Nokia C22 and C32 hands-on review: New budget phones unveiled at MWC 2023
A fresh pair of Nokia budget handsets are on the way, and they’re cheaper than you might expect
Jumping the gun a little before MWC 2023 officially kicks off, Nokia has unveiled a fresh wave of keenly priced smartphones – and they’re launching very soon. The Nokia G22 will likely turn heads with its smart approach to repairability, but the Nokia C22 and C32 look set to impress in the ultra-budget arena.
The Nokia C22 is the cheapest of the three, and for just £110 comes with an octa-core 1.6GHz Unisoc 9863A1 chipset, alongside a choice of either 2GB or 3GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage (expandable up to 256GB via microSD).
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On first impressions, the 6.5in HD+ display was suitably large and bright, and my swipes and taps felt fluid and responsive. Nokia describes it as a “durability champion”, with its toughened glass-topped screen, IP52 elemental protection and inner metal chassis for added rigidity. The textured rear cover is made of plastic, however, but it felt solid in the hand and looked rather swish in the new Sand colour. The Nokia C22 also comes in a much more subdued Midnight Black.
Camera-wise, the Nokia C22 incorporates a simple 13MP main unit and a 2MP macro sensor on the rear, with an 8MP selfie located inside a teardrop notch at the top of the screen. Nokia says we can expect up to three days of use on a single charge, courtesy of a chunky 5,000mAh battery and Android 13 Go Edition – a streamlined version of Google’s mobile OS.
As for the Nokia C32, this costs slightly more at £130 but you do get some extra stuff for your money. It uses the same Unisoc 9863A1 chipset as the Nokia C22, as well as the same amount of internal storage (64GB), but it can be configured with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM. One thing to note here is that, unlike the C22, this phone runs the full-fat version of Android 13, so it’ll be interesting to see how they might differ in terms of performance.
The screen is also exactly the same as the C22, but the design is different with a two-tone glass back and expanded colour options: Charcoal, Autumn Green and Beach Pink. The phone is also IP52 rated, with a 5,000mAh battery and a 2MP macro camera. The main camera is a 50MP unit, however, so expect better snaps on the C32.
Both the C22 and C32 are pencilled in for a Spring release date. Stay tuned for our full review soon.