Nokia Pulse
How long will it last?
Our estimateSupported until April 2027 · Buy-by April 2025
Apple doesn't publish an end date, but iPhones have a consistent ~3-year update track record — on that basis the Pulse should be supported until around April 2027. Buying it today still gets you about 0.8 years of safe use, and Apple's written legal minimum is 5 years (verified June 2026).
Source: HMD/Nokia's official policy · last verified 2026-06-18 · how we compute this
TrueCost
Street price ÷ months of safe use remaining — the number that makes cheap short-lived phones expensive, and well-supported ones cheap.
28% above the under-$300 median ($6.89/mo, dying phones excluded)
Our verdict
A genuinely cheap, self-repairable Nokia-branded HMD phone with a surprisingly decent support promise, if you can live with the slow chip and 4G-only radios.
Pros
- User-replaceable battery and self-repair design at a very low price
- Two OS upgrades and three years of security, generous for the cost
- Large 5000mAh battery and 90Hz screen
- Clean software and a light 187g body
Cons
- Slow Unisoc T606 chip and 720p display
- No 5G and only 10W charging
- Single useful rear camera
Full specifications
Display
💡 Bigger numbers = smoother scrolling (Hz) and easier outdoor reading (nits).
| Screen | 6.65-inch IPS LCD, 720 x 1612 (HD+), 90Hz |
Performance
💡 The phone's brain — it decides speed today and how well it ages.
| Chipset | Unisoc T606 |
| RAM | 4GB / 6GB |
| Storage | 64GB / 128GB |
Cameras
💡 Megapixels aren't everything — lens variety matters more day-to-day.
| main | 13MP |
| front | 8MP |
Battery & charging
💡 Capacity in mAh — bigger usually means longer between charges.
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| Charging | 10W wired |
Build
💡 Size, weight, and the materials between your phone and the floor.
| Dimensions | 163.2 x 75 x 8.5 mm |
| Weight | 187 g |
| Materials | Plastic frame and back |
| Water resistance | Splash resistant (no IP rating) |
Software & connectivity
💡 The software it ships with, and how far it can upgrade.
| Software | Android 14 |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 5, BT 5.0, NFC, USB-C |
| Update policy | ~2 years of updates (our estimate from Nokia's track record — written minimum is 5 years) |
Better-value alternatives
Similar price, lower cost per month of safe ownership.
Frequently asked questions
Is the HMD Pulse still getting updates in 2026?
Yes. HMD promised two OS upgrades and three years of security patches from the April 2024 launch, so the Pulse should remain patched into 2027.
How long will the HMD Pulse last?
Its self-repair design and replaceable battery mean it can stay usable for years, and the three-year security promise is unusually long for this price, making it a solid long-haul budget phone.
Is the HMD Pulse worth buying in 2026?
Yes as a very cheap, repairable basics phone. Just accept the slow chip, 720p screen, and 4G-only connectivity, which are the trade-offs for the low price.
Compare it
Specs are collected from manufacturer documentation; prices reflect major US retailers and change often. Support end dates follow each brand's official policy (or, for Apple, its documented historical pattern). Last verified 2026-06-18.