Thread: N82: impressions after a week (long review)...

Hi folks.


Now that it's formally announced, I can finally provide you with information. The past week has given me adequate time to evaluate this phone pretty thoroughly. So here are my thoughts.

In a nutshell, the N82 is a super fast N95 wrapped up in a candy bar style monobloc body with a xenon flash, the new Navi scroll wheel (unfortunately unavailable on my proto) and automatic screen rotation ala Apple's iPhone. That's basically what it is. If you want to know the nitty gritty details, read on...



The design of the phone, in my opinion, will not win any beauty contests. It looks and feels plastic. It's quite a feather weight too, feeling just a tad heavier than the N95 8GB (non scientific hand weighing machine). Scientifically, it's 120g.

The front is mostly reflective smoky silver. The earphone speaker is at the top centre as usual and the front camera (for video calls or crappy pictures) is on its left. The SEND and END buttons are located just below the centre of the phone on either side and positioned just like the N81 where it curves slightly towards the sides of the phone.

The shortcut, menu and cancel buttons live sandwiched between the send and end buttons on a flat plane while the multi-media button is given special treatment being the lone button that sticks out. The multi-media button is the same as the keypad buttons, much like an N91: thin rectangular blocks. On the N91, they feel sturdy, like they are made of metal and click with a very positive action. Here, they feel like plastic.

This phone is theoretical to have the new Navi scroll key, found on the N81/8GB. But mine being a prototype has this function left out. What it is this, you can scroll around the multi-media menu and certain sub menus within by gliding your finger around the square ring and select by pressing the centre button, similar in concept to an iPod. Unfortunately I can't comment on it as its disabled on my prototype.

At the back, the covering is pearly silver that has a V-shaped pattern repeated all over it. It looks textured but when you touch it, it's actually smooth. There is a camera slider switch that activates the 5MP camera as well as the lens cover, like the original N95. The highlight of this phone is of course, the xenon flash. This is the first phone with xenon flash Nokia has ever made.


Overall, I like the N82, very much. It's got everything an N95 has and more. If only it didn't look and feel so not expensive in real life. Even if you have an N95, I feel it would be worth the while to upgrade to the N82. It's fast. Press a button and there's hardly any lag before something happens, unlike the N95 where it's press a button and then fall asleep waiting.

It's got a xenon flash that makes taking pictures that require flashes much better looking than with LED flashes. Assisted GPS (AGPS) makes navigation very pleasurable. With micro SD cards of capacities up to 8GB available now, you're not missing much by not getting the N95 8GB. Overall, it definitely offers a much better user experience than the original N95.

HSDPA turbo-charges 3G connections and it works great in real life providing broadband-like speedy web surfing. Integrated software on the phone makes creating and sharing content from anywhere a breeze.

Again, my comments are derived from a PROTOTYPE device and may not represent the final consumer version. From experience, the final release is always better.

So what's my conclusion?

Let's put it this way, if I can have only ONE phone today, a phone that can do most things well, it would have to be the Nokia N82.

great review - thanks! sounds like a great device. I currently own an N73, and Im sick to death of how slow it is, and how unresponsive the camera and gallery was - the N82 sounds like the perfect solution. I WAS going to go for an SE K850i, but I'll think I'll get an N82 after reading your thoughts.

BUT can i get it in INDIA

thxs for the review

know waiting for the phone to come to INDIA