Home > News > Nokia C7 Vs Nokia N8
Nokia C7 Vs Nokia N8
By Phil Barker on September 23,
 2010 at 00:00,

nokia-c7-vs-nokia-n8-frontWe've been waiting for the Nokia N8 for quite a while now, but in the meantime the suave new Nokia C7 has made an appearance. The specs aren't a world apart, so which would you opt for? Join us after the cut to find out more...

The Nokia C7 looks set to be released in the near future – following hot on the heels of the Nokia N8. Which handset is the better choice? Read on to find out.

Build quality

Choosing between the two handsets when it comes to quality is tricky, as both are incredibly tough. We think that the Nokia N8 just about shades it, however, with a one-piece anodised aluminium casing. That's not to say the Nokia C7 is lacking, as it's also constructed from stainless steel and glass.

Check out our Nokia C7 hands-on preview

Cameras

The Nokia N8 still retains the best camera we've ever seen on a smartphone, with a 12-Megapixel sensor. The Nokia C7 counters with an 8-Megapixel camera – it may not be as impressive but it's still capable of amazing photographs. Both can record video content in high-definition.

Storage

The Nokia C7 boasts 8GB of integrated storage space. This can upgraded via microSD cards, with cards of up to 32GB supported. The Nokia N8 offers more memory, at 16GB, and also offers microSD cards of up to 32GB.

Screen

The Nokia N8 offers a large 3.5-inch touchscreen that's perfect for web use and movies. It's a capacitive panel, and is responsive, bright and colourful. There's nothing to separate the two phones here, as the Nokia C7 also boasts an identical screen.

Operating system

Both the Nokia N8 and Nokia C7 feature the latest cutting edge Symbian ^3 operating system. With multiple home screens on both phones, usability promises to be excellent.

Tags: C7 Nokia Nokia C7 Nokia N8. N8 Symbian ^3
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  • AT33

    I would go for the C7 because its thinner and better looking and has pretty much everything the N8 has except the camera, who cares about that, 8MP are enough.

  • AT33

    Oh and one thing the C7 does better, it has dedicated call and kill buttons up front!!! That’s a huge disadvantage in the N8 which I could never get used to. I need to be able to kill a call with a button up front with 100% surety. I hate that my iPhone 4 does not have dedicated call and kill buttons have!!! Now the N8 is plagued from the same experience, I think that’s a step backwards for Nokia.

  • Sangala

    nokia C7 also doesnt have HDMI out, but has CBD (clear black displey)

  • Mark

    C7 for me. It just looks nicer.

  • peter

    …and hopefully the C7 will be slightly cheaper than the N8!? The main difference for me is the lack of an HDMI port on the C7 which is quite a big loss. But then the C7 has twin LEDs for flash and can be used as torch and for video lighting whereas the zenon flash on N8 cannot (but will be better for flash stills of course). So as we say in the UK ‘yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice’.

  • peter

    ..and also: do I see stereo speakers on the C7 either side of the camera? Or are they just decorative?

  • vPuik

    There’s no CBD on C7. Both phones have the same screen.

  • Ash

    i\’d prefer N8 cos C7 lacks multi touch……

  • Shaun

    The C7 apparently doesn’t have CBD but then neither does the N8.

    Of more importance though is the C7 has 1GB NAND and 350MB of C: as opposed to the N8′s 512MB and 110MB. ie. the C7 (and C6-01 and E7) have a larger space for firmware and apps without using a card. This has always been one of the stumbling blocks with Nokias – not enough C: space.

  • Bill

    Also the C7 only has an LED flash one of the reasons I held out so long for the N8 was the xenon flash. Small matter to some I know but for me it’s a big plus.

  • boltonw

    i would go for C7. Nokia n8 is ougly ****,and n8 does not have green(call) and red(kill) key. C7 is cheaper :)

  • Allen

    These are 2 large touch screen devices. The C7 doesn’t support multi-touch which pretty much kills it for me, a touch screen device without multi-touch is pointless in 2010, too fiddly and cumbersome to use in my view, the likes of the N900 and N97 got away with it because of the additional keyboard. The N8 wins for me, I mean what is the point of all these specs if you can’t do simple pinch to zoom on a map or a web page for example.

  • Shaun

    @Allen, the C7 DOES support multi-touch. All of the Symbian^3 handsets do.

    http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/devices/nokia-c7-00/features

  • fokozuynen

    Nokia C7 has better battery is have a nice design better than N8. N8 have Hdmi out and a 12 Mp with XENON but the battery is last only one day with a medium usage of a couple of calls a ouple of photos and a couple of minutes of web. My opinion Nokia C7 is better for the battery a very good economy and a nice design then of course is have even the dedicated buttons for calls then the 8 mp camera for a daylight is ok.

  • fokozuynen

    Nokia C7 has better battery is have a nice design better than N8. N8 have Hdmi out and a 12 Mp with XENON but the battery is last only one day with a medium usage of a couple of calls a ouple of photos and a couple of minutes of web. My opinion Nokia C7 is better for the battery a very good economy and a nice design then of course is have even the dedicated buttons for calls then the 8 mp camera for a daylight is ok even the price is litter lower.

  • Favas

    N8 Web Browser supports only
    HTML 4.1
    HTML over TCP/IP
    OSS Browser
    WAP 2.0
    XHTML over TCP/IP

    But the C7 supports
    CSS
    HTML 4.1
    HTML over TCP/IP
    Javascript 1.8
    OSS Browser
    WAP 2.0
    XHTML over TCP/IP
    XML

    So according to browsing function the C7 is best!!!!!

  • SnaxMuppet

    All this talk of the N8 supporting different software to the C7 is wrong. They are both Symbian 3 devices and so have the same software. It might be that the C7 has a more up to date version because it was developed more recently but the N8 will surely get a firmware update soon to bring it back in line.

    I am having real difficulty with deciding which one to get. I want the camera of the N8 but prefer the more “candy bar” style of the C7 along with the removable battery and call/kill buttons.

    IMO the N8 is better value for money with the 12MP camera with Xenon flash and more in the box (cables etc).

    Let’s face it… they are both excellent phones and whatever one I go for I will probably grow to love.

  • SnaxMuppet

    All this talk of the N8 supporting different software to the C7 is wrong. They are both Symbian 3 devices and so have the same software. It might be that the C7 has a more up to date version because it was developed more recently but the N8 will surely get a firmware update soon to bring it back in line.

    I am having real difficulty with deciding which one to get. I want the camera of the N8 but prefer the more \\"candy bar\\" style of the C7 along with the removable battery and call/kill buttons.

    IMO the N8 is better value for money with the 12MP camera with Xenon flash and more in the box (cables etc).

    Let’s face it… they are both excellent phones and whatever one I go for I will probably grow to love.

  • Case

    I have to agree with SnaxMuppet. I would rather buy the C7 but for me the price different is too low compared to N8. The Nokia N8 has some nice features (camera, hdmi) and sales package contains more stuff (better earphones, USB OTG adapter cable, etc.). These are the things I’d like to have in the C7 as well.

    What do you think? What would be a appropriate price difference with N8 and C7?

  • mayukh

    i bought the c7 3weeks ago nd let me tel u guys that its a rockr of a phn,i do hve a n8 also bt the c7 has d luks 2 die fr baby.on the othr hand d n8 kinda luks bulky nd in newe the c7 cost arnd $360 only.

  • http://no JACK

    N8 auto off then can’t on…better buy C7

  • atif khan

    I saw both the mobiles n8 as well as c7…but I bought C7…feature difference is nothing in both the mobiles except camera and that is no big deal if you use 8MP camera…Its result is also awesome..C7 look is the best thing and N8 looks like square box…So from me C7 is best….

  • http://google.com snehal

    hey, guys…. I have seen both n8 & c7 mobile, both are same in majore case like, multitouch, processor, display size,battery, connectivity,….

    Difference in c7 compared to n8 is just a 12mp camera, hdmi output, xenon flash.

    Nokia n8 packaging content usb on the go cable, better earphone, while c7 dosen’t has this accesory…

    N8 price is around 23k while c7 is just 19k….

    Nokia n8 looks like a rectangle box, while c7 looks perfectly crafted body…

    Both phone has same performance on all HD games, which can be played on s^3 mobile..like avatar & NFS shift HD…

    I reffer to buy c7… If u r not attracted by 8 or 12 mp, and hdmi output…

  • http://pada.com nas jav

    just got the n8… but c7 does luk nicer, i dnt care about the 12mp cam on the n8 but i can dwnload movies and watch it from phone to my tv wiv the hdmi cabble!!!!

  • Writgy

    N8 bigr bt c7 lik nisr. i m d bom saying! u lik m wrtin? stp englsh lol. duh

  • C7juser

    both phones rocks on gaming but N8 has better 3D : but i already bought C7 and im happy

  • billboard

    I discoverd the C7 also the N8. The Nokia C7 is much way better because N8 is too slow while opening applications in front of C7, also when using single tasks like make a call or create a message. so C7 is the best phone of nokia

  • billboard

    Do u know why the nokia c7 isn’t at the store of US? Because It’s almost even to the iPhone!!!!

  • Charlie

    I was offered both the N8 and C7 today for the same price on contract. £30. I could pick either or.

    The stand out for me was the camera so I thought the N8 would win hands down. 12 mega Pixel, Xenon flash ect.

    So. I asked for both phones. Turned both on at the same time and fixed the camera at the same target.

    I was amazed to find the C7 had brighter colours, so I checked that the protective film wasn’t covering it up. It wasn’t. The C7 had much clearer definition on both the viewer and both the final picture. I even changed the pixel settings to 12 MP and messed around with the white bias. Same result.

    I was comparing the phones for a long time as I was sure I must have been mistaken. I had two other people check the phones and even asked for a replacement N8! SAME RESULT.

    I was going to buy the N8, take it home and compare with my fiancee’s C7 but there was no point it wouldn’t have mattered.

    I was told about the other advantages of the N8 but they wouldn’t have made much difference to me.

    Have the O2 shop in PLYMOUTH been sold a couple of faulty N8s? because the C7 has a better camers in the shops I was in!

  • Daniele

    Also the N8 has a cable in the box so that you can connetc memory sticks, etc. and open it on the phone. i dont think i’ll use it so i’ll go for the c7 but maybe someone will

  • Jackie

    Hi guys !! I was so confused on buying a suitable mobile for me . I compared both the Nokia’s . Except in the case of camera , HDMI and the kind of headset , C7 wins . The N8 has a 12 Mp Camera with a Xenon Flash , HDMI port and a superb headset whereas the C7 has a 8 Mp camera with a Dual-LED Flash , No HDMI port and a simple headset . Otherwise they both take the best . I prefer C7 because the stereo speakers are better than N8 . For the ones who are interested in photography , I prefer N8 . But for the ones who are in need of a best mobile with a lower cost , I prefer C7 . Any mobile form Nokia has a better resale value than any other mobile from any other brands . Have a good time with the Nokia’s . Bye .

  • http://www.google.com joe

    hi i am confused because some people say n8 is better others say c7.I am gonna buy a new mobile and i was thinking either n8 or c7,which one is better??????? AND FYI C7 HAS MULTI-TOUCH TOO.

  • Haidar

    I think C7 is better than N8 in one thing
    you know some times the mobile freezing and cant turned of with the power button and you need to remove the battery to restart it again, so in C7 its easy to remove the battery, but in N8 if your mobile freezing you need to wait up to battery empty

  • gafoorcholayil

    I bought a nokia C7,I am happy with my own C7,all thing it is better. Everything is i needed.Camera is great guality.Web browser is so fast.Very Cute design,bluetooth ver 3.0…

  • Josef

    Well I had N8 for about 4 days and I returend it to the seller (2 week no-fee guarantee). The camera works good outside or insinde with very good light conditions but when you film in a bit darker environment the video quality is extremely poor. and as N8 does not have a LED video light you cannot get it to film better :(

    So i changed to C7, its cheaper and it HAS a LED light that can be switched on during filiming a video, it has a flash too (not xenon as N8 but it works great too). So the only thing am mssing on C7 is the HDMI ports, but who would prefer HDMI instead of better video shooting . If you prefer to film everywhere (as i do) go for C7. If you what to take only still pictures and need HDMI that much than pay more for N8 but the ration price/value wont be that high as for C7

  • http://google.com jaX

    look the c7 is cheaper and offers u the same features of n8 (exept for the camera)and video and c7 has better camera in the night becoz of 2 led flash and its faster and looks better i wld go for the c7

  • najmussaquib

    c7 a good one, inserting sim no need to remove the battery but to insert memory battery should be removed is it not possible to put them both without opening case

  • GrandSmurf

    C7 also have a NFC (Near Field Comm.) chip which will be enabled with the new firmware. (will be released in the 1st quarter of 2011)

  • http://FACEBOOK.COM BURHAN LALA

    HEY HI!!!! C7 IS GOOD CHOICE BECAUSE ITS CHEAPER THAN N8 . C7 & N8 BOTH CELL HAVE SAME FEATURES LIKE SYMBAIAN 3 . THE DIFFERENCE IS C7 HAS 8MP CAM, WHERE AS N8 HAS 12 MP CAM.,

    WHO CARES

  • ayaz

    i go with c7 rockzzzzzzzz

  • kenth harris

    i m confused what to buy n what not i need a full screen touch phone with high camera n vedio ressolution bt it should be a smart music phone.i think c7 has little edege over n8 considering all the things like price ,shape ,features etc…

  • Vipul bhatia

    The average of all comments tell that we should prefer c7 than n8!
    :P

  • http://modhiab(onyoutube) m.dhiab

    after reading all the comments ..i bought the c7 it is really good !

  • richi

    N8 is the best phone one can ever have.. there is no phone in the market which can even compete with N8′s camera quality… N8 rocks..

  • Meareda

    n8 has more memory space. how ever it doesn’t offer better browser than c 7. i go for c7. although it has full focus camera which is not good for close imaging.

  • Cristian

    I like the C7 is better than the N8 ….. the battery lasts longer … camera with dual flash and better resolution ….

  • sunny oo7

    my c7 is my baby mmmmuuuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

  • The Dream

    Actually the N8 has LESS memory than a C7 + 16GB MicroSD card. It only has 135Mb on the all-important C: drive vs 350Mb on the C7 and E7. So the C7 is a much better phone, both for user data, app storage and future firmware upgrades (remember the problems the N97 had with its small C drive!). Unless you MUST have macro photography and HDMI, I can’t see any point going for the N8,