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If you're looking for a no-nonsense handset, solid and weighty in the hand is good – and the Nokia 6303's pleasingly curvy metal bodywork feels appropriately substantial, without being chunky.
The stainless steel casing helps nudge its weight up to the 95g mark, although its slim 108.8(h) x 46.2(w) x 11.7(d)mm candybar dimensions mean it'll slip comfortably into the pocket.
The 6303 Classic is initially available in two flavours – an all-matt black version and a silver model with black screen and control panel surround (again, echoing the 6300's décor). The body of the phone feels nicely rounded and good to handle, the cool metal back cover giving a quality touch.
The navigation control panel and display are slightly raised from the numberpad, with a curved edge separating them. This gives the 6303 Classic an appearance that's reminiscent of an open sliderphone.
The screen is a 2.2-inch, QVGA (320x240 pixels) resolution, 16.7-million colour TFT – a typical mid-level display for a Nokia candybar that's typically bright and clear.
The navigation control panel is conventionally laid out, with a central navigation D-pad and a pair of rocker buttons taking care of softkey and Call/End duties.
These are decently sized, so avoid handling issues, while the D-pad reacts responsively to presses; a ridge gives fingers good purchase when selecting directional options.
The numberpad beneath is well ordered, the separate keys having a decent amount of room between them and sizeable enough to give digits a good run at accurate texting.
The overall space for keys, however, is quite compact relative to the size of the handset, so large-fingered users may feel tight for thumb space.
Around the curved edges of the phone, a volume rocker key on the side and an on/off key on top are the only buttons.
The base of the phone features a standard thin Nokia charger socket, a separate micro USB port – and that standard 3.5mm headphone socket, which enables you to upgrade your earwear when listening to the music player.
The back panel is plain, apart from holes marking the loudspeaker's presence, the camera lens – unprotected by any sliding cover – and a dual-LED flash.
