HMD Global is stepping up its game with the launch of the HMD Skyline 5G, a smartphone packed with premium features that aim to compete with flagship models, all while maintaining a more competitive price. Positioned as a high-performance device, the Skyline 5G offers an impressive array of features that cater to tech enthusiasts, photography lovers, and gamers alike.
With its eye-catching design, powerful internals, and robust camera system, the HMD Skyline 5G is set to make a significant impact in the mid-premium smartphone market. Let’s take a detailed look at what makes this device stand out.
Sleek Design and Stunning Display
The HMD Skyline 5G features a sleek and modern design, crafted with a focus on both style and ergonomics. While exact details on the materials used haven’t been officially disclosed, HMD is known for its durable builds, often incorporating a metal frame or premium plastic with a glossy finish. The design is expected to offer a high-end feel, ensuring a comfortable grip and ease of use, while still being robust enough for everyday use.
The display on the Skyline 5G is one of its highlights. It boasts a 6.55-inch Full HD+ pOLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate. pOLED (Plastic OLED) panels are known for their thin and lightweight characteristics while delivering the same stunning colours and contrast ratios as traditional OLED screens. The Full HD+ resolution ensures crisp and vibrant visuals, making it ideal for media consumption, gaming, and general use.
The high 144Hz refresh rate will particularly appeal to gamers and users who prioritize fluidity and smoothness in their everyday interactions. Scrolling through apps, playing high-frame-rate games, and even multitasking will feel incredibly smooth, offering a premium experience. Combined with the vivid colors and deep blacks characteristic of OLED technology, this display promises an immersive visual experience.
Performance: Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 for a Smooth Ride
Under the hood, the HMD Skyline 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 is designed for upper mid-range devices, offering a balance between power efficiency and performance. Built on a 4nm process, this chip ensures that the phone handles demanding tasks with ease, from multitasking and gaming to intensive app usage and content streaming.
The chipset is paired with 12GB of RAM, ensuring smooth performance even when juggling multiple apps or running intensive tasks. This combination of processor and RAM makes the Skyline 5G more than capable of handling daily usage scenarios and more intensive processes like video editing or gaming. The phone comes with 256GB of internal storage, offering ample space for storing apps, photos, videos, and other media files. For most users, this storage capacity will be more than enough, though it’s unclear if HMD will include microSD card support for further expansion.
With Android 14 out of the box, the Skyline 5G comes with the latest features and optimizations that Google’s operating system has to offer. Android 14 brings improvements to battery life, privacy settings, and general system performance. Additionally, HMD’s near-stock Android experience ensures minimal bloatware, delivering a cleaner, more responsive interface.
Camera Setup: A Photography Powerhouse
The HMD Skyline 5G truly shines in the camera department, making it an excellent choice for photography enthusiasts. It features a powerful triple-camera setup on the rear, led by a massive 108MP main sensor. The main camera also includes Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), ensuring that photos remain crisp and clear even in challenging lighting conditions or when shooting on the go. The large sensor size ensures that the Skyline 5G captures an extraordinary level of detail, especially in daylight, while the OIS helps improve low-light photography by stabilizing the sensor during longer exposures.
Supporting the main camera is a 50MP telephoto lens, which provides detailed zoom capabilities without compromising image quality. This high-resolution telephoto sensor allows users to capture distant subjects with clarity, making it a great addition for travel or nature photography. The third sensor is a 13MP ultra-wide camera, perfect for capturing expansive landscapes, cityscapes, or group photos. The ultra-wide lens offers a broader field of view, allowing users to fit more into the frame, which is especially useful for panoramic shots or when shooting in tight spaces.
On the front, the Skyline 5G features an equally impressive 50MP selfie camera. This high-resolution front sensor ensures that your selfies are packed with detail and color accuracy. Whether you’re capturing solo shots, group selfies, or video calls, the front camera is more than capable of delivering top-tier performance, even in lower-light settings.
Battery and Charging: All-Day Power with Fast Charging Support
Powering the HMD Skyline 5G is a 4600mAh battery, which is slightly smaller compared to some of its competitors, but it promises solid all-day performance thanks to the power-efficient Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 and optimizations from Android 14. For the average user, this battery capacity should be more than enough to last through a day of regular use, including social media browsing, gaming, streaming, and occasional photography.
The phone supports 33W wired fast charging, allowing users to quickly top up their battery in a short amount of time. While 33W isn’t the fastest charging technology on the market, it’s still capable of delivering a significant charge in a matter of minutes. Additionally, the Skyline 5G supports 15W wireless charging, a feature that’s often found in more premium devices. Wireless charging adds an extra layer of convenience, especially for users who prefer to avoid dealing with cables.
HMD Skyline 5G Specification
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Rear Camera | 108 MP (OIS) + 50 MP Telephoto + 13 MP Ultra-Wide |
| Front Camera | 50 MP |
| Processor | Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 |
| Display | 6.55-inch, 144Hz, FHD+ pOLED |
| Battery | 4600mAh |
| Charging | 33W Wired / 15W Wireless |
| Operating System | Android 14 |
| RAM | 12 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB |
| Price | â‚ą35,999 |
Pricing and Value for Money
The HMD Skyline 5G is priced at â‚ą35,999 (approximately $485), positioning it firmly in the upper mid-range segment. Given its combination of high-end features, including the 108MP camera system, 144Hz OLED display, and Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor, this price point offers great value for the features it provides.
In this price range, the Skyline 5G competes with the likes of the OnePlus Nord 3, Samsung Galaxy A74, and Xiaomi’s upper mid-range models. However, the Skyline 5G stands out with its powerful camera system, fluid display, and wireless charging support, all of which are not always available in similarly priced competitors.
The HMD Skyline 5G is an exciting addition to the smartphone market, blending high-performance hardware with thoughtful design and a powerful camera system. For users who prioritize photography, display quality, and smooth performance, this phone offers an excellent balance of features without stretching into flagship pricing.
Its competitive price, premium design, and impressive spec sheet make it a strong contender for anyone looking to upgrade to a feature-packed, mid-premium smartphone. If you’re after a device that combines style, substance, and cutting-edge tech, the HMD Skyline 5G should definitely be on your radar.