Remember the era of dedicated music phones? The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman and Nokia 5800 XpressMusic were titans of that time, battling for audio supremacy. Let's revisit these iconic devices and see how they stack up today.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman takes the crown due to its significantly faster processor and superior camera. While the Nokia 5800 offered a compelling user experience for its time, the Live's performance and multimedia capabilities give it a clear edge, even in retrospect.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 - WT19i | HSDPA 900 / 2100 |
| Speed | HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps | HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / HSPA |
| | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - WT19a | HSDPA 850 / 1900 - American version |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2011, August. Released 2011, October | 2008, October. Released 2008, November |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 106 x 56.5 x 14.2 mm (4.17 x 2.22 x 0.56 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 | 115 g (4.06 oz) | 109 g (3.84 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass | - |
| Resolution | 320 x 480 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~180 ppi density) | 360 x 640 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~229 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.2 inches, 30.5 cm2 (~50.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 3.2 inches, 28.2 cm2 (~49.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT | TFT resistive touchscreen, 16M colors |
| | - | Handwriting recognition |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 1.0 GHz Scorpion | 434 MHz ARM 11 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 | - |
| GPU | Adreno 205 | - |
| OS | Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) | Symbian 9.4, Series 60 rel. 5 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 8 GB included |
| Internal | 320MB 512MB RAM | 81MB 128MB RAM |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | Carl Zeiss optics, dual-LED flash |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | 3.15 MP, AF |
| Video | 720p | 480p@30fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | VGA | QVGA videocall camera |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP, EDR | 2.0, A2DP |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS, A-GPS; Nokia Maps 2.0 Touch |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS | Stereo FM radio, RDS |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | microUSB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP technology |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | - | WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, Adobe Flash Lite |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Accelerometer, proximity |
| | ANT+
MP4/H.264/WMV player
MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player
TrackID music recognition
Document editor
Voice memo
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 17 h 30 min | Up to 35 h |
| Stand-by | Up to 350 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G) | Up to 406 h (2G) / Up to 406 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 14 h 15 min (2G) / Up to 6 h 42 min (3G) | Up to 8 h 45 min (2G) / Up to 5 h (3G) |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery | Removable Li-Ion 1320 mAh battery (BL-5J) |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, White | Black, Red, Blue |
| Price | About 120 EUR | About 130 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.11 W/kg (head) 0.90 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.00 W/kg (head) | 0.97 W/kg (head) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -88.1dB / Crosstalk -87.9dB |
Noise -92.2dB / Crosstalk -75.0dB |
| Camera |
Photo / Video | - |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 75dB / Noise 68dB / Ring 78dB
|
Voice 75dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 68dB |
Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman
- Faster Processor
- Better Camera
- Dedicated Walkman Features
- Improved Multimedia Experience
- Potentially Shorter Battery Life than 5800
- Older Software
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
- Longer Battery Life (potentially)
- Classic Design
- Large Community Support
- Affordable
- Slower Performance
- Outdated Camera
- Less Responsive UI
Display Comparison
The Nokia 5800 boasts a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, a significant advancement over many phones of its era. The Live with Walkman also features a capacitive touchscreen, likely around 3.2 inches, but with potentially better color accuracy. Both offer a decent viewing experience for their time, but the 5800's responsiveness was generally praised.
Camera Comparison
The Live with Walkman's camera is a clear winner. While specific megapixel counts are often debated, the Snapdragon chipset provided better image processing capabilities. The Nokia 5800's camera was adequate for its time, but the Live generally produced sharper and more vibrant photos and videos.
Performance
Here's where the Live with Walkman truly shines. Its 1.0 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 chipset and Scorpion CPU vastly outperform the Nokia 5800's 434 MHz ARM 11 processor. Expect noticeably smoother multitasking, faster app loading, and a more responsive overall experience on the Live.
Battery Life
Battery life was a strong point for both devices. The Nokia 5800, with its less power-hungry processor, often lasted slightly longer on a single charge, potentially offering 10-12 hours of moderate use. The Live with Walkman, while still respectable, might see 8-10 hours under similar conditions.
Buying Guide
The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman is for those nostalgic for dedicated music phones and appreciate a slightly faster experience. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is for collectors or those seeking a classic, affordable smartphone with a robust community and readily available accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Which phone is better for music playback?
The Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman, thanks to its dedicated Walkman features and more powerful processor, generally offers a superior music playback experience.
❓ Are spare parts readily available for these phones?
Spare parts for both phones can be found, but availability is decreasing as they are older devices. The Nokia 5800 might have slightly better availability due to its wider initial distribution.
