It's amazing how Nokia can create two handsets with the same name and yet how they can be so very different in their approach. So is the slide the better of the two 6500 models, or is the classic the one that you should be going for?

The Nokia 6500 slide is the other side to the Nokia 6500 Classic. Sporting, you guessed it, a slider design, the form factor difference is the only change you'll see.

The bulkier phone (96.5 x 46.5 x 16.4mm) takes in the larger size not only so it can offer a slider design, but so it can fit in a 3 megapixel camera complete with Carl Zeiss optics, an auto focus and 8x digital zoom.

But that's not all you'll get, for that extra bulk you also get a video camera for video calling via the 3G connectivity on the phone and a TV out socket you can you share you images, music and video via a nearby TV similar to some of the Samsung mobile phones.

If that wasn't enough the extra size also gives you a couple of extra buttons like a dedicated camera shutter button, a 3.5mm headphone jack, volume controls, a micro USB dongle so you can connect it easily to your PC for data transfer and a separate charging socket.

In fact the only real similarity with the Nokia 6500 classic is that the phone runs the same Symbian S40 3rd edition operating system on it.

Keys are comfortable to use and squarer than the 6500 Classic opting instead for a fuller flatter design.

The only other thing to note is that here you get a 256MB microSD card (not hot swappable) instead of the impressive 1GB of memory in the 6500 classic.

Our quick take

After playing with the Nokia 6500 slide for over a week, it merely comes across as a poor mans Nokia N95. The design is very similar, hence the reference, but the feature set no way near as fulfilling: no 5 megapixel camera, no dedicated music player, no GPS, no 8GB of on-board storage.

While the simplicity angle works well on the Nokia 6500 classic, here you come away wanting more for your bulky design.

That's not to say the phone, complete with its 3 megapixel camera doesn't perform well, because it does, it just doesn't leave you with the same satisfaction the classic does.

Nokia 6500 slide mobile phone - 3.5 / 5

FORAGAINST
  • 3 megapixel camera
  • HSDPA
  • Bulky
  • comes across as a poor man's N95

To recap

It won't leave you with the same satisfaction the 6500 Classic does