Nokia 6303i classic review: Retro chic Tweet

Gsmarena have posted their review of the Nokia 6303i. Here are the phone's key features, main disadvantages and their final impression.

Key features:

* Tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
* 2.2" 16M-color QVGA display with excellent sunlight legibility
* 3 megapixel camera, fixed-focus and LED flash
* QVGA video recording at 8fps
* Refreshed S40 user interface, 6th edition
* Stereo FM radio with RDS
* Bluetooth (with A2DP) and microUSB port
* microSD card slot (16 GB supported, 2GB included)
* Standard 3.5mm audio jack
* Rich preinstalled application package
* Ovi Maps, Store, Contacts and Share
* Solid metal casing, nice oval shapes
* Web browser is WebKit-based and plays YouTube video
* Respectable BL-5CT battery (Li-Ion 1050 mAh)

Main disadvantages:

* No 3G
* Memory card slot under the back cover
* Below par camera image quality
* No smart dialing
* No multi-tasking of any sort
* No office document viewer

Now, we’re at a place we’ve been before. Some things have changed but essentially it’s the same experience. We’re pleased with the refreshed UI, but that’s pretty much it for the updates.

The price is the attention grabber for the Nokia 6303i classic – given its metal build. The 6303i is very good at what it does but S40 UI has inherent limitations which you may need to consider. They are unlikely deal breakers though – at this price point and for the intended target audience.

But before you run off to the store, here are several alternatives you should consider.

The Nokia 6303 classic is an obvious option – it’s got an auto-focus camera and VGA video recording @15fps. The smaller microSD card and the older UI aside, the 6303 classic has the same features as the 6303i.

Or you could go with the newer series that succeeded the classic line. The Nokia C5 is a bit pricier, but puts GPS and Symbian in an equally compact package.

You could of course go for a phone from a couple of years ago. The kind that used to be top-of-the-line but now cost and do more or less the same as the 6303i classic.

The Samsung U800 Soul b (if you can still find it in stores) offers some improved UI features such as Smart dialing and an office document viewer plus it has a 3 megapixel auto focus camera, 3G and a similar all-metal design.

Touchphones have gotten really cheap too, so you can get one for about the same amount of cash. The LG KP500 Cookie, LG GD510, the Samsung S5230 Star and even the Nokia 5230 fall squarely into this category.

Even though a bit overpriced at the moment of writing, we guess Nokia 6303i still has its market segment – it’s exactly what many people are looking for. It won’t make you feel guilty about spending a pile of cash on a gadget, but it’s not a cheap-looking compromise either.

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