THE Nokia 5320 XpressMusic looks basic design-wise, but this music phone is feature-packed with an impressive performance to boot. With a distinctive red or blue outline, it’s obvious that the phone is targeted at youths and music lovers.

The phone measures 108 millimetres by 46mm by 15mm and weighs only 90 grams with battery, so it is compact enough to fit into any pocket or purse.

Despite its plastic casing, the device neither looks nor feels flimsy. Although the phone’s glossy plastic surface may seem “slippery”, the dotted spots surrounding it help to keep the phone firm in the user’s grip.

Using the phone is fairly easy, especially for seasoned Nokia users. The keypads are large enough for big thumbs, which makes texting a breeze.

The phone also has a My Own key, which allows the user to assign any function he likes and access it anywhere around the user interface.

As its name suggests, the

5320 XpressMusic is designed to make music listening a pleasurable experience. On the left side are three dedicated music controls, which allow you to access your music files with just a click of a button. As these controls are placed at the top, pressing the buttons with the index and middle fingers to play music files is easy.

The phone supports several audio formats such as MP3, AAC, eAAC+ and WMA, making it a universal music device. Songs can be sorted by artiste, album, genre and composer, and users can transfer their music to the phone through three methods: Bluetooth, universal serial bus or by download.

In terms of audio quality, the

5320 XpressMusic offers a decent performance, even at the highest volume. Its hands-free speaker is also loud and clear.

The phone also comes with Real Player to play video clips. The video player can be displayed in both normal and full-screen modes. When in full screen, the softkey functions are hidden so they don’t spoil the viewing experience.

The phone also is equipped with basic camera functions. With a two-megapixel lens, it offers a maximum image resolution of 1,600 by 1,200 pixels. Although there is a flash function, it does not really enhance the quality of the picture.

Besides the music player, video and camera, the phone has an FM radio function.

In terms of display quality, the

5320 XpressMusic’s 16 million-colour thin-film transistor liquid crystal display delivers sharp images with bright colours, despite the small two-inch screen.

Other features are applications to view Word, Excel and Portable Document Format files, a converter, calculator, voice recorder, and Notes application.

In short, with its design and pricing, the 5320 XpressMusic is a great device for communications and music listening.

Product: 5320 XpressMusic
Manufacturer: Nokia
Enquiries: Nokia Malaysia (Tel: 03-27868888)
Price: RM888

Specifications
Connectivity: 3G/HSPDA
Memory: 8GB external memory (microSD card)
Other features: Dedicated keys for music and N-Gage gaming, music player with Nokia Say and Play application

Our verdict ****
Physical design ****
Documentation ****
User-friendiliness ****
Features *****
Performance ****
Value for money ****