Hey there, tech enthusiasts! Today, we’re diving into the world of Windows Phones by taking a look at the Nokia Lumia 1520. Over the past year, I’ve been reviewing a variety of Windows Phones, including the Lumia 1020, and I must say, the 1520 has emerged as my favourite. As you might already know, I have a fondness for pixels, and the Lumia 1520 doesn’t disappoint on that front. Despite this, the software doesn’t differ significantly from the Lumia 1020, the 920, the 925, or most Lumia phones.
However, the new Lumia 1520 has some new standout features that are hard to ignore. The phone is larger than most Windows Phones, which may not suit everyone, but it certainly brings several benefits. The Lumia 1520 has a robust build, a characteristic signature of the Lumia series. It’s slightly thicker and heavier, but the matte white casing, seamless corners and unibody enclosure certainly enhance your grip and comfort. It’s also available in other colours, such as red, yellow, black, and possibly blue.
The Lumia 1520’s specifications put it at the top of the chart, competing with this year’s released phones across all platforms- Android, iOS included. For the first time, we’re seeing a 1080p Windows Phone. With its 6-inch 1080p display, it boasts around 370 pixels per inch, elevating it significantly above the Lumia 1020. Lumia 1020 had a 720p display, but the 1520 offers a higher pixel density, leading to gorgeous, crisp visuals.
Beyond the 1080p display, the Lumia 1520 is packed with top-tier hardware. It’s built with a 2.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, an Adreno 330 GPU, 2 GB of RAM, Gorilla Glass shielding, LTE, and a 20-megapixel camera with Zeiss glass and a xenon flash. With these specifications, it’s no surprise that it offers smooth performance, rapid multitasking, and quick app loading times.
Alongside the increased display space, the Lumia 1520 provides a larger tile layout for the Windows Phone UI, allowing for more glanceable information in one view. While the phone might be larger in size, it offers increased comfort with its layout and added space.
The final noteworthy feature of the Lumia 1520 is its internet browser. Internet Explorer on Windows Phone may not offer as many features as Chrome or Safari, but it significantly stands out in terms of speed. I found myself enjoying it and didn’t feel the need to seek an alternative.
So, if you’re in search of a Windows Phone with top-tier specs, a larger display, and fantastic performance, the Lumia 1520 should certainly be in your consideration list.
The Lumia 1520, being one of the superior Windows phones on the market, comes with a string of impressive features worth exploring. One of the stand-out elements being its effective web browser performance, holding a smooth operation when engaging with activities such as fast-paced page loading and zooming in and out.
With the integration of an Xbox, the gaming experience also seemingly becomes much more enjoyable, given the capabilities of the phone’s technology. The six-inch, 1080p display, combined with the newest Snapdragon 800 and Adreno 330 GPU, offers a powerhouse for gaming. However, the Windows Phone marketplace could benefit from having more graphically intensive games to push the phone to its limits.
Another area where the Lumia 1520 shines is its camera quality. Even though the Lumia 1020 camera boasts 41 megapixels, the Lumia 1520’s 20-megapixel camera does not disappoint with high-quality photos, enhanced control over taking images in various types of light and situations, and always delivering high detail and great colour outputs.
The Lumia 1520 gets many of the subtler points right — excellent speaker quality, good earpiece quality on calls, impressive battery life with a sizeable 3400 milliamp hour battery, and high-quality video with optical image stabilisation. Additionally, the handset design is worthy of praise, with a beautiful fit and finish synonymous with Nokia Lumia’s build quality.
Despite concerns over the future of Windows Phone updates, given the supposed transition to on-screen buttons, the Lumia 1520 has arguably provided the best Windows phone experience to date. A diverse, reliable addition to the 2013 market, it’s one phone to keep an eye on in the future.
In conclusion, if you’re in search of a device that performs flawlessly in browsing, gaming, photography and day-to-day usage, the Lumia 1520 comes highly recommended.
