Exploring Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition Specs Prices Pros & Cons

Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition Overview

The Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition is a variant of the popular Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, released in October 2009. It was designed to cater to users who required GPS and mapping services with a focus on navigational tools. This device offered a balance between multimedia capabilities and adequate navigational features, making it a practical choice for many users during its time.

Design and Build

The Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition features dimensions of 111 x 51.7 x 15.5 mm and weighs 109 grams. It housed a sleek and stylish design with a touch of sophistication and came in two colors: Chrome and Black. It offered a comfortable grip despite its size, allowing users to handle the device efficiently. The Mini-SIM slot supported standard SIM cards, and the physical buttons and stylus provided a blend of physical and digital input methods.

Display

The device sports a 3.2-inch TFT resistive touchscreen with a resolution of 360 x 640 pixels and a 16:9 aspect ratio, achieving a pixel density of approximately 229 ppi. This display provided clear and vibrant visuals, essential for navigation and multimedia consumption. Although resistive screens were less responsive than capacitive screens, they offered the advantage of stylus usage, which some users preferred for precision.

Performance and Platform

Running on the Symbian 9.4, Series 60 rel. 5 operating system, the Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition was powered by a 434 MHz ARM 11 processor. This configuration provided adequate performance for everyday tasks, though it lagged behind more modern smartphones in terms of speed and multitasking capabilities. The device was coupled with 128MB RAM, while internal storage was limited to 81MB. However, an 8GB microSDHC card was included, allowing users to expand storage for additional apps, music, and multimedia files.

Camera Capabilities

The main camera offered a 3.15 MP sensor with Carl Zeiss optics, featuring autofocus and an LED flash for enhanced image quality. It was capable of capturing videos at 480p@30fps, which was considered adequate for casual photography and videography during its release period. The device, however, lacked a dedicated selfie camera, which was a common omission in phones of that era.

Sound and Audio

The Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition was equipped with stereo speakers, providing a rich audio experience. The inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack allowed users to connect their favorite headphones for private listening. This configuration, alongside the phone's competent audio software, catered well to music enthusiasts looking for a device capable of delivering high-quality sound playback.

Connectivity Options

Connectivity-wise, the device supported Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, and microUSB 2.0. It offered GSM and HSPA technologies for 2G and 3G bands, allowing decent browsing speeds and reliable call quality. Another key feature was the advanced GPS with A-GPS support, which worked seamlessly with Nokia Maps 2.0 Touch, providing robust navigation capabilities that set it apart from the regular Nokia 5800 XpressMusic.

Battery Life

Packaged with a removable Li-Ion 1320 mAh battery (BL-5J), the handset offered substantial usage times. In standby mode, it could last up to 408 hours on both 2G and 3G networks. Talk time was capped at 9 hours on 2G and 5 hours on 3G, with music playback lasting up to 35 hours. These specifications made it a reliable companion for daily tasks and extended usage durations without frequent charging interruptions.

Sensors and Special Features

The device included basic sensors such as an accelerometer and proximity sensor, which enhanced user interaction through automatic screen rotation and power conservation features. The WAP 2.0/xHTML and HTML browser, paired with Adobe Flash Lite, provided rudimentary internet navigation and multimedia viewing capabilities, though limited compared to modern browsers.

Conclusion

The Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition represented a significant step forward in the integration of navigation-focused features within a multimedia phone. While it may not compete with today's smartphones in terms of specifications, during its era, it offered a balanced blend of music, navigation, and connectivity. Its robust GPS capabilities and reliable battery life made it a valuable choice for users who relied on strong navigational tools, ensuring it left a lasting mark in the legacy of Nokia's mobile innovations.