Phone wars: Nokia x2-01 vs Samsung ch@t 322

While Nokia X2-01 may have its loyalists, Samsung ch@t 322 is a better option if one is willing to try a Korean phone.

Screen and phone size

The phones are of almost the same size as the Blackberry Onyx in terms of height, width and breadth. The Nokia X2-01 is a bit longer, while the Samsung ch@t 322 is a little thinner. The X2-01 has a slightly larger, 2.4 inch screen, compared to the Samsung’s 2.2 inch. The Nokia handily beats out the Samsung in pixel real estate as well to its 320x240 pixels compared with the ch@t’s tiny 220x176. Conclusion: The Nokia X2-01’s screen is a bit larger but should theoretically be crisper due to the higher pixel density and will also be able to fit in more. It wins.

Keypad

Both phones sport Blackberry-esque qwerty keypads. Nokia and Samsung’s keypads are both slowly evolving and looking more like the Blackberry’s. However, Nokia seems to be making the change at a much slower pace. Its keypad is still reminiscent of the old smart phones like the E72, while the Samsung keypad embraces its blackberry roots. Conclusion: For people who are used to Blackberry keypads, the Samsung will be much more comfortable. However, Nokia feels that most people are used to its keypads, and if you are one of them, you might be more comfortable with the X2-01.

Navigation

The Samsung ch@t 322 sports a touchpad, like the one on a Blackberry. It’s like a tiny mouse pad, extremely convenient for navigating menus. It may take time to get used to but it brings an unprecedented level of sophistication to the browsing experience.  The X2-01 makes up with a dedicated music and email button on either side of its navigation pad. Conclusion: Samsung ch@t 322 wins.

Connectivity

The ch@t 322 allows for two SIM cards. Both SIM cards will be active at the same time but there will not be call waiting for one SIM while you are using the other. The Nokia X2-01 supports only one SIM, while both phones don’t have Wi-Fi connectivity. Conclusion: Samsung wins for its dual-SIM feature.

Storage

The internal storage in both phones is very low. If you plan to listen to music at all, you will have to upgrade both with extra storage with Micro SD cards. Here is where the Nokia gets ahead. The X2-01 supports micro SD cards upto 16gb, while the ch@t 322 only accepts cards up to 8gb. Conclusion: More storage, more songs, Nokia wins.

Camera

The Samsung ch@t 322 has a 1.3 megapixel camera, taking pictures of 1280x960 pixels, while the Nokia X2-01 has a VGA camera with resolutions of 640x480 pixels. Both have video cameras, but the frame rate of the Samsung is less than the Nokia’s, and a bit choppy. Conclusions: At this level, video choppiness is not an issue. The higher megapixel camera is better for impromptu snapshots. Samsung wins.

Conclusion

Both phones are great. The Nokia X2-01 is a great option for loyalists of the Finnish Company. But, the Samsung ch@t 322 is a much better option if you are willing to try a Korean phone. Nokia possesses the brand name and the expanded memory option, but the ch@t 322 has the optical trackpad and dual SIMs.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2011.