Nokia 6120 review

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Strange isn't it, that many understated designs go on to become timeless classics; the little black dress, a Rolex watch and a 60s Mercedes SL for example, all remain simple, stylish and the choice for anyone wanting a degree of coolness that is tough to define. Nokia, once king of the simple design, look set to add to that exclusive list with the launch of the 6120 Classic, a phone that may be ignored by those who are attracted by flashing lights and an even flashier design, but will catch the eye of anyone preferring a little more…restraint.

But as is often the case, the discreet casing of the 6120 conceals the height of technology; a 3G Symbian based Smartphone. By using the same software as the expensive and it has to be said, bulky, N and E-series Nokia phones, the 6120 has applications such as Quick Office (used to view PDF, Word and Excel documents) installed and can accept various applications found on the internet, making the phone perfect for the business or power user. The 240x320 TFT screen displays 16 million colours and is a joy to interact with, making even video calls with the VGA camera look smooth and vibrant.

This level of quality also makes navigation and use of the phones operating system pleasant too, with the text when composing an SMS being as clear and definable as the miniature animations used for identifying functions. Symbian operating systems may not be as good as they will inevitably get, but this latest incarnation is superior to anything yet seen, so if you have tried older Symbian phones and were put off by their instability, you'll be pleased to find things have moved on.

As mentioned above, the Classic has a VGA camera for video calls, but it also has a 2MP camera mounted on the back too. Although it isn't one of the Carl Zeiss branded items found on the top range Nokia phones, the pictures are still perfectly acceptable, but still not on a par with Sony-Ericsson's Cybershot camera phones. A set of Nokia headphones are included in the box and the 6120 can play MP3's stored on a MicroSD card or the 35MB of internal memory. Although you can browse the Internet and receive email, the 6120 does lack Wi-Fi connectivity, but then it does have to leave something for the other Symbian Nokia's to do!

This is what sums the 6120 Classic up really, it does almost everything that phones costing twice the price can do, while being wrapped up in a 15mm thick case that weighs just 89 grams! Nokia have succumbed to only one 'customisation' feature, as the phone is available with different colour highlights, but this is easily ignored as the phone looks best in all-silver – it just doesn't need any garnishing. So, this is what will happen. All the magpie's will ignore the 6120 on the shelf, preferring the one that looks like a mobile disco, leaving it for those who understand that sophisticated style never goes out of fashion.

Nokia 6120 specs and features

• Quad Band
• 2 Megapixel Camera
• 35MB memory
• microSD Card Slot (TransFlash)
• HSDPA for super fast access
• EDGE
• Document viewer (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, PDF)
• Symbian OS 9.2, S60 rel. 3.1
• Stereo FM radio and MP3 player
• Dimensions: 105 x 46 x 15 mm
• Weight: 89 grams
• Standby Time: Up to 250hrs
• Talk Time: Up to 3hrs