Nokia Asha 503 Review: One Step At A Time

Introduction

Asha phones. They take you a long way, but yet make you always want more. In this case, more would mean something with Windows Phone inside. Looks like the right thing for Nokia to do - keep customers in the Lumia waiting room, and away from Android temptation. That said, the Ashas have been putting the smart in dumbphones for a while now, so a cheap droid isn't the only option that users shopping for a touch phone with apps, games and fast data can afford.

The Nokia Asha 501 did well to demonstrate the platform's new look and feel, ticking some right boxes for a smartphone wannabe: touchscreen, Wi-Fi, fresh and reasonably fluid OS, and an app store. The Asha 502 and Asha 503 followed it up - the first one adding to the camera, while the one we are looking at now is the lineup's top spot, the 3G-enabled Asha 503.

The Nokia Asha 503 is obviously the most feature-rich of the new Asha generation, with a Gorilla Glass-covered 3" QVGA capacitive display, a 5MP camera with LED flash, 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, optional dual-SIM support, plus expandable memory and the latest Asha Software Platform v1.2.

   
Nokia Asha 503 official pictures

Sticking to a proven recipe, the new Asha 503 is available in six different flavors: yellow, black, green, red, blue and white. Nokia has those eye-catching paintjobs coated in an extra layer of icing, a nice and easy way to jazz up the looks. And it's a phone that looks fresh on the inside too - the swipe-driven UI with Fastlane, the ability to run a handful of popular apps and games, a proper app store, social services, good organizing skills and internet connectivity.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM, GPRS, EDGE
• Dual-band 3G with HSPA
• Optional dual-SIM support, dual standby, hot-swappable secondary microSIM
• Nokia Asha software platform 1.2
• 3" QVGA capacitive touchscreen, ~133 ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 2
• Proximity sensor
• Accelerometer, display auto-rotation
• 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, 40MB internal storage
• Data-efficient Nokia Xpress browser
• Nokia Store and 40 EA games for free
• 5.0 MP camera, VGA video recording @19fps, LED flash
• microSD card support (up to 32 GB) and 4 GB microSD card in the box
• Wi-Fi b/g/n connectivity
• FM radio with RDS
• Bluetooth v3.0
• Standard microUSB port, charging
• 1200 mAh Li-Ion battery
• Excellent loudspeaker performance
• Solid codec support

Main disadvantages

• Low-resolution screen
• Fixed-focus camera
• No smart dialing

It's a small handset with an even smaller screen and that won't be everyone's cup of tea. After all, screen real estate has only been getting cheaper. The resolution is nothing to write home about either, Ashas are at the very bottom of the food chain at QVGA. On a second thought, there're still droids launching with this kind of display resolution. On a positive note, the Asha 503's screen is covered with Gorilla Glass 2 and it is the first of its kind to offer Wi-Fi n connectivity, enabling faster data transfers.

  
Nokia Asha 503 at ours

You obviously can't have everything and then demand the best of it for this kind of cash. The inevitable compromises aside, the Asha 503 is promising to keep you up-to-date, connected and entertained - and it'll give it a decent try. Now, is it enough or is that short step to entry-level smartphones worth it? Let's see. Our hardware checkup follows right after the break.

Nokia Asha 503 retail package

There isn't much room in the Asha 503's retail package except for the basics - a microUSB Nokia charger is supplied, as well as a single piece pink headset.

Nokia is also throwing a complimentary 4GB microSD card. No need to search for it in the box though, it is already inserted in the phone's memory slot.

  
Nokia Asha 503 retail box

What's missing in the Asha 503's box is a data cable. If you want to use the Mass Storage or do some synching with your computer, you'll have to provide your own.

Nokia Asha 503 360-degree spin

The Nokia Asha 503 is very compact and pocket-friendly handset. At 102.6 x 60.6 x 12.7mm, it's a mere 3mm taller and 2mm wider than the Asha 501. It weighs in at 110g, 12g more than Asha 501 that is. Both the extra width and weight go down to the icing - the transparent layer the phone is wrapped in.

Design and handling

Long story short, the Asha 503 design is just an Asha 501 body in an ice-cube - the transparent coating is pretty much overcooked hyperglaze, but it doesn't look as bad as it sounds. Perhaps the bright yellow of our test unit looks like a splash of paint underneath, liquid, almost milky.

We still can't quite decide whether this is a very smart idea or a total waste of material, but we kinda like the look. Not so sure about the feel though. The outer coating tends to get greasy like no other finish we've handled. Fingerprints aren't as prominent as on some glossy plastic handsets we've encountered, but they're definitely there and quite hard to clean too.

The 3" capacitive QVGA display has more than ample bezels, but with a good reason - most of the UI swipes start off the screen. Still, on a phone this size everything is well within comfortable reach and the capacitive display is pleasingly responsive.

The hardware Back button is gone, replaced by a capacitive control. It is still the only means of UI navigation - taps and swipes do all the rest. We feared a capacitive control would stand in the way of swipes starting off the bottom of the screen but that was never the case.

  
Nokia Asha 503 up front

As usual, the earpiece is above the screen, along with a hidden proximity sensor. There is no light sensor for automatic brightness adjustment, though.

At the back we find the 5.0MP fixed-focus camera lens, the small single-LED flash and a nub at the bottom to push the phone out of the case.

  
On the back - the 5MP cam and the nub you'll use to open the Asha 503

We like how the Nokia Asha 503 looks. It is certainly a bit odd at first with the new transparent layer that can make you think the phone has been put into a case. It is definitely not a feature everyone will be crazy about, especially considering the compromised grip. The Asha 501 is clearly the safer choice in terms of aesthetics but the looks of the 503 can and will be appreciated too.

The Nokia Asha 503 is compact, portable and no hassle to operate single-handedly. Additional battery covers are sold separately so you can freshen up your phone anytime you like.

 
The Nokia Asha 503 in the hand