Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) vs Nokia N97: A Retro Smartphone Showdown

The late 2000s were a golden age for smartphones, and the Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) and Nokia N97 were two of the biggest contenders. Both packed impressive features for their time, but which one truly reigned supreme? Let's dive into a detailed comparison to see how these legends stack up today.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Satio edges out the N97 thanks to its superior processor and slightly better camera. However, the N97’s QWERTY keyboard and Symbian OS offered a more refined user experience for some. Ultimately, the Satio delivers more raw power, while the N97 prioritizes productivity.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou)	Nokia N97

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 900 / 2100	HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100
Speed	HSPA 7.2/3.6 Mbps	HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA	GSM / HSPA
	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - Satio(a) for the Americas	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - American version

Launch
Announced	2009, February. Released 2009, October	2008, November. Released 2009, June
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	112 x 55 x 13 mm (4.41 x 2.17 x 0.51 in)	117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9 mm, 88 cc (4.61 x 2.18 x 0.63 in)
Keyboard	-	QWERTY
SIM	Mini-SIM	Mini-SIM
Weight	126 g (4.44 oz)	150 g (5.29 oz)

Display
Resolution	360 x 640 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~210 ppi density)	360 x 640 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~210 ppi density)
Size	3.5 inches, 33.8 cm2 (~54.8% screen-to-body ratio)	3.5 inches, 33.8 cm2 (~52.1% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	TFT resistive touchscreen, 16M colors	TFT resistive touchscreen, 16M colors
	-	Handwriting recognition

Platform
CPU	600 MHz Cortex-A8	434 MHz ARM 11
GPU	PowerVR SGX	-
OS	Symbian 9.4, Series 60 rel. 5	Symbian 9.4, Series 60 rel. 5

Memory
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 8 GB included	microSDHC (dedicated slot)
Internal	128MB; 256MB RAM	32GB 128MB RAM

Main Camera
Features	xenon flash, video LED flash	Carl Zeiss optics, LED flash, video light
Single	12 MP, AF	5 MP, AF
Video	w480p@30fps (via SW update)	480p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	VGA videocall camera	-
Video	-	VGA@15fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	Yes
35mm jack	No	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers

Comms
Bluetooth	2.0, A2DP	2.0, A2DP
Positioning	GPS, A-GPS	GPS, A-GPS; Nokia Maps
Radio	Stereo FM radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS; FM transmitter
USB	2.0	microUSB 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, DLNA	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP technology

Features
Browser	WAP 2.0/HTML, RSS reader	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, Adobe Flash Lite
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity	Accelerometer, proximity, compass
	Gesture control MP4/H.264/WMV player MP3/WAV/WMA/eAAC+ player TV-out Office document viewer Organizer Predictive text input	-

Battery
Music play	-	Up to 40 h
Stand-by	Up to 360 h (2G) / Up to 340 h (3G)	Up to 432 h (2G) / 408 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 11 h (2G) / Up to 4 h 50 min (3G)	Up to 9 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 6 h (3G)
Type	Removable Li-Po 1000 mAh battery	Removable Li-Po 1500 mAh battery (BP-4L)

Misc
Colors	Black, Silver, Bordeaux	White, Black
Price	About 180 EUR	About 140 EUR
SAR	-	0.90 W/kg (head) 1.25 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	1.58 W/kg (head)	0.67 W/kg (head)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -87.0dB / Crosstalk -84.3dB	Noise -90.7dB / Crosstalk -89.5dB
Camera	Photo	Photo
Loudspeaker	Voice 71dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 78dB	Voice 72dB / Noise 67dB / Ring 75dB

Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou)

Faster Processor (Cortex-A8)
Better Camera (12.1MP)
Vibrant OLED Display
Sleek Design

Battery Life
Software Updates Limited
Less Intuitive UI compared to N97

Nokia N97

Physical QWERTY Keyboard
Symbian OS (familiar to some)
Generally Better Battery Life than Satio
More Robust Software Ecosystem at the time

Slower Processor (ARM 11)
Lower Resolution Camera (5MP)
LCD Display (less vibrant than OLED)
Can feel sluggish

Display Comparison

Both phones featured relatively small displays by today's standards. The Satio had a 3.5-inch OLED screen, known for its vibrant colors and deep blacks, while the N97 boasted a 3.5-inch LCD screen. While the Satio's OLED offered a visual advantage, the N97's screen was generally considered more readable in direct sunlight. Resolution was similar, around 360x640 pixels.

Camera Comparison

The Satio was marketed heavily for its 12.1-megapixel camera, a remarkable figure for the time. While image quality wasn't exceptional by modern standards, it offered more detail than the N97's 5-megapixel camera. Both phones struggled with low-light performance, but the Satio generally produced slightly better results.

Performance

The Satio's 600 MHz Cortex-A8 processor significantly outperformed the N97's 434 MHz ARM 11. This resulted in noticeably faster app loading times and smoother multitasking on the Satio. The N97, while functional, could feel sluggish at times, especially when handling multiple applications.

Battery Life

Battery life was a common complaint for both devices. The Satio's larger screen and more powerful processor tended to drain the battery faster than the N97. Expect around 8-10 hours of moderate use for both, with heavier usage requiring daily charging.

Buying Guide

The Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) is for those who appreciate a powerful camera and a sleek design, even with some compromises. The Nokia N97 is ideal for users who value a physical keyboard for typing and a more traditional smartphone experience, particularly those familiar with Symbian.