In a nutshell: The
Nokia N86 is Nokia's first phone to feature an 8 megapixel camera.
But really, what an ugly phone it is! Still, it's a high-spec phone
with features such as GPS navigation, 8GB memory, WiFi and HSDPA.
But let down by a poor keypad, high weight and questionable reliability.
Check out the top 10 independent deals for the N86 below, or
click to read the full review and user reviews.
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Nokia
N86 Review
Review:
July 2009. Last updated September 2009.
Looking
like an uglified version of the Nokia N85,
the N86 is Nokia's first 8 megapixel camera phone. In fact, there
are very few differences between the N85 and the N86. The N86 has
a higher resolution camera and more memory, but it's heavier and
has an ugly keypad.
Likewise,
the N86 is very similar to the N96.
The N96 is better looking, with a nicer keypad, a larger screen,
more memory and is lighter; the N86 has a higher resolution camera.
Now,
both the N85 and N96 have had some serious reliability problems
with the S60 3rd edition, feature pack 2 operating system, and we
bet that the N86 has the same issues. We can't honestly recommend
any of these phones, despite the high spec. Nokia don't seem to
be going anywhere with the NSeries phones at the moment, with the
exception of the Nokia N97, which is
the only Nseries phone that we can recommend with any enthusiasm.
Footnote:
some people seem to be puzzled by our review. We are lukewarm about
recommending the N86, yet we give it 4 stars out of 5. How can this
be? The answer is that in terms of specification, this is one of
the highest spec phones available. Look at the list - it's got everything!
But specification isn't everything, and this is where we start to
deduct points. And there's a common theme that runs throughout this
website - unlike certain "review" sites, we don't just
list the specification and enthuse about the product, we try to
assess how good the phone is "on the street", and we have
a strong aversion to problem phones, however good they may be when
they work. Hopefully this helps to explain why we think that the
N86 deserves 4 stars but we recommend that you don't buy it. What
to buy instead? Well, if you're upgrading from an N95 or similar,
and you want the same kind of phone, then by all means choose the
N86. But if you want something better, then choose the N97.
Features
of the Nokia N86 include:
Series 60 Symbian interface (version 3.2)
8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Tessar
lens, autofocus, dual led flash, 20x digital zoom
Video camera: MPEG4/3GP VGA video capture at
640 x 480 pixels and 30 frames/second with digital stereo microphone
(AAC format) and 8x digital zoom
Front camera for video calling: 352 x 288 pixels,
15fps, 2x digital zoom
Video and still image editors
Display: OLED, 16 million colours, 240 x 320
pixels (2.6 inches)
Digital music player (supports MP3/AAC/AAC+/WMA/AMR
formats) with playlists and equalizer
Stereo FM radio with RDS
aGPS and GPS navigation with Nokia Maps and
digital compass
Voice commands
Voice recorder
Talking ringtone
Integrated hands-free speaker
Speed dialing
Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email (support for attachments)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR, USB 2.0,
WLAN, TV-Out, 3.5 mm stereo headphone plug
WAP, EGPRS class B, WCDMA/HSDPA (3.6Mb/s download)
Quadband plus 3G
Size: 103 x 51 x 18.5 mm
Weight: 149g
Talktime: 4.5 hours (3G) - 6.9 hours (2G)
Battery standby: 363 hours
Nokia N86 Consumer
Reviews
Love
your mobile? Hate it? Please share your experiences to help other
people choose the phone that's best for them. Please do not review
this phone if you have not used it. This is a review site, not a
forum, so please don't just ask questions. Please do not use swear
words or offensive language, and please, no advertising!
Average
rating from 72 reviews:
Reviewed by M from Northern Ireland
on 7th Mar 2010
Before the N86 I had an N73. I looked at the various phones and
decided on the N86 because of its 8MB camera. I should have went
for a touch screen phone even if it was only 2MB camera !! Problems!
Problems! The NH6 symbian OS is a disaster. I got the phone in August
2009. It has been in the reppair shop for 3 times. The operating
system leaves alot to be desired. the phone 'crashed' 'froze' and
recently when trying to access the GSM network sid 'now battery'
despite being fully charged in 'offline mode'. On full charge the
battery did not last long. The video function on the camera was
excellent however most 'stills' were blurred and any slight sake
resulted in focus problems. I would have liked a CD disc with the
phone so that when problems arrised I could do a complete system
reset on the Os on the phone . My advice (after having nothing but
Nokia phones for 13 years)...... Do not touch with a barge pole. Rating:
Reviewed by Adam from UK on 28th
Feb 2010
This is the second nokia ive owned, the first one was replaced 3
times in a year, i should have known from that (3510i) So i have
had the n86 for barely 2 months. problems: crashes, battery removal
restarts needed, Camera has "dark spots" on it which came from nowhere,
Loose connection in the earpiece, broken stand (my fault, accident)
I think this one is going back Rating:
Reviewed by Nick thomson from Devon
UK on 27th Feb 2010
i love this phon but its going back I HAVE HAD ^ of them so far
4 with ear piece not working after 3 weeks and 2 with camera faults
ARRRRRRR love all the things it dose but so unreliable ...love nokia
but how nice can i be DONT GET 1 Rating:
Reviewed by Peter B from UK on
23rd Feb 2010
Have had the N86 since last Sept 09, about 6 months, ok for the
first month then the adaptor connector felt loose then stopped charging
the phone by 3rd month of owning it. I was careful with it as i
liked it so much at first. IT is very unreliable with major software
issues. When turning it on, half the time it freezes and crashes,
take battery out, restart etc... I am sure i am not the only one
with these problems... I have had phones every year for at least
10 and it is the most problematic of the lot. I was with sony eric
and thought coming back to Nokia would be the sensible choice, nope!
Rating:
Reviewed by Carol Kidd from Northern
Ireland on 19th Feb 2010
I am a big Nokia fan, this is my 6th! I loved my last phone - an
N82 - and upgraded to get a better camera since I take loads of
photo's. This phone has been a bit of a disappointment, I too have
had the problem of the mini usb connector coming loose. It had to
go back to Nokia for fixing which took 2 weeks (luckily I had kept
my old N82)I am a little wary of Nokia now. What I really wanted
was iphone functionality with a really good camera and I thought
this would do the job. I'm not convinced. Rating:
Reviewed by Tony from England on
18th Feb 2010
Nokia N86 8mp,where do i start... upgraded to this phone(T-Mobile)
on October 09,all went swimmingly well until mid to late November,then
the troubles started,flicking to camera mode,only able to get it
back by taking the battery out,then turning itself off for no reason
while in my pocket. Got in touch with provider and they told me
to take it to my local T-Mobile shop for repair,so off i trots down
to the shop,where the assistant tells me it will have to be sent
away for the fault to be fixed (10 to 14 days),oh and they don't
have a loner for me so i have to go back to a really old handset
i have at home. 14 days later i get the call and go to the shop
to collect my phone,when i get there the assistant tells me they
had to replace the handset because it couldn't be fixed...i'm ok
with that...new handset new start... i get it home and find they
have not put my internet option back on so on the phone i get for
another half hour while the American lady talks me through changing
all the options to get my web and walk back,eventually we get there
and i hang up the phone....ten minutes later it turns itself off....arrrrgh
! I give it a few days to see if upgrading the firmware will work..but
the thing gets worse,turning itself off about twenty times a day..
back on the phone i get for another 45 minutes and demand they send
me (via overnight courier)another handset..eventually they agree
and the next day a courier brings me a new handset(and takes my
old one),so i take it out the box,put my(fully charged)battery in
and flick the on switch...NOTHING.....This brand new handset N86
8MP wouldn't even switch on !!!! Courier hotfooted it before i could
get my old one back ARRRRRRRGH !so back down the shop and demand
the assistant phone customer services(amazing how quick you can
get through to them when you are using their phones and calling
on their bill !)apparantely they do not even stock these phones
in the shops(probably couldn't afford the wages for a permenent
member of staff in every shop just to work on the NOKIA N86 8MP
phone complaints),so eventually i had to give up and am now awaiting
my replacement......a 5800 touchscreen.Fingers crossed.all in all
i think Nokias are ok but this little baby is deffo one to stay
very clear of.......if not be it on your head (you could always
buy one of these for someone you hate though ! and you should get
the desired effect !) Rating:
Reviewed by JR Ewing from Scotland on
14th Feb 2010
Well maybe I'm just lucky but I cannot even begin to relate to the
negative reviews of this particular handset. Have owned it for a
couple of months now and not once has it frozen on me no matter
how many applications I have open. Perhaps some folks need to upgrade
to the latest firmware ? Was lucky enough to get the rare white
model of this handset and "ugly" is certainly not a word I would
use to describe it. It's a very good looking phone. Inside it's
even better. 8GB Internal Memory. A fantastic camera which really
does take some excellent shots and fully functional Music Player.
Screen quality is outstanding too. Battery life has been excellent
too and overall I honestly dont have a single gripe about this one.
Well only one but it's Nokia's fault and not the phone's. It will
be included in the next wave of Nokia smartphones to have free voice
navigation for life. Then it really would be absolutely perfect
and a phone I look forward to owning for a long time to come. Rating:
Reviewed by ryhu from UK on 14th
Feb 2010
"stereo microphone" where you found because certainly not in Nokia
N86. :) Rating:
Reviewed by Rob M from Essex, UK on
13th Feb 2010
I really want to like this phone, the camera on it is absolutely
superb (when it works). I specifically chose this phone because
of the excellent camera capabilities. Yes the camera is and the
video camera are superb...BUT What lets this phone down is the very
poor reliabilty issues - it freezes approx once an hour and is rendered
useless unless you remove the back cover, remove the battery, and
then re-insert it. Hardly practical eh. I've always used NOKIA,
I always was a fan of their simplicity yet flawless handsets. This
phone alone has destroyed my confidence in ever choosing a Nokia
handset. A shame as this phone maybe 'ugly and heavy' to some, but
its what I call a proper phone! Sturdy, quality finish......if only
AVOID AT ALL COSTS is my regrettable advice. Rating:
Reviewed by Haloperidol Boy from UK
on 9th Feb 2010
I think this phone is pretty smart. The screen is beautiful, the
camera rules, internet is speedy whether you use gprs or wifi. Email
setup was easy and instant, likewise GPS seems pretty good, as lomg
as you're outside or close to a window. I've had no reliability
problems, it's worked flawlessly since I got it weeks ago. I'm knocking
a star off for short battery life but that's probably pretty common
for phones this spec. If you're someone who doesn't like touchscreens
and wants a high spec phone then I'd totally recommend this, it's
also not massively expensive. Rating:
Reviewed by Graham from UK on
3rd Feb 2010
I bought this on a cheap virgin mobile contract. So far it been
very good. Camera is amazing, exceeds what i expect on a mobile
phone. It is fairly easy to use and has so many features. Only problems
i have had with it was occasionally it lags for a few seconds and
for some reason BBC iplayer does not work with realplayer. Apart
from that its an very good phone. Rating:
Reviewed by Cara from Uk on 1st
Feb 2010
This is by far the worst phone iv ever had. In theory the features
are great but if they ever work or if it didn't freeze all the time
and u had to take the battery out of it or the screen didn't keep
going pixalated when you turn it. Nokia failed big time with N86.
My next phone will be a blackbery for the simple reason THEY WORK!!
Rating:
Reviewed by malc from england on
30th Jan 2010
All the shops nowadays + with the help of reveiwers like here on
this site are sayiny touchscreens are what we should be buyiny so
i tried a lg veiwty smart and also used an nokia 5800 and yes they
have good points and if you have plenty of time or sit in a nice
warm office all day they are allright.But if you are like me with
cold hands or dirty ones through working outside they are just not
practical.I know of loads of people who bought touchscreens and
have gone back to a proper phone for that reason.I sold the lg for
the nokia n86 and what a phone,great camera,great features,great
to text on, battery lasts about 2 days with heavy use.For me when
you can buy proper phones like this you can keep your touchscreens. Rating:
Reviewed by kay from england on
30th Jan 2010
This phone was a very bad choice, I have now had 3 of them since
the middle of December all of which have been faulty, the main fault
is the charging point which becomes loose so the phone wont even
charge. It often freezes and you have to take the battery out to
get it to work again. I agree the camera is very good but overall
not worth the hassel of all the problems Rating:
Reviewed by itboy101 from Malaysia on
29th Jan 2010
This phone is better than the se w995 i love it alot is a great
phone. U must have it. Rating:
Reviewed by adrian from england on
25th Jan 2010
replaced my E51, has too much gimmickery to have a battery life
much more than 12hrs unless you don't use it! It has a mind of it's
own, sometimes the keylock is on, sometimes not. the photos/camera
come on for no apparent reason, it crashes, it freezes, the screen
orientation i.e. portrait or lanscape doesn't always rectify itself
properly. Some good features, but i am awaitin a replacement when
the E52 comes out, something simpler., more reliable and with a
battery life longer than a goldfishes memory. Rating:
Reviewed by shekhar from india on
25th Jan 2010
hey u guyz r real critics. This is just d best phon ever. I v had
this for more than 2 months n i m very satsfied. The camera is awsome.
Excellent clearity. Who said its ugly? Its some f d best phones
evr. Looks really cool in white. I think if it had a touch screen,
no one wud ever think of N97 wid just 5mp cam, a bit larger screen.
This phone will make legends. And talking about specs, u just name
it. Rating:
Reviewed by James from Enlgand on
24th Jan 2010
I got this Phone as the first contract phone I have had. The camera
is brilliant and I used it a lot while skiing. The kickstand however
is a little to sensitive so if it is jogged it will go to the photo
album however this is a minor fault. The only problem really is
that if I have to many applications open then it will not stop vibrating
or ringing when I get a new message which means you actually have
to remove the battery seeing as the power button is unresponsive.
Overall a great phone apart from a slight software glitch. Rating:
Reviewed by Elias from Lebanon on
20th Jan 2010
Wow i have had this phone for 4 month now and i LOVE it other than
the fact that it has the best camera you can get it has good sound
and great reliability 1 congratulate nokia this phone is one of
my best after my n73 and n5800 the only bad things is a small screen
and it would be greattttttttttttt it it was a touch phone and about
it's weight i love it it is the only phone i have caried that does
not feel like a toy it feels solid and stable ;) very happy with
it Rating:
Reviewed by Tim from UK on 19th
Jan 2010
I bought this phone seeking something that could replace my MP3
player and camera, and I have not been disappointed. Granted, the
camera is not as good as a standalone digital camera, but it's good
enough for most general use, and other features such as the GPS
come in useful when I need them. As for reliability, the software
doesn't have any major bugs that ruin the experience, and build
quality is excellent. Also, I disagree that it is an ugly phone,
I think it looks quite classy. Overall I've found this is a solid
high-end, gimmick free phone, which keeps the promises on the spec
sheet. Rating:
Reviewed by Jill from UK on 18th
Jan 2010
I have had this phone for a little over 2 week's and because i wanted
a decent camera decided i'd take a chance on the N86, i must admit
i was nervous of getting one after reading some of the reviews on
this site, and was prepared for disappointment! it's a solid phone
and feels nice to hold, i normally stay away from slides but you
only need to open the slide to text. Camera is very good, day and
night shots are crisp and clear, you do need to push the button
down quite hard, so requires you to use both hands for a still shot,
but the quality overrides that. Game's via NGage, GPS, set up for
Facebook, BBC i-Player, youtube etc Video, music (dedicated buttons
on opposit end slide) all works fine to me! I've had no call dropping,
switching off or freezing using Virgin Network. Overall this appears
to be a great phone it's much faster than my old N73, even though
the battery life is a bit shorter, it could be that I've been messing
about with it more than average, I guess there are some faulty N86's
about and i have been lucky, but I'm surprisingly impressed with
this phone, and would recommend to anyone looking for a decent camera
phone. I love it already! Rating:
Reviewed by wayne from uk on
16th Jan 2010
I have to say, I really like this phone. I have had anynumber of
different high end phones from Sony, Samsung and LG. This is the
only one I have really liked. Everything just works. Whatever you
want, its on the phone. The media player is great, and the camera
is top notch. Also no Touch Screen. Why does every new phone now
have Touch Screens??? I hate touch screen phones. Rating:
Reviewed by dre from uk on 13th
Jan 2010
you lots chat rubbish man. dis fone is the greatest of dem all.
yur all jus haters. best phone of the nokia's ever Rating:
Reviewed by Elias Haddad from Lebanon
on 13th Jan 2010
hey this phone is a good phone it has an amazing camera really amazing
never seen anything beter but the volume is a bit low and does not
feel right when using but if camera is all u look for do not get
anything but the N86 I had first the N73 music edition then 5800
xpress music both were great phones and now the n86 but i am gonna
change it although the camera is great i want a touch phone but
do not know what to get any help?? a good camera good music not
so expensive and touch screen not necessarily a nokia Rating:
Reviewed by cyclops from us on
8th Jan 2010
the phone is nice more like the baby of n96 high grade camera and
a little expensive i download games for this phone and others at
xtranok(.)net Rating:
Reviewed by Saiqa from UK on
4th Jan 2010
This has to be the worst phone i have ever owned. Had to have it
changed 5 times from Orange, but still had the same problems of
the phone freezing, keypad not responding and the stupid charger
not being detected. Its been awful!! i have always been loyal to
Nokia, but this phone has definately changed my opinion. DON'T BUY
IT!!! Rating:
Reviewed by Ramy from UK on 1st
Jan 2010
The N97 is glitch prone and that's for most of the N97 users. How
could that be recommended with all the bad reputations about its
software? And come on, it's not that ugly. By the way, my dear editors.
Have you even tried the phone yet? [Editor's reply: Yes, actually.
That's why we awarded it 4 stars. The same as you.] Rating:
Reviewed by David from UK on
13th Dec 2009
I got the N86 as an uprade wasnt really sure which phone i wanted
but went for the N86 because of the features, this would be fine
if i could use half of them. Only had the phone a week and its going
back tomorrow.The phone keeps freezing continuosly, when trying
to use the camera i have had to take the battery out to reboot it
so it would work, i wasnt even able to turn the phone off so the
battery had to come out.The phone also managed to dump my first
10 contacts ,some text messages come through hours after they had
been sent which i assume is due to a poor signal yet this never
happened with my old Sony Erricson C902.If the phone stopped freezing
up it would probably be a great phone.......!!!!!!!!!!! Rating:
Reviewed by Naomi from UK on
11th Dec 2009
Design is not very pleasing, but the camera obviously being an 8MP
camera phone, is excellent, internet works well but slow at times
which is a real let down, games work fine. Audio is good. GPS is
very fast, and seems reliable, although we are warned not to depend
on it, but it seems reliable. I recommend this if you want a sleek,
handy phone, with good quality camera, and clever GPS. *audio quality
is good only through headphones *internet pages often freeze *GPS
very fast, clear, clever, and reliable, no matter where you are
*excellent camera *design not to pretty, but sleek and scratch resistant
THANKS 4 READING Rating:
Reviewed by john wayne from wild west
on 9th Dec 2009
dont ever bye this phone after a week my n86 was in half because
it is rubbish Rating:
Reviewed by UNCLE MANGO from UNTIED
KINGDOM on 27th Nov 2009
COME ON PEOPLE I HAVE GOT THE NEW N86 AND I TELL YOU IT ISAN AWSOME
PHONE, MY FRIENDS HAVE HAD THE N95 N96 AND THE N97 AND THEY HAVE
SAID THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE THEM WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS THEY WERE
SENDING IT IN FOR REPAIR, I HAVE HAD THIS PHONE SINCE OCTOBER MID
WAY AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS THE BATTERY IS GREAT THE SCREEN
RES IS AWSOME AND THE MEMORY AND CAM IS STUNNING A PHONE YOU MUST
BY , I TRUST NOKIA AND THEY ARE GOOD - ALSO WHY NOT TRY THE 5800
TOUCH SCREEN I HEAR THAT IS AN AWSOME PHONE ASWELL - WOOP WOOP NOKIA Rating:
Reviewed by liam from uk on 26th
Nov 2009
think tht this phone over all has far 2 much software on it which
makes it a slow phone got the phone as a upgrade and had it a week
and had to take it back afta loads of problems went wrong with it
afta getting a new handset im nw on my second handset which nw is
faulty i think this is a bad handset to go for plus phones 4 u were
no help wat so ever with the matter Rating:
Reviewed by pavan from india on
25th Nov 2009
i recently upgraded n95 8gig to n86...hmm findin a bit difficult
2 adjust with n86 overall... i agree itz well equipped has gr8 cam,n
radio transmitter..bla bla bla but basic necessity like pencil key
2 mark things is missin,this makes thingz difficult to me..marking
images,messages which took no time in my old n95,this is head ache
issue in my new phone.. Rating:
Reviewed by Frances Bradbury from UK
on 24th Nov 2009
I feel I need to defend this poor phone, which considering I am
looking to replace it is a surprise. I have had absolutely no problems
with this, what so ever. It is sturdy, has a good signal (and I
live in a semi rural area, where the signal can be ropy), and the
call/sound quality is very good, not at all tinny. I think it takes
brilliant photographs and videos. I have even used the ‘Portrait’
setting to take photos of old family pictures, rather than scan
them in, as it was easier and quicker, and just as good quality
(if you got the lighting right). A previous reviewer stated that
they could not zoom their pictures in. Just use the left hand slider
for the alternative music/camera keys and zoom in/out as needed.
This also works when you are already videoing, which I found very
useful, as my video camera has to have the distance selected before
you press the record button. I have not found the keys stiff, and
have found it, by and large user friendly. I do find sometimes when
you press the ‘enter’ centre button, to select something,
it jumps off to another item. But this is a quirk rather than a
negative. I have also found the battery life to be pretty damn good.
But I have to admit, I have not used the music player (as I an IPod
touch MP4), which I have found previously, can drain a phones battery
life. I have attached various tunes to my personalise my contacts,
and the sound quality is great. The maps and email works fine, but
I have not really tried the internet very much as it is hugely expensive
on my tariff. Now for the reason I am looking to replace this. I
am basically typically female (sorry girls, but I am). Every so
often I buy a phone for practical reasons and that is exactly why
I bought the N86, but I have to admit I like a phone to make me
happy. I want to look at it and say "I love my phone".
Sad I know. My last phone was the LG Shine (not everyone’s
favourite, I know) and I absolutely loved it. If LG bought out an
updated version, I would buy it without a doubt. I simply don’t
love this phone. The N86 is sturdy, sensible, reliable and doesn’t
let me down, but there’s no spark. Is this good enough reason
to replace it. Hmmmmm, possible not [Editor's reply: Frances, we
all need some love in our lives :) Not neccesarily for a mobile
phone, but sure, whatever works for you.] Rating:
Reviewed by MarkS from UK on
21st Nov 2009
Took delivery of this phone as an upgrade to my N958G. Didn't really
get on with it. part of this is because the nav pad key thing was
actually broken when compared to a non broken one, so it was very
twitchy when tring to navigate round. The screen looks fantastic,
but it would be nice if you could zoom out one notch when on the
internet like the N95 did. Also tried to crop a photo and save the
result but goodness knows where the edit was saved - not in the
gallery. FM transmitter is very useable, unlike these rubbish radio
tx boxes you get. Also comes up as 'NOKIA' on the radio display
in the car - nice touch. Waiting for a working one to come back
so I can test this phone out properly. Other points - the camera
wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Also when viewing photos
you can't zoom in on the screen unless I've missed something. YOu
need to use your fingernails to get the battery cover off. I doubt
it'll last long doing this. Not easy to get the SIM card out once
in. Bit of a nuisance that they've changed the carger socket again,
so the chargers at work/in the car etc won't work with it from the
N95. Streaming radio is great. Compass function is great. Sat Nav
is very quick to lock and displays signals strength from a plethora
of satelites very quickly. Sequence camera mode actually works,
whicn it didn't on the N95. Video light fantastic - wonder if you
can get a torch/flashlight app for it? I'll post another review
when I get the replacement and more of a chance to play with it!
Rating:
Reviewed by josh from uk on 19th
Nov 2009
The Nokia N86 is a cracking phone!. If your thinking about getting
one, just ask yourself what are you gonna want from your phone,
i can assure you that this phone will satisfy your gadget needs.its
packed with easy to use , useful apps with a user friendly interface,
the camera is fast and the picture quailty is fantastic! Infact
its the best iv seen on a phone.One of the many things i like about
nokia is the fact that they promote the camera lense not just the
MP (MEGA PIXLE). Although its expensive at the moment i still think
its worth the money... Rating:
Reviewed by Cece from UK on 17th
Nov 2009
My phone started playing up on day 3! It keeps going to photos without
me pressing anything making it hard for me to do anything without
wanting to smash it. This is my first and last Nokia!! Going back
to Sony Ericsson Rating:
Reviewed by Kingpedro from UK on
5th Nov 2009
Well what can I say, after reluctantly saying bye to my N95 8GB
I purchased the N86 8GB. I must say I am extremely happy with it!
It does everything the N95 8GB did plus more. FM Transmitter, Working
GPS, Better video recording with great night light and Internet
radio streaming. I love the fact they brought back the lens shutter
and that it remembers the location of every photo you take. I don't
understand why people are complaining about the buttons being stiff,
they work well and make the phone feel solid and stable like it
would last forever. Ugly people say? I think not. Ok it’s
not going to win any awards for outstanding beauty but it’s
far from ugly. Great phone, buy one! Rating:
Reviewed by alby from england on
31st Oct 2009
if you didnt bye the n86 your lucky and please never bye it it's
rubish phone the camera is rubish the keypads are so hard so if
you text you will have trouble with it just say no to this phone
Rating:
Reviewed by Paddy from England on
28th Oct 2009
I was quite suprised with the negative comments in the review. Sure,
the phone is not the lightest phone around but it sure isnt the
heaviest phone. I'm in love with this mobile, the music player is
amazing, camera is amazing, the maps work just as and when you want.
The one thing i am concerned with is the battery time, but besides
that i'd absolutely one hundred percent buy this phone. I also reject
the claim this phone is "ugly". Its not the prettiest thing EVER
but it doesnt look too bad. Rating:
Reviewed by Alireza from Iran on
26th Oct 2009
Hi guys I'm having this phone for about 2 months now, I think the
overall features are good. The camera is not as amazing as expected.
Specially when shoot a picture it gets somewhat blurred. I thing
the keypad is easy to use, but the heavy weight of the phone, prevents
you from typing easily. It makes a "seesaw" from the phone when
specially you are typing too fast. The processor speed is fair and
I recomment it for buying. Rating:
Reviewed by Jamesy from Scotland on
25th Oct 2009
I didn't want a touchscreen interface, so went for the N86. First
task was to update the software - no crashes to date, even using
multiple apps. In my opinion it has a great keyboard. Although is
not the lightest phone around, I think this helps when using the
camera, which I think gives great pictures - fantastic detail using
the macro! My other main reason for going for the N86 was the FM
transmitter, and this has proven to be excellent and very easy to
use. I now have my car, kitchen, shower and even garage radios with
preset frequencies for my Nokia - no more mucking about with cables
or bolt-on transmitter devices. Battery life is good so far also.
My only gripe is that I would like to have the ability to put a
few more shortcuts onto the standby screen. Rating:
Reviewed by mv from essex (uk) on
25th Oct 2009
had this phone now for a couple of months, must admit that the signal
is not as good as my old motorola razr9, but as for the handset
itself it is fantastic,memory,features,camera all good. if you like
a classy bit of kit this is the phone for u Rating:
Reviewed by Max from UK on 21st
Oct 2009
I must admit that the first thing I do before buying any phone is
visiting this site! It's not so easy to evaluate this phone. My
experience with it has been great. It's been very reliable and a
superb point and shoot camera. The only problem with Nokia Smartphones
generaly is S60. It's just so out-dated now..it's dull..I have a
2G Blackberry from work and even the facebook app on that does a
better job than the S60. But then this has the awesome camera, the
Youtube, Flash player, BBC i-player,FM radio (which is better than
I thought)..so overall I think it's as good as can be for an S60
device..hmm I'd say 4.5 stars..so I'll be rounding up! Rating:
Reviewed by Ashish from India on
20th Oct 2009
Don't buy this N series. I never seen this type of bad phone. My
all friend(more than 6) are facing same problem. Display problem
after sometime. Mobile diplay is not working. After I repaired it.
It is getting off & ON automatically. Now resale value of this phone
is Rs. 1500 in 9 month while I bought it Rs. 9800 I m using samsung
guru phone now.Working fine Rating:
Reviewed by Fawaz from Saudi Arabia
on 17th Oct 2009
This is one of the best mobile phones ever with great features.
I am using N86 for last 3 months. The performance is awesome. I
have used many phones and i will tell you that, this is the best.
i don't wanna specifically point out each features as others did
that. All the features are working absolutely great. This is not
a touch screen phone. That is the only disadvantage any one can
say. But such people can go for another phone. not for N86. Some
people are talking about the weight of the phone is more. It's just
20 grams from N95. N86 is 149g and N95 is 129g. what is there on
20g extra weight, if you are getting exciting features. Thank you
so much guys. You can buy the Nokia N86 with out any hesitation.
my mail id is fwz10@rediffmail.com Rating:
Reviewed by christo kirsten from saudi
arabia on 12th Oct 2009
I think the guy doing the review were talking absolutely rubbish,
it's not the most stylish phone on the market but let me tell you
it's a wonderful all in one phone, great games, camera, and music
quality is excellent. internet and e mail on this phone is so easy
and hassle free. VERY user friendly phone. definately the best phone
i've owned by far. Rating:
Reviewed by Craig Williams from England
on 11th Oct 2009
this is an amazing mobile phone from nokia, it is a big improvement
on the N95 8GB which i had many problems with. The N86 feels and
looks great with a great build quality, the phone is heavier than
the N95 8GB which i believe is an improvement in the quality of
the components inside the phone. The best features for me are the
great keypad makes texting a dreamagain big improvement on the N95,
when the slide is closed the buttons on the front of the phone are
much better as they are spaced out more. The new fearures on this
phone are the inculsion Of BBCiplayer and an FM TRANSMITTER. 8 megapixel
camera instead of 5 megapixels and a kickstand and a micro sd card
slot meaning you can carry upto an extra 16gb of extra memory. there
is of course 8GB built in like the N95 had. the inculsion of a micro
sd card slot is great. The Screen is fantastic it is clearly visible
in any light conditions being OLED also means it hardly dents your
battery unlike the TFT on the N95. the N86 is the best Nokia mobile
i've ever had!! the charger is also different as nokia have opted
for MICRO USB this is a major advantage over previoius nokia models
as the old 3.5mm chargers would easily snap of bend!! Anyways trust
me get this phone you will not be dissapointed!! This phone makes
the Apple Ifone look like a joke!! Rating:
Reviewed by bill the kid from uk on
7th Oct 2009
the review above is rubish and the person well a nutter it is a
good phone with a cool look if this review is not changed i will
not review phones on this site ha ha !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Editor's
reply: Well, we stand by our original review 100%. We think that
the keypad is too small and difficult to use. Others may disagree,
but there's no need to call people names :(] Rating:
Reviewed by BOOTLEGGER from England
on 6th Oct 2009
When I ordered this phone I thought I was geting an 'upgrade' for
my reliable, although tired N95...what I got was a ridiculoulsy
heavier version of the N95 but without any of its good looks. The
'cover keys' are bizarrely small, (obviously designed for pixie
fingers) and the overall graphic aesthetics look considerably outdated
and somewhat archaic (again even compared to the N95); rumour is
that the 'body' of the N86 was actually conceived in 2007...so,in
summary a cumbersome 'brick' with a nice phone but with an overall
outdated look and feel. Thanks, Orange for the advice! Rating:
Reviewed by Seeph from UK on
2nd Oct 2009
Can't agree with much of the review above. Keypad is certainly not
poor it's probably one of the best I've ever used. Texting is a
dream. Reliablity has been absolutely fine so far touch wood, and
plus Nokia are at least good at putting things right over time via
firmware upgrades. I've only had it three weeks and a second update
is already out. It is a bit heavy I'll give you that though but
size is fine and it only adds to a feeling of quality. Camera really
is top notch, some fantastic pictures by day with great detail and
colours. Wide angle lens is one of those things you don't realise
you needed until you get a device with one on! No xenon but my Sony
Ericssons with them on made everyone look like ghosts if they were
too close to the camera and the n86 seems to need to use the flash
less anyway. WiFi works well and is easy to set up, and using iPlayer
is a dream. Inbuilt browser is quite fast but a bit fiddly, just
use Opera Mini though and it's fine. GPS works well too. I really
can't enthuse enough about this phone, only complaints are that
if you use the web a lot you'll probably need to charge it daily,
and Symbian takes a bit of getting used to. But otherwise it's a
cracker. Well done Nokia. Rating:
Reviewed by matt from uk on 1st
Oct 2009
obviously the editor dosent like, or knows anything about nokia
phones,he likes pretty phones, Rating:
Reviewed by sameer from bahrain on
30th Sep 2009
n86 is really a good phone you talk about its keypad well look at
n96 its keypad is crowded musuic player button and when you slide
it same music player buttons my friend has n96 dirty wlan performence
n86 really good i dont know i bought it the first day it came here
its perfect the key pads you talk about it will never get damaged
cause i like using me n86 rough my friend repaired his keypad 4
times and the key pad they are really small understand Rating:
Reviewed by matt from uk on 27th
Sep 2009
just got this phone on three mobile as an upgrade and i must say
its fantastic,ease of use brilliant,sounds top notch, for boys and
their toys its a must have.the fm transmitter is really cool. ive
had n series handsets now for five or so years and this is the best
one yet, im not a heavy user but i do like to have a good phone
,you know its a man thing i really do recommend this phone(by the
way downloading music from pc is so simple just plug and play). Rating:
Reviewed by Tamer Salah from jordan
on 18th Sep 2009
i read all above and i have some points never mentioned this phone
have the same cpu speed of n97 with smaller memory this mean the
phone very fast and more stable yes its have ugly keypad but when
you hold the phone you feel it worth it not like the n85 and n96
i bought this phone after too much comparing i didnt buy it for
the 8 mb cam but i buy it because its the most stable nokia so far
today Rating:
Reviewed by Dave from UK on 11th
Sep 2009
Had the phone for a month and its great. Don't agree with the editor's
negative review. Key pad is easy to use, as are the phone functions
and camera is great. I haven't had any locking or software issues.
The only thing I have done is downloaded "opera mini" for internet
use as I don't like the nokia system. Would recommend if you are
looking for a really good camera and all round smart phone. Rating:
Reviewed by sven from sweden on
25th Aug 2009
What a [Editor's comment: deleted obscene comments] review from
the original poster. The writer rather looks at a nice looking keypad
than writes with a truly well functioning pad of the N86. The N86
has the best keypad in ages in a Nokia phone! The keypad is there
for typing text, not for being looked at. Only a 14 year old would
think otherwise. And at the same time the review can recommend the
N97, which is most malfuntioning phone from Nokia in a while, with
the faulty camera lens cover and malfuntioning GPS *and* a bad keypad!
Have you even seen the phones?! [Editor's reply: It's a shame that
your review was unprintable in its original form, sven. Whatever
you think, there is no room on this website for language like yours.
You have the right to disagree with our opinion, but you do not
have the right to verbally abuse people. Get a life, it's just a
phone. By the way, if you're talking keypads, the Nokia N97 massively
outperforms the N86.] Rating:
Reviewed by James from UK on
25th Aug 2009
I've had this phone for just over a week. Got it on free upgrade
from orange. The very first thing I did was update the firmware.
The second thing I did was hack it with helloox2. Now its purring
like a kitten. I have had zero problems with freezing, crashes,
or any of the other problems people seem to so relentlessly post
about. Its a fact that people are more likely to post a review if
they have bad experiences with a phone. Not very often will people
post if all is well. Anyways, here are a few facts about the phone
that people will find interesting. While its true that the n86 is
similar to its cousin the n85, many people will find that comparison
unjust as they have never used the n85. In reality, the n86 is a
superb phone. The 'buggy' issues of previous s60v3 fpII handsets
is not really an issue. All it takes to settle the phone is a firmware
update. The handset is heavy, this is true, but something so expensive
should be, lol. The n86 is no looker, but that 'ugly' keypad is
supremely comforable, the slide action is spot on, and the dedicated
gaming keys will please many. The screen is CRYSTAL CLEAR. Its true
that it suffers a bit in direct sunlight, but its winter soon anyway.
The camera is perfect. If you're looking for a phone to use as a
camera, this is ideal. ...in short, the n86 is a monster handset.
The OS is stable, the phone is sturdy and well built, the keypad
is very comfortable, the screen is top quality. Spend some time
tinkering with the out of box setup, and the rewards will become
evident. Ignore haters that rubbish this phone online, if you've
got a brain and want a powerful handset that doesn't rely on gimmicks
to sell, then this is for you. The n86 is a workhorse, not a show-pony.
Rating:
Reviewed by Julie from UK on
24th Aug 2009
I'm having a nightmare with this phone. Its 10-days old and says
the memory is full and I need to delete stuff. But it crashes whenever
I try and delete anything! I can't see what has filled up the memory
in 10-days! I need recommendations on a good camera phone please!!!
But I think I am returning this to O2 later this week :( Am very
disappointed as I love Nokia's and love a great camera, although
first time I've had an N series phone. Rating:
Reviewed by Glambert from USA on
24th Aug 2009
To the editor: "We bet the n86 has the same issues"? Did you actually
test this phone or are you just basing off the spec sheet and the
fact that it's S60 FP2? Because if you've actually used this phone,
you'd know that it's pretty reliable. Hasn't crashed on me, the
features are amazing, screen is fantastic and the photos are for
the most part, better than the C905, which has one of the best 8MP
cameras in the market. The ugly keypad is actually very user-friendly.
Downside is that the screen is hard to see in direct sunlight, but
is unmatched indoors. And some people may find it too heavy. All
in all, it's a very solid phone that's reliable and consistent.
[Editor's reply: Yes, that's right, the phones that we test are
always sim free and are very often not representative of the phones
that our users will end up buying. Most phones sold in the UK are
locked to particular networks and often have their firmware customised
by the networks, which can lead to problems. Our ten years experience
of testing and reviewing mobile phones leads us to make the statement
that "we bet" the N86 will turn out to have the same issues.
Reading through the user reviews posted below, it looks to us like
our prediction is turning out to be justified. The fact that yours
is "pretty reliable" is not sufficient to make a general
statement about the reliability of this phone on a UK network.] Rating:
Reviewed by Alan from UK on 22nd
Aug 2009
Just kept locking up requiring removal of battery. Sent it back. Rating:
Reviewed by Russ from Uk on 16th
Aug 2009
Had this phone for a month or so now. Really surprised to see this
listed as an "uglified" version of the N85. Two friends who both
have the N85 liked the N86 better in terms of looks. Build quality
is good. Constuction feels solid and the slider is superior to my
N95. In a month the phone has frozen and rebooted once .... but
to be fair when you first get a phone you monkey around with it,
installing stuff, running multiple apps, setting up personalised
settings .... so that could well have contributed. Good Points:
Packed with features, great camera, fm transmitter, internal gps,
good screen, nice build quality. Bad Points: Menus can be slightly
slow to respond at times, nothing major though. Slightly heavier
than the N95. Overall I'm pretty impressed. Best phone I've owned
so far. Excellent. Rating:
Reviewed by David from UK on
15th Aug 2009
Had this phone now for 2 days and it does exactly what it says on
the tin(or spec sheet!) Some previous phones i have had (just so
you can gauge if you have the same taste in phones as me) include
SE w800(great phone for its time)k800(same except for iffy joystick,
k850i which was pretty bad in terms of the smallest keypad and w880
which was far too small with no flash with the camera!?. I also
have a nokia n95 which once it ironed out its bugs was a great multi
purpose phone. Unfortunately it was stolen so i went for a lg viewty
which had an amazing video camera but poor everything else and has
probably put me off touchscreens forever. Before switching it on
first observations i made were that the n86 its built with high
quality material, evident by the weight. The screen is also a good
size and ive had no issues with the keypad(i have larger than average
hands). The glass screen is also quite impressive though i live
in Scotland where its rarely sunny so i've yet to encounter the
'difficulty in seeing the screen in direct sunlight' complaint mentioned
by others! The interface is a lot faster than the nokia n95 (it
also has most of its features and more) and the camera is upgraded
to a 8MP which is fantastic. Without going through all the specs
which are mentioned above, the n86 is a great multipurpose phone
covers all my needs inc nokia maps gps (free walk mode with this
phone btw & 6mth trial for driving), bbc iplayer, facebook, youtube
apps etc,great camera for your nites out although i'd prefer a crap
grainy camera phone for all them embarrassing pictures! When i get
a phone i research it quite a lot, look at plenty of reviews and
make up my own mind. Sometimes its a hit (n95 or w800), other times
its a miss (viewty or w880) but so far this phone has been perfect
to me. I wanted a top range non-touch screen phone and i've got
one. ps all phones can break, and all problems are normally resolved
with a software update. This applies to all brands of phones whether
its nokia, sony ericsson, samsung etc. When looking to purchase
one, rather than deciding against going for a great phone because
someone has written a bad review about it based on a bug in the
first version of a phones software! Rating:
Reviewed by JAMES TOPLISS from UK on
14th Aug 2009
COME ON PLS WHAT DO PEOPLE REALLY WANT FROM A FONE THESE DAYS, HALF
THE STUFF ON FONES THESE DAYS NO BODY USES'S, AND ME PERSONALY I
RECON THE TOUCH SCREEN THING WILL FAZE OUT SOONER OR LATER CUZ IT
SUCH A CHORE TO USE, WHERE AS THIS FONE IS A PLEASURE, IT DOES EVERY
THING VERY WELL, CAMERA AND VIDEO IS TOP NOTCH, INTERNET ACCESSE
IS BANG ON SAT NAVE GOT ME FROM THE WEST MIDS TO SCOTTLAND THE OTHER
DAY WITH NO PROBS AT ALL,THE FONE IT'S SELF FEELS WIEGHTY WITCH
IN MY EYS MAKES IT FEEL EXPENCIVE. AT THE END OF THE DAY IT DOES
EVERY THING U WOULD EXPECT FROM A FONE AND MORE!!!! COME ON FOLKS
WHAT ELSE DO U WANT UR FONE TO DO !!! DO THE DISHES??? LOL, ITS
A BLOOMIN FONE PEOPLE NOT A SPACE SHIP, LETS FORGET ABOUT THE TOUCH
SCREEN THING CUZ BELEIVE ME I TWILL FAZE OUT SOON!!!! N86 (WITH
BUTTONS) UR A WINNER Rating:
Reviewed by me from UK on 13th
Aug 2009
Quite surprised how negative people are with this one!? I've had
the N86 for nearly a month now, and it's been great. Yeah it may
not be a real fancy 'n flash design, but it's neat and solid. The
battery has been quite good and will last me a good day of heavy'ish
use, longer if it's just texting and the odd call. The camera is
good, other than if you blow up the pics too much and study the
edges. The flash is very good, nightclub pics come out just fine.
Same goes for the video recorder. The screen is slightly hindered
in bright sunlight, and also gets fingerprints easy. I got this
phone because i wanted a decent enough still/video camera, a decent
battery, compact slider phone, with a decent selection of functions
.....this phone has met all those requirments for me. Rating:
Reviewed by moz from England on
3rd Aug 2009
I've had this phone for just over a month now, and i have to say
it's a brilliant phone and a perfect upgrade from my N95. Why? It
feels nice and solid in your hand, the camera is excellent, its
easier to use than the N95, it looks good in black, it has an fm
transmitter,the keypad is nice to use, the available memory is more
than enough, nokia maps is excellent with speed camera and speed
limit warnings and facebook, youtube and bbc iplayer are built in.
It's bad points are that the thin keys below the screen can be a
pain in arse at times and it does crash occasionaly though I imagine
this will be fixed by firmware updates. Other than that I can't
find anything wrong with this phone. I suppse it comes down to what
you want from your phone. As an upgrade from the original N95, this
phone is excellent if you're not bothered about having a touchscreen.
If want a touchsreen nokia phone, then you have to have the N97.
@mobile phones uk - whats the point in giving the phone 4 stars
and then contradicting yourself by saying you can't recommend it?
What an utterly useless review, how is that review supposed to help
people decide if they want to buy the phone? It's almost as if you
haven't actually used the phone yourselves and written your review
based on pictures and a spec sheet. [Editor's reply: We gave it
4 stars but don't recommend it, and I think that we explained why.
You also gave it 4 stars, but I think that you do recommend it.
Life's complicated sometimes.] Rating:
Reviewed by Dave from Scotland on
1st Aug 2009
Another N series phone rushed out without property quality control
checking carried out? Surely not ? Well I'm afraid so. In terms
of features (the only reason I gave the review 2 stars) this phone
really is second to none. 8MP camera, GPS, fantastic screen and
very capable music player. However, what's the use of having these
features if the thing doesn't work ! Freezes continuously (even
worse, for some reason with a memory card inside it). Keeps putting
messages into Drafts rather than sending them, and is prone to dropping
signals where other phones I have owned haven't. Suffice to say
it's now gone back and I have gone "back" to using the 5800. A phone
I should have kept using as - to date - its comfortably the best
phone I have owned. As for this one, if it's properly de-bugged
before sale it would be a 6 star phone. As it is, it's an expensive
liability. Avoid. Rating:
Reviewed by ~~~~~ from ~~~~~~ on
23rd Jul 2009
I Bought I Phone & Within 15 Days The Buttons Stopped Working &
It Didnt Respond When You Slide It Open. Battery Needed Charging
Every 3.5 Hours. Camera Did Not Work. Once You Take The Picture
The Phone Freezes & Restarts. The Phone Is Very Chunky & Tends To
Slide Itself Open. DO NOT BUY ! ! ! Rating:
Reviewed by najaf from pakistan on
7th Jul 2009
it even kicks the ass of n97 Rating:
Reviewed by Mahmoud from Libya on
29th Jun 2009
I've Just get the N86 MP after N85, It has everything u want the
only problem with it is hanging from time to time which is software
problem. Hope nokia will fix it in next updating S/W.Quality of
the phone is great Rating:
Reviewed by Grattus from England on
22nd Jun 2009
I have had the N86 for just over a week now and have to say I am
impressed. I have previously owned the N85 and found that to be
extremely good with one or two little faults, mainly the flat keypad,
awkward navigation key and lack of a xenon flash. Nokia must trawl
the blogs looking at peoples concerns because the N86 has been improved
in all these areas. The raised keys of the keypad make for easy
texting, the navigation button is much more defined and the third
generation dual led works excellently. Let me correct that statement
slightly, the dual led gave me a clear, precise picture in total
darkness, much the same way a xenon would, but without red eye and
for a greater distance. The quality of the pictures is at least
as good and in most cases better than the SE C905(I have one of
those too til I sell it!) probably due to the quality of the Karl
Zeiss lens and the variable aperture feature. Video is also as good
as I have seen. Build quality has been improved, this is as solid
a slider as I have experienced and much more stylish than the N85.
The camera cover has been given a makeover too making it easier
to open and shut. There was sometimes a lag on some features with
the N85 but this seems to have decreased or vanished with the N86.
I have only briefly used the web on the phone (just to make sure
it was working!) but connection was rapid. Now on to the negatives,
I don't seem to be able to turn off automatic connection for downloading
emails without eliminating my account though this could be due to
unfamilarity. Also, when I used the alarm it caused the phone to
lock and flash the keypad and screen, necessitating the removal
of the battery, though this may have been complicated by receiving
a text at the same time the alarm went off. However, these minor
glitches count little. New features such as the new power saver
clock add a touch of class, the metal surround and hardened glass
do the same. The battery lasts approximately the same as the N85
which makes it superior to the C905 (or the N95/96) which always
makes me feel more secure with a phone. With 8 gig on board and
the facility for addition of a memeory card there should be no reason
to worry about how many pics you take etc. In conclusion, if like
me, you want a phone that ticks all the boxes yet has a traditional
keypad rather than a touchscreen this is the phone for you. If you
want the same features but must have a touchscreen hold out for
the SE Satio. I shall stick with the N86 though because I believe
it does everything any other phone does and nearly all of it much,
much better! Rating:
