Motorola KRZR K3 Review

Introduction:

What we are currently previewing is the new Motorola KRZR K3, the successor of the K1 which we reviewed last year. The new model is based on the successful glossy first KRZR but builds on it by improving the functionality and the hardware, now supporting 3G networks.


Design:

The original KRZR was available in a few color schemes, just like it happened with the RAZRs, but each one used this color for glossy front, math aluminum back and colored the sides in silver. The K3 would also be available in more than one color but replaces the silver with black and adds black area on the front, for contrast when put next to the K1. We don’t really get its idea as the phone remains very friendly to fingerprints, but you can easily make the difference between it and the K1. The whole construction feels well and is solid, but we received two units – brand new device and one that has been used for tests. It shows how your phone will look if you don’t care for it much – fallen paint, wobbling shell and battery cover. A unit in good conditions opens very easy, the spring mechanism is robust and thanks to the fossette between the two shells, where you can easily push a finger.

One of the improvements when it comes to hardware is the increased size of the two displays. The larger external display is now readable even in bright light but unfortunately this is not the case with the internal one. Still it is slightly larger in size and uses QVGA resolution instead of 176x220 pixels that was put in the K1.



Unlike the K1m, which was offered by CDMA carriers, the K3 doesn’t feature external keys for controlling the media player. The internal keyboard left us happy, keeping in mind it is very flat. All buttons are big enough, press with no worries and have tactile feedback. The four side keys can hardly be felt and pressed if you don’t know their position by heart.