I have personally always struggled to find a reason to get a tablet. But spending time with the Nokia T20 made me realize how handy it is to have one with you.

By the numbers

I want to focus on the experience using the Nokia T20 right away so I’m dropping the spec sheet here so we’re all on the same page.

• Display – 10.4” IPS LCD
• Processor – Unisoc T610 chip
• OS – Android 11
• RAM and Storage – 4GB+64GB, Expandable up to 512GB via MicroSD card
• Main Camera – 8MP
• Selfie Camera – 5MP
• Battery – 8,200mAh
• Price: PhP 12,990, SG$ 345, US$ 250

It honestly seems bland on paper, but you can squeeze out plenty of usage with it.

Work companion 

I wasn’t able to take a photo in action, but the Nokia T20 proved most useful to me as a sort of extra screen during workdays. Video conference calls/events have been the norm ever since the pandemic hit. And while the laptop I use can more than handle running Zoom, MS Teams, Google Meet or whatever app is required for the video call, having it all on the same machine can feel overwhelming for me.

Having the Nokia T20 meant I could attend events on a separate, sizable screen. And I don’t feel like my attention is divided even as I complete other tasks on the laptop while attending an event. It seems like a small thing, but it goes a long way in having your work setup feel less cluttered.

Binge-buddy

Where this slate truly shines, though, is as your bring anywhere binge buddy. And you can tell that Nokia intended for it to be as such. It has this thing called Entertainment Space. It’s kind of a space that you can access from the left side of your screen and it’ll have a selection of various videos, movies, and what have you for you to watch.

The 10.4” IPS LCD seems underwhelming on paper, but it’s more htan enough for whatever content you decide to watch. It also isn’t a power hungry display so you can watch stuff for hours on end. By our usage, it lasted for over a day of getting lost in YouTube and TikTok blackholes.

The speakers aren’t anything special. But they get loud enough when necessary and the sound doesn’t turn into a buzzy mess when fully turned up. You can have this on some countertop, desk, and it’ll be more than good enough to let you hear what you need to.

Of course, for more personal viewing sessions, you can always pair it with the Nokia P3600 for an elevated audio experience. Whether you really want to listen intently, or you don’t want anyone else hearing what you’re watching, this is a nice pair of true wireless earbuds to use with the Nokia T20.

The camera situation

One thing that continues to puzzle me is the inclusion of rear cameras on tablets. I think it’s well documented that taking photos using a tablet isn’t exactly the best look.

And manufacturers don’t really put the best rear cameras on here. What I hope is that they would just focus on improving the selfie camera since that is what likely will be used more anyway.

So no, we didn’t take photos because it’s just really kind of silly. Wish they just put that 8MP camera on the front instead for, at least, better video calls.

Everything else

We barely used the Nokia T20 for anything other than the above mentioned. Naturally, you can treat it as a huge-ass phone and use social media. Browsing Instagram is nice since the photos seem larger.

It also works well for reading sessions. Whether that’s using reading apps or you’re just catching up with the news online, it feels rather nice to do on a tablet.

Oh, and it’s worth noting that you can put a separate SIM card on this thing — perhaps one that can be focused on data consumption to match your video-viewing needs.

As with many tablets, Nokia expected this to be somewhat of a family device. There are options to restrict certain apps for children. So, if you’re a parent looking to share a tablet with your child, you’ll be pleased to know that this was taken into account.

Is the Nokia T20 your GadgetMatch? 

The Nokia T20 seems like it’s in kind of a sweet spot when it comes to price-to-performance ratio. It’s not too expensive for an extra device to have around the household, and it’s capable of more things than what we used it for.

Personally, I’d pick a smaller slate – perhaps somewhere in the 7-inch to 8.5-inch range. But that’s just me. This 10.5-inch slate doesn’t feel too big and works quite well whether you’re stationary or on-the-go.