Choosing between SX200 IS and Nikon P90

Need advice in choosing between Canon SX200is and Nikon P90. Which one will deliver higher quality image and functional featuers?
Based on specs, P90 is obviously better than SX200is, but most REVIEWS seem to indicate Canon's deliver real results. In this case the SX200is is so new, I wonder does anyone have actual hands on experience to do a fair comparison.

Another concern for SX200is is the construction of the body - size and shape, which is more of a lower end compact camera. Is this camera of the same caliber as the P90?

Thanks John for your answer. Your points are well taken.
When I tried both in the store, indeed I saw little to no difference in picture quality between the 2. But I am a novice when it comes to critical analysis with digital camera.
I'm partial forwards the SX200is. Would a lighter weight campact camera has more a "shake" issue in practice? Would I be compromising quality due to it's compact in size?
many thanks.

Would this newbie compact superzoom perform as well as the big boys (P90 or P80 or SX10 is) up to 12x range?

Lighter weight cameras are harder to balance in the hand than slightly heavier cameras for most people.

The Sx200 actually competes with the likes of the; Nikon L100, Fuji s1500, Lumix Tz5 & Tz4 (Sony and Olympus probably make a compact superzoom also...). Basically these are compact superzooms which pack a 10X+ zoom in a very small space.

Anyhow below is a set of tests you want to perform to evaluate any camera:

You will want to look at reviews with Test Pics and compare full sized images (Sometimes called full crop pics) and look for edges being pushed out at the wide angle (Lens all the way in) and for edges and loss of detail in the corners when at full telephoto (Lens all the way out at full zoom). Look for green and purple fringes along edges- ask yourself if you can live with the fringes/barreling/cushioning. You also want to look at loss of detail/noise at ISO 200, 400, and 800 to see if it is acceptable to you (200 is for outdoor shooting/well lit rooms, 400 is for indoor settings/dusk and 800+ is for low light rooms/night shots) and ask yourself is the loss of detail/noise acceptable to you .. Thats pretty much what you want to do online.

In the store take a small coin- dime or penny and lay it down. Switch to macro-mode and see 1. Where the minimum focal distance is at both ends of the zoom in macro mode. 2. How much detail was captured. Snap off several shots in the store at various distances look at 1. how fast the camera focused and how well it focused 2. Did the camera reproduce the colors well and 3.are you happy with the lag time from; A. half press an B. full press (you can read specs all day but until you experience .8 FPS vs 2.5 FPS the difference won't sink in). Shoot a barcode... zoom in on the preview shot- did the lines blur?? Play with the menu system- is it easy for you to navigate to features you think you will be changing? Turn the camera off then back on- is the time the camera takes to power up and start shooting acceptable to you. Switch the camera to continuous / burst mode look at 1. How hard it is to get into this mode and 2. how well it performs in this mode. Finally look at any other desirable special feature the camera may have and give it a try and ask yourself if it meets your needs.

John, thanks for detail and clear guidance of the comparison technique. Most appreciated.
Sol

I actually bought the P90 and returned it. PIcture quality was very bad (very unusual from Nikon) and the zoom was pretty useless because the more you zoomed, the worse the quality got. don't go for the P90 if you want great quality photos.