Sony Ericsson C901 vs Nokia 515: A Blast from the Past

Remember the days of sliders, dedicated camera buttons, and surprisingly capable feature phones? We're revisiting two iconic devices: the Sony Ericsson C901 and the Nokia 515. Both offer a nostalgic experience, but which one delivers the better package?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Nokia 515 edges out the C901 thanks to its superior display contrast and robust build quality. While the C901 boasts a more advanced camera for its time, the 515's longevity and classic Nokia reliability make it the slightly better choice for a retro experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson C901	Nokia 515

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only)
3G bands	HSDPA 900 / 2100	HSDPA 900 / 2100 - SIM 1
Speed	HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps	HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA	GSM / HSPA

Launch
Announced	2009, February. Released 2009, May	2013, August. Released 2013, September
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	105 x 45 x 13 mm (4.13 x 1.77 x 0.51 in)	114 x 48 x 11 mm, 56.7 cc (4.49 x 1.89 x 0.43 in)
SIM	Mini-SIM	Single SIM (Micro-SIM) or Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by)
Weight	107 g (3.77 oz)	101.1 g (3.56 oz)

Display
Protection	-	Corning Gorilla Glass 2
Resolution	240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~182 ppi density)	240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~167 ppi density)
Size	2.2 inches, 15.0 cm2 (~31.7% screen-to-body ratio)	2.4 inches, 17.8 cm2 (~32.6% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	TFT, 256K colors	TFT, 256K colors

Memory
Call records	30 received, dialed and missed calls	Yes
Card slot	Memory Stick Micro (M2), up to 8 GB	microSDHC (dedicated slot)
Internal	110MB	256MB 64MB RAM
Phonebook	1000 x 20 fields, Photo call	Yes, 1000 entries

Main Camera
Features	xenon flash, LED flash	LED flash, panorama
Single	5 MP, AF	5 MP
Video	320p	320p@30fps

Selfie camera
	No	No

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	Yes
35mm jack	No	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	2.0, A2DP	3.0/ 3.0, A2DP (single SIM only)
NFC	-	No
Positioning	No	No
Radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS	Stereo FM radio, RDS, recording
USB	2.0	microUSB 2.0
WLAN	No	No

Features
Browser	WAP 2.0/HTML (NetFront), RSS reader	-
Games	Yes, incl. motion-based + downloadable	Yes + Downloadable
Java	Yes, MIDP 2.0	Yes, MIDP 2.1
Messaging	SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, IM	SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, IM
Sensors	Accelerometer	-
	MP3/AAC/MP4 player TrackID music recognition Photo editor YouTube application Organizer Voice memo/dial Predictive text input	SNS applications MP4/H.264 player MP3/WAV/AAC player Organizer Predictive text input

Battery
Stand-by	Up to 430 h	Up to 912 h (2G) / Up to 912 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 9 h 30 min	Up to 10 h 18 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 18 min (3G)
Type	Removable Li-Po 950 mAh battery	Li-Ion 1200 mAh, removable (BL-4U)

Misc
Colors	Noble Black, Sincere Silver, Precious Peach	White, Black
Price	About 110 EUR	About 140 EUR
SAR	-	0.92 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	1.57 W/kg (head)	1.15 W/kg (head) 1.14 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -86.2dB / Crosstalk -84.9dB	Noise -87.9dB / Crosstalk -81.0dB
Camera	Photo	-
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 743:1 (nominal) / 2.134:1 (sunlight)
Loudspeaker	Voice 66dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 71dB	Voice 66dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 77dB

Sony Ericsson C901

Stylish slider design
Better camera for its time
Photo-centric features
Sony UI

Lower display contrast
Shorter battery life
Outdated processor
Fragile slider mechanism

Nokia 515

Excellent display contrast
Durable build quality
Longer battery life
Classic Nokia reliability
Dual SIM support

Basic camera
Limited features
Less stylish design compared to C901

Display Comparison

The Nokia 515's display is a clear winner. Its impressive contrast ratio (743:1 nominal, 2.134:1 in sunlight) provides significantly better visibility, especially outdoors, compared to the C901's smaller, less vibrant screen. The C901's screen, while adequate for its time, struggles in bright conditions.

Camera Comparison

The Sony Ericsson C901 was a camera phone pioneer, featuring a 2-megapixel camera with autofocus and a flash. While the Nokia 515 has a basic VGA camera, the C901's image quality is noticeably better, offering more detail and richer colors, though limited by its resolution. The C901 also had photo-centric features.

Performance

Both phones rely on older processors and limited RAM. Performance is adequate for basic tasks like calling, texting, and light web browsing, but don't expect blazing speed. The C901 might feel slightly snappier due to Sony's UI optimization, but the difference is minimal.

Battery Life

The Nokia 515 generally offers better battery life thanks to its efficient design and larger battery capacity. Expect several days of moderate use, while the C901's battery typically lasts a day or two.

Buying Guide

The Sony Ericsson C901 is for those seeking a stylish slider with a decent camera and a taste of early 2000s Sony design. The Nokia 515 is ideal for users prioritizing a durable, long-lasting phone with excellent call quality and a focus on simplicity and value.