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Short review GSM smartphone Nokia 6681

Nokia 6681. Live pictures
Package:
Smartphone
USB cable
Reduced size MMC 64 MB with a standard MMC card adapter
Stereo headset
Card-reader
Hand strap
Manual
Disk with software
Review Nokia 6680
We recently published the Nokia 6680 review and today we present a short review of the Nokia 6681. Since
the differences are insignificant, the material will be minimum and consist of a comparison of the two models.

Nokia announced the Nokia 6680 series models in February this year at 3GSM Congress and at the same
time the company announced two more models - they are Nokia 6681/Nokia 6682. The Nokia 6681 and 6682
distinguish in the low frequency- that is GSM 900 and GSM 850 (for the North-American market)
correspondingly and that is the only difference.
The main thing that differs inthe Nokia 6681 from the Nokia 6680 is the absence of 3G support (only GSM,
no WCDMA). The heart of the both models is a Texas Instruments OMAP1710 220 MHz processor. That is
not a system-on-chip solution; there is a separately integrated radio chipset (of the second, the third
generation or CDMA 2000 1X by the manufacturing company wish). Under such conditions Nokia managed
to produce three versions of one model with different radio chipsets with no extra effort for development.

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Since the processor is the same (it turned to be, the core version remained the same - Symbian OS 8.0a),
the productivity didn't change as compared to the Nokia 6680, just have a look at the SPMark04 test result
table (like for the Nokia 6680 the 3D test doesn't work in the package). The Nokia 6681 is always a bit in
advance; the gap is 5-10 percent.

The same result of the Java productivity test (Java Benchmark package). The Nokia 6681 is a bit ahead
again. A possible explanation is a later software version.

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The phone productivity shouldn't mean much when buying a device, since you won't see the difference in
practice. This performance is enough for working with most of the applications comfortably. Though the
Nokia devices loose to the HTC Typhoon (an indirect rival based on Windows Mobile) in operating speed.
We expected the reception sensitivity would fall with the change of the UMTS module to GSM/EDGE/GPRS
one. Fortunately it didn't happen. Both devices receive the signal perfectly even in poor coverage zones.
The necessity of the second camera for video-calls disappears when 3G support is absent (video-calling is a
3G service not predicted for the previous generation). The Nokia 6681 is intended for markets with no 3G
networks.

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The model is available in three colours - Electric Blue, Pearl White and Light Silver (and the Nokia 6680
shows - Light Bronze and Blue Silver). The design of the models is completely the same; they may be
distinguished only by the color and the second camera presence. The Nokia 6681 is 2 grams lighter, but its
not noticeable.
According to the specs the models are equal in size, by personal feelings, the Nokia 6681 is a bit thinner (but
so slightly to neglect like the weight). The Nokia 6681 (manufactured a month later) shows much better
assembly quality than the Nokia 6680 (no backlash unlike the example of the Nokia 6680 we tested). These
are typical first shipment problems solved in the first months of the phone manufacture.
Nokia decided on distinguishing the younger model with a reach package. It contains extra USB SD/MMC
card reader and a hand strap (one of the ways of carrying the phone). Speaking about the additional software
- a Snowboard 3D game was added and no other differences.

We have described all the differences between the models. The rest of the devices are alike and thus we
advise to read the corresponding review of the Nokia 6680. The wholesale price and the retail price will have
a normal gap of about 60-70 USD. The Nokia 6680 has no benefit over the Nokia 6681 except for the 3G and
corresponding services and may be one will like the presence of the second camera (its profit is close to the
zero in the absence of 3G and the presence of quality main camera). The launch of the 3G networks is not
planned in Russia in future. Under these conditions buying the Nokia 6680 doesn't seem well taken and is
better to get the cheaper Nokia 6681 then.
Links on the topic:
Review Nokia 6680
Nokia 6680 - capabilities of the megapixel camera

Anton Kotov (anton.kotov@mobile-review.com)

Translated by Maria Mitina (maria.mitina@mobile-review.com)
Published 23 May 2005
Have something to add?! Write us... eldar@mobile-review.com

2006/10/05 04:06 .