Nokia N86
3 DirectIt built-in accelerometer enables automatic switch between portrait and landscape modes. The scratch-resistant surface makes it a great choice
Our Nokia N86 Review
Design
Our first look at the Nokia N86, we felt a clear resemblance to the N81 in the design department. The glossy metallic surface looks sophisticated and eye-catching. On the downside, it not only catches your eye, but also your fingerprints giving it an undesirable dirty look. Available in shiny silver or glossy black, the Nokia N86 is made from durable materials with great finishing details.
Screen
At 2.6in, the Nokia N86’s 16 million colour QVGA resolution has great pixel density. It competes with high-end handsets with its great contract, brightness, and color saturation. It built-in accelerometer enables automatic switch between portrait and landscape modes. The scratch-resistant surface makes it a great choice with people constantly leaving their handsets on tables and surfaces. The screen isn’t a performer under direct sunlight, as you cannot read what’s on the screen or capture great images.
User Interface
The Nokia N86’s user interface is very similar to earlier Nokia interfaces. It sports the now-standard Active Standby mode showing handy shortcuts to messages, current appointments, and notes. You can choose to include the Active Standby bar either as a horizontal or vertical bar depending on your preference. The navigation is smooth between menus and easy to understand. The flash screen savers come as a new addition giving the Nokia N86 a sophisticated edge.
Keypad
The Nokia N86’s keypad is one to look out for as the keys aren’t as comfortable as they look. The D-pad, alphanumeric keys, and side buttons though comfortable aren’t as responsive as we would’ve wanted them to be. Such an issue is a direct result of their size that could’ve been better with a larger surface area. The power, USB, and 3.55 mm sound jack don’t have any decent covers causing them to become dust and dirt magnets overtime.
Camera and Multimedia
The Nokia N86’s 8.0 Megapixel camera offers a dazzling 3280x2464 resolution. Its dual- LED flash enables you to capture great photography with stellar quality, great saturation, and proper contrast. It comes with great features such as: autofocus, aperture, geo-tagging, and time-lapse.
For video recording, the Nokia N86 offers a 30 frames per second, VGA output – which is not as impressive as we thought it would be. Many competitor handsets support better frame rates, making the video shooting average in the Nokia N86. The camera comes with a protective cover improving its protection and usability over time.
The music player is a performer supporting common file formats and DRM protected music. It also comes integrated with the Nokia Music Store to facilitate music purchase. Audio output is sharp and pleasant on the year whether it’s a podcast, FM radio, or internet radio stations.
You can view documents using the Nokia N86, however; the editing mode is surprisingly absent from the picture.
Connectivity and Battery Life
The Nokia N86 sports great connectivity with 3G HSDPA 3.6 Mbps support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS. The browsing experience is drastically enhanced when on 3G HSDPA, where pages load faster. -You can also utilize Ovi Maps (previously Nokia Maps) for directions, locations, and geo-tagging.
Battery life isn’t up to par with other 3G handsets. At 4 hours talk-time and 264 standby, you’ll need to recharge your handset every two days. If you’ve an average user without heavy multimedia installed, you can safely leave you handset for 3-4 days without charging.
What We Liked
We liked the Nokia N86’s 2.6in scratch-resistant screen, 8 Megapixel LED Flash camera and great connectivity.
What We Disliked
We disliked the lack of document editing, multimedia support and lack of smart dialing.
Our Final Verdict
The Nokia N86 is great option for multimedia users. It comes with an expensive price tag when compared to Sony Ericsson’s Walkman series. The screen is a definite advantage that shouldn’t be missed out on. Overall, the Nokia N86 is a performer and a reliable handset.
Compare Handsets
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| Read Review | |||
| Nokia N86 | |||
General | |||
| Form Factor | Slider | ||
| Dimensions | 103.4 x 51.4 x 16.5 (mm) | ||
| Talk Time | 234 mins | ||
| Standby Time | 275 hours | ||
| Weight | 149 g | ||
Photo and Video | |||
| Camera | 8.00 megapixels | ||
Connectivity | |||
| 3G | Yes | ||
| Bluetooth | Yes | ||
| Yes | |||
| HSDPA | Yes | ||
| Web Browser | Yes | ||
| Wi-Fi | Yes | ||
Music and Radio | |||
| FM Radio | Yes | ||
| MP3 Player | Yes | ||
| MP3 Ringtones | Yes | ||
Nokia N86 Full Specification
General
| Form Factor | Slider |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 103.4 x 51.4 x 16.5 (mm) |
| Talk Time | 234 mins |
| Standby Time | 275 hours |
| Weight | 149 g |
Photo and Video
| Camera | 8.00 megapixels |
|---|---|
| Camera Option | Yes |
Connectivity
| 3G | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Yes | |
| HSDPA | Yes |
| Web Browser | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
Music and Radio
| FM Radio | Yes |
|---|---|
| MP3 Player | Yes |
| MP3 Ringtones | Yes |
User Comments
Perry I. submitted on 5 September 2009the N86's camera is great in the dark… took a couple of photos while out clubbing.. Very pleased for the quality, a must for those in need to great night photos
Morganra submitted on 16 June 2009So many features to wrap myself around during free times and lunch breaks.
Please note all submissions are subject to manual review prior to appearing on this website.
Images of the Nokia N86
