The Nokia N79 and the Nokia N85 are, at least as far as marketing is concerned, mid-level S60 smartphones. The model numbers give that away, but also the feature sets. They’re basically identical smartphones, both bringing S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2, 5 megapixel autofocus cameras with dual-LED flash, a microSD card slot, compact form factor, 3G, WiFi, GPS, and a host of other seemingly ‘standard’ features. The N85, on paper, seems to have the upper hand, with a set of dedicated music playback buttons and that beautiful OLED display, but is it really better?
The N85 Euro, which we reviewed previously, is a solid phone, don’t get me wrong. Unfortunately, the Euro variant that I had started showing some serious build quality issues within about 2 weeks of use, with an overly-wobbly slider and the now common disconnection of the panel covering the navigational cluster. Nokia recently sent me an N85 NAM to play with, confident that the build quality issues were fixed. On the NAM unit they sent me, which was factory-sealed, the build quality was indeed miles better. After a few weeks of heavy usage, the navigational panel was still firmly in place, and the slider didn’t wobble nearly as bad as the Euro variant.It would appear that the Nokia N85 NAM is built better than the Euro variant, though that is based on my single experience with only one of each phone.
However, with the N79 and the N85 both sitting on my desk, I found myself continually drawn back to the N79. The candybar form factor is something that Nokia simply dominates at, and that hasn’t changed. It’s rock solid, and every button is easy to press and offers a nearly perfect tactile response. The speakers are loud and clear, and the camera is snappy, too. The best part of the Nokia N79, though, is that it’s the type of phone, like my N95-3, and the N73 before, that I can depend on, day in and day out. Its firmware is stable, doesn’t randomly reboot, and is snappy, even with the S60v3 FP2 menu transitions turned on.
Another thing that I actually prefer on the N79 is the ‘standard’ 2mm Nokia charging port. You would think that the N85′s microUSB charging would be incredibly convenient, until you realize that it can only charge using Nokia USB cords. I tried with a Plantronics and a Motorola microUSB wall adapter, and neither would charge the N85, frustratingly. At least with the N79, I already have a half-dozen Nokia chargers around the house. Also, the S60 navigational keys on both of the N85s that I used were very stiff, and ended up being a pain to use. The N79, once you get used to the raised softkeys and end/send buttons, is much softer, and easier to use, in my opinion.
Basically, between the N79 and the N85, I would say that the N79 is the better buy. I like that I don’t have to worry over the build quality, and that I’m not deceived by the seemingly standard charging port. The N79 also offers more customization options, with its user-changeable XpressOn covers. If you’re looking for the best overall S60 on the market today, I have to say that, unless you just need QWERTY or touchscreen, the N79 is it.
Have you used the N85 or the N79? Which do you think is better?
