Nokia N73 Review - Tour & Design

Alfredo Padilla
Published on May 04, 2007 Comment on this

Front Closed

The front of the Nokia N73 is dominated by a large 2.4 inch QVGA (240 x 320) display. Below the display are the phone controls and keypad. Above the display is a slot for the phone speaker, with a small LED and the lens for a VGA camera that can be used for video calls where this is supported.

Left

The left side of the phone has a windows for infrared connectivity near the top and a lanyard loop near the bottom.

Top

The top of the phone houses a speaker and the power button.

Bottom

The bottom of the phone has Nokia's standard Pop-Port connector along with a charging port and Mini SD card slot. The card slot is protected by a hard plastic cover that is connected to the phone. There is also a second speaker on the bottom of the phone.

Right

The right side of the phone has a rocker key near the top that is used for volume control or zooming in the camera. Near the bottom are the camera shutter key and a dedicated key for the photo and video gallery application.

Back

The back of the phone is dominated by a sliding cover that protects the camera lens. When you pull the cover back the 3.2 megapixel Carl Zeiss camera lens is revealed and the camera application is launched automatically. Near the bottom is a release for the battery cover.

Battery Out

When you remove the battery cover the you see the 1100 mAh battery and below it the slot for your SIM card.

In the Box (6.5)

The Nokia N73 ships with a solid selection of accessories including: a wall charger, stereo headset and hands free set, carrying pouch, 128 MB Mini SD card, manuals, data cable and an adaptor that allows you to use older Nokia chargers with the device. There are also a full set of manuals that a software CD that includes Nokia's PC Suite for synchronizing the device with your computer. We were pleased to see such a complete set of accessories as many multimedia oriented phones like the LG Chocolate and Krzr K1m leave out basics such as stereo headsets and data cables for moving music from your PC to your phone.

Handling (6.0)
Handling the Nokia N73 you cannot help but notice that it is a blocky phone. When you pick it up you notice that it is lighter than expected given its dimensions. It does feel a little slick and we found it slipped out of our hand easier than we would have liked. We were pleased with the sliding cover for the camera lens as is less obstrusive than the sliding cover used on the N73's predecessor the N70. We found the Nokia N73 to be harder to handle than some regular phones like the Krzr K1m, but easier than larger smart phones like the Treo 750. We found the T-Mobile Dash to be easier to handle due to the soft touch paint and slimmer form factor.

Portability (7.0)
At 4.33 x 1.93 x .75 inches the Nokia N73 is a rather largish handset, especially when compared to regular phones like the Krzr K1m or LG Chocolate. As we mentioned it is lighter than expected weighing in at 3.95 ounces. This means that although you will notice the larger size in a pocket it won't weight you down too much. It should fit easily into any purse or hand bag.

Aesthetics (5.0)
Nokia has never been big on making their N-Series lineup of smart phones very attractive. With the N73 they have made a small attempt by offering the Nokia N73 in both silver/plum and white/red configurations. Despite these options for colors the Nokia N73 isn't going to win any rewards as it is blocky with few attempts to add styling. It certainly doesn't compare well to phones like the Krzr K1m or Upstage when it comes to looks. When compared to other smart phones like the T-Mobile Dash or Treo 750 the Nokia N73 does better as it does look professional.

Durability (6.0)
We had some concerns about the Nokia N73's durability. The all plastic construction doesn't inspire confidence and the phone exhibited some creaks in handling. We always have concerns about moving parts, and the sliding lens cover on the back of the N73 has some play that worries us about its long term viability. That being said we'd be even more concerned about the camera lens if the cover wasn't there so we can't knock it too much.

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