Two years after the release of the Nokia XR20 rugged smartphone, we have information on its successor, Nokia XR21 (previously thought to be the XR30). The XR21 follows in the mold of its predecessor’s design, so it doesn’t look starkly different.
Nokia XR21 is showing up with IP69 rating water and dust protection, support for multiple aptX Bluetooth codecs, a slightly bigger battery, faster charging, and better processor. It runs Android 12 out of the box, though. Will we see Nokia’s new custom user interface in it? Time will tell.
Table of Contents
Nokia XR21 Specs
Mobile Wireless Network and Software
- 2G mobile network bands: GSM, GPRS, EDGE 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz.
- 3G mobile network bands: UMTS, WCDMA, HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 MHz
- 4G mobile network bands: LTE 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41. USA/Latin America: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12/17, 13, 28, 66
- 5G mobile network bands: Yes.
- SIM Type: Nano-SIM, Dual SIM
- Software / OS: Android 12
Design, Form Factor, Appearance
- Dimensions: 168.94 x 79.7 x 9.1 mm
- Weight: 235g
- Display: 6.49 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 550 nits brightness, IPS LCD screen with punch hole, Gorilla Glass Victus.
- Colours: Green. Black.
- Physical Build: MIL-STD810H-certified rugged/toughened plastic for drops up to 1.8m. IP69K water and dust protection, close-range, high-pressure and high-temperature spray.
Internal Hardware Specs
- Processor Type: 64-bit Octa-core 2.0 GHz Kryo 460
- Processor Name: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
- Graphics Processor: Adreno 619
- RAM: 6 GB
- Internal Storage: 128 GB
- External Storage: microSD, up to 512 GB (hybrid slot)
Photography, Video Recording
- Main Camera: 64 MP main lens + 8 MP ultra-wide lens, dual LED flash, 4k@30fps, 1080p@30fps video recording, OZO audio.
- Front Camera: 16 MP fixed focus, Face Recognition, 1080p@30fps video capture
Audio, Video Playback
- Music Support: PCM, AAC / AAC + / eAAC + / MP3 / AMR – NB / WB / APE
- Audio: 3.5 mm audio jack
- Loudspeaker: Stereo speakers
- Video Support: H.264/MP4/MPEG4 player
- FM Radio: Yes.
Phone Sensors
- Digital Compass: Yes.
- Accelerometer: Yes.
- Proximity Sensor: Yes.
- Ambient Light Sensor: Yes.
- Barometer: No.
- Pedometer: No.
- Heart Rate Monitor: No.
- Gyroscope (G-Sensor): Yes; side-mounted.
- Fingerprint Scanner: Yes.
- Face Unlock: Yes.
- Iris Scanner: No.
- Motion Sensing / Gesture Control: No.
- Voice Control: No.
- Intelligent Digital Assistant: Yes; Google Assistant, with dedicated Google Assistant Button.
- Infra-red Sensor: No.
Connectivity Options
- Bluetooth Version and Profiles: v5.0, A2DP
- Bluetooth Codecs: aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive.
- WiFi: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, hotspot
- GPS: Yes, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO
- USB: microUSB v2.0. Type-C USB
- NFC: Market/region dependent.
Miscellaneous Specs and Features
- Battery Type and Capacity: Non-Removable Lithium-Polymer 4800 mAh
- Battery Charging: 33W fast charging
- Wireless Charging: 15W fast wireless charging. .
- Reverse Charging: No.
- Model Version/Number:
Nokia XR21 Release/Launch Dates
- Announcement: May 3, 2023
- Release Date: June 2023
Prices of Nokia XR21
- United States of America (USA): $499.
- United Kingdom (UK): £499.
- Australia: AUD 799
- Germany: €599
- France: €599
- Spain: €599
- Netherlands: €599
Will Nokia XR21 work with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon in the USA?
Nokia XR21 is compatible with GSM US carriers, like AT&T and T-Mobile, or their resellers (MetroPCS etc.) or MVNOs (Virgin Mobile, LycaMobile etc.).
It is incompatible with CDMA carriers like Verizon, US Cellular, etc. Verizon specifically says that their resources do not show that the Nokia XR21 is compatible with their network and so wouldn’t be able to guarantee that it’ll work[1].
As always, we recommend that you make enquiries from your carrier to know what bands/frequencies are supported on them.
MobilityArena Buyer’s Guide Verdict
Nokia XR21 is a rugged smartphone built to withstand falls and knocks. This is an ideal candidate for construction workers, nature lovers and adventurers, as well as anyone whose work requires tough physical activity.
Our Buyer’s Guide Verdict is a recommendation that we make based on our evaluation of the specs of the device. It is a general guide designed to help you understand how much value a smartphone offers for its price. It is not a stamp of quality assessment or an endorsement of the device or of the manufacturers. Be sure to ask questions and use your judgement when buying any device, as MobilityArena may not be held responsible for your buying decisions.
Disclaimer: While we take the pains to ensure accuracy, we can not guarantee that the specs and information on this page about the Nokia XR21 are 100% correct. If you think that any information for the current phone is wrong or missing, please contact us.
References
- Verizon Community (source)