I already reviewed a Nokia N95-3 back in November, but when Nokia announced the N95 8GB version, I wanted to see how it compared.
Most of what I said about the N95-3 still apply. What does the N95 8GB add to Nokia’s NSeries lineup? Two main things – a bigger (seemingly more vibrant) screen coming in at 2.8 inches and they’ve swapped out the Micro-SD card capabilities and stacked the phone with 8GB of on-board flash memory.
The model I tested was the European version, meaning it didn’t have support for the US 3G network (AT&T’s HDSPA network). This worked well for me because I’m on T-Mobile’s network, thereby on EDGE for data access when I can’t access an available Wi-Fi network.
Nokia’s N95 8GB is noticably larger than the original N95 and N95-3. You definintely notice it when it’s in your pocket. However the trade-off is the larger screen: the display is large and vibrant. Watching media on it is a great experience.
Even though there have been mixed reviews on the web regarding having removable media versus built-in flash memory, I prefer having the 8GB on-board.
Aside from playing media, the N95 8GB delivered stellar call quality. The battery life on the EDGE network was great, giving me 3 or 4 days of use with moderate data and voice use.
Similar to the N95 I tested before, the N95 8GB took exceptional videos and photos. Using Nokia’s Share Online 3.0, I easily uploaded photos to my Flickr account for sharing with family and friends.
Overall I thought the N95 8GB is a fantastic phone. However when it comes to it, I would chose the N95-3 due to it’s smaller size. The 0.2 inches doesn’t make the media experience that much better to justify the N95 8GB monstrous size. If I were buying a new N95, I’d get the N95-3 and buy some hefty Micro-SD cards for media storage.