Review: Nokia BH-800 Bluetooth Headset

Nokia BH-800

Nokia BH-800

Nokia BH-800

Nokia BH-800
Weight	9g (0.3oz)
Body Size	41mm x 18mm x 9mm (1.6" x 0.7" x 0.35")
Talk Time(1)	6:25
Ear Loop	Over Ear
Left/Right Ear?	Both
LEDs	1, Red, Green, and Blue
Pairings	8
Headset Sound	Excellent
Mic Sound	Good, small amount of noise reduction
Included Accessories	Suede carry pouch, metal neck strap
1) hh:mm. Music was piped continually through the headset in both directions, for a worse-case scenario

The Nokia BH-800 is the manufacturer's classy new Bluetooth headset that was announced at CES 2006. The first two things that beg attention on the BH-800 are its elegant look and diminutive size. A little more probing reveals an easy to use, good quality headset that did more than enough to impress.

The color scheme of our review BH-800 is named Coffee Black, and the headset is also available in Silver White. Both designs have a sophisticated, yet simple look about them. The body has an uncomplicated rectangular design that measures just 41mm x 18mm x 9mm (1.6" x 0.7" x 0.35"). This small size is complemented by an equally modest weight; a mere 9g (0.3oz) is all the BH-800 tips the scales at, making this the smallest and most lightweight offering to date by Nokia.

The front of the unit contains a good-sized reflective square multifunction button (MFB) that has Nokia branding embossed under it. The power button is located on top of the unit along with the red, green, and blue colored LED, while the left and right faces hold the volume rocker and charging jack respectively. We found the MFB was easy to use and gave good feedback without causing even the slightest amount of discomfort whilst wearing the headset. The power button was a bit small for our tastes and a person with large fingers could find it quite difficult to press. The volume rocker was very smooth, easy to use, and was accompanied by either an ascending or descending tone depending on whether you were increasing or decreasing the volume.

Aesthetically, the only thing that did not impress was the optional ear loop. It looks like a very cheap, thin piece of wire and detracts from the elegant and professional look the rest of the headset so effortlessly portrays. The ear loop does support both right and left ear use, and while it is not the nicest looking ear loop, it gave one of the most secure fits we have come across. Adjusting the ear loop to your exact requirements was a little frustrating, but once it was adjusted correctly, it provided a very secure fit. The BH-800 can be used without the ear loop, but we found it to be a little too insecure for our tastes.

The earpiece is an in ear type, but it rests more against the entry of the ear rather than protruding into the canal.

Nokia BH-800

Nokia BH-800

Nokia BH-800