Nokia 6720 classic review: Up a notch

Introduction

Nokia 6720 classic ventures to send the 6220 classic into retirement. There's a year's gap between the two gadgets and a casual observer may as well conclude that a year is a mere eye-blink for midrange Symbian smartphones. Well, we guess it's part of what defines a classic too.

We just need to take due note of the fact that Symbian comes in different Nokia flavors. Nseries, Eseries, classics and touchscreens (as of late) are jostling for the user's favor and securing the platform's market lead. Handsets like the 6720 classic are bottom of this in-house smartphone ladder, so jaw-dropping upgrades are probably not to be expected. Dressing up an old concept without breaking the bank feels quite right in the midrange.

Indeed, only a few changes have been made since the Nokia 6220 classic. Some of them (faster processor, increased battery capacity, 3.5 mm jack and the free lifetime global pedestrian navigation) are duly noticed and appreciated. And the facelift (apologies, 6220 classic) is more than welcome.

Nokia 6720 classic official photos

So, Nokia 6720 classic is good at the smartphone basics and looks quite the realistic and affordable handset it is. A dream gadget it sure isn't but a handy tool for mature budget-conscious users. 6720 classic is pleasingly compact and - thanks to the 600 MHz processor - very snappy. And the curve design makes it sufficiently distinct from the predecessor.

Key features

• ARM 11 600 MHz processor
• Symbian OS, S60 rel. 3.2
• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• Tri-band 3G with 10Mbps HSDPA and 2Mbps HSUPA
• 2.2" 16M-color QVGA display
• 5 megapixel camera, autofocus and LED flash, Carl Zeiss optics
• Nice image quality
• VGA video recording at 15fps
• Built-in GPS receiver
• Free lifetime global pedestrian navigation
• Built-in accelerometer sensor
• Turn-to-mute and turn-to-snooze
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• Bluetooth (with A2DP), TV-out, 3.5mm audio jack
• microSD card slot (16 GB supported, 1GB included)
• Ovi Maps and Ovi Share
• N-gage support
• Steel battery cover

Main disadvantages:

• No Wi-Fi support
• Display is small, poor in image quality and brightness
• Questionable build quality
• Unprotected camera lens, LED instead of xenon are downgrades from the 6220 classic
• Video maxes out at VGA@15 fps

The feature list above implies enough skill to make those contemplating an upgrade to stop thinking and start acting. In all honesty though, the 6720 classic is not to be construed as an upgrade of the 6220 classic. The xenon flash has turned LED, the screen estate hasn't grown a bit, video-recording framerate has dropped. So in the end, this entry-level Symbian smartphone feels more proper choice for those upgrading from S40.

The Nokia 6720 classic isn't the coolest piece of equipment to ever cross our threshold but will never frown at hard work. It claims to have the speed and power and probably enough identity for a basic smartphone package.

Nokia 6720 classic live shots

We don't mean to sound condescending, it only feels fair to have the right expectations of a mid-range device. Users always have the final word but this entry-level Symbian looks quite focused on serving its target audience. No promise made is no promise broken. So, the Nokia 6720 classic is about to prove itself in action. As usual, we'll start by taking a close look at what's on the outside.