Nokia N73 Cell Phone Review
By Alfredo Padilla
Reviewed.com Editorial Staff
Published on August 05, 2007
The Nokia N73 is a Series 60 smart phone that provides excellent functionality and multimedia features in a compact package. It isn't carried by any U.S. carrier, but can be purchased from Nokia for $429.99. The N73 is a candy bar handset with a rather small keypad but a large 2.4-inch QVGA display. Its key feature is a 3.2-megapixel Carl Zeiss-branded auto focus camera, one of the best we've seen on any phone.
Despite the small size of the N73's keypad we were able to dial numbers fairly quickly, in 3.26 seconds. The calling features are solid, and you can multi-task while on a call, accessing any of the phone's other functions. The contacts application provides up to 42 user customizable fields, an important feature for business users. The N73 provides very good organizational functionality, with calendar, tasks, and notes programs. You can synchronize all your information with a desktop computer using the included PC suite software.
The N73 did not perform well in our audio tests. Our professional audio testing system found that lower frequencies were squashed and higher ones exaggerated. This could make it difficult to understand those on the other end of a call; voices will sound overly high-pitched. The sound sent by the handset was a little better; the person on the other end of the line shouldn't have any problem understanding you.
The N73 shines in its imaging capabilities. Its 3.2-megapixel camera is significantly better than most other camera phones. Those looking for a converged device will appreciate the quality of photos taken by the N73. It also takes better-than-average video for a phone. The N73’s capabilities are also good on the multimedia side; Nokia's excellent music software allows you to easily organize and listen to your music. The built-in Realplayer is not as good for video playback as Windows Media Player Mobile on Windows Mobile smart phones, but it's better than most regular phones.
As a Series 60 smart phone, the Nokia N73 is a powerful device. Not only is it capable of multi-tasking, but you can also install a wide range of third-party applications to extend its capabilities. The built in Web browser is one of the best found on any phone, with the ability to view full-sized Web pages just as you would on a desktop computer. It should be noted, however, that the N73 only supports EDGE data, not the speedier 3G speeds many modern phones do. The N73 is capable of sending both text and multimedia messages, and handles this as well as any other phone. There is also a built-in e-mail client that isn't as good as those on a BlackBerry or Windows Mobile device, but is still better than a regular phone. Typing on the small keypad is also much faster than we would have expected, at 34.9 words per minute.
The Nokia N73 did well on our battery tests, lasting 7 hours and 48 minutes in our call time test. Smart phones like the N73 sometimes score lower than ideal battery performance because of the faster processors and more memory their high-end features require, but we were happy to see the N73 does not fall into this category. Music playback time was also good at 9 hours and 51 minutes. Web browsing time was not as good, however, at just 4 hours and 6 minutes.
The Nokia N73 is not the most powerful phone on the market, but its combination of a high quality camera, powerful software, solid talk time battery life, and compact form factor make for a compelling device. Although its high price may put some off, it’s been out for awhile and you can probably find it for less than Nokia's list price. Our only real area of concern are the somewhat substandard audio results. It should also be noted that, as a GSM phone, the N73 will only function on the AT&T or T-Mobile network in the U.S., so if you're locked into Verizon or Sprint you're out of luck.For a more in-depth review, visit the Nokia N73 Review at our partner WirelessInfo.com
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