocco's screen size is 5.5 inches with 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.36 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Octa core 2.36 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 8.0 Oreo operating system (OS).

Camera
12+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 12+ MP, f/1.7 camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 5+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
128 GB

Internal memory is 128 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
3260mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 3260 mAh battery. Nokia's performance ratings are 1268 minutes, 560 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

8 Sirocco Specs

Overview
Release Date April 30, 2018
Regions Available United Kingdom
Operating System Android 8.0 Oreo

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Octa core 2.36 GHz
Internal Storage 128 GB
RAM 6 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.19 W/kg
Body: 0.86 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM Yes
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot No
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
12+ Megapixels, f/1.7
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (Dual LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, Multi-shot, Panorama, Self-timer, HDR, Dual camera feature (13 MP 2nd camera, f/2.6), Slow motion recording
Video Recording Formats
MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
f/2.0 Aperture
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology P-OLED
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1440 x 2560 pixels
Pixel Density 534 pixels
Size 5.5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 3D Glass
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 3260 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging Yes
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Up to 759 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 560 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1268 minutes
Standby Time Up to 20.6 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Black
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14.093 x 7.297 x 0.75 cm (5.6 x 2.9 x 0.3 in)
Weight 180 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Water Resistant
Rugged design No
IP Rating IP 67
Headset Jack No
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Nokia 8 Sirocco Reviews
Where to buy Nokia 8 Sirocco
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