Nokia N79 vs Nokia N8

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

N79 compared with N8
NokiaN79NokiaN8
Overview
Released2008October 2010
Display
Screen size2.4″3.5″
Resolution320 × 240640 × 360 (better)
Sharpness167 pixels per inch210 pixels per inch (better)
PanelLCDOLED
Display type2.4-inch QVGA 240 × 320 LCD with up to 16 million colours; TFT type confirmed by GSMArena. Native refresh and brightness in nits not published.3.5-inch AMOLED, 640 × 360, 16.7 million colours; capacitive touchscreen with multi-touch. No maker refresh or brightness value published.
Display featuresOrientation sensor supports automatic portrait/landscape interface rotation.–
Performance
Chip–ARM11 680 MHz (GSMArena)
Memory–256 MB
Storage50 MB16 GB (better)
MemoryS60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2. GSMArena reports Symbian OS 9.3 and a single 369 MHz ARM11 CPU without a dedicated graphics accelerator. Physical RAM capacity is not inferred from the 72 MB free-RAM figure in All About Symbian's test.16 GB built-in mass storage from maker sheet; 256 MB installed RAM and 680 MHz ARM11 processor from GSMArena’s full production review. Installed RAM is distinct from system flash and free application memory.
Storage typeMaker launch datasheet states up to 50 MB internal user memory and a bundled 4 GB microSD card. Contemporary tests differ, with All About Symbian finding 76 MB free internal storage and GSMArena just under 83 MB user-available memory. Keep differing firmware/test figures qualified, rather than adding them to nominal capacity.Hot-swappable microSD up to 32 GB; maker’s up-to-48 GB capacity includes an optional card, not 48 GB built-in storage.
Cameras
Main camera5 MP12 MP (better)
Ultra wide cameraNoneNone
Telephoto cameraNoneNone
Optical zoomNoneNone
Main cameraAutofocus 5 MP Carl Zeiss Tessar, F2.8 aperture and physical focal length 5.2 mm; dual LED flash and physical sliding lens cover. Launch datasheet gives 2584 × 1938 pixels, while the exact guide and GSMArena give 2592 × 1944. Retain this source discrepancy.12 MP autofocus Carl Zeiss optics; 1/1.83-inch optical sensor format, physical 5.9 mm focal length (28 mm equivalent), fixed F2.8 aperture and xenon flash. Optical sensor format is not a physical diagonal dimension.
Front cameraLower-resolution secondary camera supports photographs, video recording and video calls; exact guide does not give megapixels.Front video-call camera confirmed. Maker sheet inconsistently labels it QVGA while giving 640 × 480 pixels; no sensor megapixel figure inferred.
Zoom–Maker specifies digital zoom up to 2× for stills and 3× for video; no optical zoom.
Video recordingMPEG-4 VGA 640 × 480 at up to 30 fps. Guide distinguishes MP4 TV-quality modes from 3GP sharing mode. Dual LED can serve as a video light; review focus findings vary and are not changed into specification claims.Original maker specification is H.264/MPEG-4 1280 × 720 at up to 25 fps, with stereo AAC audio; low light can reduce frame rate. Later 30 fps/continuous close-up autofocus camera application was a separate Beta Labs release for Symbian Anna, not part of the original camera specification. GSMArena later tested 30 fps with Belle.
Camera featuresGeotagging, scene modes, white balance, exposure compensation, self-timer, burst sequence and composition grid; configurable camera toolbar. Physical cover starts and closes the camera application.Two-stage camera key, autofocus stills, geotagging and red-eye reduction. Original video uses active hyperfocal focusing; maker’s August 2011 Beta Labs close-up mode adds continuous autofocus from approximately 10 cm, with limitations at longer distances. Anna disables video ND-filter operation to avoid a dropped frame and audible click.
Battery and charging
Battery1,200 mAh1,200 mAh
Video playback (maker's claim)Up to 5 hours–
Wireless chargingNoneNone
Battery life detailRemovable BL-6F, 1200 mAh. Launch datasheet claims up to 210 minutes 3G or 330 minutes GSM talk, 400 hours 3G or 370 hours GSM standby, 5 hours offline video playback and 24 hours offline music. Actual use depends on network, features and battery condition.Internal BL-4D 1200 mAh; exact 2011 issue 2.0 guide requires qualified service replacement. Maker maximum GSM/WCDMA talk 720/350 minutes; standby 390/400 hours. Up to 50 hours offline music. Six-hour H.264 720p30 playback claim applies via HDMI to a television, not unqualified playback on the handset screen. Up to 3 hours 20 minutes 720p25 recording.
Wired chargingDedicated 2 mm Nokia charging connector. Micro-USB does not charge the handset, confirmed in both full reviews.2 mm charging socket and micro-USB charging; no maker charging wattage published.
Design
TypeStandardStandard
Weight97 g (better)135 g
Thickness15 mm12.9 mm (better)
Height × width110 × 49 mm113.5 × 59 mm
Weight detail–Maker’s 135 g includes battery; 113.5 × 59 × 12.9 mm.
Materials–Anodised aluminium casing.
ColoursMaker launch lists Light Sea Blue, Espresso Brown, Olive Green, White and Coral Red Xpress-on smart rear covers; three covers included in each package, with market-dependent selection. Covers automatically change matching screen themes unless that option is disabled.Original Silver white, Dark grey, Orange, Blue and Green; availability varies by country. Maker confirmed later Pink on 2 May 2011 with unchanged internal hardware. Other reported regional finishes remain unverified in this source set.
ButtonsNavi wheel around the scroll control, dedicated keylock slider, volume rocker, multimedia/menu controls and two-stage camera capture key.Physical menu, power, lock, volume/zoom and two-stage camera keys; touchscreen keyboard.
Sensors–Accelerometer, magnetometer, proximity and ambient-light sensor.
SpeakersBuilt-in stereo loudspeakers; headset listening and speakerphone/ringtone measurements are distinct.Built-in loudspeaker, FM receiver and FM transmitter. Compatible wired headset serves as radio aerial.
Microphones–Stereo video audio recording; dedicated noise-cancellation microphone noted by GSMArena.
Software
Operating systemSymbianSymbian
Software at launch–Symbian^3 with Qt 4.6.2, Java MIDP 2.1, Web Runtime 7.2 and Flash Lite 4.0.
Software featuresIntegrated FM receiver and FM transmitter; original music, gallery, web, messaging, document viewing and N-Gage software. Firmware, region and operator affect applications; retired connected services are not advertised as current.Three customisable homescreens, office document viewers and built-in photo/video editing. Maker sheet’s office viewer list and email editing wording differ; GSMArena’s original retail test requires a paid Quickoffice upgrade for document editing. Native DivX support is disputed between full production reviews; no universal compatibility claim.
Release detailMaker announcement on 26 August 2008 plans October shipping, while the datasheet plans Q4. Neither proves the first retail day or month, so release retains 2008 precision, supported by contemporary production reviews. Maker calls it a step forward from N72/N73; review comparisons with N78/N82 do not establish a direct replacement link.Announced 27 April 2010 with third-quarter shipment planned. Maker’s 7 October article says first shipments left factories on 30 September and customers received devices the next day; October first-delivery month retained without treating factory shipment or preorder as retail sale. No supported direct predecessor link added.
Software updates–Symbian Anna and subsequent Belle tested by GSMArena. Maker’s 22 August 2011 camera announcement distinguishes Anna interface/exposure changes from the optional Beta Labs 30 fps/continuous close-up autofocus application. Historical software/services may no longer be obtainable.
Connectivity
Mobile networkN79-1/RM-348 supports WCDMA 900/2100 with HSDPA and GSM 850/900/1800/1900 with EGPRS. Other regional RM models have different bands; none borrowed into this record.GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100; HSDPA up to 10.2 Mbps, HSUPA up to 2 Mbps. No LTE.
SIM–Standard SIM; maker sheet warns against micro-SIM cards and micro-SIM adaptors.
Wi-FiIEEE 802.11b/g with UPnP home-network support.IEEE 802.11b/g/n.
BluetoothBluetooth 2.0 with enhanced data rates; exact guide lists stereo A2DP and AVRCP, imaging, printing, dial-up networking, file transfer, hands-free, headset, HID, object push, SIM access, synchronisation, serial-port and phonebook-access profiles.Bluetooth 3.0 from maker specification; early launch coverage’s Bluetooth 2.1 differs and is not transferred.
USBMicro-USB Hi-Speed USB 2.0 data socket and separate charging connector. Standard 3.5 mm stereo headset connector also supports PAL/NTSC TV output.Hi-Speed USB 2.0 micro-USB with charging and USB On-the-Go. Compatible low-power storage devices require the appropriate cable; not every device or powered USB peripheral is supported. Micro-HDMI television output and 3.5 mm AV/headphone socket; HDMI supports 720p and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound.
PositioningIntegrated GPS and assisted GPS. Original Nokia Maps and bundled navigation trial are historical software features; retired service availability is not promised.GPS, assisted GPS, compass and Wi-Fi positioning. Original Ovi Maps provides free walking/driving navigation; original online services are not promised available today.

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