Nokia G42 5G – a user-repairable smartphone (review)

The Nokia G42 5G is user-repairable – at least the battery and some parts, and has a great warranty and OS/Security Patch policy.

But at $449, it offers little more than a more mainstream Qualcomm SD480+ SoC over the UniSoc T606 found in its $349 Nokia G22 – DIY repairable. Motorola has the $329 G53, $399 G62, and $449 G42 that all meet or exceed the Nokia G42. As we often say of Nokia, if you ignore the price and accept that you pay more for the Volvo of the smartphone world, it is a decent handset.

What is user-repairable?

Nokia and iFixit Australia have spare parts, including the tools and screen ($94.99), charge port ($44.99), battery ($52.99) and rear cover ($52.99), that are user-replaceable. Interestingly, it promotes its 800-charge cycle battery (and still takes an 80% charge), which lasts about 60% longer than the 500-cycle batteries used on lower-cost smartphones. You are going to get 4-5 years out of it anyway.

iFixit also has agreements with Google and Samsung for selected model parts, and it is a move we applaud that needs to go so much further.

Australian review: Nokia G42 5G 6/128GB Dual sim hybrid with microSD Model TA-1581 DS 6/128

Website AU	Product Page
Price	$449
From *	Harvey Norman, Nokia Online, JB Hi-Fi
Warranty	24-months ACL
Made in	China
Company	See above
More	CyberShack Nokia news and reviews. Note that Nokia did not participate in CyberShack’s review program until 2023.

Deep-Dive review format

It is now in two parts – a summary (the first) and a separate 300+ line database-driven spec, including over 70 tests to back up the findings. It also helps us compare different phones and features.

We use Fail (below expectations), Passable (meets low expectations), Pass (meets expectations), Pass+ (near Exceed but not class-leading) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below.  These are based on the price bracket as well. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

* Grey market – no Australian warranty, and 5G won’t work

We strongly advise you to buy a genuine model with Australian firmware. It is easy to identify the Australian version – under Settings>System>Certification, there is an Australian RNZ C-tick mark. There is also an RNZ C-Tick on the box. They use unique Australian 5G sub-6Ghz and 5G low-band frequencies, requiring local activation first. Read Don’t Buy a Grey Market Phone (guide)

First Impression – Pass

Nokia has a sustainability push – a large part of the frame and back is made from recycled plastic. While we appreciate the effort, our research shows that consumers generally won’t pay more for that when buying. Why? Sustainable practices are expected now!

It looks well-made, has a three-year warranty, and can be repaired. But under the hood is a basic Qualcomm SD480+ four-cylinder, naturally aspirated motor. That has long been superseded by the SD4 Gen 1 and Gen 2. Some in this price bracket use SD690/695 5G SoC and offer 1080p screens.

Regardless, everything is fit for purpose, provided you remember this is an entry-level device at an above-entry-level price.

Screen – 6.5”, 1600 x 720, 60/90Hz IPS LCD – Pass

Nokia claims 560nits peak brightness, but the reality is that typical brightness is a maximum of 389 nits and a peak of 490nits in 2% of the screen when playing video. It has quite a low contrast of 990:1, meaning blacks are more greys. It has a distinct blue cast, but you can adjust that with the white balance slider. Colours are inaccurate at a Delta E of >6 (<4 is good).

Gorilla Glass 3 offers some scratch protection. The selfie camera uses the older style ‘notch’.

It is not for gamers – 35ms GtG and the Qualcomm SoC just don’t cut it.

Summary: It is not a bad screen, but you can get 1080p screens for similar money.

Processor – Qualcomm SD480 Plus – Pass

It is an 8nm chip with two fast cores and six slow ones. Performance as a phone is reasonable. You only see lag when you have too many Apps open.

The 6/128GB is standard for this category, and it is nice to have a hybrid (shared with SIM 2) microSD slot to 1TB.

It does not Throttle under load (good), but it gets a tad warm at 44° – not an issue. USB-C 2.0 allows OTG cut and paste to external flash and SSD drives to 1TB.

Summary: There is enough power for decent phone-level performance, but it can lag under load.

Comms – Pass

• Nokia claims it is Wi-Fi 6 AX ready – it is not. The SoC supports a maximum of Wi-Fi 5 AC and 433Mbps half-duplex data transfer rates. It holds a 433Mbps Wi-Fi signal up to 10m from the router.
• The dual-band GPS is accurate to 3m, so it should be fine for in-car navigation.
• USB-C 2.0 does not support audio/video/data streams, so the only way to show a screen on a TV is via casting.
• NFC is standard in this category.

4/5G – Pretty good – Pass+

Qualcomm knows how to make 5G modems, so much so that Apple use them instead of its own. This gets a strong, usable signal on the closest four towers. It is suitable for the city, suburb, and regional use with reasonable tower coverage. It may not be ideal for rural use. It has a dual hybrid SIM.

Battery – Pass+

Nokia claims 800 full recharge cycles and will still hold 80% charge – far better than Samsung et al., which use 300-500 cycle batteries. Ironically, the QuickFix program has a battery you will probably never need.

It does not come with a charger. Nokia claims it can charge at 20W, but tests with several third-party USB-C PD, QC, and PPS chargers could only get 5V/3A/15W for the first 30% charge, and then it dropped back to 5V/2A/10W for the rest.

Tests (Adaptive screen)

• Charge: 15W 2 hours and 20 minutes fast charge and 10W 2 hours 45 minutes
• 1080p video 50% volume/brightness, aeroplane mode: 17 hours 21 minutes (slightly below expectations)
• PC Mark 3 battery life: 17 hours 9 minutes
• Accubattery: 17 hours and 49 minutes
• GFX Bench T-Rex (simple game): 7.6 hours
• 100% load Drain: 6 hours 44 minutes
• mA full load: 1350-1450 (slightly high)
• mA idle: 500-550 (slightly high)

Typical users should get two days. Nokia should not make a 20W charge claim unless it can provide a suitable charger.

Speaker – Mono – Passable

A single amp is used for the top earpiece (phone) or the bottom speaker (music or hands-free). It is for clear voice only. There is no EQ or presets. The maximum volume is about 80 dB.

BT 5.1 has a suite of codecs, including SBC, AC, LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive. This means up to 24-bit, 96000Hz. There is excellent left/right stereo headphone separation.

Build – repairable – Pass+

Some phones like Apple are built from the screen in – remove the screen to reach the innards. Nokia uses the back-in – remove the back to get to things. It is far better and protects a fragile screen.

It is QuickFix – mentioned earlier – so it is nice to know you can get major parts if needed.

It is 165 x 75.8 x 8.55 mm x 193.8g, and the back and frame comprise a high percentage of recycled plastic. It has an IP52 rating to withstand light rain.

Perhaps its most outstanding feature is the colours – So Pink, So Purple, and So Grey.

We repeat that no charger comes with the phone, adding $33.95 for its 33W charger (maximum 11V/3A/33W).

OS – Android 13 – Pass+

Nokia uses pure Android 13 and will upgrade to 15. It has three years of security patch updates. Add to that the 2-year warranty, and it can be a keeper.

It has succumbed to installing bloatware for money Booking.com, Express VPN, GoPro Quik, Linkedin, Netflix, Quickstep and Spotify.

Security is via a fingerprint sensor on the power key. Face ID is 2D – not as secure.

Nokia G42 5g Camera – Pass, maybe more

It uses a 50MP bins to 12.5MP Samsung GN5 sensor – a ubiquitous sensor in this price bracket. There is a 2MP Depth sensor and a 2MP Macro. In other words – one sensor does all the work. Video is a maximum of 1080p@30fps, and any AI processing is straight ‘Qualcomm’, which takes several seconds for HDR and night shots.

The selfie is an 8MP Hynix Hi846 – adequate but nothing special.

Camera Comments

• 1X Day Primary sensor – the colours are natural but lack dynamic range. Good details in the background, shadows, and highlights.
• 2X Day Primary sensor – colours are natural. The background is getting noisy.
• 4X Day: Primary sensor – pushing its limits.
• 8X Day Primary sensor: Don’t go there.
• Macro: Has a macro sensor, but it is critical to get a 4cm focus
• Indoor office light: Colours are good, and the dog’s face/ears are almost black.
• Bokeh Depth: Good bokeh – perhaps a tad extreme.
• Dark <40 lumens: The standard (not night mode) is quite good, with adequate details and colours
• Night mode: Very much brighter and way more detail – way better than expected.
• Selfie: The 8MP selfie has natural skin tones, details, and a range of filters to enhance any image. Best in day and office light.
• Video (we are not video experts): You can shoot at 1080p@30fps. It struggles, and you would be better at 720p@30fps.

CyberShack’s view – Nokia G42 5G is a good phone, but it has very strong competition

The question is, what value do you put on the Nokia name, repairability, and decent 2+2+3 warranty and upgrade/security?

If you ignore the price and accept that you pay more for the Volvo of the smartphone world, it is a decent handset.

If you are just after a phone, there are cheaper ones. Look at OPPO A78 5G 128GB, Motorola G53 5G 128GB, and Samsung A15 5G 128GB for about $100 less. And for $50 more, Motorola’s 2022 Edge 30 Pro on runout is a bargain.

Rating

• Features: 75 – It is a moderately performing SD480 Plus with everything you could want. It loses points for the 720p screen and no charger inbox.
• Value: 75 – You can get better value for less in a competitive market. If you like Nokia, be prepared to pay a premium.
• Performance: 75 – It is an entry-level 5G SoC, and you get fit-for-purpose performance. It is not for gamers.
• Ease of Use: 80 – Pure Android, excellent 2+2+3 OS, and upgrade policy. Loses points for no charger inbox.
• Design: 80 All plastic is fine – it looks like a more expensive smartphone. Earns points for Gorilla Glass and replaceable battery.

Pro

Pure Android, 2+3 OS and patch policy

2-year warranty

Reasonable battery life (but unable to reach 20W and no charger in box)

Good phone reception for city, suburbs and regional use.

Decent camera gives surprisingly good results in low light.

Con

No charger inbox

Mono sound

SD480 Plus SoC is in much lower-cost phones

Dull display – not daylight-readable

CyberShack Smartphone comparison v 1.8 (E&OE)

Nokia G42 5G

Brand	Nokia
Model	Nokia G42 5G
Model Number	TA-1581 DS 6/128
Price Base	6/128
Price base	449
Warranty months	24-months ACL
Tier	Upper entry level
Website	Product page
From	Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, Nokia online
Made in	China
Company	Nokia is a smartphone brand owned by HMD Global in Espoo, Finland. Many ex-Nokia executives run it. Microsoft previously held the brand from 2014 to make Windows Mobile handsets. The G and X series are the sixth generation under HMD and represent a new naming convention.
Test date	1-20 September 2023
Ambient temp	10-20° and some 30°+ days
Release	July 2023
Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy)	Go to Settings, System, and Certification to check for RNZ C-Tick. Nokia brand is often grey-marketed, and we repeat the warning that you must buy the genuine Australian firmware model if you want 5G, VoWi-Fi and Wi-Fi calling.

Screen

Size	6.5″
Type	IPS LCD
Flat, Curve, 2D, 3D	Flat
Resolution	1612 x 720
PPI	269
Ratio	20.1:9
Screen to Body %	0.827
Colours bits	8-bit/16.7m
Refresh Hz, adaptive	60Hz fixed 60 or 90Hz Adaptive
Response 120Hz	Adaptive
Nits typical, test	Claim 450 (tested 389)
Nits max, test	Claim 560 with brightness boost (tested 490)
Contrast	No claim (990:1)
sRGB	No claim (80%)
DCI-P3	N/A
Rec.2020 or other	N/A
Delta E (<4 is excellent)	>6
HDR Level	Will downscale HDR10 content to SDR as the brightness is way too low.
SDR Upscale	No
Blue Light Control	Yes
PWM if known	Not detected
Daylight readable	No
Always on Display	No
Edge display	No
Accessibility	Usual Android features
DRM	Widevine L1 HD SDR
Gaming	It is not for gaming due to slow 35ms GtG and underpowered SoC.
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass 3
Comment	Strong blue cast with adjustable white balance slider.

Processor

Brand, Model	Qualcomm SD480 Plus
nm	8
Cores	2 x 2.2GHz & 6 x 1.9 GHz
Modem	X51
AI TOPS	Approx 4
Geekbench 6 Single-core	747
Geekbench 6 multi-core	1916
Like	Comparison here
GPU	Adreno 619 650MHz
GPU Test
Open CL	1094
Like
Vulcan	924
RAM, type	6GB LPDDR4X
Storage, free, type	128GB (98GB free)
micro-SD	Hybrid shared SIM slot to 1TB
CPDT internal seq. Read MBps	405
CPDT internal seq. write MBps	348
CPDT microSD read, write MBps	83/33MBps
CPDT external (mountable?) MBps	Finds 2TB Kingston external SSD and allows OTG cut and paste backup. 31/38MBps
Comment	Overall, the SoC Is fit for purpose but one or two steps below competitors. Used in Moto G22/32/42/51/53/62, Nokia G42/G310/G50/XR20
Throttle test
Max GIPS	173404
Average GIPS	169589
Minimum GIPS	162999
% Throttle	Nil
CPU Temp	53
Comment	Good thermal management

Comms

Wi-Fi Type, model	Wi-Fi 5 AC Dual band. Tests show it is not as advertised, Wi-Fi 6 AX ready, as the SD480 Plus SoC does not support this.
Test 2m -dBm, Mbps	-21/433
Test 5m	-34/433
Test 10m	-58/433 (-60/433 at 15m)
BT Type	5.1
GPS single, dual	Dual accuracy 3m
USB type	USB-C 2.0 OTG (no audio/video alt DP)
ALT DP, DeX, Ready For	No
NFC	Yes
Ultra-wideband	No
Sensors
Accelerometer	Yes – combo with Gyro
Gyro	Yes – combo with Gyro
e-Compass	Yes
Barometer
Gravity
Pedometer
Ambient light	Yes
Hall sensor
Proximity	Yes
Other
Comment	Reasonable Wi-Fi speeds, NFC, and dual GPS (accurate to 3M) are good.

LTE and 5G

SIM	Dual SIM and with hybrid second SIM and microSD card slot. No eSIM.
Active	DSDS – one at a time
Ring tone single, dual	Dual ring tones
VoLTE	Carrier dependent
Wi-Fi calling	Carrier dependent
4G Bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12/17, 13, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 (full), 66
Comment	All Australian 4G bands
5G sub-6Ghz	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n28, n40, n41 (full), n66, n77, n78
Comment	All Australian 5G and low bands
mmWave	No
Test Boost Mobile, Telstra
UL, DL, ms	27.2/20/31ms (average)
Tower 1 -dBm, fW or pW	-87/2pW (good)
Tower 2	-93/500fW-1pW
Tower 3	-94/500fW
Tower 4	-100/100-200fW
Comment	Suitable for major and regional cities and suburbs where tower coverage is good.

Battery

mAh	5000mAh Maintains >80% of original battery capacity even after 800 full charging cycles. QuickFix replaceable battery (purchase parts from iFixit)
Charger, type, supplied	Claims a 20W charge but no charger inbox.
PD, QC level	QC 3.0 and PD 3.0 and can use any PD or PPS charger.
Qi, wattage	N/A
Reverse Qi or cable.	N/A
Test (60Hz or adaptive screen)	Adaptive 60/120Hz
Charge % 30mins
Charge 0-100%	2 hours 20 minutes. We could only get 5V/3A/15W dropping to 5V/2A/10W. Tested on various QC 3.0 and PD 3.0 chargers and 3 and 5W cables.
Charge Qi, W Using Belkin Boost Charge 15W fast wireless charge	N/A
Charge 5V, 2A	2 hours and 45 minutes
Video loop 50%, aeroplane	17 hours 21 minutes
PC Mark 3 battery	17 hours 9 minutes Accubattery 17 hours 49 minutes
GFX Bench Manhattan battery	Would not run
GFX Bench T-Rex	456 minutes (7.6 hours) 4636 frames
Drain 100-0% full load screen on	6 hours 44 minutes Accubattery 5 hours
mA full load	1350-1450
mA Watt idle Screen on	500-550
Estimate loss at max refresh	N/A tested on Adaptive
Estimate typical use	Should get two days of typical use.
Comment	No USB-C cable or charger was supplied with the review unit. Nokia should not make a 20W claim unless it can provide a charger to achieve that.

Sound

Speakers	Mono earpiece or bottom-firing speaker.
Tuning	No
AMP	AW882 x 1 (unusual not to use the Qualcomm integrated amp)
Dolby Atmos decode	No
Hi-Res	No
3.5mm	Yes
BT Codecs	SBC, AC, LDAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive. This means up to 24-bit, 96000Hz.
Multipoint	Yes
Dolby Atmos (DA)	No
EQ	No
Mics	One bottom microphone. It claims OZO 3D Audio recording, but that requires more than one mic.
Test dB – all on EQ flat DA off
Volume max	80
Media (music)	70
Ring	82
Alarm	85
Notifications	85
Earpiece	60
Hands-free	It has a decent volume, but as a mono speaker, it focuses entirely on clear voice – not music.
BT headphones	Mono from the bottom speaker only. Earpice is used for phone calls.

Sound quality

Deep Bass 20-40Hz	No
Middle Bass 40-100Hz	No
High Bass 100-200Hz	No
Low Mid 200-400Hz	No
Mid 4000-1000Hz	No
High-Mid 1-2kHz	No
Low Treble 2-4kHz	Mid for clear voice
Mid Treble 4-6kHz	No
High Treble 6-10kHz	No
Dog Whistle 10-20kHz	No
Sound Signature type	Mid for clear voice. Music quality is poor with no bass, choppy upper mid, no treble and lacking any vitality.
Soundstage	None – it is mono.
Comment	Suitable for voice but not for music

Build

Size (H X W x D)	165 x 75.8 x 8.55
Weight grams	193.8
Front glass	Gorilla Glass 3
Rear material	Recycled plastic
Frame	Plastic unibody
IP rating	52 – light rain
Colours	So Pink So Purple So Grey
Pen, Stylus support	No
In the box
Charger	No
USB cable	Should be a USB-C to USB-C 3W cable
Buds	No
Bumper cover	No
Comment	Loses points due to no included charger. It cannot reach 20W charging despite trying several suitable chargers.

OS

Android	13
Security patch date	45108
UI	None
OS upgrade policy	2 OS upgrades to Android 15
Security patch policy	Three years of monthly security patches
Bloatware	Booking.com Express VPN GoPro Quik Linkedin Netflix Quickstep Spotify
Comment	Pure Android and 2 OS/3 years patches are among the best. Does try to get you to sign up for an HMD Account.
Security
Fingerprint sensor location, type	On power key
Face ID	Face ID 2D

 Nokia G42 5G rear camera

Rear Primary	Wide
MP	50MP binned to 12.5MP
Sensor	Samsung GN5
Focus	PDAF
f-stop	f/1.8
um	1 bins to 2
FOV° (stated, actual)	66.5-78.8°
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	8X digital
Rear 2	Depth
MP	2MP
Sensor	Galaxy Core GC02m
Focus	FF
f-stop	2.4
um	2.88
FOV (stated, actual)	N/A
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	No
Rear 3	Macro
MP	2MP
Sensor	Galaxy Core GC02m
Focus	FF
f-stop	2.4
um	2.88
FOV (stated, actual)	N/A
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	No
Special	Camera App is upgraded from standard Android.
Video max	1080p@30
Flash	Single
Auto-HDR	Primary lens, sensor only
	Night mode, Dark Vision, Tripod mode, AI portrait, 50MP mode with HDR, Personalized watermarks
QR code reader	Google Lens
Night mode	Yes

Nokia G42 5G Front Camera

Selfie
MP	8MP
Sensor	Hynix HI846
Focus	FF
f-stop	2
um	1.12
FOV (stated, actual)	68.6-80.9°
Stabilisation	No
Flash	Screen fill
Zoom	No
Video max	1080p@30fps

Nokia G42 5G Camera Comments

• 1X Day Primary sensor – the colours are natural but lack dynamic range. Good details in the background, shadows, and highlights. • 2X Day Primary sensor – colours are natural. The background is getting noisy. • 4X Day: Primary sensor – pushing its limits. • 8X Day Primary sensor: Don’t go there • Macro: Has a macro sensor, but it is critical to get a 4cm focus • Indoor office light: Colours are good, and the dog’s face/ears are almost black. • Bokeh Depth: Good bokeh – perhaps a tad extreme. • Dark <40 lumens: The standard (not night mode) is quite good, with adequate details and colours • Night mode: Very much brighter and way more detail – way better than expected. • Selfie: The 8MP selfie has natural skin tones, details, and a range of filters to enhance any image. Best in day and office light. • Video (we are not video experts): You can shoot at 1080p@30fps. It struggles, and you would be better at 720p@30fps.

Rating

Features	75
	It is a moderately performing SD480 Plus with everything you could want. It loses points for the 720p screen and no charger inbox/
Value	75
	Other phones using this SoC are lower cost. It depends on whether you consider a 2-year warranty, 2 OS upgrades and 3-year patches worth it.
Performance	75
	It is an entry-level value SoC, and you get fit-for-purpose performance. It is not for gamers.
Ease of Use	80
	Pure Android and excellent 2+2+3 OS and upgrade policy.
Design	80
	All plastic is fine – it looks like a more expensive smartphone. Earns points for Gorilla Glass and replaceable battery.
Rating out of 10	78
Final comment	If you are after a phone, there are better SD480 Plus-based ones. If you ignore the price and accept that you pay more for the Volvo of the smartphone world, it is a decent handset.

Nokia G42 5G, Nokia G42 5G, Nokia G42 5G