The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic may only be the third touchscreen device from Nokia but it’s already cutting up something of a storm. This entry-level device is under exclusive contract to Carphone Warehouse, who rightly so have high hopes for the smartphone. Check out how it stacks up in our Nokia 5530 XpressMusic review…

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic takes everything we know about the Nokia 5800 and shrinks it down for a more entry-level market. So, you’ll find a 2.9-inch touchscreen – rather than the 3.2-inch on the Nokia 5800 – and slightly lesser spec to match.

Check out the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic unboxing

Built around a stainless steel casing, Nokia has taken the chance to slim down the overall design, making it a little more boxy but a little less bulkier in the hand than the Nokia 5800.

Ports and buttons around the side have been kept to a minimum. You’ll find a 3.5mm audio jack on the bottom of the phone, along with USB connector and charge port. The top of the phone just has the Power switch.

The Nokia 5800 had the SIM card slot and the microSD card slot under separate covers, this has been down-graded to a single longer strip, which is basic but fine. On the other side you still find the Keyguard, camera button and volume/zoom controls.

The build quality of the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is satisfactory for the price and while it feels decent in the hand, it’s not as robust as the Nokia 5800.

The screen still packs in a decent 640 x 360-pixel resolution screen that is bright and sharp enough to get your messages on and for watching videos at an impressive rate. That said, outside in the open it’s not has crisp as the Nokia 5800, making it a little tricky to read in bright light.

Check out the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic tech spec

Where this phone delivers is on the screen where it matters. The new Contacts bar allows for 20 of your most popular contacts to sit on a scrolling bar and the new media bar means you can get straight to your favourite apps. Setting this up is easy but Nokia has made it easy by pre-populating it with Facebook, Search, Messages and Internet Radio.

When it comes to loading files and switching between apps, this is a fairly swift device. It’s not as quick as either the Nokia N97 or the Nokia 5800  but with the new Homescreen, you’ll be loading your most used apps straight from the home page, which we found responsive enough. Once apps are loaded, you’ll find they run smoothly. For instance, we found video playback to be fast and reliable.

When it comes to the camera, it has the same 3.2-Megapixel rating we’ve come to expect from the Nokia 5800. However, oweveryou’ll find it only as a single LED flash, rather than the dual-flash on the Nokia 5800, so you won’t be able to use it in low-light conditions as easily. As with trying to view the screen when out in bright daylight, using the screen as a viewfinder isn’t ideal. You also need to give the camera button a solid click to take images.

Check out the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic camera review

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is by far the most cost-effective touchscreen from Nokia yet. True, it’s aimed at the £15 a month contract crowd, so there are bound to be limitations to what it can do. If you’re thinking the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is a slimmed down Nokia 5800 you’ll be disappointed, as it lacks the build quality and the finish.

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic costs £129 (inc. VAT) on Pre-Pay from Carphone Warehouse. There are also a host of contract deals, starting at £15 a month ranging up to £40 on an 18 month contract.

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