The HMD Horizon has attracted a lot of attention. What is it – is it nostalgia for the Nokia N9? Or is it the repairability that attracts people? The phone is now available in some countries (in other countries on pre-order), so we have to ask: will you buy one?
The design feels pretty fresh – we’ve seen every rounded rectangle we could think of – and it compares favorably to the N9, for those who remember the MeeGo phone. However, instead of polycarbonate, this one uses a modern metal and glass construction.
The phone is designed to be easily repairable at home by laypeople. All you need is a tool kit from iFixit (or just use your own Torx drivers) and you should be able to replace a cracked screen in just 10 minutes. That’s great, but we wish HMD took software support as seriously as it takes repairability – 2 OS updates and 3 years of security patches is not enough time.
HMD Horizon
That aside, the Skyline offers a surprisingly capable hardware combo. From its 6.55-inch FHD+ 144Hz OLED display to its 4,600mAh battery with both wired (33W) and wireless charging (15W). The wireless option is Qi2, which uses magnets similar to Apple’s MagSafe system. Is this the first Android with Qi2? Could be, we can’t think of any other.
The 108MP main camera (with OIS) can record 4K video at 30fps, and is joined by a 50MP 2x telephoto module (with 4x zoom) and a 13MP ultra-wide. The 50MP selfie camera also seems impressive – we’re working on a full reviewso expect detailed testing. Either way, the microSD slot and headphone jack are a welcome sight. There are a few negatives to mention. Repairability has limited the IP rating to IP54, but the old Gorilla Glass 3 is harder to explain.
The HMD Skyline currently costs £400 in the UK for the 8/128GB model, and £500 for the 8/256GB model. In Germany, the phone is listed as “coming soon” with a launch scheduled for August 9, and a price tag of €550 for the 8/256GB unit.
If you want a throwback design, the OnePlus Nord 4 has an aluminum unibody. And it features the more powerful SD 7+ Gen 3 chipset, but there’s no telephoto module here. Also, the aluminum back means no wireless charging, but you still have a 5,500mAh battery and 100W wired-only charging.
The Realme GT 6 is a modern design, flaunting a 6.78-inch LTPO display and a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset. Its 50MP main camera and 50MP 2x telephoto lens make for an interesting comparison with the HMD, which also has a 5,500mAh battery with 120W wired charging this time around.
Note that the Nord stands out with a promise of 4 OS updates and 6 years of security patches. The Realme only gets 3 OS updates and 4 years of patches, but that’s still better than the HMD.
OnePlus Nord 4 • Realme GT 6 • Sony Xperia 10 VI
How about a Sony Xperia 10 VI? That’s also an old-school design. And we’ll let you in on a little secret: the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 inside the Xperia is the same hardware as the 7s Gen 2, just with lower clock speeds. This phone has a 50MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide, and no telephoto. The 8MP selfie camera is built into the top bezel rather than in the display. The 5,000mAh battery offers plenty of life, but it only supports slow wired charging.
What do you think of the HMD Skyline?