The Nokia N86 8MP launched last week but for many was overshadowed by the launch on the same day as the new flagship Nokia N97. However, we’ve managed to get our hands on a device, so have had just 24 hours to get to grips with the Nokia N86 8MP. Check out how we found it…

If you’ve seen our unboxing of the Nokia N86 8MP then you’ll know we’re proud owners of the new device.

The Nokia N86 8MP is very much the successor to the Nokia N95 and carries on in the tradition of slider phones. The N86 8MP feels nice and solid in the hand. It weighs 149g but due to it being a neat slider device, feels compact and sits comfortably in the hand. The slider has a smooth action and it exposes the keypad, which is a good size. The keys are backlit and are slightly raised. So far we’ve found them to be responsive and easy to use.

Check out the tech spec for the Nokia N86 8MP

One complaint raised by Comments on NokNok has been the lack of touchscreen support on the Nokia N86 8MP. This is a Symbian S60 3rd Edition phone, so the software doesn’t support touchscreen activation.

What it has in its favour is a great looking screen. The 2.6-inch screen has a native resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, which is pretty much in keeping with this class of device. However, It is the use AM OLED technology – first seen on the Nokia N85 – that really makes this a great device, as images look more colourful than on other types of screens.

The screen is bright and images look crisp. Thanks to the accelerometer inside, switching from Landscape to Portrait mode is quick, taking a little over a second to switch. One thing we didn’t realise about this smartphone was that it’s also supports N-Gage, Nokia’s advanced gaming technology, so getting the latest games on the device is easy.

Naturally, the big selling point of the Nokia N86 8MP is the inclusion of the 8-Megapixel camera. It comes with Carl Zeiss optics and dual-LED flash and its own built-in lens cover. We’ve only had a chance to play with the camera while sat at our desk and hope to get a few test shots taken over the next couple of days but from the quick play we’ve had it works well, and the focus action and software controls feel really natural.

Over the next few days we’ll be testing out all the various parts of the Nokia N86 8MP. In particular, we’re looking forward to trying out the camera and seeing if it truly lives up to expectations.

Check out the Nokia N86 8MP image gallery: