The Nokia C5-03 is an entry-level Symbian S6 5th Edition smartphone that makes a great upgrade from the Nokia 5230, or even a replacement for the Nokia 5800. We've been using it for a few weeks now and want to pass on our experiences. Read on to discover more with our Nokia C5-03 living with review.
When you get your hands on any new mobile phone, there's always a bedding in period where you're still finding your way around and getting used to everything. So it's testament to the balance Nokia has found between features and familiarity in the Nokia C5-03 that even a month into using it, this good-looking touchscreen phone already feels like an old friend.
It may be a broad replacement for the Nokia 5800, but put the two side-by-side and you'll quickly notice just how slim and slender the Nokia C5-03 really is.
In fact, for those with hands of the larger persuasion, the combination of the low profile and the rounded back is sometimes actually a problem, as more than once the Nokia C5-03 has nearly slipped out of our grasp while holding it to our ear. That's just a minor issue, though, and one that won't affect most users.
Check out our full Nokia C5-03 review roundup
A lot has been said about the Nokia C5-03 boasting a resistive rather than a capacitive touchscreen. Sure, you lose out on a lot of subtlety in actions like scrolling, but if you ignore that sort of thing, the touchscreen quickly becomes comfortable to use.
The satisfying vibration that confirms on-screen taps plays a big part in that, and largely renders the argument about the lack of a stylus pointless, because of the satisfying tactile feedback you get through your digits. And when clicking on links in small print on websites, even those with the meatiest fingers will be impressed by just how accurate the touch technology is.
Speaking of browsing, the Symbian S60 browser isn't the most intuitive first up, but once you're used to it you'll appreciate the uncluttered screen, even if it means an extra tap just to bring up any functions you want to access. In fact, the browser is one of the few areas we felt ourselves having to work harder than was necessary to get things done.
That doesn't mean there aren't other peculiarities you'll have to get used to in living with the Nokia C5-03. Switching from online to offline mode, for instance, is no more complex than hitting the physical call end button and selecting Offline from the menu that appears. Switching back, though, involves delving deeply into the Settings menu.
Similarly, we've found the fact that the Missed Calls list only details calls you've missed from known contacts to be frustrating too.
In fact, most of our reservations about the Nokia C5-03 are down to the presence of Symbian S60 rather than the newer Symbian^3. To be fair, in large areas of using the Nokia C5-03 you barely notice the difference, but it does make its presence felt to frustrating effect in some areas.
The homescreen's quota of just four pinned shortcuts leaves you regularly swapping out one for another because of just how limited your choice is, though it's offset by the fact that at least you can stick your favourite contacts front and centre too.
In any case, these are all foibles you quickly get used to, and we've certainly encountered worse in our mobile travails. In fact, having used the Nokia C5-03 pretty intensively for a good few weeks now, this attractively priced touchscreen handset has increasingly become a trusty mobile friend.
Sure, it lacks the big-hitting features of its pricier cousins in the Nokia line-up, but there's something about the Nokia C5-03 that recalls a lot of the more well-known mid-range success stories from Nokia's past. In short, if you're looking for a phone that won't cost a fortune but will stand by you for the long haul, you've found it in the Nokia C5-03.
Fellow Nokia C5-03 owners, how have you found Nokia's mid-range C Series contender? Let us know in the Comments below...