Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman vs. Nokia C6-01: A Detailed Comparison

The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman and Nokia C6-01 were popular budget smartphones of their time, both offering multimedia features. But which one truly delivered a better experience? We're diving deep into a head-to-head comparison to help you understand their strengths and weaknesses.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman edges out the Nokia C6-01 thanks to its significantly faster processor and generally better multimedia capabilities. While the C6-01 offered a solid Nokia experience, the Live with Walkman's Snapdragon chipset provided a noticeable performance boost for apps and music playback.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman	Nokia C6-01

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 900 / 2100 - WT19i	HSDPA 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
Speed	HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps	HSPA 10.2/2 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA	GSM / HSPA
	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - WT19a	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - American version

Launch
Announced	2011, August. Released 2011, October	2010, September. Released 2010, November
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	106 x 56.5 x 14.2 mm (4.17 x 2.22 x 0.56 in)	103.8 x 52.5 x 13.9 mm, 65 cc (4.09 x 2.07 x 0.55 in)
SIM	Mini-SIM	Mini-SIM
Weight	115 g (4.06 oz)	131 g (4.62 oz)

Display
Protection	Scratch-resistant glass	Corning Gorilla Glass
Resolution	320 x 480 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~180 ppi density)	360 x 640 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~229 ppi density)
Size	3.2 inches, 30.5 cm2 (~50.9% screen-to-body ratio)	3.2 inches, 28.2 cm2 (~51.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	TFT	AMOLED
	-	Nokia ClearBlack display

Platform
CPU	1.0 GHz Scorpion	680 MHz ARM 11
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2	-
GPU	Adreno 205	Broadcom BCM2727
OS	Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)	Symbian^3, upgradable to Nokia Belle OS

Memory
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included
Internal	320MB 512MB RAM	340MB 256MB RAM 1GB ROM

Main Camera
Features	LED flash	Dual-LED flash
Single	5 MP, AF	8 MP
Video	720p	720p@25fps, 720p@30fps (via SW update)

Selfie camera
Single	VGA	VGA

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	2.1, A2DP, EDR	3.0, A2DP
Positioning	GPS, A-GPS	GPS, A-GPS
Radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS	Stereo FM radio, RDS
USB	microUSB 2.0, OTG	microUSB 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

Features
Browser	-	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, Adobe Flash Lite
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass	Accelerometer, proximity, compass
	ANT+ MP4/H.264/WMV player MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player TrackID music recognition Document editor Voice memo Predictive text input	TV-out SNS integration WebTV MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ player DivX/XviD/MP4/WMV/H.264 player Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF) Voice command/dial Predictive text input

Battery
Music play	Up to 17 h 30 min	Up to 50 h
Stand-by	Up to 350 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G)	Up to 408 h (2G) / Up to 372 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 14 h 15 min (2G) / Up to 6 h 42 min (3G)	Up to 11 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 4 h 30 min (3G)
Type	Removable Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery	Removable Li-Ion 1050 mAh battery (BL-5CT)

Misc
Colors	Black, White	Silver Grey, Black
Price	About 120 EUR	About 170 EUR
SAR	-	1.00 W/kg (head) 1.25 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	1.00 W/kg (head)	1.10 W/kg (head)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -88.1dB / Crosstalk -87.9dB	Noise -88.2dB / Crosstalk -89.4dB
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Loudspeaker	Voice 75dB / Noise 68dB / Ring 78dB	Voice 75dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 77dB

Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman

Faster Processor (Snapdragon)
Better Multimedia Performance
Slightly Better Display
Walkman Branding & Features

Shorter Battery Life (under heavy use)
Plastic Build Quality
Limited App Support (due to age)

Nokia C6-01

Reliable Nokia Build Quality
Slightly Better Battery Life
Familiar Nokia Interface
Durable

Slower Processor
Less Responsive User Experience
Less Vibrant Display
Limited App Support (due to age)

Display Comparison

Both phones featured a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, but the Live with Walkman often had slightly better color reproduction and viewing angles. The C6-01's display was functional but lacked the vibrancy of the Live with Walkman's.

Camera Comparison

Both phones featured 5MP cameras, but image quality was generally comparable. The Live with Walkman sometimes produced slightly more saturated colors. Low-light performance was poor on both devices, typical for the era. Video recording capabilities were similar, offering standard definition video.

Performance

This is where the Live with Walkman shines. Its 1.0 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 chipset with a Scorpion CPU significantly outperformed the Nokia C6-01's 680 MHz ARM 11 processor. Apps launched faster, multitasking was smoother, and the overall user experience felt more responsive on the Live with Walkman.

Battery Life

The Nokia C6-01 typically offered slightly better battery life due to its less power-hungry processor. However, heavy music playback on the Live with Walkman could drain the battery faster.

Buying Guide

The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman is ideal for users prioritizing music playback and a slightly smoother user experience. The Nokia C6-01 is a good choice for those seeking a reliable, durable phone with a familiar Nokia interface, especially if found at a very low price point.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone is better for music lovers?

The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman is generally considered better for music lovers due to its Walkman branding, dedicated music features, and slightly better audio performance.

❓ Are these phones still worth buying?

Given their age, these phones are unlikely to receive software updates or security patches. They might be suitable for very basic use or as retro devices, but modern smartphones offer significantly better features and security.