The Nokia 5230 touchscreen smartphone has been officially launched, it’s cheap, and you can get your hands on it right now from Nokia Online! Better yet, it packs the same stunning 360 x 640-pixel screen as the more expensive Nokia 5800, and we know where you can get it for even less than the £159 quoted price. Read on to find out more…

The Nokia 5230 has a high-resolution 3.2-inch touch-sensitive display lets you carry out commands at the swipe of a finger. It’s also larger than the screen found on the mid-range Nokia 5530, representing something of a bargain. Pre-installed software includes Nokia’s Ovi Maps 3.0, and along with A-GPS it turns the Nokia 5230 into a sat-nav device.

3G/HSDPA connectivity offers fast web browsing – letting you take full advantage of that large screen. It’s not all good, however, as the stripped-down price also means you’ll find a lower specification than that of the Nokia 5530 or Nokia 5800 – with a 2-megapixel camera in place of the 3.2-megapixel snapper offered on its siblings.

Check out the Nokia 5230 tech spec

You’ll also have to say goodbye to the 4GB MicroSD found in the Nokia 5530 (8GB in the range-topping Nokia 5800), although you’ll still be able to provide your own MicroSD storage. It’s all worth it when it comes to price, however, as the Nokia 5230 easily undercuts its bigger brothers.

Prices for the Nokia 5230 start at £159 (inc. VAT) SIM-free from Nokia Online. You’ll be able to get it for even less from Play, at just £150 (inc. VAT), or from £120 (inc. VAT) on Pay As You Go. Does this sound like a bargain to you, or would you rather pay more for the better specced Nokia 5530 or Nokia 5800. Let us know what you think.