The Nuu B30 5G is a new budget Android phone and it becomes especially attractive at the price tag of $259, moreover, buyers will also receive the NUU Buds B Bluetooth Earbuds for free. I’ve tested the phone for a few weeks and let’s see how it stacks up against similarly priced competitors.
Disclosure: We received the phone from the manufacturer as a courtesy for review purposes. However, the review is intended to provide honest, unbiased insights about the product, based on personal experiences and observations.
Premium Design on a Budget
Out of the box, the Nuu B30 comes with a SIM removal tool, a USB-C charging cable, a power adapter, and a protective case. Its curved screen design closely mimics the aesthetics of pricier devices like the Motorola Edge and certain Samsung models. The front of the phone is protected by Dragontrail glass, and the rear panel features Gorilla Glass, both of which curve around the edges to meet a polycarbonate frame. Despite being constructed from budget-friendly materials, the phone feels well-made and stylish.
The phone feels comfortable to hold, thanks to its curved form factor. Its narrower width makes it easier to grip, though the phone is still a fingerprint magnet, especially on its glass back. The button placement is relatively standard, with the power button and volume rocker positioned on the right.
Notably, the manufacturer doesn’t mention IP rating, so the phone lacks official protection against water and dust. So, I’d highly recommend you to use the case to protect it from light splashes. There is also no headphones jack and microSD card slot; Having said that, the built-in 256GB storage is more than enough for most average consumers.
Display: Big, But Dim
Surprisingly, the B30 has pretty much the same specs as the B30 Pro, including the 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 by 1080 pixels and a refresh rate of 60 or 120Hz, depending on the app in use. While this sounds impressive on paper, the phone’s maximum brightness of 550 nits falls short when compared to my iPhone. When you use the phone outdoors, particularly in direct sunlight, the display is quite dim, making it hard to see the screen clearly. I set the brightness to maximum but it also couldn’t help. That said, the B30’s AMOLED panel still delivers vibrant colors and decent contrast indoors, especially when streaming videos or playing games.
Snappy Performance
One area where the Nuu B30 shines is in its performance. The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC, supported by 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. For a budget phone, this is an impressive amount of memory, giving it a leg up on competitors which often have 8GB and 4GB of RAM. The generous 256GB storage eliminates the need for expandable memory, though the lack of a microSD card slot might still be a disappointment for some.
In terms of everyday use, the B30 feels responsive and quick, whether you’re scrolling through social media, watching videos, or running multiple apps in the background. When it comes to gaming, the B30 manages to deliver a surprisingly smooth experience. It performs admirably with resource-intensive games. For casual gamers, this phone is more than capable, but it may not satisfy users looking for flagship-level gaming performance.
Camera
The B30’s triple-camera system includes a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro lens. While the main sensor can capture decent images in good lighting conditions, the overall camera performance is just average. Colors look fine but details look worse when you zoom in the image.
The ultra-wide camera produces images similar in quality to the main camera, but with less detail, particularly in the corners of photos. The macro lens, as is typical for budget phones, adds little value, with results often looking soft and lacking detail. For selfies, the front-facing 32MP camera delivers crisp shots, good enough for photos and video calls.
The Nuu B30 offers 4K video recording at 30fps, which is a nice feature for a budget phone, allowing users to capture high-resolution videos with decent color accuracy and contrast. However, when it comes to photography, the phone suffers from some noticeable performance issues. Focusing can be slow, especially in challenging lighting conditions, and even under bright light, there is often a delay between pressing the shutter button and the actual photo being taken. This lag, sometimes lasting a few seconds, can result in missed moments or blurry shots if the subject moves during the delay.
Battery and Charging
The B30 is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, which is standard in its class, but its longevity is somewhat underwhelming. In video playback tests, the phone lasted just over 10 hours. However, the B30 supports 30W wired charging, allowing for a quick boost in battery life, though it doesn’t offer wireless charging like some premium phones.
Connectivity
The Nuu B30 supports 5G connectivity but lacks mmWave support, which is common in budget phones. Besides, there is no e-SIM support and it looks like the phone only works on T-Mobile’s 5G network. It won’t work on AT&T or Verizon networks. The phone also supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC, ensuring it stays up to date with modern wireless standards.
Conclusion
For $259, the Nuu B30 5G offers a lot of bang for your buck. Its sleek design, solid performance, and ample storage make it a strong contender in the budget Android space. If you can accept its dim display and mediocre camera performance, this is a decent phone without breaking the bank.
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