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Slider smartphone with 16 GB memory but no QWERTY keyboard
- Fast data speeds via 3G network
- Has 16 GB memory plus microSD slot
- Great support for documents
- Excellent 5-megapixel camera/camcorder
- Music player and FM radio
- No QWERTY keyboard
- Very expensive (unlocked)
- Symbian OS takes some acclimation
- Plastic components
- Some complaints about call quality
Reviewers give good ratings to the Nokia N96, a slider smartphone with high-speed 3G network capability and 16 GB of built-in storage but no QWERTY keyboard. But ultimately, they usually recommend buying something else -- including, sight unseen by reviewers, the yet-to-be-released Nokia N97, which will have a full QWERTY keyboard. Professional reviews often refer to the Nokia N96 as a bit sluggish, and as with the other unlocked Nokia smartphones, there is some debate whether it's worth the upfront cost that's more than the subsidized price of a carrier-sold phone requiring a contract. And as with other Nokia smartphones, the Nokia N96 uses the Symbian operating system that some U.S. users initially find difficult to use. Reviewers say Symbian does offer great support for dealing with business apps like Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and work email via Microsoft Exchange. But for some business users, the lack of a QWERTY keyboard may be a deal-breaker.
CNET's Bonnie Cha says the Nokia N96 isn't enough of an upgrade to justify buying it if you already have a Nokia N95 8GB, but if you have great storage needs, the N96 not only has double the built-in memory, but also includes a microSD memory card slot (accepting up to 8 GB) that is missing on the N95 8GB. While 16 GB (about 12,000 songs) is plenty for most people, some may want more space if they're going to use all the multimedia functions to the max. In addition to the music player, there is a 5-megapixel camera/camcorder with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens that gets good reviews. The Nokia N96 also has an FM radio.
There are mixed reviews on call quality and some complaints about the cheap plastic build -- PC World's Ginny Mies wonders whether it would shatter if she dropped it. (To that we say, it's a review model. Don't guess. Go ahead and drop it, and see what happens.) WirelessInfo.com directly compares the Nokia N96 with five other phones and basically says they each have their advantages, depending on your needs. PC World's Mies suggests the T-Mobile G1, HTC Touch Pro, BlackBerry Bold, or the sight-unseen Nokia N97.
CNET has the best, albeit still imperfect, review of the Nokia N96 -- it gives us some pause when a rating is "adjusted" clairvoyantly to reflect the future release of a different product that the reviewer hasn't tested yet. WirelessInfo.com's coverage is extremely thorough and thoughtful but not conducive to sound bites, and there's no quick-hit score that helps you shop easily. But if you're in the mood for some reading, its report can't be beat. We found about 40 owner reviews at Amazon.com. CNET usually has a lot of user input, but there is just a handful of owner reviews on the Nokia N96 at this writing. ConsumerReports.org does not include Nokia smartphones in the current ratings chart.
| Nokia N96 16 GB Unlocked Phone with 5 MP Camera, 3G, GPS, Media Player, and Micro SD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black) | |
(55 reviews) |
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Our Sources
1. CNET
Bonnie Cha rates the Nokia N96 as "good." It should be noted, however, that the rating has been adjusted to reflect the addition of other products on the market, mentioning the as-yet-unreviewed Nokia N97. Cha says the Nokia N96 froze during testing and can be sluggish.
Review: Nokia N96 (Unlocked), Bonnie Cha, Dec. 18, 2008
This review is on the long side, but there's a very detailed list of pros and cons on the front page and a comparisons section that says the Nokia N96 is expensive but not a bad value. The Nokia N96 is compared against five other phones here, but there's no blanket winner -- it depends on what features you need.
Review: Nokia N96 Cell Phone Review, Marianne Schultz, March 16, 2009
This roundup of three similar models is pretty thorough, and each phone gets its own rating (the Nokia N96 gets 3.75 out of five stars). Although all of the phones in this review have a 5-megapixel camera, their quality is not identical. Lisa Gade says the N96 has the best of the three.
Review: Roundup Review: Nokia N96, Nokia N85 and Nokia N79 U.S. Models, Lisa Gade, Feb. 1, 2009
4. PC World
Ginny Mies says the lack of a QWERTY keyboard and touch screen means you're better off with a T-Mobile G1, HTC Touch Pro, BlackBerry Bold or waiting for the release of the Nokia N97. Also, she says the plastic casing feels so cheap that she worried it would shatter if she dropped it.
Review: Nokia N96 Unlocked GSM Cell Phone, Ginny Mies, Dec. 23, 2008
PhoneArena.com is thorough, but for some reason skips the battery test this time. Call quality is "muddled" on the reviewer's phone. The keypad is judged cramped and the build "resembles a cheap knockoff in the dark."
Review: Nokia N96 Review, Editors of PhoneArena.com, Updated Nov. 11, 2008
6. PCMag.com
This is a thin review by PCMag's usual standards, written based on brief use; it compares three Nokia N-series models. Sascha Segan says: "My hands and eyes kept darting over to the N85, though; the N96 just seemed a little dullerÉ I find it hard to recommend it over the N85. Then again, I don't watch a great deal of movies on my phone."
Review: Hands-On: Nokia N96, N85 and N79, Sascha Segan, Aug. 26, 2008
7. Amazon.com
A little more than half the approximately 40 owner reviews give the Nokia N96 four or the maximum five stars, and about another quarter rate it a three. Detractors say it's too expensive, a bit balky, has no QWERTY keyboard and is better for overseas use than in the United States.
Review: Nokia N96 16 GB Unlocked Cell Phone, Contributors to Amazon.com
