One by one by one: Nokia N95 vs N96 vs N97

LOL @ Deluded Steve

Nokia fanboys are blinkered beyond belief. They will give the thumbs up to the biggest flop of the decade, the n96.

I think the C: drive should be a separate category - it just seems wrong to have the N97 be the winner here just because of the 32 GB memory when the C: drive space is crippling the device.
/Lark

That's your opinion, which you're entitled to, but there are many satisfied N96 owners out there...

The Mini trumps all 3.
Its faster and more responsive than the n97, is more stable, has 256 on its C: drive, has the camera of the N95, has the battery of the n95-8gb, is built like a tank, has no slider issues of the sliders - and is more natural to hold than all 3.

This article shows us something truly amazing. Nokia "flagship" devices are appalling. The bug-ridden, memory-lacking N95 was made obsolete by the N95 8GB within months of launch. The N96 was a commercial flop and a technological disappointment. And the N97.... well, need we say anything about that?

I'm struggling to maintain my loyalty to Nokia since parting with hundreds and hundreds of pounds for sub-standard hardware that is packing unfinished firmware.

Nokia need to stop releasing so many damn handsets and concentrate on making a few finished ones.

1) Faster, yes. But that's like saying I can run faster than Steven Hawking
2) Stable? Barely.
3) The camera of the N95? Nowhere near.
4) Battery life? Try using it for more than texting. Requires at least one charge per day for a heavy user.
5) Built like a very feminine and easily scratchable tank
6) No slider issues is about the only positive about it.
7) Still too big and requires two hands to actually use. I guess if all you want to do is hold it then that explains why you think it's so good.

Well I love my N96, especially since the v30 firmware came out.

I still think the N96 is the best phone up till today.

A good phone is only as good as the services it can handle.

Throw in great DVB-H and you have the N95 you always wanted.

Touch is not an extra but only a different way to handle your phone.

I am still guessing that when DVB-H will catch on (in 2010 in Germany) that the N96 will get a revival.

Since the v20-firmware the N96 is the better N95.

1. More than fast enough. You don't buy a phone to render 3D animations in HD.
2. Mine is stable. Had no problems.
3. The N95 camera was poor, the N97 mini camera is poor. It's a phone camera; phone cameras are, without exception, poor. It's better than the N95 camera though.
4. Take yours back. My battery is 48 hours between charges. Very heavy use.
5. All phones are easily scratchable. Mini feels very solid though.
6. Too early to see if qwerty slider problems will appear.
7. Much better size than ANY other phone with similar capabilities. Mine does not require two hands for anything but qwerty operation (which is not necessary).

What about the N95-8gb??? Throw that into the mix and i think the scales tip towards it from the N96 (and for sure from the standard N95 (though the fixed 8GB is still a thorn in my side...but thats a problem for another topic for another day...grrrr)) ...its the best in my opinion and still a good option even 2yrs after its release!

I have to take issue with this point in particular (some of your points almost don't deserve comment - like the N95 camera comparison) because I'd just love to see how you write texts, browse the web or do anything worthwhile with one hand on the N97 mini. More importantly the N86 8MP not only has better capabilities but is a much better size, stronger and easier on the eye. I have the N97 mini, N86 and N95 8GB in front of me right now. In terms of useability the N97 mini comes in a poor 3rd place.

If anyone wants to buy an N97 mini or see me smash it to bits on Youtube - let me know.

N97 flagship ? I owned one and I sold it instantly. Everything was wrong: the bad interface, poor GPS, camera get scratched after 10-th opening (Yes, I've counted them !), low speed.
In my opinion Nokia should dump the S60 5th and do what they do best: phones with hardware buttons , with extraordinary technical specifications like it was N95 at his time.
They will never equal, in interface terms, the Iphone, Android and even Windows mobile.
I am expecting a right sequel to my faithful E90.

I got a Blackberry Bold 9700 and am loving it. It is superior to any E-series device except in one area, 3G speed. A small sacrifice to for a superior device. I know the trend is for the industry to save money and make devices with cheaper materials. Nokia is definitely not bucking the trend but they need to get current. E72 has a QVGA display, WTF thats is all I have to say.

Well, after this I think we can safely amend Disraeli's rule: "there are four types of lies: lies, damn lies, statistics, and Litchfield's tables".
I've seen you using a table to trash the excellent HTC Pro 2, then do it again with the Hero. And let's not even talk about your smartphone comparison table. But this time you've really outdone yourself. To make an fetid turd like the N96 look better than both N95 and N97 takes special skills. Well done, sir! :D

kop-out. My points are correct and you have no answer therefore you attempt to dismiss them. Fail.

I am a human being and therefore am blessed with opposable thumbs. I don't see any problem doing those things one handed. Don't see the problem at all.

Easier on the eye on is subjective and therefore truly doesn't deserve comment. The Qwerty, touch are missing on the N86. That's a capability regression.

speaks volumes.

yawn

Can you explain why any of the green cells that Steve has selected are wrong?

No?

Thought not.

LOL @ deluded you. tw@t.

i personally think the n96 is a great phone and the only thing letting it down is the battery

i fitted a 1200mah to mine and it was my phone of choice for over a year i tryed others , n82 , 5800 , n97 , n97mini , n86

i allways went back to the n96 as with v30 and a 1200mah battery it is one of the most stable feature packed all round devices on the market

the gps works , memory is great , screen is lovely , camera good , video codecs great

the only thing to take me away from the n96 was the omnia hd i8910 but as steve said thats a different topic so best left there

n96 is underated in my eyes

Apart from GPS issues. how about radio antenna of the phones ?

Also, I would like to know how much it takes for all these phone to have a stable firmware? which one is faster.

First of all let me say that I am a big fan of AAS/PhoneShow/PSC! That said it doesn't mean I agree with you guys ALL THE TIME but for the most part I find your website/podcasts very informative because I am pretty much THE target audience... Symbian user ever since the first Nokia smartphone, a smartphone freak/poweruser/whatever, and of course a Symbian user.
Anyway, I digress... back to my point:
There is NO SUCH THING as a perfect phone(or anything for that matter), it is all subjective. For example I am now using a Nokia N95 8GB, and for me it is the second best choice(I'm in the market for a N97 mini).
The only reason why I do not own the N96 is because I had just bought the N95 8gb when the N96 went on market and the difference between them did not justify the price. For the things I use my phone the N95 8GB is the best choice I can make.
The reason for this post is that I do not get when some people are so strong to dismiss a Nokia... or an iPhone, or an Android powered smartphone. I agree, the iPhone has a SPLENDID UI but since there is no good turn by turn navigation solution for my country(Romania) it's a no go for me.... that is just one example, the point being that we don't ALL look for the same thing in a phone and that well... EACH TO HIS OWN!
So chill, please!

PS: it's 3am, I just got home, and I'm a bit drunk, I hope I made some sense in what I posted.
Cheers and keep up the good work guys!

get an i8910!

but seriously, the n96 is a mistake even nokia should be trying to forget. i laugh out loud everytime i see it selling for more than the n97 in singapore. there's no doubt that the n95 was the most revolutionary phone out of the three, considering the time they were released. the n97's interface is clearly unfinished, and the lack of space on C: is just plain bad.

i went to the store wanting to buy an n97 over the summer, and found out that nokia' stopped shipping the version with navigation - and this was barely after i got over the fact that n97 has a resistive screen (my preference, not necessarily better) poor battery life, a slow processor and barely any space on C:

if there's a flagship for nokia now, i'd still say it's the n95, or the n86. s60v5 needs a lot of sprucing up before it can be a stable flagship.

oh and let's not forget the n900. definitely flagship material once it gets the right updates. (still no capacitive screen!!) if only they were even planning to launch it in singapore :(

As somebody mentioned before, there is not a perfect device. As per the comparison of the three phones mentioned in this article, I think the N95 8gb should have been included and it "borrows" the strongest points of the original N95 and the N96.
Asis

Steve...

Please add the N93--- flagship of 2006....

And it's form factor---is perfect. (gaming, filming, control of music etc.)

Although Nokia trushed the form factor...But it was still a wonder, on 2006. Besides the form factor, the optical zoom, stero sound camcording are still unique amongst nokia phones...

Also it has graphic chip which N96&N97 hasn't.

xXxJackxXx..... Don't buy the N97 mini. Seriously. After the joy of being an N95 8GB owner it will break your heart to waste so much money on that garbage.

1. Well, I've had both, the n97 and the mini. Sold off my n97 - even if it had v20 already. I just find the mini faster and more responsive.
2. Yes, it is. Have tried more than 10 apps open on it, it doesn't hang or slow down like the n97. So yeah, it IS more stable.
3. Well, they have both 5mp CZ cameras dont they? The mini's are a bit better than the n95 - at least it has 2 LED's and not one.
4. Last 1.5 days on me, heavy use. Unlike my previous n95 which barely last a day.

5. Feminine? If you mean because of the shiny metal - well, everyone's perception of whats good looking is different. I dont find it feminine. AND, more importantly, it has more metal than both the n95 and n97. I find it elegant not feminine.
7. You must have small(er) hands? I dont find it using and holding it with one hand - a problem. Only time I use both hands is when typing long text on that qwerty. And being more widely spaced - the qwerty of the mini is actually BETTER than in the n97.

I still stick to my point. The mini trumps all 3. The n95 was good but is old now. The n96 is more or less - an "updated" n95 only, and kept that small batt. The n97, was buggy at the start, and even with v20 - tends to be still slow, and is "disabled" by having lots of low memory errors. The mini is, and should be, the flagship symbian for today. It's even better than the E72 (with its build issues and erratic optical dpad).