[jeffrey85]

Hi guys,

I owned a N85 with a bunch of issues. After some time Nokia decided to give me a new one but there still are some issues left.

Now I'm looking for another phone that isn't an N serie and for sure no slider phone.

So I was thinking about an 5800 Xm (black looks nice), but I'm wandering about wat users think about this phone.

The camera is less better than the N85 but the N85 picture quality is't that good at all. 

So the functions on the N85 are almost the same as the 5800.

Please, 5800 users, tell me why to buy 5800 or why to keep the N85.

Oh, last question. Does the screen stay sratch clean after some (months )of use?

thanks

[memphis32]

Hi Jeffry,

You know, it's difficult to say that the 5800 is a good solid phone, as there are many threads on this forum informing us of the problems certain people have with the phone. It is strange, as a lot of times i read of people having massive problems, but me(i'm in South Africa), i don't have any of the problems. i think it would come down to two main points. The first point, and i think this one is out of our control, is which batch of models your phone is from. Certain batches is very problematic, while others are very stable and good. The second point, is your personal use of the phone. Do you use the phone for web browsing, music, and messaging? If your answer is yes, then the 5800 should be on your top list of handsets.But there are other Nokia handsets that also offer what the 5800 has, and much more.

On the whole, I am very happy with the phone. It's stable, solid(it has fallen quite a few times, and it's still going strong), and it's also a little funky, very modern in today's world. It has some good features, and the music side of the phone is fantastic, sound quality is mind blowing. But i think you must look at the intended use of the phone, and it's target market. It's more for the younger crowd, those on the go that enjoy using the phone for music, internet and instant messaging. If you are more business minded, and use the phone as your PA, then maybe you should think of spending a bit more cash and getting a more capable handset. Other than that, I would think that it's all about your needs and what you prefer in a phone. Maybe you should consider speaking to one of your buddies, and check out if they know of anyone using the 5800 and make some arrangements to get in touch with them. Maybe if you work with the phone for a few minutes, you will either love it, or hate it.

And to answer your last question, the screen is able to stay scratch free for a while, it all depends on how you handle the phone. If you like me, and are very careful while using the phone, then the screen can stay as smooth as when you first take the plastic off. If you like to leave the phone in your pocket, let it lie around for everybody to see and play with, then it might show a few scratches after a while. I have my phone for just over 3 months, and there is not one mark on the phone, and it's quite easy to clean should you see it's a bit dirty. 

Hope my advise is what you are looking for.

Regards,

CK 

[jeffrey85]

Hi Memphis32,

Thank you for your opinion. I think that what you say about the batch and personal use is complete truth.

I bought my N85 not for business purpose but just for music, email, texting and to use it as a phone. But I was told that the Nseries was the best.

When I analyze my use of my N85 its like 25% music and video, 25% phone, 20%taking pictures, 20%sms, 5% email and webbrowsing and 5% gps. 

Al of this is also possible with a phone like the 5800. Even I'm 32 years old, the 5800 black edition looks pretty classy except for the xpressmusic logo, but who cares.

I played a wile with a demo 5800 in a local store and it felt alright. I had my doubts about sms and the touchscreen. I only used a Samsung Omnia before, witch is terrible to use.

What I dislike about the N85 is the price/quality rating. My N85 creaks just the same as my cheap Nokia 1661, this is just 1 thing I dislike.

If I would buy a 5800 witch cost way less then the N85, I would tolerate more build-quality issues.

You say there are other Nokia handsets witch offer the same and even more... for the same price, screensize ...?

Once again many thanks for your advice.

Regards,

Jeffrey

[grschinon]

I do think that the 5800 offers the best value for money at the moment.

The touch screen is remarkably easy to use for texting and it's sensitive enough. I have no complaints about it whatsoever. Do buy a screen protector, though. I'd scratched my screen within a few days of buying the phone, although the flexible part of the screen you touch is replaceable at a Care Point (not as a DIY job).

The main hardware gripes that people have had with this phone are:

1) Faulty earpieces. The issue was addressed in February this year when Nokia changed suppliers. All phones sold new as of April came with the new earpiece.

2) Faulty cameras. After taking a few photos and some video, the camera would simply go black. Leave the phone to cool down and the camera would work again. This problem would also seem to have been addressed. My phone, bought in April, has never exhibited this problem.

3) Gap between the two shells of the casing at the top-right. Some light leaks out when the XpressMusic logo is illuminated. It's never bothered me, personnally.

4) Screen going crazy. This started happening when firmware V20 was released. What Nokia didn't tell us was that in firmware V20 they increased the CPU clock speed from 369MHz to 434MHz. It looks like some screens weren't able to cope with the increased clock speed. Phones manufactured as of shortly after the release of V20 (not long after I bought my phone) will have been manufactured with screens known to support the faster clock speed.

The camera is only a 3.1 mpix camera. This said, the number of megapixels is not the only thing to define the quality of a camera. In good lighting conditions, the camera will take perfectly acceptable pictures. Things start going a bit pear-shaped in poor light. The sensor is a bit noisy and the albeit dual-LED flash is a real chocolate teapot. If camera quality is your primary concern then you need to look for an old N82 (as yet unsurpassed in many people's opinions) or an N86-8MP (but that's a slidephone). Shooting video in 16:9 widescreen is a nice feature...

The music quality of the 5800 is brilliant. You'll have to lose the crummy earbuds that are supplied with the phone and get a decent pair of in-ear buds, but that's not too expensive.

The GPS unit in my phone seems sensitive enough and the version of OVI Maps that comes with V31 firmware is pretty good overall.

I'd recommend this phone.

I'd also recommend NOT purchasing it in the UK. If you can find a retailer in continental Europe who can ship to the UK (I'm assuming that's where you are!) then do it that way. There have been problems with delays getting firmware out to UK-specific phones that Nokia are supposed to be looking into with little to no effect so far. So, if you can get a EURO phone rather than UK, you will get firmware updates 2 or 3 months earlier than if you had a UK-specific phone.

[memphis32]

Hi Jeffrey,

The sms function you spoke of is not that bad, it's still a S60, so all the usual bits and tricks would apply. It takes a short while for you to get used to it, but when you got the hang of it, it works quite well. As to you other question on which other handsets are available, it all depends on your budget. There aren't many Nokia touchscreens available, but from what i do know, it's the XpressMusic models, and then the N97. All on different price ranges, but all having very good Nokia backgrounds, so you can expect very good handsets. 

The 5800 is in a good price bracket, it has all the things that you have mentioned you require, so I don't see any reason for you to find any trouble with it. There are no moving parts, so it won't creak and rattle. It only has 5 buttons, so you can expect that it will be very solid.

Oh yes, one thing that caught my attention, is that you said the person who you spoke with told you that the Nseries Nokia are the best for music and media, is a joke. The Nokia Nseries is strictly business, there is nothing much else to it. Yes, those models will have good media items in it, but if you want a media phone that is built for media, then choose an XpressMusic phone, hence the name it's given. If you choose the 5800, it's going to be about what your needs are and not what other people tell you. Take it from me, if you like your music, instant messages and web browsing, you can't go wrong with the 5800. Just be aware that things can go wrong, there will never be a perfect phone, it's what you do with the phone that makes it perfect for you.

Regards,

CK 

[grschinon · Accepted solution]

---

memphis32 wrote:
Oh yes, one thing that caught my attention, is that you said the person who you spoke with told you that the Nseries Nokia are the best for music and media, is a joke. The Nokia Nseries is strictly business, there is nothing much else to it.

---

I beg to differ.

Nseries devices are media devices. The strictly business devices are the Eseries devices (E71 etc.).

[jeffrey85]

to grschinon: That's what I call "a detailed opinion". Whaw. I guess that everything I wanna know is in there.

The only thing now is hoping dat Nokia will pay the extra cost when I exchange my N85. It still is a beautiful phone but I can't live with a phone that has a zero build quality. Like said before, it creakes even more than my 10 times cheaper 1661. I guess that many people here wouldn't like that either.

Before I buyed the N85 I was told indeed that it was a High End Multimedia phone. And that the N Logo was not only there for the N gage games. It stood for quality from Finland. 

You recommend to buy a screenprotector which I understand, but is it reusable? I always kept the original film that was placed on the screen by Nokia itself.

The pictures I took with N85 outdoors and decent daylight were perfect. But when I compare them with a friend and his SE K800i which has an 3.2 camera; it shoots way better pictures day and night. So I don't care about the pixels.

As long the average picture quality is good, it's okay for me.

I use Bose headphones for more than 5 years, they are the best.

For GPS I use Garmin XT. It's easy to use and doesn't need to be payed monthly.

So all of this explained I know what to get. I'm living in Belgium so no problems with the UK versions.

to Mempis32: Indeed, there are no perfect phones but when I spend a half month of work for a phone I expect it to be almost perfect :-)

 So I hope Nokia helps me out of this because selling it will make me loose more than 75% of the price I payed it.

Guys, once again, thanks for the information.

[jeffrey85]

Because it would be inproper to not post a sollution.

I will get me a 5800 XM and hope to get it in a complete black colour.

[carloseap]

I also sold my n85 for build quality issues. The dpad surrounding the naviwheel broke. The back of the screen (metal) became all scratched because of the poorly designed slider. The battery cover piece that theld it to the body of the phone broke, I had to glue it. When I tried to take the phone to a Nokia Care center they told me the warranty did not cover these issues. I had to sell it at a loss.

Bought my 5800xm and haven't had a single problem with it.

I use it without a screen protector, and I have yet to see a single scratch. I just use a carrying pouch for the phone.

The only two things I dont like:   It's a fingerprint magnet (same as the n85). The GPS is way slower than the N85's.

And it does not have Internet Radio  

It's a great phone. With the N85 I was an early adopter and paid the price. The 5800xm firmware is mature, major issues have been addressed.

Hope you have a great experience with your 5800XM

[grschinon]

@jeffrey85:

The screen protectors are disposable. Once it has become too scratched you simply peel it off and put a new one on.

In Belgium you'll probably get the EURO2 Benelux version, which is what I have since, as well as my native English, I also use French, German and Dutch regularly.

[jeffrey85]

To Carloseap: What you say about paying the price because you were an early buyer of the N85 isn't quit right.

In my case; if I sell a new car and the costumer has issues with something I have to make sure that Subaru (I work in A Subaru garage) knows about this.

We have to check those issues if they are for real and fix them, no questions asked. We cannot afford an unhappy costumer because he will spread bad words about Subaru and our garage.

What I believe is that you buy a phone you buy for some decent and good working equipment. No discussions about that... So there might buy a softwarebug and there is some room for build quality but this might not go on cost to the customer. (I hope I spelled that right)

Contact the consumers and find a solution that fit both the manufacture and the consumer. Don't leave them with the no warranty policy.

About the Internet radio: you can always look up the urls of the radiostations. Hope that might be a solution for your problem.

[carloseap]

Hello, jeffrey85,

Up until recently with the N97, Nokia had never bothered to acknowledge what were clear manufacturing defects, such as the scratching camera lense, because they said, in the case of my N85 cracked pad, that the warranty did not cover those.  I know people who have purchased the N85 recently, and those issues have been corrected. That's why I say I had to pay the price of being an early adopter, as I got my N85 three days after its release date. They also built the N86 8mp correcting most of the N85's flaws. Sad to say, but Nokia seems to correct their flaws on the fly, once naive consumers like me have bought the newest device. That's a mistake I will never make again, if I ever buy another Nokia device after my 5800.

Other than that, I can say I didnt have any software issues with the N85.

Thanks for suggesting me to use an alternative for Internet Radio. I am currently using tunin.fm and wobbler, but I have to say the Nokia Internet Radio is way better. Hope they release a s60v5 version soon.

[jeffrey85]

Hi guys,

i went shopping today and was looking for the cheapest store to buy the 5800. But my eye caught the 5530.

I must say, it looks pretty classy and less cheap than the 5800. But is it any good? It cost a little less than the 5800 but no GPS and no G3 support. Specs tell me that the memory and the screen are smaller.

I search a little on Nokia discussions and found some about software issues.

Is it worth to buy the 5530 instead of the 5800? 

[grschinon]

The 5530 is a newer phone than the 5800, which is why its firmware is less mature.

To be honest I don't think the price difference between the two is enough to justify the difference in specs. In other words, for the little bit more money, I think it's worth going for the GPS and 3G/3.5G capability. Obviously, if you have no intention of using mobile internet then you're not interested in 3G and GSM will be sufficient for you, although the audio quality of a GSM call is significantly lower than that of a 3G call.

I have found the GPS to be useful on occasion when walking around a town that I don't know. I don't actually have a car so can't vouch for the quality of the navigation software - I merely use the GPS to find out where I am, basically.

So, if you don't actually care about 3G and don't want to use the GPS then go for the 5530. If you think they'll come in useful then the little extra money it'll cost you to get the 5800 is worth it.

If you do get a 5800 and it has V21 firmware on it, keep that version. V30 and V31 have clock-related bugs (the alarm goes off at the wrong time, timed profiles expire late if at all, and scheduled backups mostly don't work).

[jeffrey85]

I mostly surf on the web at home through a wifi connection and only get my mails trough the mobile network. I do like the GPS function of my N85 so I guess that would be a missing if I bought the 5530.

I still prefer the 5800 over the 5530, it's only that the looks and feels is much better. But that is a personal issue, I guess.

What you say about the firmware. I always update my phones when an update is available. So I'm better of not doing that? Because I thought that the latest upgrade was pretty stable and gave some extra (user) options. (Please correct me for being wrong)

The store where I will buy the 5800 can only deliver it in red or blue. But they where prepare to rebuild it to a complete black one.

*So I have to make sure that it only has V21 onboard, build after april 2009,... something else? (Would Nokia keep updating the firmware for the 5800?)

*Also I have to buy a screenprotector; any brand sugestions?

*And I always carry my phones in a "cover. Untill now I used the original Nokia cases or a Golla (http://www.golla.com/) bag.

*Anyone has some good results with a particular one? There is no carrying case delivered with the phone so I have to find some else.

I appreciate the time taking by all of you, thanks.

regards