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Nokia N81 8GB Cell Phone Review - Tour & Design

Alfredo Padilla Published on December 27, 2007 Comment on this

Intro Making/Receiving Calls Software Other Features

Tour & Design Messaging Battery Life Value & Comparisons

Audio Quality Organizer Connectivity Conclusion

Imaging Multimedia Hardware Ratings & Specs

Front Closed
From the front the Nokia N81 is dominated by a large 2.4 inch QVGA display. Above the display is the speaker for the phone flanked by two buttons that are meant to be used with NGage games. To the right of these is the lens for the VGA camera for video calling, which doesn't work in the U.S. Below the display are the controls, with a D-Pad surrounded by various buttons.

Front Open
When you open the Nokia N81 up you reveal the standard twelve-button keypad.

Left
The only features on the left side of the Nokia N81 are a large loud speaker near the top and the eyelet for a lanyard loop near the bottom.

Top
The top of the has a standard 3.5mm headset jack that also acts as a video out. Flanking it is the power button and a switch to lock or unlock the device.

Bottom
The bottom of the phone has Nokia's proprietary power port with the new slim design. Next to it is a Micro USB port and to the right of that is the pinhole for the phone's microphone.

Right
The right side of the Nokia N81 has a second loud speaker near the top with a volume rocker key beneath it. Near the bottom is the dedicated camera button.

Back
The back of the Nokia N81 houses the lens for the two megapixel camera and the LED flash.

Battery Out
The back cover of the Nokia N81 comes off in one piece and reveals the battery cavity. You have to remove the battery to get at the SIM card slot, which has a little tray that you pull out of the bottom of the phone up into the cavity to get a card in or out.

In the Box (5.0)
The Nokia N81 ships with a stereo headset, a separate wired microphone with music controls, a data cable, and charger.

Handling (4.0)
The Nokia N81 is a heavy device at 4.94 ounces and although it sits well in your hand there are a lot of angular edges. You'll definitely notice it if you try and hold this phone up to your head for a long call.

Portability (5.0)
At 4.05 x 1.97 x .7 inches the Treo 755p is a little on the thick side and definitely won't fit easily into a tight pants pocket. It should fit easily into a jacket pocket or a bag, however. The Nokia N81 is also a hefty device, so you'll notice you have it on you. It's not huge like the Sidekick LX, but it's also not a small device like the Samsung SLM.

Aesthetics (5.0)
The Treo 755p is styled in black plastic with bronzish/brown highlights. It's not a boring looking device, but it lacks the simplicity and clean lines that we tend to find attractive. Instead, like many Nokia devices, you'll find it dotted with buttons and ports. It's not ugly, but it's also not particularly attractive.

Durability (4.0)
We have a lot of concerns about the Nokia N81's durability. First of all was the noticeable creak that we detected from the phone. Second up is the all plastic construction that doesn't inspire confidence in how the handset will stand up to to a drop or scratches. Last up is the slider design, we're always concerned about a phone with moving parts. On top of all that the 2-Megapixel camera is completely unprotected and some of the seams on the device seemed overly large. We would definitely be concerned about how well the Nokia N81 stands up to serious use.

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