Remember the days of Symbian and feature-rich phones? The Nokia N79 and 5800 XpressMusic were titans of 2008, battling for smartphone supremacy. We're revisiting these classics to see how they stack up today.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic edges out the N79 thanks to its superior touchscreen, slightly faster processor, and better multimedia capabilities. While the N79 boasts a strong design, the 5800 offers a more modern and enjoyable user experience overall.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 900 / 2100 |
| Speed | HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps | HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / HSPA |
| | - | HSDPA 850 / 1900 - American version |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2008, August. Released 2008, October | 2008, October. Released 2008, November |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 110 x 49 x 15 mm, 74 cc (4.33 x 1.93 x 0.59 in) | 111 x 51.7 x 15.5 mm, 83 cc (4.37 x 2.04 x 0.61 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Mini-SIM |
| Weight | 97 g (3.42 oz) | 109 g (3.84 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~167 ppi density) | 360 x 640 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~229 ppi density) |
| Size | 2.4 inches, 17.8 cm2 (~33.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 3.2 inches, 28.2 cm2 (~49.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT, 16M colors | TFT resistive touchscreen, 16M colors |
| | Touch-sensitive Navi wheel | Handwriting recognition |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 369 MHz ARM 11 | 434 MHz ARM 11 |
| OS | Symbian OS 9.3, Series 60 v3.2 UI | Symbian 9.4, Series 60 rel. 5 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 4 GB included | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 8 GB included |
| Internal | 50MB | 81MB 128MB RAM |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | Carl Zeiss optics, LED flash | Carl Zeiss optics, dual-LED flash |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | 3.15 MP, AF |
| Video | 480p@30fps | 480p@30fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | VGA videocall camera | QVGA videocall camera |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Alert types | Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones | - |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.0, A2DP | 2.0, A2DP |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS; Nokia Maps | GPS, A-GPS; Nokia Maps 2.0 Touch |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS; FM transmitter | Stereo FM radio, RDS |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | microUSB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP & DLNA technology | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP technology |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, Adobe Flash Lite | WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, Adobe Flash Lite |
| Sensors | Accelerometer | Accelerometer, proximity |
| | MP4/WMV/H.264 player
MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ player
Photo/video editor
Organizer
Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
Voice command/dial
Push to Talk
TV-out
Predictive text input | MP4/H.264/WMV player
MP3/WAV/еAAC+/WMA player
Photo editor
Organizer
Voice command/dial
TV-out
Predictive text input |
| Battery |
|---|
| Music play | - | Up to 35 h |
| Stand-by | Up to 372 h (2G) / Up to 305 h (3G) | Up to 406 h (2G) / Up to 406 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 5 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 3 h 30 min (3G) | Up to 8 h 45 min (2G) / Up to 5 h (3G) |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery (BL-6F) | Removable Li-Ion 1320 mAh battery (BL-5J) |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Canvas white, Seal grey, Petrol black | Black, Red, Blue |
| Price | About 180 EUR | About 130 EUR |
| SAR | 1.42 W/kg (head) 1.10 W/kg (body) | 1.11 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.17 W/kg (head) | 0.97 W/kg (head) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -91.8dB / Crosstalk -73.5dB |
Noise -92.2dB / Crosstalk -75.0dB |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 66dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 71dB
|
Voice 75dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 68dB |
Nokia N79
- Stylish design with a unique color scheme
- Good connectivity options (3G, Wi-Fi, GPS)
- Physical buttons for easy navigation
- Compact size
- Smaller, less responsive screen
- Weaker processor
- Lower resolution camera
- Outdated software
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
- Responsive capacitive touchscreen
- Faster processor
- Better camera with Carl Zeiss optics
- Excellent music playback capabilities
- Larger screen for media consumption
- Design can feel a bit dated
- Software is showing its age
- Battery life can be impacted by heavy usage
Display Comparison
The Nokia 5800's 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen is a significant advantage. The N79's 2.4-inch display is smaller and lacks the responsiveness of the 5800's screen. The 5800's larger screen also makes media consumption more enjoyable.
Camera Comparison
The Nokia 5800 features a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, offering better image quality and detail compared to the N79's 2-megapixel camera. The 5800 also benefits from improved image processing.
Performance
While both phones use an ARM 11 processor, the 5800's 434 MHz CPU provides a noticeable performance boost over the N79's 369 MHz. Apps load faster, and the overall user experience feels smoother on the 5800.
Battery Life
Both phones offer similar battery life, typically lasting a day with moderate use. However, the 5800's larger screen and more demanding processor might slightly impact battery performance under heavy load.
Buying Guide
The Nokia N79 is for those who appreciate a more traditional, physical button-heavy design and a focus on connectivity. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is ideal for users prioritizing a responsive touchscreen, music playback, and a slightly more modern smartphone feel, even by 2008 standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Which phone is better for music?
The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is the clear winner. It's specifically designed for music playback with dedicated music keys and superior audio quality.
❓ Can I still use these phones with a modern SIM card?
Likely not without modification. These phones use older SIM card technology. You may need to find an adapter or explore custom ROM options, but compatibility is not guaranteed.
❓ Are apps available for these phones?
The app ecosystem is extremely limited. You're restricted to the original Symbian software and any third-party apps that were available at the time. Don't expect modern app support.
