Screen

A 4096 color 128 x 128 px STN screen is found on the 3200. This is the same screen found on many previous Nokia phones such as the 3650, 6610, and 7250. With color phones averaging 65,000 colors and upwards of 262,000, the 3200 is behind the times. The 3200's screen isn't bad by any means. In fact for most, it will be colorful enough.

STN display (as opposed to TFT) does not have the circuitry on the glass and has to scan the pixel locations. This slows the response time and produces what is commonly referred to as "ghosts." Most phones use STN because the need for fast refresh rates aren't needed, and ghosts aren't a big deal. However, if you plan on playing a fast action packed games with a lot of motion, then this could potentially be a problem.

With games that change a lot, you'll see remnants of the previous screen when it changes to the new screen. It's not that noticeable when you're using slow changing menu functions, but a game like Bounce makes it more noticeable. The screen is bright and clear in dim conditions. However in sunny weather, the screen becomes a bit washed out.

Controls

On closer inspection, users might notice that there are significantly less keys on the 3200. Instead of the standard twelve key layout, Nokia has opted for six. Where did the extra keys go? Well, the new keypad assigns two numbers for each key. So pressing the top part of the key activates one number, and pressing the bottom part the other.

It's no doubt that Nokia wanted to attract the younger audience by introducing the radically new V-shaped keypad design. However it is more form than function.

The new design will require experienced text messager to retrain the way they type. Additionally, all the buttons are relatively small. With these two problems, users may find text messaging more tedious and slower than usual.

For navigation, a 4-way direction keypad is attached. Softkeys are also present on the side for adjusting earpiece volume, scrolling through phonebook entries, and additional navigation and shortcuts.

Battery and Charger

A 780 mAh Li-Ion battery is used with the 3200. Nokia claims the battery will work for 4 hours of talk time and 288 hours of standby, however those numbers are maximum times. Realistically the times are much lower.

Minimum Rated Standby Time: 210 hours
Minimum Rated Talk Time: 190 minutes

When reading our reviews, you should view the test results of mobile-phone battery talk time and standby time as relative information only. Many variables, including carrier signal strength at your location, signal consistency (including incoming and outgoing calls), display and ringer settings, and battery charging methods and history, will affect performance.

When handset manufacturers and mobile phone carriers list talk-time and standby-time ratings, they usually include disclaimers about variable performance and often refer to the times they publish as maximum times. Some quote expected battery life ranges, and in this case you're probably safe to assume you'll experience at least the minimum rated range.

Note that manufacturers of dual-mode digital and analog handsets publish battery-life rates for both digital and analog modes, as analog mode consumes much more power than digital mode.

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