Nokia N95 (8GB)

The Nokia N95 (8GB) is to the N95 what the HTC TyTN II is to the Dopod 838 Pro. We're not making a direct comparison here, but the similarity lies in the fact that both successors have big boots to fill. There is no need for us to pore through every detail of the N95 (8GB) since our review of the N95 has covered most of the features. So we'll just highlight some of the important changes that could help you decide if this new iteration is worth buying over the original N95.

What has changed?

First up is the omission of an expansion card slot. This is notably the biggest and most significant change on the 8GB model, and for some people it could be a make or break feature. Although the N95 now comes with 8GB of onboard flash memory, the convenience of swapping memory cards is no longer available. To this end, we feel it is a matter of personal choice that only the user will know best.

The slightly heavier (by 8g) 8GB N95 feels relatively more solid and well-built than its predecessor. The two plates of this slider are less prone to shifting, which was one of the annoying aspects of the earlier N95.

Size-wise, the 8GB version is marginally thinner than the original N95 though most users wouldn't notice it. The reason for this is the missing mechanical lens cover on the upgraded model. So for that insignificant trimming, we have a lens element that's exposed to dust, dirt, possible scratches when the phone is in the pocket with other items and, most irritating of all, fingerprint smudges. On the bright side, this newer model is capable of sitting on its side without any support, so you can place it on firm ground, and use the timer on the camera to minimize camera-shake during long exposures.

Besides the piano black finish on the front fascia and the larger 2.8-inch QVGA LCD, which is now more flush with the surface, the softkeys also underwent some retrofitting. The buttons are slightly smaller, though we don't find them any more difficult to use. One of the more unique features of the original N95 is its two-way sliding mechanism which hides the media playback keys when not in use. The company did some improvements there as well. Instead of a flat column, the buttons are now raised, providing more tactile feedback.

Nokia has also removed the shortcut carousel (though, not totally) that comes up every time we slide the phone to access the multimedia keys. The screen changes to landscape orientation when we do that, but doesn't switch back automatically when the phone is closed, and that's annoying. The carousel now exists in the form of cascading tiles. These double as shortcuts to Music, Videos, Gallery, Games, Contacts, Internet and Maps, and some of these can be customized to display frequently accessed items.

In terms of software, the N-Gage platform and music download service are preinstalled on the smart phone, although the latter is still not available outside of UK, yet. The N-Gage application is still also in the preview stage, so there are only two game demos (FIFA 07 and Asphalt 3) available on our review set. Until these services are rolled out in our region, these programs remain limited in their capabilities.

The fourth version of the Mobile Search program has also improved significantly. Suggested results are shown once you start typing. What's disappointing, however, is that the Ouickoffice application on our set is a read-only copy; to use the full version, we would need to pay extra.

Performance

One of the main complaints on the original N95 was the mediocre battery life. Nokia has also addressed that problem by using a larger capacity 1,200mAh BL-6F battery. Does it make a difference? Yes, but only slightly. If we were to use every available feature on the phone at least once, with the typical usage pattern of making phone calls, sending text messages, taking pictures and listening to music, the cell would last us a day and a half at most.

We updated our review unit with the firmware version v11.0.026, but the most remarkable improvement in the performance was actually due to the increased RAM of 128MB, which is twice the size of what's available on the original N95. That accounted for the snappy response of the unit even when multi-tasking.

When we reviewed the N95 earlier this year, the onboard GPS took between 5 to 8 minutes to get a successful triangulation. A recent firmware update has enabled the Assisted-GPS feature on the N95, which now comes as a default feature on the 8GB version. Lock-on times were blazingly fast on our test unit. On average, it took about 20 to 30 seconds to get a triangulation from a cold start, and that's worth a lot of praise.

Conclusion

When we were wrapping up this review, we had a hard time finding other smart phones that could match up to the N95 (8GB) in terms of features and performance. The closest competitors we could muster up were the E90 Communicator and the HTC TyTN II. But even for these two, comparing them with the N95 was a stretch since they are from a different league and have slightly different target markets.

No doubt, Nokia has addressed most of the issues with the original N95 and the 8GB version is definitely a worthy successor. We liked the bigger screen, sleeker shade of black, increased RAM and the more solid build of the handset, but weren't thrilled about Nokia dropping the lens cover. The lack of an expansion card slot, well, is up to the individual. Ultimately, what would sway the buyer's decision is the price difference which is about S$170 (street price without contract) higher than the N95. But for what it is worth, the N95 (8GB) is probably one of the most feature-packed smart phones with little, or no competition in its class below the S$1,000 price point (at the time of review).