Nokia N85 follows the style of N81, every corner and edge rounded, black glossy plastic stuck tight with the framing. This gives the hand a more comfortable, less edgy feel. The handset size is very modest, the measurements only counting 103x50x16 mm, which is slimmer than the wide and not as ergonomic N96. The casing is made from a glossy plastic, but it’s different from the one used in N96, it’s not as easily soiled and looks more expensive. Have a look at 6600 slide, and you’ll spot the analogy (except the latter’s having multiple metal parts). The style is maintained by an absolute smoothness of the buttons which have their markings automatically faded out in case a button is inactive in the current mode. At the same time, the buttons aren’t touch-powered and have a good mechanical feedback, though a bit too tight and not as perfect as in N81. The black N85 comes in two versions: one of them has the side edges and the back panel painted brown, the other uses violet.

The keyboard can hardly be called stunning, but we enjoyed it. It is much more user-friendly compared to the Samsung INNOV8’s. Text input isn’t exactly pleasurable, but it’s acceptable for casual messaging . At first, the navigational buttons create the impression that they are touch sensitive, but they are actually clickable keys. The designers have come up with a strange solution for the SEND and END keys;t they are simply two rubber lines, which are hard to hit sometimes. Another interesting element is the Navi Wheel. It is a part of the D-pad which responds to circular movements from your finger. This allows easy scrolling like seen in N78 and N81. The feature is not sensitive enough and sometimes interferes with operating the device. Luckily, it can be deactivated. On the right of the navigational block we have the multimedia key, which opens the Nokia XpressMedia menu. We’ll get to it later. The nice Breathing function illuminates the 5-way navigational button and flashes every few seconds as if breathing. This reminds us of the elegant Nokia 8600 Luna.

The screen is also a strong point for the Nokia N85. The N85’s 2.1 inch QVGA screen is using OLED panel for better screen display and at the same time chomps little power from the mobile phone’s battery. As for the display itself, the Nokia N85 parades a bright showing of colors. The light sensor also made a positive impact on the display – the sensor automatically adjusts the screen’s display to the immediate light conditions surrounding the phone.

Users might have some little degree of adjusting to the Nokia N85’s charging port. Unlike previous models, the Nokia N85 does not have the 2mm charging port. Instead, it charges using a micro-USB connection. The same USB port is also used when syncing the mobile handset with a personal computer unit, using a different adapter of course. Sharing the USB port’s spot at the top edge of the Nokia N85 are the power button and the 3.5mm audio output jack.