If you are a lover of nostalgia, you might already find this phone appealing. So how much has the Nokia 3310 (2017) changed from its predecessor, or does it still have all the nostalgia of the old phone? Let’s find out in this review.
Nokia 3310 design and build quality
The first thing you will notice about the Nokia 3310 (2017) is its stunning body, especially if you look at the glossy red or yellow colour variants. It is definitely an eye-catcher and you will want to show it off to people just because of its looks. Compared to today’s smartphones, the palm-sized Nokia 3310 is extremely slim and lightweight too at just 80 grams. Those who are used to smartphones will find it extremely small initially but you will soon get used to using it.
The new Nokia phone is a redesigned version of the Nokia 3310 but retains its design. The front of the phone is similar to the original Nokia 3310 with a white band around the screen, although the screen is now bigger and comes in colour. The body of the new phone is more curved than the original. But there is no attempt to make the Nokia 3310 (2017) an exact replica of the old phone. The buttons look quite different and the phone has modern navigation buttons. On the rear, you will find a brand new camera and LED flash. Right below it is the Nokia logo. And there is a 3.5mm audio jack at the bottom of the phone.
The new Nokia phone is a redesigned version of the Nokia 3310 but retains its design. The front of the phone is similar to the original Nokia 3310 with a white band around the screen, although the screen is now bigger and comes in colour. The body of the new phone is more curved than the original. But there is no attempt to make the Nokia 3310 (2017) an exact replica of the old phone. The buttons look quite different and the phone has modern navigation buttons. On the rear, you will find a brand new camera and LED flash. Right below it is the Nokia logo. And there is a 3.5mm audio jack at the bottom.
Of course, one of the main reasons why the Nokia 3310 has stayed with us till date is its durability. The new variant is also quite sturdy and won’t make your heart skip a beat even if you drop it.
However, HMD Global claims that the phone is easy to read in sunlight. And there is a little bit of reflection on the 2.4-inch QVGA (240×320 pixels) display. And in bright light, you will have to increase the backlight level to above average to read the screen. The original Nokia 3310 did not have a colour screen like the new one, but this feature was very important and makes the device easy to use.
You will get updated Nokia ringtones in the new phone, which might bring a smile to your face. However, when it comes to old memories, this is where it ends.
Nokia 3310 Specifications and Features
The UI of the phone is new, but many features are similar to the original phone and are easy to understand. In the menu, you will find apps like Photos, Music Player, Opera Mobile Store, Calendar, Weather, Calculator, FM Radio, Voice Recorder. Apart from this, there is also a new version of the classic Snake game. That’s all that is special in this feature phone. And if you are looking at it as an alternative to a smartphone, then you will face the reality when you will have nothing to do after 5-10 minutes of using the phone.
The biggest highlight of the Nokia 3310 (2017) is the good old Snake game. Yes, the popular Snake game is back but in a new avatar as expected. It is colourful and looks attractive but that doesn’t mean it will be fun to play. And as expected, the new Snake game (with all the modes) doesn’t bring back memories of the old game at all. We didn’t find the new game as satisfying to play as the old one. Developer Gameloft has replaced the old game’s simple and fixed navigation with a more busy, modern look in the new version. In the process of making the game modern, the originality of the old game has been lost somewhere. If you are excited to buy the phone because of the Snake game in the 3310, you might be disappointed.
Nokia 3310 (2017) has dual micro-SIM slots and supports microSD cards up to 32GB. The phone has 16MB of internal storage out of which only 1.5MB is available for user use. Therefore, a microSD card will be required to store photos or songs.
There is a standard 3.5mm headset in the retail box which can be used to listen to music and FM radio. Audio quality is decent. Call quality is good without a headset but with a headset the sound is clearer.
The D-pad for navigation is, in our opinion, much better than the single-axis scroll buttons on the original phone. You can quickly access apps like SMS, calendar, contacts and flashlight. The T9 keyboard is just as good as the original, but typing on it can get a little frustrating considering I’ve been using smartphones for nearly a decade.
Nokia 3310 performance, camera and battery life
Talking about the performance of a feature phone may sound funny, but it is a mobile phone after all. And feature phones have their pros and cons, even if their UI is limited. There is no problem in using the new Nokia 3310 and the pre-installed apps run very well.
The Nokia Series 30+ operating system is developed by MediaTek and is great for a feature phone. This operating system has been used in the Nokia 150 before. The phone comes with Opera Mini browser pre-installed which makes it easy to surf Facebook, Twitter, Google, check mail and many other websites. But without Wi-Fi and 3G/4G connectivity, you will be tearing your hair out by the time a webpage loads. Under the Apps & Games section, you can download versions of the Twitter and Facebook apps. But there is no support for WhatsApp and this is a big let down for customers with a low budget. For messaging, you will have to use the SMS app.
The Nokia 3310 has a 2-megapixel camera on the rear with LED flash. There is really nothing to praise when it comes to image quality. In sunlight, the camera takes pictures with good lighting and colour, but the focus is not very sharp. Pictures taken in the dark, even with the flash, are poor. So, it is not a good idea to rely on this camera in any situation. The pictures are fine for viewing on the 2.4-inch screen, but are not worth sharing on social media. Video recording is also possible, but the focus gets lost even with slight movement, so you will have to record very slowly to get better results. Without a microSD card, you will be able to store a maximum of 7-10 pictures on the phone. The camera also has effects like sepia, black and white, which will help to make the pictures look better.
The Nokia 3310 comes with a 1200mAh battery that is claimed to deliver up to 22 hours of talk time and up to a month of standby time. In our four days of use, we had more than 50% battery left even after playing games, making calls and listening to music for 2-3 hours. This suggests that the battery will last for about a week, which is not new for feature phones. The Nokia 150 comes with a 1020mAh battery and is also claimed to deliver similar battery life. It is priced around Rs 2,000.
To be honest, the Nokia 3310 can be a secondary handset and can also be used as a regular phone at home. The phone lacks many essential features like Wi-Fi, 3G/4G connectivity and GPS.
Our verdict
It is clear from the beginning that HMD Global is bringing back the Nokia 310 (2017) for nostalgia. The classic Nokia ringtone, physical buttons, small body and sturdy build quality are features that will make you feel like using the original Nokia 3310. And that is probably reason enough for Nokia fans to buy this phone. And this feature phone has sold out just as fast as the Galaxy S8 in the US. The question is whether people are buying this phone to use it or just as a collection and memory.
HMD Global told Gadgets 360 that the Nokia 3310 is receiving an overwhelming response in India and the initial stock has been sold out. This is proof that people buy Nokia branded handsets because of their robustness, reliability and good looks.
The new Nokia 3310 has three things that make it great – looks, battery life and the Snake game. But at Rs 3,310, it is not the most affordable handset with these features. In fact, at this price, you will find plenty of entry-level smartphones from companies like Karbonn or Micromax. And in a world where WhatsApp has become a necessity, the Nokia 3310 (2017) does not have everything that buyers need.
HMD Global has made a lot of headlines by bringing an old classic phone into the modern world. For those who want more functionality at a low price, the Nokia 3310 (2017) feature phone is not the best choice. But for those who just want good voice quality, SMS functionality and a game or two, this is a good option.
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