06 October 2008

Nokia N82 and N95 8GB
Will Stand Before The Jury!

Currently two of the most popular Nseries are the Nokia N95-8GB and the Nokia N82, there is a huge pack of fans of both devices, and both have their unique feature or ''touch'', but overall, which one is BETTER?

Need help deciding which one to get? I will do a comparison between this two great devices, I have been using both of them for over a month of CONTINUOUS use, so I know them very well.

Today both devices will stand before the jury (you). So who is the guilty?? Who is the innocent?? Become a jury and decide which one is BUSTED!

Yeah! They are both criminals!!! N82's crime is it lacks! American 3G! And N95 8GB's crime is it lacks!! Xenon Flash and lens cover!!

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In my judgement those two, and the other two aspects I will speak about later, are the main differences between them. I know those living in Europe dont mind that point on the N82 but now it is a standard in all high-end devices the 3G compatibility around the globe, the N82 lacks totally the 850/1900Mhz and USA customers will have to deal with EDGE speeds.

But they can get the N95 8GB and enjoy 3G speeds. And let me tell you if you are searching for a main device in the USA the N82 is not the way to go, 3G is a must for a good Internet experience, for example: recently I discovered Symella, which is like a dream for me because in my N95 8GB I can download FREE tracks and videos, and with the help of the 3G 4 minute tracks take 4 Minutes to download, on the N82 I dont want even to tell you how frustrating downloading tracks on the GO is. (Symella is Limewire for mobile devices.)

Now lets talk about another crime of the N95 8GB, in the N95 8GB case is the 5Mp camera is not at its best, its actually....there for OCASIONAL shots, if you are searching for quality pics the N95 8GB will disappoint you, on the other hand the N82 takes GREAT pictures, and the Xenon flash makes a HUGE difference, I believe N95 8GB's LED flash alters the colors in the picture, while N82's Xenon does not.

Also in the N82 the experience of taking a picture is more comfortable, no matter if it is key-locked you just slide the back cover and the camera loads in an impressive 3 seconds, in the N95 8GB you would have to unlock the device, press the camera button and the camera loads slower, so taking a picture will take 7 seconds. And then you have to lock-key the N95 8GB again, in the N82 you just shut the cover and it locks again and enters standby-mode, overall the imaging experience is better with the N82. Since this is not a photo comparison I just took one picture, you decide! Who is guilty? N95 8GB is accused for taking horrible pictures.

This one was taken with the N95 8GB, latest firmware.
As I said the LED alters the color, the back wall IS white.
Default settings

The N82 took a WAY better pic, colors are like they really are and is sharper and overall better, anyone can see that. Default settings

On the N82, you will probably guess... is its small, some people say painful little keys. Is just disappointing for some people whose N82's keys are just very tinny. And they always press another key that the one they wanted. It can become a serious problem when browsing and texting. But a good side is that not everyone thinks N82 keys are horrible, some people actually like them.

The N95 8GB has fairly good keys, I find them comfortable and big enough. Plus has the Media Keys in the left, which make N-Gage and Music a way better experience, those keys are really cool, while surfing the WEB I love to control my music without changing to the MusicPlayer. Seems the N95 8GB is innocent.

The N82 is accused for having frustrating small keys!

Now lets leave the technical specs behind and focus on the aesthetics, the beauty of both devices. I know each taste is different, but I will write my opinion. Ok, I will start with the N95 8GB. The N95 8GB is all black, the back part is kind of rubberized , the phone is heavy 128g which I like because lets you know there is power inside of it, the phone is big, but I dont find it too big, fits well everywhere. It is a beauty, the design of the phone is classical pure Nokia.

Now the bad part, the back rubberized part gets scratches all over, the scratches are not permanent because I found they go away if you erase them with a rubber eraser, but soon after, you will find them back, the N95 8GB lacks the camera lens cover, some people cant sleep thinking one day the lens will get a scratch and their pictures will come with that scratch forever, it would be really bad to get a scratch there so you better put a small screen protector.

About the famous ''Wobbly Slider'' I have a few things to say. My N95 8GB in particular is not one of those wobbly sliders, but it suffers from ''wobbliness'' a little bit, in the lower front face of the slider the adjustment is not good, you press and it goes back a few mm, when using N-Gage it becomes very awful because you feel the area where the buttons are, are going back a few mm, it is not a good sensation on such a expensive phone, the good part is I made some research and the wobblines is not a problem, the front part WILL NOT detach from the back part, so there will not be damage, but anyway the sensation is NOT good.

On the other side the N82 is a monoblock, being the only moving part the lens cover, the N82 just feels solid in your hand and obviously there is not wobbliness and bad sensations, it is well adjusted. The N82 is just 2-3 mm slimmer and 14g lighter than the N95 8GB, the back part is hard plastic, it does not get scratched easily, while the front face is not as hard and it gets hairlines, but they are very well camouflaged by the shiny silver color, a problem on the N82 is the screen gets dust inside of it, so you have to take the front face and clean it with compressed air. In the month I have been with it I still have not that problem, but many users have reported it.

Now if you ask me which one is more pretty... Well is hard to say but the N82 is more sexy than the N95 8GB, last week was one of those strange occasions were I had to wear a suit, and I choose the N82 to go with me because is more elegant, although the N95 8GB looks more ''High-Tech'' Again is a matter of taste, but the N82 is more stylized in my opinion.

Here both are innocent.

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Now lets continue talking about the hardware, the N82 has better camera, it is true, but the N95 8GB has way better speakers and accelerometer. The N82 has the two speakers located in the right side, one in the top and the other one in the bottom, and that my friend is a problem, if you are right handed, you will find your hand is over the bottom speaker and that affects the sound quality, probably that is why in the newer N78 the bottom speaker is in the other side (sorry left-handeds!) that is problem #1 related to speakers, problem #2 is the speakers dont deliver the same quality and loudness as in the N95 8GB, I compared two same songs, the N95 8G delivers clear, loud sounds, the N82 not so much, and I have seen multiple posts saying ''My N82 speakers went out'', ahh and dont forget the N95 8GB has both speakers correctly positioned.

The accelerometer, I know there is a 80% probability it is the same piece of hardware, still the N95 8GB accelerometer is more responsive and effective, maybe it is because of the form factor, but I dont care, still the N95 8GB is better, for example it is 2 seconds more quicker in changing the screen to landscape mode, and using RockNscroll I found the N82 is not bad, but not as good as the N95 8GB.

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Finally, the other main difference between them.... The Screen...... N82 has a QVGA 2.4'' while the N95 8GB enjoys a 0.4'' bigger screen, same resolution. Those 0.4'' make a HUGE difference.

The screen is the medium of contact between you and your phone, therefore bigger the better? It is a complicated point you will have to answer in the poll, anyway, for me it is. Those 0.4'' inch make the whole difference, and I like a big screen to play games, browse the web, as well as seeing videos and pictures, I have seen complete movies in my N95 8GB, but I dont see myself watching a 30-minute Simpsons episode on the N82. The screen is OK but at least for me big screen is better, so the N82 is guilty for having a relative small screen.