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The Nokia G20 won't win any high performance prizes. Yet at $279, the mid-range Android phone from HMD Global represents solid value.

Since HMD Global revived the Nokia brand, the company has push a straightforward pitch. It makes less expensive phones with the essential features but few trimmings.

The real value lies in a commitment to provide regular operating system updates and security patches on a scale that other Android phone makers either can't or won't match. It is an Android One phone like earlier Nokia models.

The Nokia G20 follows this template. It has a 6.5-inch 720p LCD display that's on a par with phones costing more than twice as much. The main camera has 48 megapixels. There's a 5 megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 2 megapixel macro camera and a 2 megapixel depth sensor. On the front there is an 8 megapixel camera.

You'll get decent pictures. It does an OK job with low-light conditions. That's rare for a phone in this price range.

If photography is important to you, it may pay to spend more on an advanced phone, although this will not embarrass you.

Value, not flashy

At this price you can’t expect the latest features like wireless charging. It doesn’t have the most powerful processor and it doesn’t work with 5G networks. All those things are available further up the Nokia range.

Another price compromise is the plastic case. It’s not as pretty as more expensive phones, but it is sturdy enough to take workplace knocks and blows and carry on working. The plastic is not slippery. You can grip it to stop it slipping from your hands.

Also, you get a long battery life. Android phones rarely run for more than a day of frequent use. HMD says Nokia G20 users should be able to go three days before needing a recharge.

There are three years of monthly security and operating system updates. HMD Global gives New Zealand customers an extended three year warranty. Which means you can spread that $279 price over three years.

Nokia G20 review: Big battery, low-price Android was first posted at billbennett.co.nz.

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