Motorola WX395 mobile phone

A very basic handset that lacks the bells and whistles of smartphones like the iPhone, Motorola's WX395 is ideal for use as an entry-level mobile phone or as a secondary phone. The WX395 is a fuss-free handset designed to make calls and send texts.

Though the Motorola WX395 may be a throwback in terms of features, it is quite a well constructed mobile phone. The brushed black plastic on the front feels sturdy and doesn't look out of place, while the rubberised buttons click reassuringly when pressed. Particularly impressive is the rear plastic battery cover, which clicks firmly into place and shows no signs of any rattles or creaks when pressed.

The Motorola WX395 retails for less than $100, so its obvious compromises have to be made. In this case, it's the display that suffers the most. In addition to being quite small, it has a very low resolution, poor viewing angles and is difficult to see in direct sunlight. The screen is particularly frustrating if you're an avid texter — it can only display five short lines of text, and the text itself isn't overly crisp or clear.

The Motorola WX395 is fairly easy to use, which is critical for a device that’s targeted at first-time users. However, it lacks the polish of similar positioned Nokia mobile phones, such as the 1661. The main menu is a simple affair, with a basic 4x3 grid of menu icons, but the text lacks sharpness and the poor resolution display means you'll often be squinting.

Basic features are the order of the day at this price; the standouts are an MP3 player and a microSD card slot (capable of storing cards up to 2GB), but the lack of a standard 3.5mm headphone jack is disappointing. The WX395 also has a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, a hands-free speakerphone, SMS and MMS messaging with T9 predictive text input (but no e-mail), a basic phonebook, a call register, and a few handy PIM functions such as an alarm clock, calculator, calendar and voice memos. The WX395 can also play video files, but the limited display means they won't look great.

Critically, the Motorola WX395's call quality is reasonable, though it can be difficult to hear if there is any background noise. Thankfully, our callers didn't complain about the outgoing sound, suggesting the microphone is of good quality. A downside is the lack of external volume controls, though the volume is easily adjusted using the WX395's navigational pad.

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