The HMD Pulse Pro is a questionable smartphone debut

The Pulse Professional is one in every of producer HMD’s first smartphones below its personal model.

They’re identified for his or her funds smartphones, bought in partnership with Finnish tech large Nokia below their title. In addition to semi-smart so-called ‘characteristic telephones’ which have typically been nostalgia-inducing refreshes of Nokia’s legendary fashions from its days because the world’s greatest cell large.

However HMD is seemingly uninterested in standing in Nokia’s shadow and needs to point out what they’ll do with out Nokia. They gave us hints of that on the Cellular World Congress present earlier in 2024, and now the primary HMD-branded smartphone fashions have been launched. An opportunity for them to impress and present how they differ from Nokia variations.

An opportunity they don’t take. After I unpack the Pulse Professional and undergo it step-by-step, from specs, design, construct high quality, display, options, efficiency and software program, it feels prefer it ought to say Nokia on it. It’s one other cell in the identical funds phase the place Nokia already has so many robust contenders, and only a few issues in regards to the Pulse Professional are totally different from them.

Vibrant choices

Presumably the design could possibly be stated to be a bit extra playful, with its three color choices – inexperienced, purple and black – straighter display edges and shiny again. However Nokia telephones have experimented with the look over time too, so if it had that branding I wouldn’t have reacted. As a result of all the pieces else about it feels very acquainted.

The development is claimed to be “mud and splash resistant” however no extra info than that’s accessible. It didn’t break from getting used throughout a rainstorm, in order that’s at the least a bit reassurance. You get twin SIM card slots and a separate Micro-SD card reader, plus fingerprint scanner in an unnecessarily small button on the aspect.

The Pulse Professional, just like the Nokia G22, is constructed to be straightforward to restore.

Get an iFixit package, and it’s best to have the ability to get into the telephone comparatively simply to switch the display, battery and different parts ought to they turn out to be broken or worn.

Disappointing efficiency

Contemplating it’s reasonably priced value, you shouldn’t count on wonderful efficiency from the Pulse Professional, nevertheless it’s even worse than I hoped. Weak efficiency from a Unisoc T606 chipset, which turns into succesful for easier duties thanks to six GB of RAM reminiscence and barely sooner storage than anticipated.

Connectivity is by way of 4G or and Wi-Fi 5 networks. You get an IPS display with 720p decision and as much as 90Hz refresh price, which makes for dodgy viewing angles and struggles with out of doors brightness.

And solely a single speaker on the backside. It does present good detailed sound because of OZO audio enhancement, however that doesn’t assist a lot because it’s mono and never very highly effective. At the very least you get an analogue 3.5mm headphone jack on the decrease brief aspect. That must be counted as a plus.

Mattias Inghe

Mattias Inghe

Mattias Inghe

Uneven and unreliable images

The digicam is a 50Mp sensor of unknown make, however I can safely say that it isn’t one of many higher sensors.

It’s not very massive and has noticeable issues with color management and noise when I attempt to shoot at evening. In daylight it has sharp photographs, however with considerably pale distinction and no actual vibrancy within the colors. Above all, it’s sluggish in autofocus, so motion photographs don’t at all times sustain and may generally be blurry.

It’s the one energetic sensor on the again, so that you’ll must do with out wide-angle, zoom or macro, and the additional lens homes a 2Mp depth-of-field assist sensor for portrait-style capturing. The digicam digitally zooms simply fantastic to 2x, however any digital magnification after that drops noticeably in high quality. I shoot video in 1080p at 30Hz, and get acceptable picture stabilisation.

Nevertheless, I don’t give a lot for the skinny sound from the microphone. That is unusual, as I sound completely acceptable on a telephone name.

The selfie digicam on the entrance can be 50Mp, however a smaller and sooner sensor (or one which the weak {hardware} can deal with extra simply) will surely have been welcome. I’ve to delete many self-portraits as they merely fail to concentrate on my face regardless of energetic face recognition. The main focus lands on the again of the chair simply behind, blurring particulars of the face. The color administration for pores and skin tones can be typically wildly off, each when capturing and filming, for instance for a video name.

A 5000mAh battery, along with a low-resolution display, provides Pulse Professional actually good battery life. You possibly can work actively on all of it day lengthy: streaming movies, browsing the net, emailing and infrequently taking pictures or filming. With cautious use, it lasts for 2 days.

Mattias Inghe

Mattias Inghe

Mattias Inghe

Sadly it isn’t very quick at charging. It helps 20W of energy over USB-C however you don’t get a charger with it.

With a robust common charger, I get about a bit over 1% charged per minute, however the final 20% is slower, so it takes a complete of as much as 1.5 hours to get a totally charged battery.

Software program doesn’t reserve it

Is HMD doing something attention-grabbing with the software program? Properly, the one factor they get credit score for here’s a three-year replace promise as a substitute of the 2 years that’s frequent within the funds class.

Mattias Inghe

Mattias Inghe

Mattias Inghe

In any other case, it’s the identical Android expertise because the Nokia telephones: easy stock-style interface, plus a folder with pointless further apps that I want to put in myself or skip, equivalent to Fb, Amazon and LinkedIn, in addition to its personal assist and upkeep app. And HMD chooses to make use of monochrome icons for the apps on the house display within the default theme.

That’s the one distinctive factor, actually. Which isn’t actually sufficient to face out.

Value & Availability

Within the UK, the Pulse Professional prices £149.99 direct from the HMD web site, or £129.99 in the event you commerce in an eligible telephone. Alternative elements can be found by way of iFixit.

Nevertheless, the telephone isn’t accessible on contract, so that you’ll have to purchase it outright and pair with a SIM-only deal. Use the widget beneath to search out the one which fits you finest.

This is likely one of the cheaper funds telephones on the market, however the Samsung Galaxy A15 (4G) is a significantly better telephone in the event you’re prepared to spend a bit extra, whereas the Moto G04 provides extra for much less.

In fact, shopping for each of those telephones means you surrender repairability, however the Nokia G22 provides it for a similar value.

Must you purchase the HMD Pulse Professional?

In all probability not. Efficiency, connectivity, display, cameras, battery, and different options don’t differ considerably, and other than battery life and a trendy if plasticky exterior, there’s nothing that impresses or appeals.

In consequence, it’s barely satisfactory in its value vary, and so laborious to suggest to anybody.