Which Nokia Lumia is Best for You?

The Nokia Lumia series has drawn a lot of attention from all quarters, thanks to their unique design and functions. This Techspirited article helps you choose the best Lumia device for you.

Lumia Storm?

The term Lumia is derived from the Finnish word Lumi  which means snow.

Post its acquisition by Microsoft, Nokia, the once powerful brand which was synonymous with mobile phones, today, is a mere shadow of its former self. The Finns, however, had one last ace up their sleeve, just before bowing out of their solo venture into the mobile arena. The Lumia series is amongst the last offerings from the company, and one that reminds us of its glory days. This series has been hugely popular amongst the masses, thanks mainly to its fantastic design language and funky colors.

The company has over the past year or so released Lumia phones a dime a dozen. These phones tickle the fancy of users across various segments, right from basic to power users. There seems to be a Lumia phone that fits every pocket, both figuratively and literally. Their success at launching numerous variants is matched only by the Samsung Galaxy series of phones, although the Nokia undoubtedly takes the cake when it comes to build quality and trust.

If you too are amongst the many waiting to board the Lumia train, this article should serve as the perfect platform to help you pick the right phone for you. Please note that we’ve only considered phones which run on Windows Phone 8 and upwards as they offer a whole new user experience. Prices mentioned are against a 2-year contract.
Image Source: press-nokia.com

Nokia Lumia 920

Pros

• Premium build quality
• Good camera with OIS
• NFC support
• Compact size
• FM radio
• Wireless charging

Cons

• Comparatively small screen size
• Non-removable battery
• Lack of Micro SD card slot
• Outdated hardware
• Rather heavy for its size
• Wireless charging using additional back cover

Editor’s take

If you love the Lumia series but aren’t one who wants the most powerful hardware out there, then the 920 could be your perfect launchpad. Do not, however, expect to be blown away by its performance, although it is in no way a slow device. It is a simple phone with a design that set the trend for most new Lumia phones, and goes about its business of handling most operations without making a big deal of it.

Nokia Lumia 820

Pros

• Good build quality.
• Great display quality
• NFC support
• FM radio
• Dedicated mic for active noise canceling

Cons

• Comparatively small screen size
• Rather heavy for its size
• Sub-par secondary camera
• Outdated hardware

Editor’s take

The Lumia 820 is a great phone but one that is notoriously hard to find. It has some really nice specs and comes at a price that is just right. It’s a great buy for anyone who wants a standard Windows device which might not be top of the line, but is no slack either. The problem, of course, is finding one of these devices in the first place!

Nokia Lumia 620

Pros

• Great design
• Funky colors
• Micro SD card slot (up to 64 GB)
• Very pocketable and light
• Dedicated mic for active noise canceling
• NFC support

Cons

• Small screen size
• Low capacity battery
• Low-res screen
• Outdated hardware
• Low RAM

Editor’s take

The Lumia 620 is one our favorites amongst all the Lumia phones, mainly because of its funky colors, different take on its design language and great value for money. This is a perfect companion for any music lover, and comes with Dolby headphone sound enhancement, and Micro SD card slot expansion (up to 64 GB) to carry most of your favorite songs with you all the time. If you aren’t a fan of loud colors, but want the most powerful hardware for your phone, and are not allured by a great music experience, then you would be better off opting for one of the high-end phones in this series.

Nokia Lumia 520

Pros

• Good build quality
• Very pocketable and light
• Dedicated mic for active noise canceling

Cons

• Small screen size
• Low-res display
• Low RAM
• No LED flash
• No secondary camera

Editor’s take

This device is the most basic phones that carries the Lumia moniker. It doesn’t have a spectacular spec sheet by any stretch of imagination, but is surprisingly nifty. If you are looking for a solid phone with Windows Phone 8 experience, that has the the option to expand your phone memory (by up to 64 GB via microSD card) and you don’t want to pay top dollar for it, then you might just have found your perfect device in the Lumia 520.

Nokia Lumia 925

Pros

• Premium build quality
• Good camera with OIS
• NFC support
• Very pocketable and light
• FM radio
• Dedicated mic for active noise canceling

Cons

• Comparatively small screen size
• Non-removable battery
• Lack of Micro SD card slot
• Outdated hardware
• Mono sound audio in video recording

Editor’s take

If you want a phone without too many bells and whistles, a solid construction, and a handy camera, then the Nokia Lumia 925 makes for a great buy. It serves as a phone that can handle all the basic operations and do just a little more. Do not, however, expect to carry along your entire music library on your phone as it has just about 12 GB of user-accessible storage (the 32 GB version is a Vodafone only model).

Nokia Lumia 1020

Pros

• Great build quality
• Top-of-the-line camera with OIS
• NFC support
• Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen protection
• Powerful xenon flash
• Dedicated mic for active noise canceling

Cons

• Camera bulges out at back
• Non-removable battery
• Lack of Micro SD card slot
• Wireless charging needs separate case
• Slow camera interface

Editor’s take

If you want an amazing feature-rich camera with phone functionality at a unbelievable price, then the Lumia 1020 is the device for you. The phone features a solid construction and a great display. If you are, however, looking for the latest power-packed CPU and chipset, you may as well look elsewhere. Also, the lack of a Micro SD card slot can be a major downer for most potential buyers of this otherwise brilliant Lumia phone.

Nokia Lumia 1520

Pros

• Great build quality
• Great camera with OIS
• NFC support
• Dolby headphone sound enhancement
• FM radio
• Dedicated mic for active noise canceling
• Large internal memory
• Large RAM
• Micro SD card slot (up to 64 GB)
• High capacity battery

Cons

• Rather heavy for its size
• Non-removable battery
• Too large for single-handed use

Editor’s take

Nokia Lumia 1320

Pros

• Large screen size
• Changeable back cover
• Dolby headphone sound enhancement
• Micro SD card slot (up to 64 GB)
• FM radio
• Large battery

Cons

• Too large for single-handed use
• Non-removable battery
• Mediocre camera
• Sub-par display

Editor’s take

Nokia lumia 625

Pros

• Dolby headphone sound enhancement
• Micro SD card slot (up to 64 GB)
• Great battery life
• FM radio
• Dedicated mic for active noise canceling

Cons

• Low-res display
• Non-removable battery
• Low RAM
• Mediocre speaker output

Editor’s take

Nokia Lumia 720

Pros

• Dolby headphone sound enhancement
• Decent camera performance
• NFC support
• Very pocketable and light
• FM radio
• Dedicated mic for active noise canceling
• Micro SD card slot (up to 64 GB)

Cons

• Comparatively small screen size
• Non-removable battery
• Low RAM
• Outdated hardware

Editor’s take

As you might have noticed, there is little to pick between most of these phones, and ultimately, these are mere numbers and stats. The best way to decide on any phone would be to get a hands-on feel of it. All these phones are great by themselves and have a solid construction that we’ve come to expect and love of all Nokia devices.

Disclaimer: Prices mentioned are against a 2-year contract and are subject to change according to offers and locations.