Nokia 515 review: Time machine

20 November 2013
They certainly don’t make them like that anymore. Been a while though and we’re not sure if this is a compliment. It’s been long enough since speed dial was invented. And T9 predictive text. Or color displays. So, what’s the Nokia 515 doing here...

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • LD2
  • 21 Nov 2013

Thanks gsmarena for this helpful review (even if it hasn't many details). I didn't know what justify the price of this feature phone. It's a very featured phone for its range.

    • n
    • nuhtym
    • 2Td
    • 21 Nov 2013

    Nice phone, the point that it isn't smart and has good looks makes me buy it. Less smart features more battery life, i still use 206 and charge only twice a week, with at least couple of hours worth of call every day. Wonder how long this would last

      • b
      • buntzi
      • Kxr
      • 21 Nov 2013

      Does anyone noticed that nowadays no phone with the screen around 2.2" have more than 256k colours?
      My 4 yo samsung S5200 have a 2.4" screen with 16M colours, the nokia 6500 that was referred in this review had the same. Why the NEW phones have such crummy screens?
      Despite not being a nokia fan, I do admire this phone, at least for the design part. It just...beautiful.

        • h
        • human
        • fxH
        • 21 Nov 2013

        Thanks gsmarena for the review. I was confused should i upgrade or not from my X2-00 but after reading the review i am surely upgrading. The only 2 features 515 missing is memory card hot swap & music keys.

          • h
          • human
          • fxH
          • 21 Nov 2013

          MdN8, 21 Nov 2013Thanks for the review, enjoyed it like in the good old days... moreUse uc browser for browsing. uc browser has brightness settings.

            • h
            • human
            • fxH
            • 21 Nov 2013

            LWFGOM, 20 Nov 2013Nokia long time ego should make sth like new version of E72... moreI totally agree with you

              • 5
              • 515 Owner
              • jHS
              • 21 Nov 2013

              Thanks for the review. I bought this phone from eBay about a month ago when the price dropped below $200 US. It is a minimalist phone, but it does its job well. Reminds me of so many S40 devices I had in the past, but they were all plastic devices that would easily show wear (scratches, paint coming off) and then stop working due to flex (actually, the SIM card would come loose). The build of this phone is superb, minus the keypad; hopefully, this will last several years.

              I only get EDGE on T-Mobile in the US, but there are no apps in the store anyway and the pre-loaded apps suck. But that's not why I got this phone; for basic messaging and PHONE CALLS it is perfect. I have charged it twice since I got it. Since somebody is bound to ask: there is no WhatsApp.

              It does not take the old style Nokia phone charger (I have about a dozen laying around); it relies on microUSB only. This is probably a weakness, since Nokia microUSB charging ports wear out after a couple of years (hello E7 users!). The camera is fixed focus, crap quality but has LED flash and 5MP. Nokia's Ovi Suite and PC Suite (both on Windows) fail to recognize the device, so I cannot transfer data across from an older Nokia. Neither does the older Nokia see the 515 over Bluetooth, so I cannot send information across that way.

              In another thread, someone said that the 515 only supported 100 contacts. That is a lie; I have a couple hundred saved on the SIM card, and had no problem loading them onto the phone itself.

              Thanks Nokia, for all the memories. Now it's time to remove Nokia from the top of the menu at the left of this page and replace with Jolla ;)

                • p
                • playboy
                • sUw
                • 21 Nov 2013

                Nokia should make Symbian smartphones again and no doubt this phone is really a great phone in current time.tthannxx NOKIA.

                  • M
                  • MdN8
                  • akv
                  • 21 Nov 2013

                  Thanks for the review, enjoyed it like in the good old days. And made me want the phone. Still, I wish Nokia did something about the brightness control, I have an X2-00 as a spare phone and at night it's hurting my eyes if I want to play a game or browse the internet for any longer period of time.

                    • p
                    • pitts
                    • t7X
                    • 21 Nov 2013

                    i like to buy this semi-smartphone,i like the built-in fm,fm transmitter and the musicplayer with equalizer features also hd sound,nokia is still king of classicphones

                      Great review of a nice phone. Fun to read. I like to have one but the fact it has no wifi is a bit of a downside. Design is great.

                        • A
                        • AppleUser
                        • Qxp
                        • 21 Nov 2013

                        This is very compact cellphone. Long time not use Nokia. But this phone have not WiFi.

                          • D
                          • AnonD-186680
                          • 7sw
                          • 20 Nov 2013

                          This is a good phone but no Asha :)

                            • L
                            • LWFGOM
                            • mEJ
                            • 20 Nov 2013

                            Nokia long time ego should make sth like new version of E72, E51, N82, N73, N95. USB and Bluetooth, FM transmitter, Stereo FM Radio with RDS, 3.5 mm audio jack, 5+ mpix autofocus camera with flash(Xenon ) and AF, GPS and A-GPS functionality, Nokia maps, secondary videocall camera, VoIP support, Office document editor, DivX or XviD support, large capacity battery, stainless steel casing etc. Standard features for today, 2-3 models one cheaper, one with better multimedia functions and the last with comfortable full QWERTY keypad.
                            A lot of people looking for a good classic phone but not without of basic functions in XXI century. It is difficult to find something, especially in telecommunications company with the contract time, even on market is limited amount models, stupid follows the trends, classic phone with good battery, casing, functionality of the last Symbian and the above-mentioned could be a really good sell phone. Elop
                            didn't see it because his only purpose was to promote WP.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • P54
                              • 20 Nov 2013

                              You would be pretty special in the brain to buy this considering the costs are greater then an actual smartphone

                                • .
                                • ...
                                • 39k
                                • 20 Nov 2013

                                crap phone like old s40 they dont even support all java apps and have limit on app size(only up to 1 mb)
                                this is bad even for a java phone better buy some old sony ericsson java phone than this junk

                                  • A
                                  • AdamBoy64
                                  • Xr$
                                  • 20 Nov 2013

                                  Unfortunately there's no 3G 850 model.
                                  Otherwise, this would be my ideal phone.

                                  It's just class.
                                  Thanks for the review.

                                    • C
                                    • Comrade
                                    • niH
                                    • 20 Nov 2013

                                    Oh, man... The Nokia 6300 was best phone I ever had.

                                      AnonD-55045, 20 Nov 2013A classy glimpse to the past. For those who value mere phon... moreAgree. I'd love to buy this phone if only Nokia sell this in the U.S.A. I saw someone selling this on Amazon, and he/she selling it for $300!!!!! That's just crazy!

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-39775
                                        • pqy
                                        • 20 Nov 2013

                                        superb