HMD’s New “Pulse” Series Phones Ditch the Nokia Branding
After months of leaks and rumors, HMD Global has finally announced the first batch of its non-Nokia smartphones, the HMD Pulse series. The launch includes three budget-friendly handsets, which feature several similarities in terms of hardware specifications, including a rather low-end Unisoc T606 chipset inside.
HMD Pulse
HMD Pulse
First up is the HMD Pulse, which can be described as the most wallet-friendly option of the three phones. Priced at €140, it features a 6.65″ LCD display with a 720p+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate, with up to 600 nits of brightness. For optics, the The Pulse has a basic 13MP main sensor on the back with autofocus and a depth sensor, in addition to a front-facing 8MP selfie camera; it’s powered by a 5,000 mAh battery inside.
For software, the HMD Pulse comes with Android 14 alongside two years of OS updates, and three years of security patches. There’s also up to 6GB of RAM inside, in addition to 64GB of expandable storage.
HMD Pulse+ & Pulse Pro
HMD Pulse+
Meanwhile, the HMD Pulse+ bumps the price up to €160, and offers an 8GB RAM option alongside the existing 4GB and 6GB. Storage is doubled to 128GB, although everything else remains similar, except for the main camera – the Plus comes with a 50MP sensor.
HMD Pulse Pro
The most expensive of the trio, the Pulse Pro is priced at €180 and follows suit with the same display, processor, and rear camera setup. However, it does feature a higher-resolution 50MP front camera for selfies and video calls. Both the Pro and Plus models come with 20W fast charging for the 5,000mAh battery, compared to the Pulse’s 10W.
Availability
In terms of availability, the HMD Pulse and Pulse+ are available for purchase now on HMD.com, with the Pro model set to launch at a later date, HMD is also marketing the phones’ repairability features, meaning the users can purchase optional repair kits as well.
HMD isn’t bringing the entire Pulse series to the US however, although interested buyers can wait for an upcoming US version called the “HMD Vibe,” which will be priced at $150.