Review: Nokia N85

The N85 is the logical successor to the N95 (yes, we know the numbers are going backwards but that’s how it is). If you like the look of it you might also want to consider the N96 with its nifty stand that enhances its table-top multimedia appeal.

Specs & info

Price: dependent on contract
Operating system: S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2
Processor: n/a
Memory: 78MB
Dimensions: 103mm x 50mm x 16mm
Weight: 128g
Display size: 2.6 diagonal inches
Display resolution: 320 x 240
Expansion slot: 1 x microSD

Anyway, the N85 is a dual sliding handset just like both the N95 and N96. This means it has a standard sliding mechanism which reveals the numeric number pad and a second slide which causes a bank of buttons to come out of the top of the handset.

When you activate this second slide, which we found to be a little on the stiff side, you have access to four buttons. These can either provide music controls or a pair of gaming buttons depending on what you are doing at the time. The relevant actions are indicated by white backlit icons so that some of the buttons can double up on their functions.

The front fascia also has its share of white backlit icons. When the handset is sitting idle you can see Call and End buttons, the sliver D-pad and a silver multimedia key which gives you quick access to a range of multimedia applications such as music, photos, gaming and more. When the phone has been activated you have access to four more buttons thanks to those white backlit icons. Two are softmenu keys, the other two are a back key and the Nokia menu key.

One of the interesting features of this phone is that it has an OLED screen. This uses less power than a standard TFT screen, and unlike earlier OLED screens we’ve seen it looks great. You’ll be hard pressed to spot the difference between it and a TFT.

You’ll need all the battery saving you can get because there is a huge amount of multimedia going on here. The music player – complete with a 3.5mm headset slot right where it should be on the top of the casing – performed well during testing. There isn’t a huge amount of on-board memory but the phone comes with an 8GB microSD card which should be plenty for most people.

The 3G capability makes for nice, speedy downloading and Web browsing and there is a front facing camera for two way video calling. The main Carl Zeiss camera shoots to 5 megapixels. A lens cover provides protection and the camera is activated when you slide it aside. We found it to have a little shutter lag which made photographing moving subjects a bit of a challenge, but on the whole it was pretty good.

There is a GPS antenna and Nokia Maps is pre installed. The phone comes with three months of voice guided navigation after which you’ll have to start paying if you want to continue with that. There is Wi-Fi here too, and a ‘sniffer’ on the home screen can be set to scan for networks in range. And Bluetooth is here too, it goes without saying, really.

We like the minimalist look of the N85, and Nokia has done a clever thing with the design, making the back a little smaller than the front so that the edges taper inwards. This makes the phone feel comfortable in the hand and seem a little smaller than it actually is. We also like the right-side mounted lock which disables all the keys and then enables them again. And the FM radio and transmitter which will send audio content to a radio such as the one in your car.

We aren’t so sure about the somewhat plasticy casing, though. This is an expensive handset, and we’d have liked a more solid feel to the build.

Essential verdict:

Performance: 7/10
Battery life is quite good considering this mobile has a lot of multimedia capability

Design: 7/10
The feel is a little on the cheap side considering the price of this phone, but we like the minimal looks

Features: 8/10
The double slider should keep gamers happy and there is lots more here besides

Value for Money: 7/10
An expensive handset SIM free

Overall score: 7/10

Review originally published in Smartphone & PDA Essentials magazine. Words by Sandra Vogel.

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