It’s been a long time coming, and now we see that Nokia has finally come around and unveiled a trio of Android smartphones for emerging markets. We already knew about the Nokia X codenamed Normandy thanks to a swirl of rumors long before its launch, but it turns out that the X will be joined by the X+ and XL as well!

Nokia X

The Nokia X is positioned as being the most affordable of the Nokia Android trio, featuring a 4 inch WVGA IPS display that should be pretty easy to pocket. It’s driven by a 1GHz dual core processor and 512MB RAM along with 4GB of internal storage, which should be enough for most apps. However, the camera is a little weak, sporting just a 3mp sensor with fixed focus lens.

Nokia X+

If the Nokia X leaves you wanting, the Nokia X+ provides just a little bit more performance in exchange for a bit more cash. It comes with the same 4 inch WVGA IPS display, 1GHz dual core processor, and 4GB internal storage as the Nokia X. However, it does come with 768MB RAM to give multitasking a bit of a boost. It also has dual SIM functionality, which the Philippine market is sure to gobble up.

Nokia XL

Nokia XL

Now, if you find 4 inch smartphones to be too small, the aptly named Nokia XL supersizes things with a 5 inch WVGA IPS display. It’s got the same 1GHz dual core processor as the X and X+, and has the same amount of RAM as the X+. However, it does come with a better 5mp rear-facing autofocus camera as well as a 2mp front camera, which the other two in the Nokia X series don’t have.

Nokia Fastlane

While the Nokia X series will be running on the Android platform, it will be a forked version called Fastlane, which Asha users should be familiar with. While it won’t have Google Play or any other Google services like Maps or Gmail, you can still download apps from the Nokia Store, 3rd party app stores, or just sideload APKs and install them directly. Unfortunately, this means anything you’ve purchased from the Play Store won’t be carried over to any of the Nokia X phones, but if you’re new to Android, this shouldn’t be much of a problem.

Which One is for You?

The Nokia X and X+ are essentially single and dual SIM variants of the same phone. Given a choice between the two, I would automatically choose the X+ because of the slightly better RAM and dual SIM functionality. But if you’re looking to save a few bucks, it won’t hurt the overall experience much if you decide on the single SIM Nokia X.

However if it’s a larger screen and better camera that you prefer, the Nokia XL is the clear winner. The excellent color reproduction and viewing angles of its IPS display will help offset the relatively low resolution for its size, so WVGA won’t be so bad, especially since this is expected to be a budget smartphone for emerging markets. Just don’t expect noticeably better performance over the Nokia X.

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