C|Net checks out the Nokia 5300

I’m hesitant about posting too many phone reviews. Yes phones are important but I don’t want to come off as yet another cell phone blog in an already saturated market. With that let’s have some highlights:

Yes, it’s a bit boxy and a little bulky (3.6 by 1.9 by 0.8 inches), but it’s lighter than it looks (3.6 ounces), and ultimately it’s a form factor that deserves closer inspection.

Our only quibble–and this is a small one–is that the 5300 feels somewhat top-heavy when the slider is up.

Our only complaint was that the backlighting on these keys is a bit dim.

The camera lens sits on the back of the phone, with a self-portrait mirror, but we’re disappointed there’s no flash.

Our only real design complaint concerns the placement of the Micro SD card slot. You must remove the battery cover to access it, so make sure you sharpen your nails. Though you don’t have to remove the battery as well, it’s still a bit annoying.

Image quality was pretty good for a 1.3-megapixel camera phone. Object outlines were distinct, but colors were somewhat faded.

We felt the volume could be a bit higher; it was a little harder to understand conversations in noisier environments. Callers didn’t report any significant problems, but voice-response systems had trouble understanding us unless we held the phone very close to our mouth.

Music also sounded great over the included wired headphones, but the headset connection was a little loose. We liked, however, that Nokia chose a standard 2.5mm connection.

Source: CNN

They like the 2.5 mm connector?! Are they mad!