Nokia 6720 classic review: Up a notch

Economy class retail package

The Nokia 6720 classic carries quite little luggage, even in this price range. Other than the handset itself, there's a 1GB SD card and a ridiculously short microUSB cable.

Of course you also get a charger and a stereo headset (the same unit as the E63 has). It looks just fine, but the sound is rather disappointing. The 6720 classic has a 3.5mm audio jack anyway, so you can use your favorite headphones no problem.

The retail package contents

Nokia have also enclosed a booklet reminding you to activate your Ovi Maps device lifetime global walk navigation, which is completely free. You also get a 10-day drive navigation license.

Nokia 6720 classic 360-degree spin

Perhaps one of the best things about the Nokia 6720 classic is its compact size. The dimensions of 110 x 45 x 14 mm add up to volume of the mere 64 cc, which is even more compact than its 6220 classic predecessor (66 cc). The handset will fit in every pocket or purse just like that.

What seems quite an advantage to us, the small Nokia 6720 classic weighs the quite respectable 110 grams. The solid hand feel is definitely an asset for the 6720 classic.

Design and construction

Dressed to the nines is perhaps the last thing to say about the Nokia 6720 classic. But the handset's subdued styling is quite in line with its rank actually. While the Iron grey variety of the device is more mainstream, the Chestnut brown just isn't everyone's cup of tea. The very subtle bend at the bottom is supposed to improve handling and it kinda manages to. It also gives the phone a distinct outline, Androidish in a way, though a lot less prominent.

The 2.2" display of the Nokia 6720 classic supports QVGA resolution and up to 16 million colors.

The screen estate is among the first things to be held against the 6720 classic. Not only is it the same size as the year-old 6220 classic, the screen does look below par in terms of image quality.

Above the display there is an ambient light sensor but brightness can be set manually too. In either case the maximum brightness setting feels inadequate (especially for a company with such a track record in displays).

Color rendering is also quite inaccurate and though the user interface themes look quite alright, viewing any images is quite a disappointing experience with a distinct bluish hues and overall washed colors.

Sunlight legibility is perfect though as usual - Nokia transflective displays don't rely on backlighting to ensure performance in direct sunlight.

The 2.2" 16M-color QVGA display could have been brighter

Below the display we find the standard set of Symbian controls - three knobs on either side of a traditional D-pad. Those include the two context-dependent keys, Menu and Clear buttons, along with the Call and End keys. They are decently sized and tactile.

The controls below the display are quite friendly

Below the navigation deck is the standard 12-key numpad. The alphanumeric buttons are large enough to guarantee trouble-free typing. The keypad styling is quite reminiscent of the Nokia 6233, only even more comfortable now. Anyways, visually it's quite an improvement over the cheapo looking Nokia 6220 classic keypad.

The curve in the lower part of handset's body is supposed to enhance handling (especially the use of the bottom row of keys), but the improvement is less than marginal.

A very comfortable keypad

The other things to note up front are the ambient light sensor, the secondary QVGA video-call camera (capable of taking QVGA still-shots and QCIF videos) and the earpiece grill at the top.

The ambient light sensor is next to the earpiece

The sides of the Nokia 6720 classic are slightly curved at the bottom and feature the standard controls.

You get a shutter key and a volume rocker on the right. The camera button has glossy finish, while the volume rocker uses the same matt plastic that covers the phone's edge. Both controls are quite comfortable and there isn't a thing to complain about. Just above the volume rocker is one of the two inbuilt speakers.

The camera and volume controls are large and solid to press * one of the two inbuilt speakers

The left side hosts the microUSB port and the microSD card slot, hidden under a shared protective lid. Lifting the lid sometimes can cause the whole side panel to wobble which feels terrible really.

The other speaker along with the microUSB port and the microSD card slot

The bottom of the Nokia 6720 classic hosts the standard 3.5mm audio jack and the mouthpiece, as well as the proprietary charger plug. The latter has a status LED that glows when charging.

Mouthpiece, charger plug and 3.5mm audio jack at the bottom

The top of Nokia 6720 is completely bereft of controls. As smooth as it gets, this certainly is the better looking side of the device.

There's nothing going on at the top

The back cover of the handset features the 5 megapixel camera lens with its LED flash. Around the lens and the flash, there is a fake gemstone patterned surface, which is quite a questionable ornament for a conservative handset such as the 6270c.

The 5 megapixel camera lens and that thing around it

Xenon is not the only difference from the preceding 6220 classic. The camera lens has virtually no protection against scratches. You'll need to be extra careful handling your phone if you don't want to compromise the image quality with a damaged lens.

The better part of the Nokia 6720 classic rear is the actual battery cover, which is made of steel. Removing it reveals the SIM card compartment and of course the Li-Ion battery. The 900 mAh unit in Nokia 6220 classic has been promoted to 1050 mAh. You can easily count on three (even up to four) days of light-to-moderate use.

The battery has grown compared to the 6220 classic

The overall build quality of the Nokia 6720 classic is quite adequate but just keep in mind that the phone side is quite wobbly once you've removed the battery cover - that was the only unpleasant surprise. Otherwise, the phone is well put together and a lot classier than the Nokia 6220 classic.

The Nokia 6720 is generally well built though hardly impressive