The Nokia E63 phone appeared on the market almost 10 years ago, and the manufacturer positions it as a more affordable analogue of the E71 business model. The latter, although it had a lot of interesting and significant advantages in terms of materials and āfilling,ā but modest sales figures forced the brand to release something massive in order to recoup the development of this area.
The form factor of QWERTY-phones does not differ in the abundance of models, as well as in the variety of manufacturers. āNokiaā, āSamsungā and through and through the budget āAlcatelā with āFlamesā - thatās all the brands. So the release of each model, and Nokia E63 in particular, is perceived by fans of this form factor as a significant event. Weāll try to figure out what happened with the venerable brand and whether the gadget is so good in today's realities.
So, we present to your attention a review of the QWERTY-phone āNokia E63ā. The characteristics of the model, as well as its advantages and disadvantages will be considered in our article. The device is extremely rare on sale, but it can still be bought in the region of 4-6 thousand rubles at auctions and specialized forums devoted to rare gadgets.
Appearance
The dimensions of the Nokia E63 case and its stylistics directly indicate that the brand tried to make the gadget as similar as possible to the premium version of the E71. The model turned out to be almost identical in terms of exterior, but slightly thicker than its more noble brother. Therefore, holding it in your hands is not as convenient as the E71.
Nokia E63 comes in three colors - dark blue, black and red. The first and second options are calmer and more suitable for serious users, and the last - bright and expressive - is just a godsend for the beautiful half of humanity.
Assembly
There are no complaints about the assembly. Nokia E63, despite its budgetary positioning, turned out to be surprisingly high quality. On the case there are no gaps, gaps, as well as backlashes and creaks. Judging by the description of Nokia E63, soft-touch plastic is the main structural material.
The velvety surface almost completely eliminates the collection of dust and fingerprints, and if they appear, they are easily removed with a damp cloth or napkin. The cover under which the SIM card is hidden reliably sits in the grooves and to remove it you will need either good nails or a special tool.
In general, to call a budget phone or worse still just a language does not turn. āNokia E63ā looks like a copy of the E71 series, but itās quite decent, but the brand clearly didnāt save on case materials.
Interfaces
On the left side you can see the micro-USB output, designed to synchronize the device with a PC. Here is a micro-SD card slot. Both exits are covered with reclining caps, so they do not collect dust and dirt.
At the bottom there is a connector for the charger, and at the top there is a 3.5 mm mini-jack type audio output for a headset. The latter is protected by a plug, but it is not fixed to the case in any way, so it is very easy to lose, especially if you often listen to music on headphones. There is also a hole for the strap on the case, but such devices are no longer worn on the neck, and they wonāt add beauty to the dangling hands.
In the upper front part you can see a small light sensor, speaker grill and the manufacturer's logo. Alas, the front camera is not provided here. Behind is the peephole of the rear 2-megapixel camera with flash and proximity sensor.
Screen
The device received a matrix that is not bad for its time, with a spread of 320 by 240 pixels, which is enough for the 2.4-inch diagonal. The screen displays 16 million colors, the output image is pretty and more or less natural.
The display is equipped with an anti-glare filter, so at least half of the data is well read. But in direct sunlight, alas, everything fades and you have to cover the screen with your palm or look for shade.
With standard settings, up to 8 lines of user and up to 3 service text are placed on the screen. In the settings, a more advanced mode is also available for people with good vision - up to 14 lines. The font is selected more or less intelligently, so all the data is well perceived and read.
Viewing angles are at an acceptable level, but even with a minimal vertical tilt, the colors rush into the dance and it is not possible to make out anything. While the horizontal change in the angle practically does not affect the visualization.
Keyboard
Unlike the exterior, the Nokia E63 keyboard is noticeably different from its older premium counterpart E71. Here we have additional buttons in the "Space" area and generally enlarged keys. Users leave mixed reviews about this.
On the one hand, yes, itās easier to work with large buttons, especially if you type with two hands. But on the other hand, the thickness significantly increased in comparison with the E71 makes the E63 one-handed operation less uncomfortable. Nevertheless, you quickly get used to the keyboard, the discomfort disappears already on the second or third day of use.
It is also worth noting that many users complained about the highlight of the working area. It is implemented just awful. The upper part of the keyboard is still somehow visible in the dark, but everything below the QWERTY level starts to disappear and the bottom row with the āSpaceā is no longer highlighted. So here we have obvious savings, coupled with technical flaws.
Performance
Responsible for the performance is a smart (for the Symbian platform) ARM11 processor operating at a frequency of 369 MHz. The RAM on board is only 128 MB, but for the Symbian platform this is enough.
The interface works smoothly and without delays, and local applications launch very quickly, do not lag and do not "think" for no apparent reason. As for game software, demanding and "heavy" toys for the platform are simply not provided. So that all applications also go without problems and subsidence on the FPS.
Programs that are more specific for this form factor, such as Vatsap or Viber, which allow you to fully appreciate the delights of a mechanical keyboard, do not slow down and work as expected. In this case, stability largely depends on the installed SIM card, as well as the selected mobile operator: communication is good - there are no lags, bad - brakes and freezes.
For storage, data users are responsible for a 110 MB drive. Such volumes are clearly not enough for even the smallest needs, so you canāt do without an external memory card. The device supports SD cards with a maximum of 8 GB, but this should be enough for music and photo collections. It should also be noted that the functionality provides for a āhotā replacement of memory cards, which is useful in some cases.
Autonomy
That's what Nokia devices have always been famous for, as it is a long battery life. Our respondent was no exception. The battery of Nokia E63 is a 1500 mAh lithium-polymer type (index BP-4L).
With an average load - music, calls, SMS, toys and Internet - the battery lasts for four days. Any smartphone on the Android platform can envy such an indicator. Of course, the E63 does not have the capabilities of the latter, but its tasks are slightly different.
The only fly in the ointment is a long charging time. It takes her almost four hours. So in this case, it is better to leave the phone connected at night, since the power controller is smart here, there are no oversaturations or other problems.
Summarizing
āNokia E63ā is a classic ādialerā in the QWERTY form factor. The phoneās communication quality is excellent provided that the subscriber is in the reception area. There are no subsidence or interruptions during a conversation with subscribers due to the fault of the device.
The gadget fully reveals its potential in SMS messengers like "Vatsap" or "Viber." Fortunately, the latter received sensible adaptation for the Symbian platform, because there are usually no problems with usability.
In general, the model turned out to be successful and it beats with interest more than the money invested in it. If you are tired of the Android fraternity always asking for the socket and the sensors that do not work in the cold, then Nokia E63 is a worthy option.