Sony Ericsson K800i Reviews

Good features and software but let down, needs to be more robust

This is a good phone, the features are great, it has everything you'd want on a phone. Organisers, alarms, great camera. Internal memory is a bit lacking so I would recommend getting a memory card.

The screen is a good size and it's really clear, battery life is good and it has a power save option, you can easily reduce the screen brightness to save battery too.

The design however lets the phone down, at first, the phone is good and you think it's great but after it's been dropped or even just knocked a few times it starts playing up. For me personally, after a few knocks the back fell off and now keeps falling off.

I've had it six months and my friend had the same problem and the plastic casing on the front fell off, including the keys. I'd say it's a great phone, but the design should have been improved. Software and features are really good. Overall 4/5.

looking for a cheap camera phone, I recommend the K800i from Sony

The Sony K800i still sold in shops with its 3.2 cybershot camera and is still one of the best on the market.

The phone is a good size and weight, you definitely know its in your pocket. The handset is controlled either by shortcuts on the thumb button or shortcut buttons found either side of the pick up and put down buttons. These come in handy for when you want to see the calculator or set bluetooth up. And they can be set to which ever feature you like.

The camera is really good you get a flash, and zoom and the option to take 5 picks and pick the best shot. If you own a cybershot camera you will know all about this feature, the pictures aren't bad, on the camera they don't look that good but once downloaded or printed they do look like you have taken them with a camera.

The features are good, you get some games but there are plenty out there, the sound from the phone when playing music ain't bad, a lot better on the headphones. Charging the phone is quicker than most phones and getting around is easy to do with the thumb button.

As well as all the cool features you get a memory card (M2) slot to extend the phone up to 2gb. I haven't used it as yet, and currently have 3 albums, loads of texts, a ton of pictures and a lot of games.

The downsides to the phone and the main one in my opinion is the camera lens. This is a slide and when in your pocket can slide up meaning your phone is now using battery. Granted this doesn't happen all the time, but is slightly annoying. The other is video taking, oh dear, very grainy and doesn't look great even when you download it to a pc.

The phone can be bought in 3 colors, black, brown and silver (Like the one seen in casino royal - James bond) I have the silver and got this through O2 with themes, screen savers, wallpapers and movies and sounds from the film. (Not sure if this is still available.)

So if your looking for a cheap camera phone but aren't sure I recommend this one, as its never let me down. and I have tried most phone manufacturers. 9/10

Not the best handset but does the basics, not to be ashamed of

Not a bad phone overall, however, it damages easily, will soon be covered in chips on the plastic casing, the screen is also a dust magnet.

It's quite easy to use, but the little stick is a bit unresponsive. However, it does its job well, makes calls and texts very well indeed. Not the top model availible, but not exactly a phone you'd be ashamed of.

the joystick navigation design is renowned for sticking long term

A great mobile packed with loads of features, a quality camera and bright screen. Good weight and very reliable. Good basic memory expandable if required. The only downside is the joystick which, as with other joystocks of this design, becomes worn out quickly and begins to stick.

Not bad but a little chunky, good camera, looking forward to the update

Not bad but a little chunky, has broken several times when dropped, will update as soon as my current contract has expired. I purchased the phone for the camera, as I am a sucker for taking photos when drunk, looking forward to the updated model.

A good value, durable and capable mobile phone

I purchased this mobile phone for £86.99 and was pleased with the amount of features for the money. The camera is excellent and at an impressive 3.2 megapixels downloads nicely to a p.c. It is quite bulky but this makes it extremely sturdy and capable of getting a bit of a battering. Overall a decent phone, even though its a bit of a brick.

Excellent camera quality, video could be improved

My main reason for purchasing this particular mobile phone was because of the quality of the camera, with which I have no complaints. However, I do feel that the video capabilities on this phone have been somewhat compromised.

When trying to take a video, the picture is all squares and this makes it very hard to playback, although there are alot of useful options in video mode, they don't make any difference to the quality of the picture.

This phone is quite loud when it rings, so you can hear it ringing in your pocket, which I believe is always a good feature - it's even easier to hear if you have the vibrate on also.

The phone itself is a little on the heavy side, but quite robust. It is able to accept pictures and music in a variety of formats which is great if you often like a change.

Games on this phone are also quite limited, but I haven't downloaded any extras!

MP3 is the best feature, plenty of storage for music

Really good all round phone, the camera is especially good with 3.2 megapixels and the video is good but at the end of the day it is a mobile phone camera. The MP3 is the best feature and when combined with memory stick holds a fair amount of tunes its even got a little DJ mixer thing.

12 months old and taken a bit of a bashing but still working as new

My phone is now 12 months old and taken a bit of a bashing but still working as new (unlike others I've had in past.) I have had hundreds of photos printed from it and they are of a high quality in daylight and normal lighting, they are poor in dark rooms though so not so great for parties.

My videos are sharp and clear, the photo editor on the phone is fab. The games that are preloaded are great for all the family. Highly recommended.

Very good phone and features but joystick not very robust

Having had 2 of these I can say they are good phones, the only thing with them though is the fact that they have a really flimsy joystick which if you use alot does give up on you.

The features, camera and applications are all fantastic, video is still filmed in 3GP so still not too good, I really wish they would sort that. I have moved on to another phone now to solve the issues that disappointed me about the Sony ericsson K800i, but would recommend it to anybody, who wants a good phone.

They are very cheap second hand but beware of things like the joystick being a bit dead. I would still buy new if it was me, I hope this review has helped you all & answered any questions you may have.

One more thing, with mobile phones go with named brands. Sony has been around for a very long time, there is a reason for this, good quality products.

Sony Ericsson phones, they have style, functionality and capability

I am very satisfied with my K800i, I would like upgrade but I cant afford it. The one I have has everything you could need, camera, music player email and internet.

I used to have the Sony Ericsson W810i and that was another brilliant one, I love Sony Ericsson phones, they have style function and pure capability.

I can call people through my bluetooth earpiece when I'm driving

Switching back to this mobile phone after having a bad couple of months with an LG Viewty (see seperate review).

I love the fact that I can call people through my bluetooth earpiece when I'm driving (illegal to use it any other way when driving in the UK) so if I'm stuck in traffic I can let people know.

I generally find it easy to use, reliable and good battery life (L G Viewty battery life was 8 hours)

My only criticism is that the reminder noise on the organiser for an event is a bit non descript and I tend to use my diary a lot.

I had a Sony Ericcsson prior to this as well and think I may stick to them in the future

Sensible and easy to use for a wide target audience

The Sony Ericsson K880i is a well manufactured mobile phone. It includes an extremely wide variety of features, such as photo, music, and movie DJ.

It is very accesible and easy to use, as are most Sony Ericsson's. It's design is not the best and uses quite harsh edges but its not a top of the range mobile phone. Overall, I see this product to be sensible and easy to use for a wide target audience.

Have had no problems, a nice tidy phone

Have had no problems, nice tidy phone. I got it as a present and its probably the best phone I have had, I had a touch phone before this and it kept breaking, this has all the right features and easy to use. It is quite nice to look at and not too big.

Easy to operate and is always reliable, the battery lasts for days

This phone is the best I have had, I was recently sent a new Nokia 6500 Slide and am seriously unhappy with it. The Sony K800i is easy to operate and is always reliable, the battery lasts for days and the camera is an excellent quality, I miss this phone.

Took a while to get used to, now very happy with it

Overall I like this phone alot, but it is quite heavy and took a little while to get used to the feeling that it was a bit top heavy, the keypad being much smaller and lower than my previous Nokia. However, the camera and video are both excellent quality, and now I am used to the phone, I am very happy with it.

Excellent features, does the basics very well

I don't seem to be able to create a folder on my memory stick for my text messages so the SIM gets full very quickly, this is very annoying. The other features are excellent.

I only wanted a phone for txt, making calls (obviously) and taking pictures. I am not interested in the slightest in having the internet on my phone, the same for gaming, music etc. I am thinking of upgrading to a 5.0 Megapixel camera phone but again the rest of the features are of no interest to me.

Great camera but get a memory card for this model

Great phone, but heavy in weight. I think the newer models are probably lighter. Great camera but get a memory card for this model as it wont store a great deal of vides or pictures. Available in silver and in black. Overall good phone if you dont want anything fancy

The camera is brilliant, and the video quality too

Although the design of the phone might not be particularly 'flashy' looking compared to some on the market, it is compact and has a nice large screen.

It is user friendly with a central 'joystick' to navigate the functions. The camera is brilliant, and the video quality too. The expandable memory is great for storing music and photos.

I had a Motorola Razr before I had this phone, but wanted a phone with a better camera, and more memory, and I cannot honestly find fault with this phone.

An okay camera, with the minimum of features

Okay, but not so good for a person with hearing aid, it sometimes just switches off for no reason. Volume is also quite low. It is quite smart looking although it gets very dusty. The camera only takes second-rate pictures, the video too. Overall, an okay camera, with the minimum of features.

2 years, no faults or issues

Great phone, a little bit tricky to get used to the camera options and at nearly 2 years old I have had no faults, all functions and buttons still work. It is little scratched but to be expected at that age, there is nothing out there at this time which makes me want to sign a new deal elsewhere.

After a years use photo quality isnt as good

A really good phone, the camera takes a very good pictures but after about a years use its quality isnt as good. A great MP3 Player built in, overall a very good phone, would recomend it to anyone, its been a very reliable phone and easy to use.

All in all this is a fabulous phone

I love this phone - it's simplicity itself to use, spend 15 minutes or so getting to know your phone and it's functions and you'll never be disappointed in it.

Music is easy to upload and it's easy to download your pictures from it. It doesnt have a huge range of ringtones but you can easily upload something yourself.

I occasionaly use the radio function but I do listen to music alot on it. It's all down to personal choice and what you're looking for in a phone. I got the K800i model purely for the camera function and it has never disappointed - pictures are clear and sharp and the camera menus are self explanatory and easy to follow.

If you want several CD's worth of music to choose from and are inclined to take lots of photos, (like me) then I'd recommended you get a memory card - these are quite inexpensive (try amazon) and boost your storage capabilities no end.

Also, taking it on holiday saves having to carry a separate camera and charger. All in all I think this is a fabulous phone and seriously - for once - I dont want an upgrade!!

Easy to use, good features and robust

Easy to use, great features, so many extras on here that I've not used them all yet, very customisable too.

Clumsy me has dropped it more than once and it stood up to the test so its pretty robust. Pictures are great quality and look good when transferred to the PC, plus great after sales care by Sony Ericsson.

Cursor stick attracts dirt and can get stuck making navigation difficult

My husband and I think that overall this phone is great except for the dodgy cursor stick. This attracts grime and gets stuck very quickly making the menu impossible to navigate. The menu layout is clear and the phone is easy to use, however the stick lets it down.

Reliable and a good all rounder

I think this is a great little phone. Ok, it's never going to win an award for anything, but its reliable, and a good all rounder.

Its easy to use, easy to hear, a pocket-friendly size and weight, good for (though limited) using the Internet for things like Facebook, checking travel etc.... but at the end of the day, you don't really want to be composing novels on a keypad anyway.

I love it and actually went back to it after an upgrade because I missed it. Sad but true, sometimes phones can be too flash.

a phone with all the functionality of a digital camera

I always buy Sony Ericsson mobile phones and never had any problems in the past. I have had this phone about a year now and cant say one thing bad about it, with a quality 3.2-megapixel camera its a phone with all the functionality of a digital camera and connectivity you'd expect in a top 3G phone.

Easy to use, the screen is large and clear, menu easy to navigate

Very easy to use, the screen is large and clear, menu easy to navigate. Buttons are fine to press and not too close or small for those fast texters among us.

Easy and quick to change settings, overall I would definitely recommend this phone. Takes a good photo-not great quality but perfect just for quick snaps. Seems to also have a large enough memory without having to add any extras. Very pleased with this phone.

what it lacks in looks, it makes up in reliability

Amazing phone, this phone not only has great memory and a brilliant camera but also some fantastic music options and sound quality. The only thing that disappoints is the general design of the handset, not the most attractive, but what it lacks in looks, it makes up in reliability.

Nice clear screen and takes brilliant photos

Have had the K800i from Ericsson since Christmas 2007 and I think of it as a camera with a phone. It isn't as slim and lightweight as some phones but it's definitely lighter than alot of cameras, the video options are very good. Nice clear screen and takes brilliant photos - I love it.

Simple phone with everything in the right place

Simple phone with everything in the right place, bluetooth to send everything between phones or even direct to the latest printers, MP3 player, GPRS, everything you could ever want from a phone.

Easy to get used to and with a great camera too, even comes in a stylish black to give the ultimate cool businessman look. Reliable and durable this phone is built to last and comes highly recommended

Picture quality brilliant

Picture quality brilliant, very easy to use. I would like to set some ringtones as message alerts but you cant do it on this phone. This phone has quite a lot of memory so you can save a lot of photos and music to it which is very handy when you're out and about.
Good value for money though.

Clear buttons which are easy to use

Great phone, I use my phone mainly for texting so I like the clear buttons which are easy to use. It's a little heavy and the large screen gets scratched and dirty easily so a case/cover is a good idea. The camera is easy to use and takes good photos for a camera phone. Menu is clear and it is easy to change ringtones and text alerts without having too many menus to negotiate

Frustrating when trying to do simple things like send a text

The phone overall is good, however I have had problem with it freezing and the joy stick becoming stuck, this is very frustrating when trying to do simple things like send a text. The volume is also not great on this handset as sometimes you can barely hear the caller even if you have the volume on full.

Brilliant 3.2 meg pixel camera and video camera

I bought this phone as an upgrade a while back and loved it. Very easy to use with great features including the brilliant 3.2 meg pixel camera and video camera. Comes with radio, internal memory for music and radio. Good light weight design and very easy to use and find your way round using the main menu selection.

Overall not a bad phone

The K800i camera is fab and the fact you can add extra memory plus features such as voice recorder and diary alarm.

Built in MP3 was very handy, but quite out dated now. Since brand new, the phone has locked up on a regular basis being unable to call out, recieve calls text etc, a real pain especially in an emergancy - also phone muddles up contacts saying texts are from people they are not - again very very frustrating.

Overall not a bad phone as camera is fab and has with stood lots of drops etc.

The K800i is a great little phone

Great little phone, the K800i comes with all the necessary features, Internet, a great 3.2 meg Camera and Video, Video calling etc.

Stylish and compact it is quite a sturdy little phone, survived many bashings and droppings! The Camera and editing facilities are brilliant and offer some cool features. Music player and radio are also good quality.

All in all this phone is a winner, highly recommended

I've had the Ericsson K800i a while now, I was even upgraded to the K850i which I then ended up selling on as I felt the camera was not as good and I didn't find it as user friendly.

Anyway back to the K800i, I have listed some of the things I love about this phone.

Battery life - can last for days

The Camera - great photos, good enough to actually print. I use mine on a digital photo frame, the colours can come out a little too vivid but its no big deal.

Video editing - I've had loads of fun with this, with a little practise you can have text appear on the video as it plays placing the words exactly where you want them in relation to whats happening on screen.

Text messaging - is fun with little characters, animations and even sound effects. This can really liven up a text to a loved one.

Video playback - using a piece of computer software you can convert video so it can play on the phone, great when your bored.

It is cheap now to unlock/de brand. This is an odd thing to include but as I unlocked and de branded mine all to the better, I thought I would list it.

All in all this phone is a winner and now can be picked up at a bargain price, like I said its cheap to unlock so it doesn't even need to be your network,
highly recommended.

East to use but somewhat disappointing from Sony

Design, features and usability as with most Sony phones is straightforward and user-friendly.

This phone is easy to use and trouble-free.

It is however not a great advancement on the Sony's last version of the mobile phone.

The camera on the phone is fair quality but slow to respond.

All features phone features seem slower then earlier Sony mobiles. Somewhat disappointing.

Good at first then gets glitches as it gets older

Good for the first six months but then the buttons start to become harder to press and the middle button sends you to the wrong thing. It is just far to sensitive.

When the phone is new it it very easy to use, but unfortunatley the older the phone gets the harder it becomes to use.

Also with the camara slide at the back it always opens when you put it in your pocket which runs the battery down far faster than it should.

Reliable and hard wearing

What's Good:

The Sony Ericsson K800i is a great phone in most respects. It is reliable and hard wearing. I have dropped my phone many times and it had never yet broken and is hardly scratched at all.

It has a decent sized memory in the phone itself. It can hold about 60 pictures and a few songs. The photos are of very good quality considering it is a camera phone, I often use my phone instead of my camera.

It is really easy to use with all the normal Sony Ericsson features and a few new added ones.

Whats Bad:

The battery life could be better; it normally lasts about 2 and a half to 3 days.

The sound isn't great but considering it isn't one of the walkman phones it is still pretty good.

The sliding cover for the camera sometimes slides off although not that often. It is also quite big and chunky.

Overall the Sony Ericsson K800i is a very good phone with only a few tiny flaws.

Recommend to anybody - great features and reliable

I bought this phone as a replacement and was wary to buy a phone which others describe as a "brick", but i have been more than happy with my purchase.

Lets start with the design, for a big phone, I find it quite slick and professional looking. I like the brushed black colouring and the silver details set it off. It also has a handy slide cover over the camera which is a very useful feature - as is the large colour screen.

As for the the features in this phone, it has many.

My favourite is of course the 3 megapixel camera which takes great pictures as well as having a 'BestPic' feature which takes a few photographs together and you can pick the best one.

It also has 3 onboard games, a Tennis game which is really hard to play, a Mini Golf fame which is very very addictive, and a Fish Photographic game which is also very addictive.

It also has bluetooth, which is useful, a good music player, inbuilt radio, and all the standard phone features.

I found it easy to use, with a big display and a handy joystick. It also has a lot of additional buttons on the side and top, for quick access to your photographs, internet, music or camera.

Overall I think this phone is very good for the money and very reliable.

I would recommend it too anybody who wants a reliable, sturdy and very feature heavy phone.

Robust, great photos though not for large fingers

The K800i is rather easy to use - however buttons are quite small and fiddly so probably not best for someone with big hands/fingers!

Excellent quality of photographs, and has 60 second video recording on it - shame it has not got longer.

Takes alot to break it, I don't know how many times i have dropped it!

My first Sony and it is briliant.

Only two minor issues, it is to easy to go to internet accidently and it has a separate back button that takes getting used to if you are used to a Nokia.

12 mths in and I will keep this for another 12 mths. Even the case is pretty bash resistant.