Umidigi A11 vs Nokia G20: A Deep Dive into Budget Smartphone Performance

The Umidigi A11 and Nokia G20 represent the fiercely competitive sub-$150 smartphone market. Both devices aim to deliver essential functionality at an accessible price point, but they achieve this with slightly different approaches to chipset selection. This comparison dissects the core differences between the Mediatek Helio G25 powering the Umidigi A11 and the Helio G35 in the Nokia G20, revealing which phone offers the better user experience.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing slightly smoother performance and responsiveness, the Nokia G20 emerges as the better choice. Its Helio G35 chipset, with higher clocked Cortex-A53 cores, provides a noticeable edge in everyday tasks and light gaming, despite both phones sharing the same 10W charging and similar overall feature sets.

PHONES
Phone Names Umidigi A11 Nokia G20
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - International
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 661, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - International
SpeedHSPA, LTEHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / HSPA / LTE
 -1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 28, 66 - LATAM
Launch
Announced2021. Released 20212021, April 08
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2021, May 17
Body
Dimensions162.2 x 75 x 9.2 mm (6.39 x 2.95 x 0.36 in)164.9 x 76 x 9.2 mm (6.49 x 2.99 x 0.36 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight222 g (7.83 oz)197 g (6.95 oz)
 -Splash protection
Display
Resolution720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density)720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density)
Size6.53 inches, 102.9 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~81.9% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCDIPS LCD
Platform
CPUOcta-core (4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53)Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53)
ChipsetMediatek Helio G25 (12 nm)Mediatek MT6765G Helio G35 (12 nm)
GPUPowerVR GE8320PowerVR GE8320
OSAndroid 11Android 11, upgradable to Android 13
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (dedicated slot)microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal64GB 3GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM
Main Camera
FeaturesDual-LED flash, HDR, panoramaLED flash, HDR, panorama
Quad-48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 5 MP, (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens
Single-8 MP, (wide)
Triple16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), AF 8 MP, 120˚ (ultrawide) 5 MP (macro)-
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30fps
Selfie camera
Single5 MP, f/2.2, (wide)8 MP, (wide)
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack -Yes
35mm jackYesYes
Loudspeaker YesYes
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCNoYes (market/region dependent)
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, BDS
RadioNoFM radio
USBUSB Type-C, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass, thermometer (skin temperature)Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity
Battery
Charging10W wired10W wired
Type5150 mAhLi-Po 5050 mAh
Misc
ColorsMist Blue, Frost GreyGlacier, Night
Models-TA-1336, TA-1343, TA-1347, TA-1372, TA-1365
Price-About 90 EUR
SAR-1.01 W/kg (head)     1.02 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.49 W/kg (head)     1.13 W/kg (body)

Umidigi A11

  • Extremely affordable price point
  • Functional for basic smartphone tasks
  • Likely long battery life due to efficient chipset

  • Slower performance compared to the Nokia G20
  • Limited multitasking capabilities
  • Potentially lower camera quality

Nokia G20

  • Slightly faster processor for smoother performance
  • More responsive user experience
  • Potentially better camera image processing

  • Still limited by the budget chipset
  • 10W charging is slow
  • May be slightly more expensive than the Umidigi A11

Display Comparison

Neither Umidigi nor Nokia provide display specifications beyond resolution in their marketing materials. Given the price point, both likely utilize IPS LCD panels. The absence of details like peak brightness or color gamut coverage suggests a focus on cost reduction. Bezels are expected to be substantial on both devices, impacting the overall screen-to-body ratio. Color accuracy is likely to be standard for this segment, prioritizing power efficiency over vibrant visuals.

Camera Comparison

Detailed camera specifications are scarce for both devices. Both are expected to feature a primary camera and multiple secondary sensors, likely including a depth sensor and potentially a macro lens. However, the quality of these secondary sensors is often minimal. Without knowing sensor sizes or apertures, it’s difficult to definitively assess camera performance. Image processing will likely be basic on both phones, prioritizing speed over advanced features. The Nokia G20 may benefit from slightly better image signal processing capabilities due to the more powerful chipset, potentially resulting in marginally improved image quality.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Nokia G20’s Mediatek Helio G35 features a CPU clocked up to 2.3 GHz, utilizing 4x Cortex-A53 cores at this speed and 4x at 1.8 GHz. The Umidigi A11’s Helio G25, conversely, peaks at 2.0 GHz (4x cores) and 1.5 GHz (4x cores). While both are based on the 12nm process, the higher clock speeds of the G35 translate to faster single-core and multi-core performance. This difference will be most noticeable when launching apps, multitasking, and navigating the user interface. Both phones likely feature similar RAM configurations (2GB-4GB), further emphasizing the chipset as the primary performance differentiator. Thermal management is unlikely to be a significant concern given the low-power nature of these chipsets.

Battery Life

Both the Umidigi A11 and Nokia G20 utilize 10W wired charging, indicating a similar charging experience – expect approximately 2.5 to 3.5 hours for a full charge. Battery capacity is not specified in the provided data, but given the target market, both are likely to house batteries in the 4000-5000 mAh range. The slightly more efficient Helio G35 in the Nokia G20 *could* translate to marginally longer battery life, but the difference is unlikely to be substantial in real-world usage. Both phones prioritize longevity over fast charging.

Buying Guide

Buy the Umidigi A11 if you need a functional, extremely affordable smartphone for basic communication and light tasks, and are willing to accept slightly slower performance. Buy the Nokia G20 if you prefer a more responsive experience for everyday use, including social media browsing and casual gaming, and value the slightly improved processing power offered by the Helio G35 chipset.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Will the Nokia G20 handle popular social media apps like Facebook and Instagram smoothly?
Yes, the Mediatek Helio G35 in the Nokia G20 provides sufficient processing power for smooth operation of most social media applications. While it won't offer a flagship-level experience, you should expect acceptable performance for browsing feeds, posting updates, and viewing photos and videos.
❓ Is the 10W charging speed on either phone a significant drawback?
Yes, 10W charging is relatively slow by modern standards. Expect a full charge to take over 2.5 hours. However, given the likely battery capacities (4000-5000 mAh) and the target user who likely won't be heavily using the phone throughout the day, it's a trade-off made to keep the cost down.
❓ Can either of these phones run popular mobile games like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty Mobile?
Both phones can *run* these games, but expect to play them at the lowest graphics settings and potentially with frame rate drops. The Helio G35 in the Nokia G20 will offer a slightly better gaming experience, but neither phone is designed for serious mobile gaming.
❓ How much storage do these phones typically come with, and is it expandable?
These phones typically come with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. Thankfully, both the Umidigi A11 and Nokia G20 support microSD card expansion, allowing you to add more storage for photos, videos, and other files. This is crucial given the limited internal storage options.