Nokia N97 Complete Specs Features and Price Breakdown

Design and Build Quality

The Nokia N97 was introduced with a focus on both aesthetics and functionality. Measuring at 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9 mm and weighing 150 g, this phone was substantial yet manageable for its time. Its size accommodated a full QWERTY keyboard, which was a standout feature back in 2009, allowing for ease of use when typing emails or messages. The sliding mechanism revealed the keyboard in a smooth motion, showcasing Nokia's commitment to engineering excellence.

Constructed with durable materials, the N97 had a robust build that aimed to stand the test of time. The tactile feedback from the keys and the overall solidity meant users could enjoy a premium feel, something that Nokia strived for in its high-end models. The phone was available in two classic colors: White and Black, appealing to a wide user base with different aesthetic preferences.

Display

The Nokia N97 featured a 3.5-inch TFT resistive touchscreen capable of displaying 16 million colors. With a resolution of 360 x 640 pixels and around 210 ppi pixel density, the display offered decent clarity and color reproduction for its era. Despite being resistant rather than capacitive, the touchscreen was responsive and supported a reasonable level of user interaction.

The screen's 16:9 aspect ratio was designed to enhance media consumption, ensuring that videos and images could be enjoyed in a widescreen format. Though it didn't match the vividness of modern OLEDs, for its time, the N97's display was competitive among smartphones.

Performance

Under the hood, the Nokia N97 was powered by a 434 MHz ARM 11 processor paired with 128 MB of RAM. While these specifications might not equate to much in today's standards, the N97 managed regular tasks efficiently, given its operating system, the Symbian 9.4 S60 release 5.

The operating system was designed to leverage the hardware's capabilities, providing a user-friendly interface for accessing various applications and features. Multitasking was possible but limited, as the phone’s RAM restricted the ability to run multiple high-performance applications simultaneously.

Camera Capabilities

A hallmark of Nokia phones was their camera quality, and the N97 continued this tradition with a 5 MP main shooter featuring Carl Zeiss optics. The camera housed an autofocus mechanism and a dual LED flash, refining image capture in various lighting conditions. For video, the camera supported 480p recording at 30fps, offering smooth footage relative to technology from the late 2000s.

While it lacked a significant front-facing camera (only capable of VGA@15fps), the N97 catered more towards rear camera efficiency. The inclusion of a video light further enhanced night photography, making it a viable option for users who desired decent photo capabilities on a mobile device.

Storage and Memory

The Nokia N97 came packed with a generous 32 GB internal storage capacity, which was impressive at its launch and largely sufficed for the demands of music, videos, and many applications. Additionally, it had a microSDHC card slot, allowing further expansion for those requiring more space.

Although equipped with 128MB RAM, which was relatively low, the device’s Symbian OS optimized the hardware's performance, managing the available memory efficiently to accommodate everyday tasks like calls, texting, and media playback.

Connectivity and Networking

The N97 supported a variety of band frequencies, including GSM for 2G and HSDPA for 3G, allowing the device to connect widely across regions. The phone was capable of 3.6/0.384 Mbps download speeds, aligning with network speeds available during its release period.

Other connectivity options included Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, and microUSB 2.0 for wired data transfer. The inclusion of a GPS system with A-GPS support and Nokia Maps made it a practical gadget for navigation and travel.

Additional Features and Battery Life

The Nokia N97 offered a rich set of features, such as an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass. These sensors enabled functionalities like auto-rotate for better orientation and usability of the phone. The device also included a stereo FM radio with RDS and an FM transmitter, amplifying its media consumption capabilities.

Powered by a removable Li-Po 1500 mAh battery (BP-4L), the N97 delivered reliable stamina. It boasted a standby time of up to 432 hours on 2G and 408 hours on 3G networks. Talk times extended to 9.5 hours on 2G and 6 hours on 3G, with music playback extending to 40 hours, making it a formidable travel companion by the standards of its day.

Market Impact and Legacy

When Nokia released the N97, it was hailed as a revolutionary device, attempting to blend entertainment and productivity features into a single handheld unit. The mixture of a physical keyboard and touchscreen catered to a wide range of users transitioning from feature phones to smartphones.

Despite its advanced features at launch, the heavy competition from touchscreen titans such as Apple's iPhone and the rise of Android devices overshadowed its success. Nonetheless, the N97 is remembered fondly by mobile technology historians and enthusiasts as a pivotal device marking the transition in mobile tech from traditional phones to smarter, more capable handsets.