Nokia E5-00
We think Nokia may be on to something of a winner with the E5. It may not be a top of the range model, it may not have touch, but is a very capable and well designed handset at a very competitive prices.

E5 from the right
Note the presence of a camera capture key - a first for Nokia's recent QWERTY slab range of phones.

White E5
The E5 comes in a range of colours, shown here is the white version from the side. The colour is on the keyboard and frame of the device. All colour version have the same battery cover.

Home key
The home key on the E5 is thin, but it stands above the rest of the control cluster so is easy to locate by touch alone.

Nokia E5 from the left

Nokia E5 in the hand
For a budget device the E5 is attractive, but what really stands out is its fantastic build quality. Such good build quality is relatively unusual at this price range.

Nokia E5 in the hand
For a budget device the E5 is attractive, but what really stands out is its fantastic build quality. Such good build quality is relatively unusual at this price range.

E63, E5 and E72
The E5 is effectively a replacement for the E63. However it may also take some sales away from it high index sister - the E72. The E5 is chunkier than the E72, has less internal memory (C disk), a different control cluster layout and does not have an auto-focus camera. However it does have some advantages over the E72 - notably a camera capture key and 256 MB of RAM (128 MB on the E72).

Nokia's QWERTY family
From the top (left to right): E61, E61i, E71, C3, E63, E5 and E72.

Nokia E5-00
The E5 is a great upgrade from the E63. It's significantly smaller and better built, is running more recent version of S60 3rd Edition, has a better camera, adds GPS and has faster 3G connectivity.

E5 with battery removed
Here's the E5 with the battery removed, you can see the SIM card and microSD memory card in place.

Nokia E5-00 box
The now standard blue Nokia box. Made, in part, from recycled material and smaller than the previous generation of boxes.

Nokia E5 software
The E5 runs S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 and has the usual comprehensive software suite.

Rounded top
The curved moulding of the E6 is obvious in this picture. It means the devices fits comfortably into the hand and makes it feel a little smaller than it really is.

Nokia E5 coming out of the box

E5's BL-4D battery
The BL-4D battery (also used in the N97 mini) has a 1200 mAh capacity. The E5 has excellent battery life overall and should comfortably manage two days of moderate usage. The E6's battery cover is made of stainless steel, which gives a more expensive feeling to the handset that might be expected given the price point. It should also be very durable - able to survive the rough and tumble of heavy handed usage.

Nokia E5-00
The E5 uses a cheap transmissive screen. This means it is washed out in bright sunlight, making it very hard to read the screen (as shown in this picture). Obviously, when creating cheaper devices, Nokia has to cut costs. On the E5 this is most notable in the screen department. Other devices (such as the E72) have used transflective screen, which perform better in bright conditions. Looks aside, this factor is the single biggest caveat to note when choosing between the E5 and the E72.

Modular homescreen
The E5 has the now familiar modular home screen with contacts carousel, various plug-ins and bottom row of application shortcuts.

Control cluster
The control cluster has a standard make up. It uses a combination of metallic (back plate) and plastic materials. The home and mail keys can feel a bit spongy, although this does tend to vary from device to device.

From the the top
Left to right: microUSB (charging and PC connectivity), 3.5 mm audio jack, and 2mm power port.

Nokia E5-00 EDoF camera
The E5 has a 5 megapixel EDoF camera, which, generally, gives excellent quick capture results. EDoF cameras are not very good for 'arty' or macro shots, but, in our experience, often out-perform mid-range auto-focus cameras in typical day-to-day usage.

Cover clips
The E5's back cover is secured by two clips (of which one, in grey) can be seen in this pictures. This is a more secure arrangement than on the E72, and locks the back cover firmly in place (no squeak or wiggle here(.

Nokia E5-00 from the top
Left to right: microUSB (charging and PC connectivity), 3.5 mm audio jack, and 2mm power port.

Nokia E5-00 keyboard
The E5 has the same keyboard as the E63 and E72. It has a slightly matt finish, which stops the keys from getting slippery. All the keys are slightly domed, which improves accuracy. All in all it's one of the best keyboards on any QWERTY devices if this size. Also visible here is one of our favourite features - press the space bar, when viewing the home screen, and the the camera flash becomes a LED torch.