head to head
NOKIA N73 vs sony ericsson K800i
NOKIA N73
SPECIFICATION
Size
Length 110mm
Width 49mm
Depth 19mm
Weight
119g
Main display
TFT, 36x48mm, 240x320 pixels, 256K colours
Camera
3.15mp, 2048x1536 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, video (CIF), flash; secondary VGA video call camera
Connectivity
3G, tri-band GSM, EDGE, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0
Memory
42MB plus miniSD slot
Battery
Standby 350 hours, Talk time 6 hours
Look and feel: 8/10
Mix of shiny and matt metallic finish on front, matt black plastic elsewhere:
could be classier. Good size and weight mean it is comfortable in the hand,
even for a woman. Overall, though, a bit bland.
Externals: 8/10
Clean, neat design; well-delineated camera/volume control buttons on side.
Small video camera lens on front, main camera on rear.
Keyboard: 8/10
Keypad is cramped, but keys are well distinguished. Call off/on and
option select keys around the joystick work well; four slimline keys around
the edge of the keyboard are less successful.
Display: 9/10
Loverly screen – large, crisp, bright, clear, performs pretty well in bright light.
Memory: 7/10
Only 42MB on board, which isn’t good enough for a multimedia 3G phone
(stores only about 50 photos). The miniSD card slot is empty.
Camera: 9/10
Difficult to separate the N73 and K800: the Nokia produces good pics with accurate, warm colours and sharp focus. Lots of easy-to-use extras and settings.
Large, hi-res screen makes a great viewfinder.
Handling Photos: 8/10
Good file handling using ‘galleries’, average image-editing functions,
some excellent extras like good red-eye reduction.
Entertainment: 7/10
Stereo FM radio, ok music playing (good stereo speakers on board).
In use: 8/10
Impeccable reception and great call quality. Video messaging is also pretty well flawless (N73 records in medium-res CIF format).
Extras: 7/10
Usual mix. Excellent Nokia PC Suite for PC synchronisation and file transfer.
WE LIKE:
• Carl Zeiss lens produces excellent photos – and it’s so easy to produce them
• Super display
• Low-cost memory cards
WE DON’T LIKE:
• Relatively poor LED flash
• A bit prone to camera shake, and can’t sit on its edge on a flat surface for timed shots 6 Uncharacteristically iffy build quality
Overall:
Oozes quality in all departments – especially the camera, thanks to that Carl Zeiss lens. Same it’s not a bit sexier looks-wise.
80%
Sony Ericsson K800i
SPECIFICATION
Size
Length 105mm
Width 47mm
Depth 22mm
Weight
115g
Main display
TFT, 30x40mm, 240x320 pixels, 256K colours
Camera
3.15mp, 2048x1536 pixels, autofocus, video(QCIF), xenon flash; secondary VGA video call camera
Connectivity
3G, tri-band GSM, Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0
Memory
64MB plus Memory Stick Micro (M2) slot
Battery
Standby 350 hours, Talk time 7 hours
Look and feel: 9/10
Looks the business, very sleek and professional. Very slightly larger than K750, though it seems longer (and it is a bit heavier).
Externals: 8/10
Neat arrangement of keys and buttons (including those dashes above the screen: they’re two handy soft keys). Mirror frame and mirror finish to the display look classy but attracts fingerprints.
Keyboard: 7/10
Could be better. Keypad keys are generally easy to distinguish horizontally but not vertically. Keys around the joystick can’t easily be distinguished by feel. All keys are pretty small. Joystick is good, though.
Display: 9/10
Vivid colours, wide viewing angle, good in direct sunlight (because of the mirror coating, but only when it’s not covered with smudges).
Memory: 7/10
64MB is ok but not great, and M2 slot is empty. But M2 cards can go up to a whopping 1GB, which is why Sony Ericsson is using them here.
Camera: 9/10
Excellent Sony-technology Cyber-shot camera with accurate autofocus. Good with colours, crisp images in varying lighting (and brilliant flash makes for stunning indoor snaps). BestPic mode is very clever.
Handling Photos: 9/10
Usual file functions plus rather good image editor (it’s still easier to use a PC’s). Easy printing via PictBridge. Picture blogging is fun.
Entertainment: 8/10
Music player is reasonable – similar to K750i. Stereo Bluetooth, FM radio, TrackID music recognition. Only low-res video though.
In Use: 8/10
User interface works well. Good reception, excellent call quality.
Extras: 8/10
Standard (but good) SE file manager. Organiser apps. Two good games.
WE LIKE:
• Picture quality – overall it rates as exceptional
• BestPic mode – takes images as soon as you autofocus, lets you choose the best
• Call quality
WE DON’T LIKE:
• Cramped keypad, small keys
• Lens cover – easy to open accidentally (switches on, drains battery) and easy to scratch
• New M2-format memory cards – a bit pricey at the moment
Overall:
An exciting and easy-to-sell cameraphone – superb display, high level of functionality, truly excellent photography for this level.