The first thing we noticed when putting the two together is just how different the build quality is. With sliding keypads and similar dimensions, the Nokia C6 and Nokia N97 Mini are similar in form factor, but differ completely in execution.
While the high-end Nokia N97 is predominantly finished in aluminium, and the sliding keyboard also has a neat tilting mechanism, the Nokia C6 saves costs by using plastic, and the keyboard has a simpler sliding mechanism.
The result is still impressive – the Nokia C6 feels very solid in the hand, with matt plastics on the rear feeling expensive and robust. It just can’t match the quality of its sibling.
Surprisingly, when it comes to keyboard use, we actually prefer the Nokia C6. Some of us on NokNok much prefer a hardware keypad to a touchscreen display, so the Nokia N97 Mini is a favourite with its large QWERTY keypad. The Nokia C6 offers bigger keys, however, and with a more responsive action it’s even easier to type messages and emails.
We looked at the Nokia C6’s 5-Megapixel camera yesterday, which in theory is similar to the 5-Megapixel snapper on the Nokia N97 Mini. However, the latter also gets Carl Zeiss optics, and we found the results were much more impressive when cropped in. That said, keep the photos at a standard size and the Nokia C6 is more than capable.
Check out our Nokia C6 review (photo heavy)
In touchscreen mode, the two phones are very similar. Both the Nokia C6 and the Nokia N97 Mini feature 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen panels, and both are easily responsive enough for typing or navigating the OS.
Features wise, the two handsets are also very similar, with both offering 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and Ovi Maps as standard. The Nokia N97 Mini wins when it comes to storage, with 8GB of internal storage, along with a microSD slot for memory cards. The Nokia C6 has just 200MB, but can also be expanded by adding microSD cards of up to 16GB. It comes with a 2GB card as standard.
Overall, then, there really isn’t much in it. If you want a handset just for texting, browsing the internet or for navigation, the cheaper Nokia C6 should be perfect. It’s only when you want that little more – such as higher quality materials, a better camera or more storage – that you should opt for the Nokia N97 Mini.
