Nokia X7 Vs Nokia N9 – it’s Symbian Anna against MeeGo
Nokia’s good-looking N9 has given us a glimpse of what might have been, but how does it stack up against what is – the Symbian Anna-powered X7? Let’s compare the two…Nokia may have ditched MeeGo for Windows Phone earlier this year, but it’s kept to its word and officially announced the N9, a MeeGo one-off expected to land in a few months’ time. Gorgeous, innovative and speedy, it seems to be everything Nokia’s long-suffering fans have been begging for.
Also new on the scene is the Nokia X7, the latest premium Symbian effort that sees the tired OS getting a fresh lick of paint courtesy of the Anna update.
But can it live with the N9, and should Nokia fans be questioning why the MeeGo contender is just a one-off? The specs don’t lie, so let’s take a look.
Also new on the scene is the Nokia X7, the latest premium Symbian effort that sees the tired OS getting a fresh lick of paint courtesy of the Anna update.
But can it live with the N9, and should Nokia fans be questioning why the MeeGo contender is just a one-off? The specs don’t lie, so let’s take a look.
Power
Nokia X7 – 680MHz ARM 11 processor, Broadcom BCM2727 GPU
Nokia N9 – 1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, PowerVR SGX530 GPU, TI OMAP 3630 chipset
Not too much of a contest here. The X7′s 680MHz processor doesn’t do a bad job, but simply can’t live with the gigahertz-class and dual-core chips in its rivals, including the N9. Nokia hasn’t skimped on power with the N9, and its CPU/GPU combo is simply in a different class to the X7′s.
Nokia X7 – 680MHz ARM 11 processor, Broadcom BCM2727 GPU
Nokia N9 – 1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, PowerVR SGX530 GPU, TI OMAP 3630 chipset
Not too much of a contest here. The X7′s 680MHz processor doesn’t do a bad job, but simply can’t live with the gigahertz-class and dual-core chips in its rivals, including the N9. Nokia hasn’t skimped on power with the N9, and its CPU/GPU combo is simply in a different class to the X7′s.
Screen
Nokia X7 – 4-inch, 360 x 640
Nokia N9 – 3.9-inch, 480 x 854
The X7 might have the edge on size, but the N9′s display has a far higher resolution, which means crisper images and higher quality. Both are AMOLED displays, which do a fantastic job with high-contrast images and video, but while the X7′s screen certainly isn’t bad, the N9 is once again on a different level altogether. It’s not just about size and resolution, either. The ClearBlack Display tech and the fact that the display sits right up against the Gorilla Glass protecting it literally lifts it well above anything the X7 can manage.
Nokia X7 – 4-inch, 360 x 640
Nokia N9 – 3.9-inch, 480 x 854
The X7 might have the edge on size, but the N9′s display has a far higher resolution, which means crisper images and higher quality. Both are AMOLED displays, which do a fantastic job with high-contrast images and video, but while the X7′s screen certainly isn’t bad, the N9 is once again on a different level altogether. It’s not just about size and resolution, either. The ClearBlack Display tech and the fact that the display sits right up against the Gorilla Glass protecting it literally lifts it well above anything the X7 can manage.
Connectivity
Nokia X7 – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, USB-on-the-go
Nokia N9 – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, NFC
This one’s certainly a bit closer, but again it’s the N9 that comes out on top. The X7 may have a newer version of Bluetooth on board, and it supports Nokia’s USB-on-the-go standard, but the N9 trumps that with its NFC support, a far more relevant future-facing technology. It’s also worth noting that the N9 can be set up as a Wi-Fi hotspot, a feature not present in the X7.
Nokia X7 – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, USB-on-the-go
Nokia N9 – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, NFC
This one’s certainly a bit closer, but again it’s the N9 that comes out on top. The X7 may have a newer version of Bluetooth on board, and it supports Nokia’s USB-on-the-go standard, but the N9 trumps that with its NFC support, a far more relevant future-facing technology. It’s also worth noting that the N9 can be set up as a Wi-Fi hotspot, a feature not present in the X7.
Operating System
Nokia X7 – Symbian Anna
Nokia N9 – MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan
This is the real elephant in the room as far as Nokia is concerned, because while Anna improves on Symbian^3, MeeGo as seen on the N9 has been almost universally hailed as way, way better. Its swipe-based interface seems well thought out, but more importantly it’s fast, intuitive and packed with features, labels you’re not likely to see applied to Symbian any time soon, even though Anna does improve things somewhat.
Nokia X7 – Symbian Anna
Nokia N9 – MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan
This is the real elephant in the room as far as Nokia is concerned, because while Anna improves on Symbian^3, MeeGo as seen on the N9 has been almost universally hailed as way, way better. Its swipe-based interface seems well thought out, but more importantly it’s fast, intuitive and packed with features, labels you’re not likely to see applied to Symbian any time soon, even though Anna does improve things somewhat.
Software/features
Nokia X7 – Ovi Store
Nokia N9 – MeeGo
Say what you like about Symbian, but there’s no shortage of apps for it these days, and as a result the X7 finally edges ahead of the N9 in one area. Or we think it does: Nokia isn’t pushing MeeGo, and doesn’t plan for the number of Nokia phones on the platform to rise beyond one, but there is talk that a version of the Alien Dalvik platform is being lined up for MeeGo, which will allow the N9 to run Android apps. For now, though, we’ll give this one to the X7.
Nokia X7 – Ovi Store
Nokia N9 – MeeGo
Say what you like about Symbian, but there’s no shortage of apps for it these days, and as a result the X7 finally edges ahead of the N9 in one area. Or we think it does: Nokia isn’t pushing MeeGo, and doesn’t plan for the number of Nokia phones on the platform to rise beyond one, but there is talk that a version of the Alien Dalvik platform is being lined up for MeeGo, which will allow the N9 to run Android apps. For now, though, we’ll give this one to the X7.
All in all, it’s a pretty one-sided contest, and one that won’t sit too well with a large chunk of Nokia fans, and many of its employees. Do you reckon we’re being too harsh on the X7, or do you agree with us that it’s in nowhere near the same league as the MeeGo-wielding N9? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below.
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