Value for Money

Conor Pope reviews 3G Mobile Phones

Motorola Razr V3x. From €159

Highs: While the Razr V3x is not as slimline as the oh-so-cool Razr V3 it is still pretty funky looking. The screen is large and allows you to take full take advantage of 3G functions such as the much-hyped mobile TV now available from Vodafone. The navigation is intuitive, the keypad is nice and big and the camera is excellent.

Lows: Although it weighs just 125g, it is the heaviest of the phones reviewed. It has an incredibly irritating reminder function that tells you when you've got a message and then tells you every five minutes until you read the damned thing. You might not get to turn that off until it's cost you at least a night's sleep. It was also too easy to switch unintentionally from loud to soft mode and miss crucial calls. Okay, not all that crucial, but still.

Verdict: Perfectly functional, mildly irksome

Star rating: ***

Sony Ericsson V600i. From €59

Highs: Although it is small and lightweight and has all the functionality of the other phones tried, it also manages to have a pleasingly old-fashioned feel to it. The central button used to navigate the menu system is very user-friendly and it is on the cheaper end of the scale. Switching to camera mode is very simple.

Lows: Turning the camera on may be too simple, in fact, unless you're keen to build your collection of in-pocket pics. It does not have an external memory so storage will be somewhat limited, although if you don't use your phone as a photo-album that shouldn't be a problem. The screen is a little small to take full advantage of the 3G functions and the promised battery life of just 140 minutes talk-time is not great.

Verdict: A bit too old-fashioned

Star rating: **

Nokia 6280. From €69

Highs: Right out of the box this looks very classy. It slides open which means more space can be given over to the screen - great for watching TV on the move. It has a lot of useful functions including an excellent camera, video conferencing facilities, a radio and easy access to the web.

Lows: While surfing is functional and easy to do it is not really that satisfying, while other functions such as the "visual radio" seem utterly pointless. This phone comes with a limited number of ring tones and they are uniformly irritating. And PriceWatch couldn't be sure if the phone was to blame but the signal seemed to drop quite a bit.

This phone is currently available only on the 3 network

Verdict: Classy if a bit confounding

Star rating: ****

Samsung Z400v. From €139

Highs: This is a cool and compact number that will fit snugly into the palm of your hand. It slides open very easily on a satisfyingly crisp spring and is very easy to navigate. The camera is great and the screen is a good size and seems clearer than the competition. It promises talktime of 300 minutes and has a raft of functions which, while sounding impressive, very few people will actually ever use.

Lows: With its natty design and compact nature, much would be expected of the menu and messaging system. These turn out to be confusing and cluttered and somewhat disappointing. It is, however, something you would quickly grow accustomed to.

Verdict: Cool but cluttered

Star rating: ***

Sharp 550SH. From €59

Highs: Although it looks quite big, it weighs just 96g. It promises talktime of 240 minutes, which is impressive given its light weight. The screen is all right if nothing particularly special and it comes with lots of pre-installed ring tones, some of which aren't actually that annoying. It is very good value for money and will allow you access to the 3G services for not much - which is handy, because you might need the money to pay your bills if you start using the full capabilities of the new technology.

Lows: Although it is lightweight it's quite big and blocky and lacks the wow factor that many modern phones have.

Verdict: Fully functional at a low cost

Star rating: ****

Prices of all phones may vary depending on tariffs and circumstances

Star Rating

***** Excellent **** Great *** Fine ** Below Par * Awful