Nokia recently launched the successor to the 7.1 in India. HMD Global launched the Nokia 7.2 in India’s under 20000 INR smartphone market. And, while the Nokia 7.2 is a great smartphone, it will face opposition from the likes of Realme, Redmi, Samsung, Vivo, and others. However, the device's biggest competition comes from home. The Nokia 8.1 recently got a big price cut, bringing its price down to Rs 15,999, making for a great comparison between the two devices.
| Specs | Nokia 7.2 | Nokia 8.1 |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 660 | Snapdragon 710 |
| RAM | 4GB/6GB | 4GB/6GB |
| Storage | 64GB/128GB | 64GB/128GB |
| Display | 6.3-inch (1080 x 2340 pixels) IPS LCD, 409ppi | 6.2-inch (1080 x 2280 pixels) IPS LCD, 408ppi |
| Battery | 3,500 mAh | 3,500 mAh |
| Rear Camera | 48MP + 8MP + 5MP | 12MP + 13MP |
| Front Camera | 20-megapixel | 20-megapixel |
| Starting Price | Rs 18,599 | Rs 15,999 |
The Nokia 8.1 has a wide notch that looks pretty dated as compared to the dewdrop notch on the Nokia 7.2. However, the Nokia 8.1 gets a glass back, and an aluminium frame and simply looks and feels more premium than the Nokia 7.2. The display on each of the phones is pretty identical with almost no difference in screen-to-body ratio, ppi, size, and resolution. The Nokia 8.1 is the better option here, simply because of its more premium design.
Performance
On the performance front, the Nokia 8.1’s SD710 SoC is more powerful than the Snapdragon 660 chipset on the Nokia 7.2. RAM and storage are the same on both phones. The Snapdragon 710 mobile platform is just better for both gaming and multitasking. The Nokia 8.1’s gets an easy win in performance.
Camera
While both phones get a 20-megapixel front shooter, the big difference comes on the back of the phone. The 12MP and 13MP dual rear cameras on the Nokia 8.1 offers OIS, Dual LED Flash, 4K video recording at 30fps and digital image stabilisation for video. Those are all features unavailable on the Nokia 7.2’s triple-camera setup. The 48MP primary sensor on the Nokia 7.2 does offer better results in low light, an area where the Nokia 8.1 struggles. While the Nokia 7.2 will get you better photography results, the Nokia 8.1 does a better overall job but struggles to make an impact in low light.
Verdict
At its current price, the Nokia 8.1 offers better value than the Nokia 7.2. The Nokia 8.1 does a better overall job in camera capability, performs better, and looks better than the 7.2. When it comes to pricing, you can save Rs 2,600 if you get an entry-level Nokia 8.1 over the 7.2.
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