Nokia 2780 Flip

The number of simple voice phones on the market has thinned dramatically over the last decade, leaving those who need or prefer a basic phone with fewer and fewer options from which to choose. The Nokia 2780 Flip ($89.99), a handset that transports us back to the good old days of flip phones, is looking to meet that need. It features a familiar, pocketable clamshell design with large physical buttons, but disappointing talk times. While the 2780 Flip is priced well and sounds quite good for voice calls, the Sunbeam F1 ($195) offers better battery life and remains our Editors' Choice winner for feature phones.

A Modernized Throwback

The Nokia 2780 Flip takes the familiar design from the mid-aughts and brings it to the modern era. Available in blue or red with a black insert on the front, this attractive clamshell carries forward everything we remember from yesteryear with updated specs and performance.

When closed, the phone measures 4.33 by 2.28 by 0.77 inches (HWD). When you flip it open, it stretches out to 7.96 by 2.28 by 0.45 inches. It weighs only 4.63 ounces, making it lightweight and comfortable to carry around. The rounded profile doesn't hurt.

The outer screen, which lets you see key information like the clock or the caller ID, measures 1.77 inches across with a resolution of 160 by 128 pixels. Incoming alerts feature colored graphics. The internal screen measures 2.7 inches with a 320-by-240-pixel resolution and full color. The screens are moderately bright, but sometimes glare obscures them.

Regarding controls, a volume rocker, power button, and USB-C port are all on the phone's right edge. The left edge features a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the inside, you'll find six function buttons, including the send and end buttons, a direction pad, and a button on the top. These buttons are medium-sized but easy to use. There's also a full number pad with large buttons for dialing numbers or tapping out messages.

The rear panel is removable so you can swap batteries if you want. The SIM card and microSD card slots are buried under the battery and require you to pull it out to change them.

The Nokia 2780 isn't rugged or waterproof. Nokia built it to meet an IP52 rating, but the phone isn't certified as such. I can say that I dropped it by accident a few times during testing and it took the falls like a champ. One time, I dropped it hard enough that the battery cover popped off and the battery flew across the room. When I put everything back together and turned the phone on and worked without issue.

Will using the Nokia 2780 make you feel more human? We're not sure.

Clear Calling, But Short Battery Life

While voice clarity may not be the top priority of smartphone buyers, with a voice-first phone like this, call quality is of utmost importance. Calls sound loud and clear on the Nokia 2780 Flip thanks to VoLTE, which cleans up vocal performance. Add in the loud earpiece and speakerphone, which respectively peak at 70.5dB and 76.6dB, and you have an excellent phone for making calls.

Unfortunately, that LTE-enabled calling also leads us to one of the phone's most significant drawbacks: battery life. It features a relatively small 1,450mAh battery that provides only 3 hours and 20 minutes of talk time via LTE. Talk time would extend to about 7 hours if the phone is able to connect calls via 3G, but 3G networks have all been shut off in the US. Those who use the phone outside the US where 3G networks are still available should see better battery life. US buyers, however, are stuck with the shorter, LTE-limited time. In comparison, the Sunbeam F1 lasts about 5 hours, 30 minutes.

The Nokia 2780 Flip is fine for sending text and MMS messages, though you'll be composing them with the physical number pad. Also, you'll have to contend with poor group messaging support. Texts from groups are separated into individual messages, which can lead to poor communication with multiple people at once. This was an issue we faced on the Nokia 6300 4G, as well. WhatsApp, available from the KaiOS app store, may help circumvent this issue.

The phone includes Wi-Fi for watching videos (via the YouTube app), downloading apps, and other such tasks. It supports Wi-Fi calling, too, so you can make and receive calls over Wi-Fi if you live somewhere with spotty cellular service.

The Bluetooth 4.2 radio means you can pair your favorite set of wireless headphones. However, you won't be able to download Apple Music, Spotify, or any other major music streaming service. You can use the YouTube app to listen to music, though.

If you prefer to listen to music over FM, the phone includes an FM radio and app. However, you'll need to plug in a pair of wired headphones to pick up your local stations. Last, you can store music files on the microSD card and play them back via the basic music app.

KaiOS Could Be Better

KaiOS may be based on Linux, but it's not Android. Instead, it's a lightweight platform made by KaiOS Technologies specifically for 2G, 3G, and 4G feature phones. It's a decent enough operating system for a basic phone, though if you're used to a smartphone it'll feel a little sluggish. It has a simplified menu system that lets you sort through lists, launch apps, organize apps into folders, and so on.

There are a handful of preinstalled applications such as a to-do list, a calculator, and some basic games like Snake. KaiOS has a simple app store that lets you expand the phone's functionality, though its selection is lacking compared with modern smartphones. You won't find many of today's top mobile apps, but chances are you can access them via the built-in web browser. For example, neither Facebook nor Twitter appear in the KaiOS app store on the Nokia 2780, but both work in the browser.

Nokia included an accessibility mode that increases the font size across the phone while also boosting the maximum volume above the standard limit. A quick dial button can be enabled via the settings that will let you call any phone number by pressing the button on the side of the phone three times. Finally, there are more traditional accessibility features such as color inversion, captions, reading of text out loud, and hearing aid compatibility.

Most people in the market for a voice-first phone probably won't care much about the OS as long as it makes calls and sends messages reliably. While it could be better, KaiOS doesn't get in the way of the user experience, which is all you need from a device like the Nokia 2780 Flip.

Not Much of a Camera Phone

The Nokia 2780 Flip includes a 5MP camera with a flash, but you shouldn't rely on it to be your main camera. This simple shooter requires lots of light to take basic images that don't come close to looking as good as what you can get from even a basic smartphone. It can also record low-resolution (480p) video, but again, don't expect impressive footage. And if there's little light available, it's best not to bother.

Considering the phone costs less than $100, however, we don't expect much from the camera and you shouldn't either.

It Gets the Job Done

The Nokia 2780 Flip is a throwback in its purest form. It's not without flaws, but most of them aren't deal breakers. The limited amount of call time is the biggest detractor here. If you're in the market for a flip phone with solid durability, great accessibility features, and clear LTE calling, this is worth a look. The Sunbeam F1, however, remains our Editors' Choice for its superior battery life.