That is a question that has been asked again and again ever since Nokia launched the Nokia 8 Sirocco a few days ago in India. The reason for this is simple – from a distance, the 8 Sirocco seems to match the Google device in many regards. Take a closer look, however, and the Nokia Device seems to loom large as a potential Pixel 2 challenger. Sounds hard to believe? We felt the same initially, but checking these seven facts made us wonder if the Pixel 2 could indeed find the Sirocco breeze uncomfortable, to say the least: (Note: the comparison here is between the Nokia 8 Sirocco and the Pixel 2, NOT the Pixel 2 XL)
Gotta love those looks
The Pixel 2 is not a bad looking phone by any standards, but it gets totally pushed to the background by the glass palace that is the Nokia 8 Sirocco. And it is not just in terms of that jet black 95 percent glass on the exterior build. The Nokia 8 Sirocco actually manages to squeeze in a 5.5-inch display into a frame that is smaller than the Pixel 2. The Sirocco is 140.93 mm long as compared to 145.7 of the Pixel 2, and though the Pixel 2 is less wide (69.7 mm as compared to 72.97 mm of the Sirocco), the Sirocco pulls it back by being slimmer (7.5 mm as compared to 7.8 mm, and even thinner at the edges). All in all, the Nokia 8 Sirocco is a far more premium looking device, with its far more ‘edgy’ display and smaller bezels. The orange button on the white edition of the Pixel 2 might strike a chord with some, and there will be those who will mutter “fingerprint magnet” at the Sirocco, but all said and done Nokia’s black beauty totally outguns the more routine looking Pixel 2 in this department. Both devices incidentally are dust and water resistant, with identical IP 67 ratings.
Death by display
The Pixel 2 did not have the sort of display blues (pun intended) that its larger XL sibling did, but its 5.0-inch AMOLED display at 1920 x 1080 resolution is not quite in the same league as the 5.5-inch pOLED one with 2560 x 1440 resolution on the 8 Sirocco. A brighter display with a higher resolution and greater pixel density (pun intended), and as if that were not enough, the display on the 8 Sirocco also gently tapers over edges giving it the sort of look that one has seen only on the Galaxy S series.
Chipping in equally…
The Nokia 8 Sirocco’s Snapdragon 835 processor might seem a little dated by modern standards, given that the world has moved on to the Snapdragon 845 and its contemporaries from other brands, but it is nevertheless the same processor that one sees on the Pixel 2. Which kind of equals out the two devices in terms of sheer horsepower, although some will claim that the Sirocco’s chip will come under greater stress as it needs to power a bigger display.
…and scoring on memory and battery
The Nokia 8 Sirocco crashes the Pixel 2’s party when it comes to RAM – 6 GB as compared to 4 GB. Both devices have got 128 GB storage (the Pixel 2 also has a 64 GB variant), but with no expandable storage. When it comes to battery, the 8 Sirocco again pulls clear – 3260 mAh as compared to 2700 mAh on the Pixel 2. Both devices support quick charging, but the 8 Sirocco supports wireless charging, while the Pixel does not.
Speaking of sound, beyond speakers
There will be those who will feel that the Pixel 2 hammers the Nokia 8 Sirocco when it comes to audio. After all, Google’s phone boasts two speakers to the single one found on Nokia’s. But then, the sound is not just about being heard, it is also about recording, and this is where the Sirocco scores with its three microphones and Nokia’s Ozo technology. We would have liked to have both, to be honest, but we can see this splitting people into two camps.
Also pure Android with an upped update ante!
This is the department where we actually think that Nokia has actually landed a sneak punch on the Pixel 2. One of the biggest reasons for wanting to possess a Pixel (or a Nexus prior to that) was the fact that one was assured timely and speedy Android updates on it. But the last few months have seen Nokia more than matching the Pixel when it comes to software updates, delivering security patches and OS updates at a blistering pace. And with the 8 Sirocco becoming a member of the Android One initiative, users are assured updates for at least two years. Yes, we still think that the Pixel 2 might get updates a trifle earlier in most cases, but we will be surprised if the Sirocco is too far behind.
The camera fight might be Pixel-ated, but…
Truth be told, the only region where we feel that the Pixel 2 might enjoy a clear edge over the Nokia 8 Sirocco is in cameras. Yes, the Pixel 2 only has a single rear camera, but that is pretty much in a zone of its own. We have not finished testing the 8 Sirocco’s cameras, but it would be a brave person who would dare to wager on their beating the Pixel 2. That said – THAT said – the 8 Sirocco’s dual cameras are unlikely to be pushovers as they come with the iconic Zeiss optics and even 2X optical zoom. No, they are very unlikely to outclass what we have seen on the Pixel 2, but they are not likely to lose out by much and could well have a few tricks up their sleeves too. That said, we think the 8.0-megapixel selfie camera of the Pixel 2 is likely to be superior to the 5.0-megapixel one on the 8 Sirocco. On paper, this definitely seems to be one area where the Pixel 2 holds its own.
…what about the price?
The Nokia 8 Sirocco is priced at Rs 49,999. Some might consider this a bit on the higher side when you compare it with the likes of the OnePlus 5T and the Mi Mix 2, which offer largely comparable and in some cases, superior specs and design at lower prices. However, the 4 GB/ 64 GB variant of the Pixel 2 is retailing at Rs 52,999 while the 4 GB / 128 GB variant is selling for Rs 61,999. In sum, the 8 Sirocco outguns the Pixel 2 significantly on design, display, RAM and battery, and while it is likely to lose ground on the camera front, it does have wireless charging up its sleeve. More significantly, it might almost match the Pixel 2 in the one department which was supposed to be its forte – Android updates. All this at a lower price. You STILL want to know why we think the Nokia 8 Sirocco could be a Pixel (2) Hunter?
