Nokia N96 review roundup

When the N95 was released, it was all but universally adored. Even today, nearly two full years after it was first revealed, it's still one of the most respected in Nokia's lineup. From the get-go, we knew the N96 was more evolutionary and less revolutionary; after all, the two handsets even look alike. The general consensus this time around is about what we expected: the N96 is a fine phone, and a worthy successor, but probably not worth the high price it's currently demanding. Oh sure, the call quality was stupendous, battery life was satisfactory and the multimedia playback was superb, but some critics were a bit displeased with the fit and finish given the premium price tag. All in all, don't go into the links below expecting any huge surprises -- the N96 is a nicely revamped, high-priced N95, and if that's what you're looking for, there doesn't seem to be any underlying issues that should hold you back from indulging.

Read - PhoneArena ("Nokia seems to have taken more of a lateral step than pushing forward with innovation.")
Read - MobileArsenal ("...doesn't have anything we didn't see before...")
Read - LordPercy ("...an improved, quality phone...")
Read - Mobile88 (4 out of 5 stars)

[stealth658 @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:11PM]

If you don't need the built in DVB-TV, I think it makes more sense to get the Nokia N85 over this.

[Mark Anderson @ Sep 23rd 2008 7:33AM]

Agree. It's too little too late.

[Kei @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:03AM]

Check out this review.

http://www.esato.com/board/viewtopic.php?topic=175457

It's a nice upgrade but not worth the money.

[Danny F. @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:17PM]

A higher resolution screen would've probably put to rest the issue of the price tag it demanded... tst tsk.. by now the qvga shouldve been ditched and gone up to either vga or even 480x320 resolution for the N95 successor..

[tyler @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:18PM]

iPhone!

(I'm sorry, I read enough on here that I've just always had the urge to do that. Rank me away into the abyss.)

[Lowest Ranked @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:19PM]

Okay, if you insist.

[j @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:18PM]

boring. NEXT!

[Lowest Ranked @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:20PM]

The real question here is who is the pirate that loaded the Dark Knight onto this?

[who? @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:28PM]

No. The real question is if it can play movie trailers.

Next comes your question. Maybe.

Personally I'd like to have Steve Jobs' copy of Iron Man.

[lanejasper69 @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:02PM]

Could be a photoshopped screen too....just saying...awesome looking gadg for sure!!!

[thedesolate1 @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:29PM]

Probably the same dude that put his resume on the Asus Notebooks.

[vijay @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:19AM]

Its another hard nut in ur pockets!

[xValentine @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:36AM]

Why would you pirate an awesome movie like "The Dark Knight" ?

I say buy it and watch it on Blu-Ray for all it's glory.

[xValentine @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:43AM]

Why would you pirate an awesome movie like "The Dark Knight" ?

I say buy it and watch it on Blu-Ray for all it's glory.

[Michael Scrip @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:23PM]

It's got lots of great features... except a QWERTY keyboard...

Sorry... it's almost 2009... typing is more important to me than streaming live video or watching mobile TV.

[Sarig @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:29AM]

So why are you looking at this phone at all? Nokia has the whole e-series for people who think media is less important and productivity more.

Including a bunch of qwerty's, now shoooo!

[Engadgetier @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:28PM]

OHH! i want one, i want a batbike. and the phone would look great with it! =)

[TareX @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:40PM]

D-Uh.

I'm surprised this overpriced old-gen S60 low-res brick didn't score less.

[Al2x @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:43PM]

If I was the only one on my bill and I had the extra cash I would so buy it. I've got a buddy with the N95, it's an awesome phone.

Great movie to put on the screen also!

[tuna @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:43PM]

IIRC, the N96 was launched in conjunction with the opening of the movie. I think there was even product placement in the movie as well.

[hungry @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:43PM]

can it find the nearest McDonalds is the real question...

[tiuk @ Sep 22nd 2008 7:56PM]

Yes, it can.

[huh @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:08PM]

The problem is this is a handset that has a nice camera as a main feature, but if it's anything like the n95, even if you're careful, the lens will get scratched and that feature will become useless. And honestly, as much as I try to defend my n95 vs the iPhone, the iPhone is so much nicer, though the n95 is better if you're stuck without internet. n95 needed a serious update, but didn't get it, some real consistency unlike the "let's try 5 different interfaces" they support now (today screen, search, media view, explorer view, all basically do the same thing but different). And unlike the iPhone, when Nokia finally gets around to updating it properly, all the existing n95/n96/n8x users won't get the update.

[Magallanes @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:51PM]

FUD !

So, according you, the best is to buy a cheap and blurry 2 megapixel camera instead of a semi-pro camera, because no matter how careful can you manage a camera sooner or later you will scratch the lens. O_o

No, you can use the phoenix to update your branded cellphone and still are update for branded cellphone (depend in the carrier).

IMHO i disagreed with the iphone interface, where is it the damn close button?. :-P Anyways, the symbian 3.1 interface can be used with one hand, iphone can't do that!. (yes, can do but pretty tricky and limited).

And no, the n95 was updated some months ago and will not need a "serious update", the sound and signal quality is fine (since the first firmware),and still is a lot better rather a iphone 3g. Unlike Iphone, Nokia will launch update several times at year, and many add new features (instead to fix annoying bugs).

[huh @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:07PM]

Magallanes, it is not FUD. As I mentioned, I have an n95, and dislike all the attention Apple gets. But why do they get it? Extreme attention to detail.

Regarding the lens issue, I and many other people babied their n95, and still these scratches which makes the camera all but useless. If they properly protected the lens (earlier n95s had a lens cover, other cameraphones have covers), or even made it easy to get a replacement lens (I wrote them about this issue, and others have this problem, but they wrote a very unfriendly, patronizing reply that was basically "sucks to be you.")

And then you say it doesn't need an update because the sound and signal quality are good? Is it a Smartphone, or is it a more portable replacement for this? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/91/Rotaryphone1.jpg/180px-Rotaryphone1.jpg

To say Nokia will launch several updates a year is nonsense, Nokia will abandon each year's line as they release new lines, at best releasing patches. Whereas Apple will provide full updates for every iPhone as long as possible. And I can only guess Android will surpass that.

And admit it, the Nokia operating environment is a disaster, with every genius who had an idea about how things should be done manifested in every single app. Compared to the excellent organization of the iPhone, it's a joke.

I'm far from saying the iPhone is perfect, I could talk at length about its faults, but it's clear to me which company is making a well thought out product, and which is making a disposable one.

[)law( @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:25PM]

I didnt know dark kight was out yet, hope the nokia tube is next ;-)

[tnkgrl @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:41PM]

If you really want to replace your N95, wait for the N85: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/09/21/tasty-bits-revisited/

[tuna @ Sep 22nd 2008 8:42PM]

Pardon my ignorance, but will this phone work with T-mobile's US 3G? A bit odd that the N85 was made official ahead of the N96 but I haven't seen anyone selling the N85, but plenty of sellers for the latter.

[Nokia SUX @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:16PM]

Nokia is still as shit as usual...........

And even getting worse.........

[phanbouy @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:37PM]

tell us how you really feel

[grull27 @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:01PM]

First, Engadget had The Hulk movie (not out yet) pirated on an Archos and now they pirated the Dark Knight on the Nokia N95. Shame on you! >.

[De @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:17PM]

.this is a nokia press picture. If u watched the dark knight all the phones wheres nokias. There seems to be an agreement between the two companies as nokia even released a dark knight edition phone.

[Poom @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:04PM]

I really think the N85 is so much better than the N96.

[thedesolate1 @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:33PM]

I second that and I wish they would hurry the hell up and release it before our economy completely collapses and It ends up costing me $3,000.

[lanejasper69 @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:17PM]

I hope everyone realizes it's probably a photoshopped image just laid on the screen. unless video proof...anyway, nice kit, too bad it cost so damn much!!!! Arrgggghhhh!!! No Way! Too steep for my blood (and tears for that matter).

[Chris Fleck @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:19PM]

What about Video-out capability ? I want to connect to a full size monitor & BT keyboard.
http://NirvanaPhone.com

[tnkgrl @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:59PM]

Most Nokia N-series have composite video out (PAL/NTSC).

[HB96st @ Sep 22nd 2008 9:44PM]

Sorry, but Nokia gotta drop the price of their phones.. with the price of the iPhone and what its got going for it, nokia is just gonna fall behind. The phones are just too Expensive!

[Rauha @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:15AM]

You must be one those people who think that subsidized "free" phones are really free. Learn to understand the difference between subsidized & locked phones and full price & unlocked phones.

Unsubsidized iPhones cost us much as N-series phones (around 500-600 euros). Idiots who enjoy being serfs to telecoms will be able to get N96 for free.

[Eddie @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:00PM]

I would buy it without hesitation, if it had full HTML email.

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:39PM]

I see some styling similarities with the N800 and N810 Internet Tablets.

[George @ Oct 17th 2008 11:00AM]

OK..AVOID THIS PHONE. Received my N96 upgrade from my n95 8gb today and its gone straight back in the box and being returned. The phone is so slow compared to my n958gb.What the review above fails to mention is the fact that the processor is slower on the n96 and it is also missing the 3d chip used for gaming and other apps such as gps mapping. Look on Youtube for n96 vs n95 and look at the framerate that the preinstalled racing game runs at. the n96 feels very platic and flimsy. Also the camera takes very pale looking pictures (agreed this may be fixed in a firmware update).. Yes it has 16gb and looks pretty but that really is the only improvement. If you have an n95 then wait before you upgrade!!! I've had just about every N series phone and the N96 is the only one i've been really dissapointed with. I'm going to check out the samsung innov8 with 16gb and an 8mp camera.(with online video editing to 120fps)