Ravi Sharma, TOI Tech | Apr 23, 2013, 08.00 AM IST
NEW DELHI: After the launch of top-end Lumia 920 and Lumia 820, Nokia is busy assembling its auxiliary troops globally. India is one of the first countries to see the arrival of Lumia 520, the cheapest Windows Phone 8-powered smartphone. The phone has a lot going for it, including a big screen, free music download and eye-catching looks. But does the Lumia 520 have what it takes to stand out in the crowded budget segment of Indian smartphone market. Let's find out.
Hardware and design
NokiaLunia 520 is a budget device, but it does not look so at all. It follows the design language of the flagship Lumia 920 in a smaller package and has a 4-inch screen, a feature that no phone by Sony, Samsung boasts of. Only LG OptimusL5 II, now available online for Rs 11,499, has the same screen real estate, resolution and pixel density.
Coming back to Lumia 520, this phone has 800x480p screen resolution and 233ppi pixel density. The device runs on a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, coupled with 512MB RAM and comes with 8GBinbuilt storage. You can also store data on memory card (up to 64GB supported) and on the cloud (7GB free SkyDrive storage).
Connectivity options in the phone include 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and microUSB 2.0. For imaging, Nokia has provided a 5MP rear snapper, but let go of the front unit. Below the screen is the regular three key layout (back, home and search) of WP
mobile operating system.
At 124gram, the runt of Lumia line-up is not too heavy, though those accustomed to feature phones will not be pleased. The polycarbonate casing looks sturdy and can take a few drops before the device gets a cracked screen. Our's didn't.
The design is a far cry from the curved body of Lumia 620 and may look better to some. On the right side of the phone is the volume rocker, lock/power and camera keys, whereas the left side is bare. On top is the earphone jack, while the microUSB port and camera are at the bottom and rear, respectively.
Overall, the yellow coloured review unit we received exuded a youthful exuberance with its bright hue and peppy appearance, while the fit and finish inspired the feeling of reliability and sturdiness.
Software
Nokia Lumia 520 offers users Windows Phone 8 topped with Nokia customisations. These include apps like Cinemagraph, Here maps suite, Nokia Music and Smart Shoot, which do improve the user experience. The cool camera apps included by Nokia were good to use, but we have used them previously in other Lumia phones so there was no surprise. We still miss one-touch widgets in Windows Phones, and the apps in the marketplace don't do the job. Sigh.
Performance
First thing we saw in the phone is the screen and we were left a little disappointed. It is just a standard IPS panel, lacking the ClearBlack Display technology that rendered the beautiful andvibrant colours to its more expensive siblings. Therefore, the contrast we loved in Lumia 620 recently was missing, though the IPS panel, quite obviously, does a great job when it comes to viewing angles. Under direct sunlight, the smartphone's screen is okay, but could have been made better.
The phone is fast enough and scored a decent 7,378 on Antutu compound benchmark test, which assesses its performance on parameters like processing power, screen quality and storage. Rivals running on Android also post similar scores, so everyone is at
even keel here. The 512MB RAM is sufficient for Windows Phone devices, and we were pleased by the phone's computing prowess overall.
Battery performance of the phone is fine, but not impressive. We struggled to keep the phone running for a whole day with couple of hours of internet access (mix of Wi-Fi as well as 3G), 4-5 hours of music playback, less than 30 minutes of photography and an hour of videos.
Though some may feel that this usage is not appropriate, these are the primary uses for college goers, at whom the device is largely aimed. As you can see, we did not use any apps during the battery testing phase, so when you take into account the resources consumed by various apps, the battery is likely to deliver around 12-13 hours of life.
Camera, usually a treat for us when it comes to Nokia phones, is lacklustre in Lumia 520. We obviously did not expect PureView or Carl Zeiss-like technologies in this phone, but a LED flash would have been nice, especially since Android rivals feature it. The outdoor photos taken by the phone's camera are decent, but lack the colour and sharpness, while indoor images showed muted colours.
Connectivity features in the phone are standard, but there is no NFC. Of course we did not think a phone priced at Rs 10,499 should have NFC, but Lumia 620 (Rs 14,999) packs it. Internet browsing is smooth and IE app works like a charm. We detest using YouTube mobile website, but there is no way around it on WP platform.
Rivals
Lumia 520 belongs to a category that has seen a little action in the past month. Apart from the Nokia phone, this segment also saw the launch of Sony Xperia E and E Dual. LG OptimusL5 II Dual is also available on the internet presently, making it a three way fight for supremacy in theRs 10,000 price band.
Sony Xperia E/E Dual is the most potent challenger for the crown here. The phone has a respectable brand in the country and brings all the goodness of Android apps in a neat little package. The phone has a smaller 3.5-inch screen, lower pixel density and 4GB user accessible storage.
The combination of 1GHz CPU and 512MB RAM is likely to work, but not too well, as has been evident with past devices with similar specs. Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) should keep things smooth at the software end and a 3.15MP camera should take care of imaging, considering the legacy Sony has in this department. In connectivity features, there is nothing to differentiate between the two phones, except the Bluetooth version (2.1 in Xperia E).
The other option we like to include here is LG OptimusL5 Dual, which has a similar screen and camera, but keeps its nose ahead because of the LED flash. It runs on a 1GHzMediatek processor, which is likely to deliver poorer performance than the Qualcomm unit used in Lumia 520. Connectivity features and RAM remain the same in both smartphones.
So, it seems LG OptimusL5 Dual may have a slight advantage over Lumia 520, but the company's brand value among consumers is not as strong as Nokia's. Moreover, the peppy interface and cool features of the cheapest WP8 phone make it more of a novelty than the one running on the ageing Android.
Our take
If you are considering buying Nokia Lumia 520, we'd say go for it. It offers a good package at a great cost, though a few corners have obviously been cut to keep the price under check. Most importantly, its rivals do not stand up to it in most respects, barring apps and you will have to live with that.
Microsoft says the top 50 Android apps are now on WP8, but even then, you can explore a lot more on Google's mobile OS. But not on Windows Phone! Keeping the apps issue aside, Lumia520 is a great package and you will be by and large pleased with it.
What we like:
4-inch display (one of the biggest screens at this price point);
Smooth user experience;
Good viewing angles
What we don't like:
Camera performance;
Screen contrast;
Lack of apps
Price: Rs 10,499
Key specs
Display: 4-inch IPS screen with 800x480p resolution and 233ppi pixel density;
Operating system: Windows Phone 8;
Processor and RAM: 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor and 512MB RAM;
Storage: 8GB internal storage, 7GB free SkyDrive storage, microSD support up to 64GB;
Connectivity: 2G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.1, microUSB 2.0;
Camera: 5MP rear camera; and
Battery: 1,430mAh
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