ET Review: Nokia Lumia 1520

PRICE: Rs 46,999

Specifications :

6-inch (1920 x 1080) IPS, quad core Snapdragon 800, 2GB RAM, 32GB + microSD, 20MP rear + 1.2MP front camera, Windows Phone 8, 3,400mAh, 209g.

Positives: Gorgeous display, top notch hardware, fantastic camera, excellent battery life

Negatives: Too large to carry around, placement of rear camera leads to smudges

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

NEW DELHI: With the Lumia 1520, Nokia has finally delivered a Windows Phone device that is ready to take on the various premium smartphones available today. The phone has the signature polycarbonate unibody design of the Lumia series.

Even though the Lumia 1520 is huge, the slim design makes it comfortable to hold. It's still too big for most people though. We are unable to understand why Nokia chose to provide a nano SIM slot instead of the more common micro SIM on such a large device. The 6-inch full HD display is gorgeous — great contrast and brightness.

The loudspeaker is good enough for a small room and the device is compatible with most common audio/video formats out of the box — making it ideal for multimedia use.

The Pureview camera on the Lumia 1520 uses a 20MP sensor (1/2.5” sensor size, Lumia 1020 has 1/1.5” sensor) with optical image stabilization and Carl Zeiss optics.

It offers up to 2x lossless zoom and does full HD video recording with stereo sound. Results were outstanding with both stills and video — this is one of the best cameras on a smartphone available today.

The placement of the camera lens is a slight issue — during a call, your index finger will probably rest on the lens, covering it with smudges. In battery life, the Lumia 1520 with its massive 3,400mAh battery gave us an impressive two and half days backup.

This device is highly recommended for anyone who wants a giant Windows Phone with great hardware, excellent camera and fantastic battery life. For the same price, also consider the Galaxy Note 3. It has a vast app and accessory ecosystem with top-notch specifications and features.