Nokia 3310 3G review: nostalgia-packed US$73 phone with long battery life that, unsurprisingly, lacks many 2017 trimmings
From the Snake game to the classic Nokia ringtone, this back-to-basics handset is sure to conjure up some fond memories, but don’t expect to be able to WhatsApp your friends on it
Forget about the Nokia 8, 6 or 5. Since this year’s World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, what’s really been making headlines for the Finnish company marketing the handsets is the updated edition of the brand’s classic model, the 3310 3G.
Released by HMD Global, which owns the licence to sell Nokia phones and tablets, this back-to-basics handset will remind anyone who still remembers the first edition – released in 2000 – of a time when mobile phones were used for, well, calling people. The 3310 3G is an affordable HK$568 (US$73) but, looking past the nostalgia factor, is the retro phone relevant, or more importantly, useful in 2017?
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Design and hardware
I missed holding a phone that I can operate with one hand without fear of dropping it. Measuring 117 x 52.4 x 13.35mm, the handset, with its curved edges, sits securely and comfortably in the hand. Because of this, all the buttons are within easy reach of the thumb, though if you have a big thumb the directional pad is harder to use, and hitting the wrong option repeatedly can be a nuisance. It has a 2.4-inch colour screen and you can just make out what’s on it when viewed under direct sunlight.
The whole casing is made of plastic but feels sturdy. I have already dropped the handset once, when it came flying out of my pocket during a roller-coaster ride (it landed, luckily, inside the cart instead of on the tracks), and it survived without a scratch.