The Skyline is the latest offering from HMD Global. It’s a budget smartphone, but it aims to deliver features typically found in more expensive models. The question is, can it truly compete in the crowded market of 2024? Let’s find out.
Specification
| HMD Skyline Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Design & Build | Sleek design with Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, aluminum frame, available in Midnight Black, Arctic Blue, and Sunset Gold. |
| Dimensions & Weight | 7.9mm thickness, 170 grams weight. |
| Display | 6.4-inch AMOLED, Full HD+ resolution (2400 x 1080 pixels), 411 PPI, HDR10, Always-On Display. |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695, Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6×1.7 GHz Cortex-A55). |
| RAM & Storage | 6GB/8GB RAM, 128GB internal storage, expandable up to 1TB via microSD card. |
| Rear Camera | Triple Camera Setup: 64MP primary sensor (f/1.8), 8MP ultra-wide (120-degree FOV), 2MP depth sensor. |
| Front Camera | 16MP selfie camera. |
| Battery | 4,500mAh, 30W fast charging. |
| Operating System | Android 13, near-stock experience, 2 years of major updates, 3 years of security updates. |
| Connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, Dual SIM support. |
| Audio | Single bottom-firing speaker, 3.5mm headphone jack, support for high-resolution audio, Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX. |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner, face unlock, regular security updates. |
| Price | $299 (6GB/128GB), $349 (8GB/128GB). |
Design and Build Quality
Sleek Yet Durable
The HMD Skyline sports a sleek, modern design. It has a smooth, glossy finish on the back, which makes it look premium. The smartphone is slim and lightweight, making it easy to hold and carry around. It measures 7.9mm in thickness and weighs around 170 grams. The phone feels solid in hand, thanks to its aluminum frame, which adds to its durability.
Glass and Metal Combo
The front and back of the HMD Skyline are protected by Gorilla Glass 5. This gives it resistance against scratches and minor drops. The aluminum frame not only adds strength but also gives the phone a polished, premium feel. The Skyline comes in three colors: Midnight Black, Arctic Blue, and Sunset Gold. All these colors have a metallic sheen that looks stunning in different lighting conditions.
Button and Port Placement
On the right side, you’ll find the volume rocker and power button, which are easily reachable. The power button also doubles as a fingerprint scanner, making it convenient to unlock the phone. At the bottom, there’s a USB-C charging port, speaker grille, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The inclusion of a headphone jack is a welcome feature, especially in a world where many smartphones are doing away with it.
Ergonomics and Usability
The Skyline is designed to be comfortable for one-handed use. The curved edges and slim profile ensure that it fits well in the hand. Despite its glossy finish, the phone doesn’t slip easily, thanks to the slightly textured surface on the back. However, it can attract fingerprints, so a case or a regular wipe might be necessary.
Display Quality
Vibrant AMOLED Display
The HMD Skyline features a 6.4-inch AMOLED display. This is a significant upgrade from the LCD screens found in many budget smartphones. The AMOLED panel offers deep blacks and vibrant colors, making everything from watching videos to playing games a visual treat.
Full HD+ Resolution
The display has a Full HD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. This gives it a pixel density of 411 PPI (Pixels Per Inch), which ensures sharp and clear visuals. Text looks crisp, and images have a good amount of detail. The aspect ratio is 20:9, which makes the phone slightly taller, providing more screen space for browsing and multimedia consumption.
Brightness and Outdoor Visibility
The Skyline’s display can reach a peak brightness of 700 nits. This makes it bright enough to use outdoors, even under direct sunlight. The colors remain vivid, and the text is legible, which is crucial for those who spend a lot of time outside.
HDR Support
The HMD Skyline also supports HDR10, which enhances the quality of video content. HDR support means you’ll get better contrast, more vivid colors, and more details in both the brightest and darkest parts of the screen. This is particularly noticeable when watching streaming services that support HDR content, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
Always-On Display
The AMOLED technology also enables an Always-On Display feature. This allows you to see the time, date, and notifications at a glance without waking the phone. It’s a subtle feature, but one that adds to the overall user experience.
Performance and Software
Mid-Range Processor with Solid Performance
Under the hood, the HMD Skyline is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor. This is a mid-range chipset, but it offers solid performance for everyday tasks. It’s an octa-core processor with two Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.2 GHz for performance tasks and six Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.7 GHz for efficiency.
RAM and Storage Options
The Skyline comes with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, depending on the variant you choose. This ensures smooth multitasking and quick app switching. In terms of storage, it offers 128GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 1TB via a microSD card. This is a plus for users who store a lot of media files or apps.
Gaming Performance
For gaming, the HMD Skyline handles most games well. Casual games like Candy Crush or Clash of Clans run smoothly without any issues. Even more demanding games like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty: Mobile are playable, though you might need to lower the graphics settings for the best experience. The Adreno 619 GPU is not the most powerful, but it does a decent job for a phone in this price range.
Software Experience
The HMD Skyline runs on Android 13, with a near-stock experience. There’s no heavy skin or bloatware, which makes the interface clean and easy to navigate. HMD Global promises two years of major Android updates and three years of security updates, which is a strong commitment in the budget segment.
Battery Life and Charging
All-Day Battery
The HMD Skyline comes with a 4,500mAh battery. This is enough to get you through a full day of moderate use. On average, you can expect about 6-7 hours of screen-on time. This includes activities like browsing the web, checking social media, streaming videos, and even some gaming.
Fast Charging Support
The phone supports 30W fast charging, which can charge the phone from 0 to 50% in just 30 minutes. It takes about 80 minutes for a full charge. This is convenient for those who are always on the go and need to top up their battery quickly.
Battery Optimization Features
The Skyline also includes some battery optimization features. These include adaptive battery, which learns your usage patterns and limits battery usage for apps you don’t use often. There’s also a battery saver mode, which restricts background activities to extend battery life in critical moments.
Camera Performance
Versatile Triple Camera Setup
The HMD Skyline is equipped with a versatile triple-camera setup on the rear. It includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. This setup allows you to capture a wide variety of shots, from detailed landscapes to portraits with a blurred background.
Primary Camera Performance
The 64MP primary camera captures detailed and sharp images in good lighting conditions. The colors are vibrant and accurate, though sometimes a bit oversaturated. In low light, the camera performs decently, thanks to the f/1.8 aperture that lets in a good amount of light. Night mode further enhances the quality of low-light photos by reducing noise and brightening shadows.
Ultra-Wide Camera
The 8MP ultra-wide camera is useful for capturing landscapes or group photos. It offers a 120-degree field of view, which is wide enough to fit more into the frame. The images from the ultra-wide camera are not as detailed as those from the primary camera, but they are good enough for sharing on social media.
Portrait Mode
The 2MP depth sensor helps in capturing portraits with a blurred background, also known as the bokeh effect. The edge detection is decent, and the blur looks natural in most cases. However, the 2MP resolution is a bit limiting, and the details might not be as sharp as you would like.
Selfie Camera
On the front, the Skyline has a 16MP selfie camera. It captures detailed and sharp selfies in good lighting. The camera also supports portrait mode, which works well most of the time. In low light, the quality drops a bit, but it’s still acceptable for a budget smartphone.
Video Recording
The HMD Skyline can record videos in 1080p at 30fps. The video quality is decent, with good color reproduction and stable footage, thanks to electronic image stabilization (EIS). However, the absence of 4K video recording might be a downside for some users.
Connectivity and Additional Features
5G Connectivity
One of the standout features of the HMD Skyline is its 5G connectivity. This makes it future-proof, as 5G networks become more widespread. The phone supports multiple 5G bands, ensuring compatibility with most carriers around the world.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
The phone also supports dual-band Wi-Fi, ensures stable and fast internet connections whether you’re at home, in the office, or on the go. It supports Wi-Fi 6, which is faster and more efficient than previous standards, making it ideal for streaming and gaming. Bluetooth 5.1 is also included, offering a reliable and efficient connection for wireless headphones, speakers, and other accessories.
NFC Support
The HMD Skyline comes with NFC (Near Field Communication) support, which is a significant plus for users who frequently use mobile payment services like Google Pay. NFC also enables quick and easy pairing with compatible devices and supports other contactless interactions.
Dual SIM and Expandable Storage
The Skyline offers dual SIM support, allowing you to use two phone numbers simultaneously. This is particularly useful for people who want to separate work and personal calls or for frequent travelers who need access to a local number in addition to their primary SIM. The hybrid SIM slot also supports expandable storage, allowing you to use a microSD card of up to 1TB if you need more space for apps, photos, and other media.
GPS and Other Sensors
For navigation, the HMD Skyline includes GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, and BDS. These multiple positioning systems ensure accurate and quick location tracking, whether you’re using Google Maps for directions or a fitness app to track your run. Other sensors include an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and compass, which enhance the overall functionality of the phone.
Audio Quality
Loudspeaker Performance
The HMD Skyline is equipped with a single bottom-firing speaker. While it’s not a stereo setup, the speaker delivers decent audio quality for a budget smartphone. The sound is loud enough to fill a small room, making it suitable for casual media consumption or speakerphone calls. However, at higher volumes, the audio can become slightly distorted, and the bass might feel lacking.
3.5mm Headphone Jack
The inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack is a welcome feature, especially for users who prefer wired headphones. The audio quality through the headphone jack is good, with clear sound and a balanced output. It supports high-resolution audio, making it a good choice for music lovers who want to enjoy their favorite tracks with good quality headphones.
Bluetooth Audio
For wireless audio, the Skyline supports Bluetooth 5.1, which offers a stable and efficient connection. The phone supports various Bluetooth audio codecs, including SBC, AAC, and aptX, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of wireless headphones and speakers. The audio quality over Bluetooth is clear, with minimal latency, making it suitable for both music and video content.
Security Features
Fingerprint Scanner
The HMD Skyline comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button. This placement is both convenient and intuitive, allowing you to unlock the phone quickly with your thumb or index finger. The scanner is fast and accurate, rarely failing to recognize a registered fingerprint.
Face Unlock
In addition to the fingerprint scanner, the Skyline also offers face unlock. This feature uses the front camera to scan your face and unlock the phone. While it’s not as secure as fingerprint or password protection, it’s a convenient option when you need to unlock your phone quickly. The face unlock works well in good lighting, but it might struggle in low-light conditions.
Software Security
The HMD Skyline runs on Android 13 with a promise of regular security updates for three years. This commitment from HMD Global ensures that your device remains secure against the latest threats. The phone also includes Google’s suite of security features, such as Google Play Protect, which scans apps for malicious content.
Price and Availability
Competitive Pricing
The HMD Skyline is priced competitively, making it an attractive option in the budget smartphone market. The base model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is priced at around $299, while the higher-end variant with 8GB of RAM costs around $349. This pricing positions the Skyline as a strong contender against other budget smartphones from brands like Xiaomi, Samsung, and Realme.
Availability
The HMD Skyline is available in various regions, including Europe, Asia, and North America. It can be purchased from major online retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, as well as directly from HMD Global’s official website. The phone is also available through various carriers, often bundled with data plans, which can make it even more affordable.
- 6.4-inch AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution and HDR10 support.
- Snapdragon 695 processor with up to 8GB of RAM ensures smooth performance.