Nokia's handset portfolio ranges from feature phones with legacy candybar styling to a series of smartphones whose numerical naming generally correlates with their capability and price. That's logical enough, but the whole thing has become confused as revisions of the base numbers have been added: so there's a Nokia 6.1 and a Nokia 7 Plus[1], and now we have an update to last year's 5.3-inch Nokia 8[2] in the shape of the 5.5-inch Nokia 8 Sirocco[3].
Confused? Well, put the naming to one side and just think of the Nokia 8 Sirocco as Nokia's flagship smartphone. At £699 (inc. VAT) it should be in the mix if you're considering a top-end handset -- but does it offer enough to compete? (Note: The Nokia 8 Sirocco is not officially available in the US.)
Nokia has tried to give this phone a different look and feel, while also conforming to some widely-accepted design principles. Its metal body, for example, is stainless steel rather than aluminium alloy. Steel is tough, which is good, but does contribute to the Nokia 8 Sirocco's relatively heavy 177g weight. Some will find that this makes the handset feel substantial and solid, and I can certainly live with that -- the weight would not put me off making this my everyday phone.
The glass back is bright and reflective, but is not a serious fingerprint magnet. The camera lenses protrude significantly from the back of the 7.5mm-thick chassis. The circular fingerprint scanner is made of glass too, and can be found by touch thanks to a thin frame.
The top and bottom of the handset are flat, with the USB-C connector centrally located on the bottom edge, next to a speaker grille. The USB-C port caters for