Nokia T21 Review: A Budget Tablet
Nokia T21 Review: A Budget Tablet
Nokia has been making waves in the budget tablet market with its T-series lineup, and the latest addition to that series, the Nokia T21, is no exception. Offering solid build quality, a decent display, and a few handy features for productivity, the T21 is a great option for those who need a reliable tablet without breaking the bank. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at everything the Nokia T21 has to offer and see if it’s worth your investment.
Unboxing and First Impressions
The unboxing experience is nothing special, with a typical Nokia box that showcases the key specs and features of the tablet. Inside the box, you’ll find the tablet itself, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, a SIM card tool, and safety booklets. One thing to note: the EU version of the T21 doesn’t include a charging brick, so you’ll need to use your own or check local listings to see if it’s included in your region.
The tablet comes with a 10.36-inch IPS LCD display, offering a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels, which Nokia refers to as a 2K display. While the display technically has a bit more resolution than standard 1080p, it’s essentially a 1080p panel with a couple of extra pixels on the sides. It’s an improvement over many other budget tablets, offering sharp text and visuals that work well for general media consumption.
Design and Build Quality
The design of the Nokia T21 is sleek and solid. The tablet is made from aluminum, giving it a more premium feel compared to many budget devices that use plastic. It comes in a charcoal gray color, which is a departure from last year’s blue model. While the color is more mature, some might miss the vibrant blue option, but it’s a matter of personal preference.
The T21 feels sturdy in the hand, largely thanks to the use of aluminum, and has a slightly squarer form factor compared to the T20. The antenna lines on the back have been redesigned for better signal reception, and there’s a two-tone finish due to the combination of plastic and aluminum. The back also features a redesigned camera bump with a step design, which is part of Nokia’s new lineup aesthetic. While I’m not completely sold on this change, the overall build quality is impressive for a budget device.
Durability is another strength. The T21 features toughened glass on the front and is rated with an IP52 splash and dust resistance. While you won’t be able to submerge it underwater, it should handle accidental splashes without issue.
Display: Solid, But Not Perfect
The 10.36-inch display is one of the T21’s standout features. It offers good sharpness and pixel density, making it suitable for watching movies, reading, and browsing the web. The LCD panel isn’t as vibrant as an OLED screen, but it performs well for its class. The color accuracy is decent, and the screen is easy on the eyes, which is a plus for long periods of use.
One downside to the display is the brightness. The T21 reaches a maximum brightness of around 360 nits, which means that using it outdoors under direct sunlight can be challenging. Even indoors, you might find yourself cranking up the brightness to 70% or higher, especially in bright environments. However, for general indoor use, the display holds up well.
One improvement over the T20 is that the T21 supports Widevine L1, which means you can stream Netflix and other content in HD quality—something last year’s model was missing.
Audio: Loud Enough, But Not Perfect
The T21 features dual speakers with OZO playback, which Nokia claims improves spatial audio. The speakers are reasonably loud, though they could certainly benefit from a bit more volume. The sound is clear enough for casual listening, but if you’re in a noisy environment, you might have trouble hearing everything clearly. On the plus side, the OZO spatial audio does improve the overall sound quality, giving it a bit more depth, but I would still prefer if the speakers were a little louder.
For media consumption, the speakers are good enough, but for something more immersive or if you’re sharing with others, you might want to consider using headphones or a Bluetooth speaker.
Performance: Decent for Daily Tasks
The Nokia T21 is powered by the Unisoc T612 chip, an octa-core processor with a combination of two performance cores and six power-efficiency cores. While it’s a budget-friendly chip, it offers enough power for most everyday tasks like web browsing, watching videos, and light multitasking. You’ll also be able to handle casual gaming, though demanding games might not run as smoothly.
For its price, the T21 is more than capable of handling the basics, and it offers a smooth experience for non-intensive tasks. However, don’t expect lightning-fast performance or the smoothest multitasking experience when pushing the tablet to its limits.
Productivity Features: Some Nice Additions
One of the major improvements on the T21 compared to its predecessor is its enhanced productivity features. For example, the LTE version allows you to make phone calls using the tablet, which could be handy for those who need to stay connected but don’t want to carry a separate phone. The addition of active stylus support is another great feature—though the stylus performance is decent, it’s not perfect. There’s noticeable latency when writing, and the lack of palm rejection means you’ll need to be careful when writing or drawing on the screen.
The T21 also supports a second-screen feature, allowing you to connect it to a Windows PC and use it as an additional display. This could be useful for boosting your productivity, though I wish the implementation was a little smoother.
Camera: Adequate for Basic Use
The T21 features an 8MP front-facing camera, which is adequate for video calls. It offers a wider field of view compared to the T20’s front camera, but the quality is still just okay. If you’re using it for basic video conferencing or casual selfies, it’ll do the job, but if you’re hoping for great photo quality, you’re better off using your smartphone.
The rear camera is also 8MP and features autofocus and an LED flash. Again, this camera is serviceable for tasks like scanning documents, but I wouldn’t recommend using it for general photography. As expected, tablet cameras are rarely a strong point, and the T21 is no different.
Battery Life: Solid for a Day’s Use
The Nokia T21 packs a large 8,200mAh battery, which Nokia claims can last up to three days of usage. In practice, you’ll get about 10 to 11 hours of screen-on time with normal use, which translates to roughly two days of regular usage. If you’re using the tablet intensively for a full day of work or entertainment, it should easily last until the evening. Charging is relatively quick with 18W fast charging support, though you’ll need to use a compatible power delivery charger to take full advantage of the fast charging speeds.
