Nokia, 6300

It must be galling to rise under another’s shadow; to know that, if you hadn’t been born into the wrong generation, you’d be a star.

Like every F1 driver during Schumacher’s reign or golfer since Tiger Woods’ breakthrough the Nokia 6300 knows how that feels. Because born within two shakes of this slimline, stylish mobile was the slimline, stylish Sony Ericsson W880i, and it seems almost impossible to mention the former without measuring it up against the latter.

Unfair contest?
The W880i, being a Walkman phone, is blessed with a fine MP3 player, but it’s also 3G to the 6300’s 2.5G. Many would argue that its shouty, supermodel sleekness is preferable to the Nokia’s skinny girl next door. Yet this is far from one-sided.

Where the Nokia will win itself many friends – apart from those more attracted to subtle beauty – is that it’s the quintessential Nokia. The Series 40 interface is as simple to use as ever. Sure, you need to know about ‘Profiles’ if you’re to ever change the ringtones, but mostly it’s all very familiar and sensibly laid out.

One in the eye for the W880i is that the 6300’s buttons are a sensible size, although the D-pad is more of a pain – it’s easy to press the centre accidentally when trying to push a direction. Or maybe that’s just us and our podgy digits.

Nokia has been generous with the size of the screen, too, which is QVGA (320x240-pixel) and bursting with 16 million colours. It’s bright and clear, even if it’s not the pinnacle of mobile screen tech. So far, so good.

Long-distance runner
Another endearing feature is the amazing battery life – you’ll get about a fortnight on standby, which is phenomenal. The 2MP camera is just above average and the music player is, although far from Walkman standards, a decent performer. Storage comes courtesy of a microSD slot, giving up to 2GB.

So there are plenty of things to love about this phone, but ultimately the package isn’t as loveable as the Sony Ericsson. There just isn’t that one thing to really hook you. But a great, solid mobile nonetheless.

Tech Specs