Remember when phones had names that actually meant something? Like, you knew what you were getting just by hearing it? Yeah, me too. Nokia’s Xpress Music, Sony Ericssons Walkman and Cybershot – oh the good old days! It feels like forever ago, a simpler time before every device was just a numbered series and a collection of specs. But then, like a blast from the past, the nubia Music arrived on my desk, a vibrant splash of colour in a sea of sameness. And it got me thinking, maybe, just maybe, there’s room for a little personality in our tech again.
In a market where smartphones are priced like a year of university tuition it is refreshing that this is not just another flagship trying to be all things to all people. The nubia Music knows its audience: music lovers on a budget, maybe even those taking their first tentative steps into the smartphone world. And you know what? It nails it. Priced at just R1,699, that’s music to your ears and wallet.
A Design that Pops and a Speaker that Rocks
Forget sleek minimalism. The nubia Music embraces bold colors and retro vibes. My Pop Art review unit is a head-turner, with a design that screams fun and reminds me of the colours and beauty of “Ndebele”art.It’s not just a phone, it’s a conversation starter! But the real showstopper is that speaker on the back. It’s like they took a vinyl record, slapped it on the phone, and said, “Let’s get this party started.” And with a 600% volume boost, this thing can actually get loud. Like, “clear the room and let the neighbours complain” loud. And it actually sounds pretty decent too, no tinny distortion, just surprisingly clear audio for a less than 2k smartphone.
Now, the screen isn’t going to win any awards. It’s a decent 6.6-inch HD+ display, perfectly fine for watching videos or scrolling through social media, but the touch responsiveness left me wanting. A little more “snap” would have been nice.
But hey, they managed to squeeze in Live Island, which is a pretty cool touch at this price point. It’s a little unexpected, but a welcome addition that makes this phone feel a lot more premium than its price would suggest.
Double the Jacks, Double the Fun
Headphone jacks on a smartphone in 2024 is virtually unheard off. Apple started the trend and every brand followed suit, ditching the 3.5mm headphone jacks in favour of true wireless (TWS) earbuds. Now I’m all for moving with the times and absolutely love my AirPods Pro, but there’s no denying the difference in experience of having a headphone jack and the nubia Music has not one, but two. Sharing music with a friend, no Bluetooth pairing required? That’s old-school cool.
Camera: Gets the job done!
Let’s just say this camera isn’t going to make it onto DxOmark. The nubia Music is equipped with a 50MP Dual Camera and photos captured by the main camera were overall passable, but still left a lot to be desired. Images captured in low light weren’t great, but still very usable. For everyday snaps and social media posts, it gets the job done.
Performance: Not a Speed Demon, but it’s decent enough
Under the hood, you’ve got a UNISOC SC9863A chipset. It’s not going to blow you away with speed, but it handles everyday tasks just fine. Gaming? Stick to casual titles. If you want to play Call of Duty Mobile or Genshin Impact, nubia’s Neo 2 5G gaming phone may well serve you better. And yeah, no 5G here, but at this price point and what the device delivers overall I don’t think that matters much.
Other notable features:
The 5,000mAh battery is a beast. You can listen to music for days (literally) on a single charge, but be prepared to plug in overnight, as charging speeds are painfully slow. It does make up for this inconvenience with the addition of NFC and Google Pay is available right out the box. Again, at this price point that is phenomenal.
Geek Verdict:
The nubia Music isn’t perfect, but it’s got loads of character. It’s a phone that knows what it wants to be and delivers on its promise. There are not many phones in this price bracket that gets so many things right. In fact it’s mind boggling how they can get it to this price, I’m not sure if they’re even making money on this or they’re just trying to break into the very competitive South African market. Whatever the reason, I’m all for a great deal and this one is definitely one of the best.
Nubia is running a RED Friday deal of just R1,699 on the nubia Music until November 29th, so if you’re in the market for a great entry level device, this should be at the top of your shopping list.
