Over the 2 weeks that I have had my hands on the E66, I was surprised by one particular aspect of the handset, that I honestly didn’t expect at all. I have a lot of game reviews coming down the pipe, with mostly some fresh new games from Astraware, and since I was using the E66 as my main device, I installed these games on it and started playing/reviewing. Less than 48 hours later, I could’ve sworn that was my best overall gaming experience on any handset so far. The 3250 was too thick, the N95 and N95 8GB were too heavy and too uncomfortable to hold after a while, the N81 8gb didn’t have an accelerometer, the N82’s keypad squeaked and creaked while playing… The E66 seemed to go through that list of problems with ease, ticking all the boxes.
In-hand comfort
It’s not only a handset’s weight that makes it suitable for being held for a long time, it’s also the weight division on the handset, as well as overall feel and how well your hands grip on the device. As far as I can tell, the E66 has better weight division than the N95 8GB for example (who has the whole weight condensed on the lower part). Your hands grip on it comfortably, or at least its thinness makes it easier to hold it, compared to other thick handsets.
Battery life
On paper the numbers might not be that different, but battery life on the E66 while gaming has been, at least subjectively, better than the N95 8GB and the N81 8GB. I think I would put it equally with the N82. This is an important factor as you can carry a game for an hour or so without worrying whether or not your battery would hold the rest of the day when you’re away from a charger. I repeat that this is a subjective opinion, but I found myself playing games on the E66 more often than on the N95 8GB or the N81 8GB, just because I could rely on the battery to carry me through the day.
Accelerometer
The E66 is the first Eseries with an accelerometer, and that says a lot about Nokia’s plans to take motion-based controls a step forward. Automatic screen rotation is supported, as well as flip to silent. With the accelerometer on board, the E66 can keep up with new motion-based games like Marble Maze for example.
Great keypad and d-pad
Not only does the E66 feel well in the hand after a while, it also has one of the best keypads, and definitely the best D-pad I’ve ever encountered. This makes gaming much more pleasant. There is no way you could press another button by mistake on the d-pad, especially compared to the N95 8GB or the N81 8GB. Also the keypad gives a much better feel than the N82 with its squeaking and creaking plastics.
Free Games
The E66 comes with a lot of free software, of which Global Race as well as a full license to Epocware’s Top Hits Solitaire. A free game is always a nice way to get kicking with a handset.
Yes, the E66 may lack 3D acceleration (although Global Race is supported, I am keen to think it’s another version of the game for non-3D accelerated handsets), it still has a couple of good cards up its sleeves. I only wish Nokia would bring N-Gage support for this handset because it provides a good overall gaming experience, it’s one of the Eseries handsets that will find a target in the mainstream and not only in business users. Plus if Nokia wants to push N-Gage as well as their whole new set of services, then they should put them on every single handset they can think of.
