The popularity of Nokia's 'Classic' range is an eye-opening response to the many that think the mobile phone world is all about megapixels and touchscreens, the latest of which is the Nokia 6303 Classic.

This model is posed to take over from the long-serving Nokia 6300, and changes little in serving up a robust and dependable handset that neither amazes or disappoints in the 6303 Classic.

Design and specs:

The Classic monicker is fully deserved, as the Nokia 6303 Classic looks straight out of the candybar handset catalogue. For a sub-£80 handset, the build quality is phenomenal with a stainless steel finish and sturdy construction.

The 6303 Classic feels like it can suffer the slings and arrows of daily use, a refreshing change to the many delicate touch screen devices currently available.

The central d-pad is flanked by four buttons, 'call', 'end' and two to navigate the traditional Nokia menu. With a 'select' key in the centre of the d-pad, the Nokia 6303 is a taste of Finnish phone manufacturing from yesteryear.

The Series 40 interface looks fine on the 2.2" display, and for those familiar with any Nokia phone since 1999, the grid menu screen will be as comfy as curling up by the fire in your favourite slippers.

A small 'ledge' separates these keys from a 12 button backlit alphanumeric pad, which poses no surprises and makes tapping out texts a quick and easy endeavour.

The size and shape is just...right, and the only other keys are a volume rocker on the left side of the device.

The 3.2 megapixel camera isn't going to interest Annie Leibowitz with the quality of pictures it can take, but it is still a step up from the 2 megapixel snapper on the 6300. Also, with no dedicated camera key, the button within the d-pad results in taking photos the old fashioned way, in portrait.

There is a small media suite on the 6303 Classic, a 1GB card means that a few albums can come on any journey with you, and the 3.5mm audio jack means they can be listened to in style. The handset also has support for an FM radio with RDS.

Calls and Connectivity:

The lack of 3G is hardly surprising, but a competent web browser is much more so. Opera Mini is preinstalled, and arguably the best non-smart phone solution for surfing.

Nokia Maps is another application bundled in the box, which is a nice curio but serves little practical purpose without 3G or Wi-Fi.

Calls and texts are fine, and a basic organiser handles the day-to-day stuff, but don't expect any document readers or productivity apps...an N97 this isn't. Saying that, it does have Windows Live Messenger to scratch that instant messaging itch...a little.

Battery life is spectacular, the lack of juice draining applications and fluff only serve to make this a highly dependable handset. Expect to easily get in excess of 3 days standby on a single charge and ample hours of talktime.

Verdict:

The ultimate workhorse, the Nokia 6303 Classic proves faultless in offering a cheap, full featured mobile phone that does everything required of it.

If you need a phone that turns heads or can act as a mobile office, keep looking. However, if you are looking for that classic Nokia user experience in contemporary threads, look no further than the 6303 Classic.