Nokia 5220 XpressMusic Specs Pricing & Performance Review

Design and Build Quality

The Nokia 5220 XpressMusic stands out not just for its musical prowess but also for its distinctive design. The phone’s asymmetrical, slightly warped-shaped body gives it a quirky yet appealing look. Its dimensions are 108 x 43.5 x 10.5 mm, and it weighs 78 grams, making it portable and lightweight. It's crafted to offer users a comfortable grip, which is essential for everyday phone users.

Constructed from durable materials, the phone ensures longevity and robustness. The back cover, made from a smooth plastic material, is designed not only for aesthetics but also for providing a firm grip. The phone's availability in vibrant colors like Blue, Red, and Green adds to its youthful appeal.

Display

The Nokia 5220 XpressMusic features a 2.0-inch TFT display capable of showing 256K colors, allowing for clear and vibrant visuals. With a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, the screen provides decent clarity, which is adequate for a feature phone. The display's ~200 ppi density enhances the viewing experience by delivering sharp images and text.

Camera

In terms of photography, the Nokia 5220 is equipped with a 2 MP main camera. Though modest by modern standards, it was quite standard for a feature phone released in 2008. It can capture images and record videos at QCIF resolution. The camera is suitable for basic photography needs, such as taking quick snapshots on the go. However, there is no selfie camera, staying true to the trend of its time.

Sound and Music Features

As part of the XpressMusic series, the emphasis of this handset is primarily on music. The phone includes stereo speakers that provide a decent audio output, ensuring satisfactory sound quality for casual listening. A significant advantage is the 3.5mm jack, which allows users to plug in their headphones, offering a personalized listening experience.

Users can enjoy downloadable polyphonic ringtones, MP3, AAC, and 3D sound formats, which significantly enhanced the musical appeal of the phone. Additionally, the inclusion of a stereo FM radio with RDS offers another avenue to satisfy music lovers.

Battery Life

Fitted with a removable Li-Ion 1020 mAh battery (BL-5CT), the Nokia 5220 XpressMusic boasts a stand-by time of up to 406 hours and a talk time of approximately 5 hours and 15 minutes. This considerable battery endurance ensures that the phone can handle prolonged usage comfortably, which was particularly advantageous in an era where battery efficiency was a crucial factor for mobile users.

Connectivity and Network

The phone supports GSM technology, and its 2G bands include GSM 900/1800/1900, facilitating worldwide connectivity. It offers data services like GPRS Class 32 and EDGE Class 32, providing basic internet connectivity and email access. Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support allows for wireless headsets and data transfer, although there's no WLAN capability.

Communication functionalities are complemented by a microUSB port, which enables data transfer and phone charging. The inclusion of a mini-SIM slot only highlights the era-appropriate design and connectivity options available when the phone was released.

Operating System and Software Features

Operating as a feature phone, the Nokia 5220 XpressMusic runs on a proprietary OS typical for Nokia phones from that period. Messaging forms like SMS, MMS 1.3, Email, Push Email, and Instant Messaging are supported, meeting the basic communication needs of users.

The phone also includes a unique browser experience with WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, and Opera Mini, providing modest internet browsing capabilities on the small display. Additionally, the phone supports Java MIDP 2.1, facilitating downloadable games and applications that enhance user engagement and entertainment.

Storage

While the internal storage is limited to 30MB, the Nokia 5220 compensates with a dedicated microSDHC memory card slot. This slot allows users to expand the storage capacity, accommodating more music, photos, and applications. Furthermore, the phonebook can store up to 2000 contacts, and there's ample capacity for call records, including 20 dialed, received, and missed calls.

User Experience and Miscellaneous Features

The Nokia 5220 XpressMusic provides a user-friendly experience, focusing on simplicity and efficiency. The phone is equipped with standard sensor functionalities, while its robust loudspeaker performance ensures clear audio outputs.

Additional features include various ringtones, a voice memo/dial feature, and a stopwatch. Colored visuals and an interactive physical keypad present an inviting interface, ensuring quick accessibility to its applications.

Price and Market Impact

Upon its release, the Nokia 5220 XpressMusic was priced at approximately 110 EUR. Its affordability, coupled with its user-centric features, made it a popular choice among music lovers and those seeking a reliable feature phone. This phone also exemplifies Nokia’s strategy at the time to capture a market segment focused on entertainment and vibrant personalization, reflecting its commitment to providing specialized devices for its customers.

Conclusion

Though discontinued, the Nokia 5220 XpressMusic remains a noteworthy example of Nokia's innovative foray into music-focused mobile devices. Its combination of decent multimedia capabilities, robust build, and enduring battery life ensured it was well-received among users during its time. The phone showcased Nokia’s dedication to catering to various consumer preferences, notably music enthusiasts. In retrospect, the 5220 XpressMusic holds its place as a pioneer in carving out a niche for multimedia feature phones in the late 2000s.