The Nokia 7.1 is an extremely well-balanced phone that offers solid specs, hardware, and features with up-to-date software and an affordable price tag. It doesn't do much to catch headlines, but it does everything really well with very few shortcomings.

Nokia knocked it out of the park with the new Nokia 7.1. It looks and feels like it belongs in a class above, and adds to that hardware with a gorgeous display, excellent battery life, and much more. Performance and camera quality can be a little questionable at times, but for just $300, you're getting far more than your money's worth.

Who should buy this phone?

The Nokia 7.1 feels the most complete and flagship-like of any of its phones, yet it's affordable at about $300. It has surprisingly solid metal hardware, plus a big HDR display on the front and strong battery life from a 3060mAh cell. The hardware also has all of the nice-to-have features: a fingerprint sensor, headphone jack, and an SD card slot.

A Snapdragon 636 processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage are stout for today's needs, and even into the future. And that's important because Nokia's Android One-based software will be updated frequently for the next couple of years.

Nokia's cameras have traditionally been weak, and that's no different with the 7.1. The 12MP + 5MP rear cameras get the job done, but this is one area that reminds you you're using a less expensive phone.

The only real caveat to take into consideration here is that the Nokia 7.1 will not work on Verizon or Sprint. We recommend looking at one of Motorola's recent affordable unlocked phones if you need compatibility with either one of those carriers.

Is it a good time to buy this phone?

Yes, it is. The Nokia 7.1 is the latest version of the phone and is only a few months old at this point. It's still new and fully supported by Nokia.

Reasons to buy Fantastic build quality

Sharp, colorful display

Great battery life

Android One software

Android 9 Pie now, updates in the future Reasons not to buy No Verizon or Sprint compatibility

There are other great phones in this price range

You don't have to look far to find a bunch of great options under $400. While Nokia is the current leader, ever-present Motorola makes a few more great options and there are plenty of other competitors in this price bracket.