That sounds like a harsh title, doesn’t it? Well, unlike what you may think, I won’t be criticizing the N81 nor praising the N95. So why do I think you should get an N95 if you have an N81, because these devices are perfect opposites.
Yes, I know what I am saying might be a little bit dangerous, since both are Nseries, black sliders, have an 8GB version, have built-in WiFi, are N-Gage and Music Store compatible, are almost the same size, function on S60 3rd Edition FP1 and both were announced at the same time. But apart from the obvious, everything and I mean everything on these two mobiles is completely and totally different. The weaknesses of one are the strengths of the other, and vice-versa.
When I first held the N81 8GB in my hands, I felt this pattern of opposition and complementarity, in all matters, with the N95 8GB. I thought then it was just an impression, but day after day, I was blown away by the facts and right now, I sort of have some trouble explaining that the same firm delivered these 2 devices. Jump after the break for all the dirty details.
So how and were are the opposition patterns between the 2 black spiders? Here is a list of 10 of my findings so far (going from the obvious to the not-so-obvious).
1 – Camera: The N95 is a much powerful camera. With autofocus, better flash, 5MP, a close-up mode and 30fps video recording, it delivers a quality much higher than the N81 with its 2MP camera and lousy flash.
2 – 3G and GPS: The N95 has GPS and 3G, features that the N81 doesn’t offer. I don’t mind the absence of these since they aren’t any helpful in Lebanon, but I know most people really need them.
3 – Build Quality: The N95 is much better built, with less shiny parts and a leather-feeling back. The N81 with plastic material and lights squeezing out around the keypad seems like a cheaper device. I wish the sand-colored material used on the sides of the N81 covered the whole unit.
4 – Looks: The N95 8GB is fairly a guy’s phone. When I had the N95 8GB and was roaming the streets with it, I ran into extremely few girls who said they would carry it. When I got the N81 8GB, the first comment I got from my entourage (which is pretty much 80% girls) is that it looks much nicer and sexier and that they actually see themselves carrying it it.
5 – Missing Keys: The N81 misses the Gallery and Pen keys that are present on the N95. The gallery key isn’t much of a deal, but the absence of the pen is starting to get to my nerves, especially that I send a lot of sms with symbols.
6 – Front Key Accomodation: On the N81 8GB the softkeys are easy to use, but the major keys that are hard to press are the green call and the red hang up keys. The opposite is on the N95 8GB where those keys are very easy to press, whereas hitting the left and right softkeys is Mission Impossible.
7 – Device Focus: With dedicated multimedia keys, the N95 seems focused on music, but the N81 delivers a much better music experience: the 3.5mm plug is on the top which makes it easy to slip the device into a pocket, the music volume and quality are much better, it has a Now Playing screensaver, and the music keys are accessible even when the keypad is open. On the other side, with dedicated gaming keys, the N81 seems focused on gaming but the N95 is a better gaming device: Tv-out makes it possible to transform it into a game console, the 3d hardware improve the gaming speed and processing, the accelerometer will make it possible to use it like a Wiimote.
8 – Slide Handling: The N81 is the star of slide handling. It allows you to choose what actions are performed when the slide is open/closed during a call or during normal usage. The N95 doesn’t offer any option to choose from, but on the other hand, it is possible to lock/unlock the N95′s keys when the slide is closed using the softkeys, whereas the N81 doesn’t support this, only the top lock button can be used.
9 – Keypad Comfort: I previously griped over the N95′s keypad. Problem is that it is easy to use for a quick sms, but it gets quickly uncomfortable on the long-run. On the opposite, the N81 is less easier for short messages because the keys are hard to press, on the same level and there is no space between them. But the N81 doesn’t wear your hands out as fast as the N95, with the absence of the raised sides and the weight being much better divided all over the device, it keeps on performing even after a 10-15 minute text type.
10 – Slider Stability: file this one under the [weird] category. The N95 8GB has a wiggly slider when it’s closed, meaning it can move up and down a couple of millimeters very very easily. But when it’s open, the slider is rock solid. The N81, on the contrary, is rock solid when it’s close, no way this one could move. Now open the slider, yup, you guessed it, it wiggles, not up and down but back and forth (against the rest of the device).
I won’t even talk about the differences in battery life, RAM, processor speed, internal memory and built-in applications. So I wonder, do you now believe these devices are perfect opposites, and are you still convinced now that they were both built by the same company? Well, I have some doubts. And most of all, I wonder, when just WHEN will we have the best of both worlds?
Edit: as it seems from the comments, my point isn’t as clear as I thought it was. What I am saying is that every one of these devices has weak and strong points, and being that these are totally opposites, they make the devices perfectly complementary. So if you got an n81, and can afford it, get an n95 TOO (and not instead). Hope that clears the deal.
