The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Hey everyone,

I'm a longtime Nokia user, currently using a C5-03. My previous phones were a N8 (before it got stolen), and a N86 before that. 'm looking to purchase either the N9 or the 808, but would like this community's in-depth thoughts on each. I'm quite aware of what each has, that other doesn't; but I haven't had a chance to try them for myself or met anyone who has.

And please, don't mention the Lumia 920. I find a 4.5 inch screen way too big, even though I have rather large hands.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

So 808 is mostly about the camera. Is that important to you?

The other thing is the UI. Which one do you like the most?

I would say 808 has better features and is a more complete device but it's up to you to decided. I have a love hate relationship to my n9 so i can recommend it unless I know the user.

Why not a n900?

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Well, to be honest, it's quite handy to have a decent P&S camera on me. I'm a student, so having any fancy cam is way out of my budget at the moment.

Regarding the UI, I've only seen Harmattan on videos, and I'm not sure how accurate a judge is that. I've no problem with change, if that's what you mean.

And there's no (affforable) way to get a N900 where I live (Mozambique), new or second-hand. There were a couple sold here when it was just released. But now you pay an arm and leg for one.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Ok, I vote for 808 for you.

N9 is not that Exellent in any way. It's more of a fun toy.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

N8 is the better featurephone.
N900 is the better enthusiastphone.
N9 is the better smartphone.
808 is the better cameraphone.

Really depends on what features are important to you, or if you prefer an all-round better device.

For instance, the N9 is a "better" phone than the Lumia 800, but the Lumia 800 is all-round better smartphone because of its ecosystem (which isn't much).

Which is why the 2+ year old Samsung Galaxy S (EPIC 4G/i9000) is a much better smartphone than the Lumia 800, because it has much better software and also a much better ecosystem.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

I'm not particularly an 'ecosystem' person. I have an Android tablet, and the apps that I get a lot of mileage out of are feedly, Pocket, and Kindle. But there aren't things I can't live without (though I appreciate my contacts being synced quite easily).

You mentioned the the N9 being a better smartphone. What exactly does that entail?

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

The N9 is for you if you like to use your knowlege of GNU/Linux on your pone. SSH into your phone, edit files directly on the phone's file system, tinker with settings etc. - No way to do this on a 808.

Also, the UI is smoother on the N9 and simpler. (Simple also meaning: less possibilities.) It's just more of a simple every day phone if your use case is making phone calls, checking mails and following your friends on twitter. (The event feed is nice.)

On the 808, you have a number of additional technical goodies that the N9 cannot offer. The usefulness largely depends on your other technical equipment, of course... You have a removeable SD card, FM transmitter, USB on the go to attach USB-sticks or external hard disks, standard compliant 3G video calls, HDMI out, SyncML built in...

I also found the 808 to be more reliable when it comes to 3G data connections. The N9 keeps dropping connections when I move (like in a car or bus), the 808 doesn't.

On the UI side, I found the 808 to be strangely slow, given that it has a faster CPU than the N8. I don't know where all this additional speed goes to, but you hardly ever notice it when using the device.

OTOH, the usual desktop-concept with all the useful widgets and shortcuts is a huge plus for me on the 808. I really miss those on my N9.

I'm not the person to judge the number of 3rd party applications. The few I use are available on both devices somehow. The only thing that my Symbian device has and the N9 doesn't is this whole Microsoft integration with not only Exchange, but also Lync, Sharepoint etc. - I wouldn't use those normally, but a have to at the office, so this is the only software I really need that the N9 cannot offer.

Given all of the above, I have to contradict Kangal; I'd say that the 808 is the better smartphone because it just offers more of everything. The N9 is the cooler device. It doesn't offer anything that the 808 doesn't have. But the things it does it does in a more friendly and beautiful way, if this is of any importance to you.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

I own both, here's the problems/limitations I found with each...

n9:
* Very difficult to write with it, painful to code.
* Couldn't use it as a secure WI-FI hotspot (there's only wep).
* Couldn't use it as a USB modem on linux reliably.
* Couldn't play webm videos embedded in a html5 document.
* Couldn't find a FTP application.
* The only (3rd party) whatsapp application was unreliable.
* Couldn't watch embedded vimeo or youtube videos.
* Couldn't interact with embedded applet content on sites (like wunderground radar).
* No widgets, just an old-fashioned icon-grid as well as a multitasking pane and notifications pane.
* No inbuilt per-person aggregator for communications & subscriptions (web-feeds, social-media, email, etc.), however there is an most-in-one aggregator (notifications pane, no Google+).
* No useful OCR technology.
* 3rd party applications are mostly spammy, many are just web-portals.
* Low volume; I always missed calls in the mall.
* Noisy photos in low light.

808:
* Couldn't use google-chat.
* Couldn't select & copy text in the email client.
* Multitasking is slow & tedious.
* Inbuilt keyboard doesn't have arrow-keys (anymore, thanks Nokia), swype only lets you enter text in full-screen mode.
* Couldn't use it as a USB modem on linux reliably.
* Very difficult to write with it.
* Couldn't use it as a secure WI-FI hotspot.
* Couldn't do python scripting on it.
* Couldn't play webm videos embedded in a html5 document.
* Couldn't watch embedded vimeo or youtube videos.
* Couldn't interact with embedded applet content on sites (like wunderground radar).
* No inbuilt per-person aggregator for communications & subscriptions (web-feeds, social-media, email, etc.).
* No useful OCR technology.
* Couldn't find a FTP application.
* 3rd party applications are mostly spammy, many are just web-portals.
* Unstable; stopped checking gmail once, rebooted itself a couple of times.
* Camera would sometimes shoot black frames, had to switch settings at random to get it working.
* Couldn't hot-swap the simcard.
* Unbalanced when using with one hand; physical buttons at the bottom, heavy camera at the top.
* No lens cover, lens is right where my index finger goes when holding the phone comfortably.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

I think the N9 is a joy to type on because of the fantastic virtual keyboard. Way better than any other virtual keyboard I have ever used because of both haptic and sound feedback both when you press and release the keys.

Also the camera thing is relative. While the camera might be better in the 808 the N9 is no slouch. It kicks the arse of most Android phones in my experience. I think it has fantastic quality for being a smartphone camera.

Here's a few sample photos for the OP:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resi...9DE940F173!134

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

1st off...
poster doesn't seem to be able to do most basic stuff...

• FTP Server
• WifiTrans
• or lftp client...

• CodeCam
• MeeScan
• and many more...

and so on, and so forth...

the poster probably still use a phone like this...
frantically hits the dial button...
shouts impatiently "miss, Downing Street 10 please..." and keeps looking desperately at his phone, wondering why there is no connection...


what are you looking for?
a run of the mill mobile phone with basic run of the mill smartness, i.e. all that social garbage that seems to be synonymous of Internet nowadays?
then both the N9 and the 808 PV are good for you because both offer plenty of free apps for that line of business...

the next best thing to a geek device? obviously, the N9 is your choice. keep in mind that 16GB is very little if you use geek features intensively, so get yourself a 64GB model

808 PV as a camera phone?
well, if you already have a N900 (as your phone and shoot of the century camera (slide open camera cover :cool: and shoot away)) then yeah, a 808 PV makes sense
have to carry it around though :eek:

tomorrow is a mystery, of course, but...
if the device you are about to buy is going to be your primary (mobile) phone for the next few years, you maybe better off with the N9 as support for Symbian devices might become a tight spot once NOKIA goes bankrupt... before the end of 2013 :mad:
with this Community (and maybe a little help of Jolla :o) the N9 may come along quite nicely ;)

if you want to go real geek you will need a BT keyboard (search for nokia N955...) as the terminals available are rendered useless by the lack of hw kbd :mad:

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

I can only go on N9 vs N8, cos i've never managed to get my hands on an 808, but they use the same Belle.

N8 was an amazing camera hands down.

N9 is a pleasure to use, to type on, to be social on, hands down.

I've reloaded my old N8 with stuff for my brother, i'm going to post it to him in a few days, once i put together a DVD full of stuff for him, etc.

I could not go back to the N8 from the N9. Even if photos are noisy in low light.

Take that however you will.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Those shots look really good! Definitely not a slouch!

Just to be clear, I'm currently using a Nokia C5-03. However, I do consider myself to be a tad tech savvy (if we were to rank it, intermediate). I've no problem with tinkering a phone to my needs.

The social aspects aren't a must for me. I don't use Twitter, and sparingly use Facebook.

A bummer about the Whatsapp app

I also thought of Jolla possibly running on the N9, though I don't know about the likelihood of that happening.

And thanks for the replies so far!

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Well, Wazapp is rather stable lately. The only bigger issue left is the registration I think, which can be easily done from another device.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Thanks. I quite like the camera in N9. It has the best camera by far out of all Android/WP cameras I have tried so far. Great picture quality and great camera app in itself with good options.

Here's my favorite image from this summer that I have captured with my phone (unedited straight from camera):

http://www.photography.dj/img/s2/v59/p744430873-6.jpg

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

for the sake of completeness...
Nokia 808 PureView set to get future improvements and updates
guess N9 will depend upon this community to stay up to date :confused:

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Lovely picture, and i agree with camera quality. But i gotto say though i hate the jerk/pause in the recorded video once in a while.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

I think the lumia 900 kicks N9 but when it comes to typing. So nice and easy to type on the Lumia with the larger spaced out keyboard and nice key boundaries.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

I believe Gerbick's summary of both was quite different to that, I never did get the 900 (beyond loaning for a while), came close.
Anyway before I derail it further, focus of this thread is 808 Versus N9....

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

I think the jerkyness is because you have Faster N9 installed? I believe that makes video recording a bit laggy.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

the macros shots of the N9 are outstanding.
destroying even the N8 in that department.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

No swype = no joy. Typing without Swype is torture.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

i have both, and i always wish that

n9 have 808's camera,cpu,gpu,fm tx antenna, cellular antenna,wifi antenna and fp2's vkb atrow

as for you OP, 808 is the best choice for you to have

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

The camera device wins.

Personally I have sold my N9 64GB quite early for two reasons:

-pentile screen (big let-down as this is something you can read about but you need to experience for yourself if the tech works for you or not)
-unergonomic design of body
-swipe on N9 is nice to attract new customers / press attention but basically Fremantle is more productive interface for me.
-camera nothing special vs N8 / PV 808
(-it looks like Lumia so I feel a little "Lumia" in public : ) )

My ideal candybar smartphone:

- camera part of 808
- all the other hardware features of 808 + dual charging
-OS of N9 + higher res screen (but no way that pentile tech, rather the 920 screen)


Compromised with best of both worlds:

808 with Symbian OS that just works + great pictures + calling + sharing 3G over Joikuspot with N900

N900 in the other pocket running Thumb 2 and Firefox for convenient surfing, Jabber, IRC, Skype...

But that is my opinion and I am not an apps person.

I think the web should remain device neutral.

Remember how long have we suffered 640 x 480 on our big screen desktops for that same reason?

Remember it is not your phone that needs to loose weight but yourself to have more pocket space to carry the maximum functionality on the road. :)

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

808 doesn't have a notably better Cellular or WiFi config*, & it's CPU certainly isn't better.
Everything else you list is correct... except VKB superiority is debatable...

*for both it can potentially better, but it depends entirely on ones env. circumstances, for one person it may be better & another it could be worse.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

808 uses an A11 arm chip clocked at 1.3Ghz while the n9 uses an A8 ARM chip clocked at 1Ghz...

the n9 wins hands down :D

FYI, A15>A9>A8>A11

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

I own both, bought N9 16GB earlier then upgraded to 64GB version. I bought 808 about month ago.
Frankly speaking in terms of specs,raw hardware 808 has many aces.
Let me summarise :

808 Pureview
Pros
-- Brilliant Brilliant camera(Stills), You have to try it to believe it.
-- Very good full hd video recording with kickass audio capture.
-- Very good music playback via headsets and speaker. It has Dolby Mobile etc. which actually make huge difference.
-- FM transmitter
-- Very good codec support out of box, I have thrown all kind of files at it and it plays all without any issues.
-- Very much improved Symbian, Belle FP2 it is. Includes better keyboard,browser,usability tweaks(If you are coming from early Symbians)
- Relatively better support by Nokia, updates, fixes etc.
- Nice collection of widgets.
- Better as phone, louder call, ring volume.
-- Better battery life compared to N9
-- Better Nokia Suite Support
-- Very good Microsoft Apps suite, Nokia Maps is better
-- HDMI, USB OTG, better 3G , WiFi reception
-- In India , we get 1 year free Nokia music unlimited service

Cons
-- Its bulky, heavy and kind of hard to handle.(Specially people used to slim touch slabs or smaller phones). Lens cover makes it even more bulky.
-- Build is not as impressive as N8,E7,E6 or even C7. It doesn't feel that great. You have to handle it carefully, Chrome camera casing is very easily damaged. Few users(including me have slight movement in back cover.)
-- Screen is bad to look at with all pixelation. Otherwise okish once you get used to it. No hot swap SIM card, memory card
-- Email is not so good, no notifications.
-- Only one exchange account
-- App support is decreasing
-- Overpriced

N9

Pros
-- Swipe UI. once you get used to this everything else becomes tedious. Smooth navigation, easy.
-- Very nice screen(compared to 808)
-- Nice contacts menu, accounts support
-- Brilliant design, rubber cover fits perfectly. This fits in hand very well. 3.9" doesnt feel big at all. Eye catcher. Curved glass.
-- Very nice community, app support.Something new to do always.
-- Very good Email,IM notifications. Hot swap SIM
-- Decent camera, takes some very good photos(No comparison to 808 though)

Cons
-- battery life is not great.
-- volume during calls, speaker, headsets is low.
-- Basic things like no predictive dialling missing
-- No HDMI, USB OTG
-- Fiddly USB door(Many people have broken it)
-- No builtin syncml support, office docs editing
-- No FM transmitter, Gets warm faster, especially screen
-- No microSD

My main phone is N9 currently and I just dont like to give up.
808 is gone to Nokia Care to fix back cover, I will try to use it more when it comes back.
Despite many cons of N9 , i like it more, It brings joy to using phone.

My advice
-- Go with 808 if you are in doubt, it will be more useful to you, kind of old swiss army knife. Best multimedia phone , I say.
N9 I can suggest if you want to experience Swipe and design and like to be part of community.
Luckily , I have both :)

Best Regards,
Suyog

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

:D^This, glad I'm not the only one that felt this way.

I've just exchanged my white N9 for an 808, only time will tell if I'll live to regret it, but I just had to try the last flagship Symbian and that amazing camera!

So far I'm pretty pleased with it, main things I miss from the N9 are Swype(both UI and keyboard, Swype isn't working right on 808 as you can't see what you're typing:(), and the general slickness of the OS.

The battery is better on the 808 though and that's a big thing for me, Symbian has always been the daddy when it comes to power consumption. For me personally I don't actually find the 808 too bulky, better than I was expected TBH and it's nice to hold while making calls etc. Also you don't have to be so precise to hear the other person on the phone, one of my dislikes with the N9, move just a little the device and you can't hear a thing!

As for the camera, what more can be said than amazing!

Both the N9 and the 808 are amazing phones, and will likely be my two last ever from Nokia(makes me a little sad), probably next device will be BB10, depends how happy I am in the long run with the 808 i guess.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

It's the GPU of the 808 that wins the N9's

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

look at the overall SoC, than 808 wins without a second thought

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Where was he saying that the N9's overall SoC is much better, he was correcting a claim that the CPU's much stronger.
It's far weaker... Whereas it's GPU/DSP(s) are (of course) far stronger....

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Exactly! Thanks for pointing it out to some people who don't read what is quoted or just above...

I clearly mentioned about CPU to the poster who was saying:

So i didn't disagree on GPU but on CPU...

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Been caught up with finishing my dissertation...I didn't expect so many replies.

So I'm leaning towards the 808, as one poster suggested it's kind of like a swiss army knife. The e-mail not being sorted kinda sucks, but I sparingly e-mail people anyways.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

It is good, the main thing I miss with it is the same kind of community that exists here, there's custom ROMS etc but it's just not as dynamic.
Theming is quite healthy, but amongst all the mods/twks/hacks one can do, that's an area that interests me least of all.

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

not really, since most of the arm compiled stuff isnt all that heavily optimised you might get maybe 10-20% better performance per MHz, maybe not even that, so not worth even mentioning when we look at how much broadcomm's dsp outperforms over TI one in n9

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

So tell me N808's ARM A11 chip or N9's ARM A8 chip to go along with the broadcomm GPU from 808?

A dream list to which I was responding is on picking the better components so I stand by what I said the N9's CPU is better and if you manage to couple it with N808's GPU you'll get a much better combination that the N808's current combo...

Oh and the N9 chip can be over-clocked safely to 1.2Ghz so an A8 clocked at 1.2Ghz vs an A11 clocked at 1.3Ghz; I know which one I would pick...

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

i would pick the one that doesnt suck even when playing just 720p videos :P

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

LOL!

Although I love the n9, that is one flaw I agree with you :D

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

Please elaborate on how you get that %, ATM it's just plucked out of the air.
And please elaborate on your assertion: "since most of the arm compiled stuff isnt all that heavily optimised"

That's not everyone's experience, far from it....
Sounds like you've got a poor SoC/CPU OR one (or more) of the rogue processes that are triggered in certain circumstances (& mitigated or avoided entirely if you do some research).

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

already at 1 GHz / default frequency the N9 is getting tremendously hot even under light charge (couple browser windows open, one terminal, clipcache, netmon...)
i'm not sure it would still be comfortable holding it @ 1.2 GHz :eek:
either way, doubt the CPU would sustain that very long :confused::rolleyes:

Re: The Definitive 808 vs. N9 Thread
 

My friend travelled overseas today, and I gave him cash to buy the 808! However, he doesn't find it...the N9/ Thanks for all the input guys!