Features:
- Compact, ergonomic design
- Intuitive menu setup
- Highly durable
- 4 built-in games
- Up to 3.2 hours' talk time and 200 hours' standby time with standard battery; includes NiMH battery, charger, and hands-free earbud
Description:
The Nokia 6160m, a direct descendant of the hugely popular Nokia 5160, is an attractive and reasonably priced phone whose compact size, intuitive menu system, sound ergonomics, and rugged durability have made it one of Nokia's bestselling handsets. While it shares most features with the 5160, it is slimmer, a bit lighter, and offers improved battery performance. It also packs in a few extra features including more ringer styles, three-NAM capability (which lets you register and use the phone with three different carriers), and an extra game. A glance is enough to see that the 6160m is both attractive and functional. Weighing in at 5.8 ounces and measuring approximately 5.2 by 1.9 by 1 inches, it will fit nicely into your pocket or purse. The large display screen clearly shows menu functions and features. Like the 5160, the 6160 offers such desirable baseline features such as a calendar to keep track of appointments, a calculator, lots of personalization options, and four mildly entertaining games. It supports text messaging, data transmission capabilities and has a phone directory capable of holding up to 199 names and numbers. It's three-NAM capability, ability to work at both 800 MHz and 1900 MHz frequencies, and support for both digital and analog networks provide mobile users with a great deal of flexibility. Nokia's soft-key menu system is intuitive and helpful. If you pause at any point during menu navigation, a brief pop-up tip appears to clarify that menu function. Those allergic to reading instruction manuals will find the integrated help sufficient for getting though almost any task. The 6160 lets you track incoming calls, outgoing calls, and missed calls in three separate logs. The 'Navi' button, centered just above the keypad provides up/down navigation for your phone directory, call logs, menu functions, and volume. The standard NiMH battery is rated for 3.2 hours of talk time and about 200 hours of standby time. In our battery tests, we were able to hold a call for 3 hours and 10 minutes, and successfully keep the phone on standby for 205 hours, excellent scores by any measure. The performance you'll experience will naturally vary depending on usage, the strength of your local cellular signal, and general battery care. It's worth noting that desktop chargers, supplementary batteries, and car adapters are available should you need more options than the trickle charger that's included with the phone. If you're looking for a durable phone with easy-to-use features, the Nokia 6160m is definitely a strong candidate. --John Schommer, edited by Tom Mace Pros:
- Compact
- Excellent ergonomics
- Durable
- Lots of personalization options
Cons:
How We Tested Battery Talk/Standby Time 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. Our Tests: We tested digital-mode talk and standby times with each phone. Prior to each test, we fully charged the phone's battery according to the manufacturer's directions. To test digital-phone talk time, we turned the phone on, established a digital carrier signal, dialed a number in our test lab, and, when the call rang through, took the receiving phone's handset off the hook. When all went well, we didn't do anything else except record the time when the phone died. In a couple of cases, the phones lost the signal and dropped the calls. If we were right there and could redial, we did so immediately and continued running the test. Otherwise, we halted the test, recharged the battery, and started the test over. Assuming consistent carrier-signal strength, this test should represent best-case talk time. And it's worth noting that several phones' talk-time performance significantly exceeded the manufacturers' ratings. To test digital-phone standby time, we turned the phone on, established a carrier signal, and left the phone in standby mode. We checked the phone every few hours (for what was often days on end) until the phone finally cut out. Since no outgoing or incoming calls occurred during testing and because the phone was not moved, this method should represent best-case standby time, again assuming consistent carrier signal strength.
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