OK, I have had my Lumina 2520 for several weeks now. I am still loving it, especially since I mastered the Os On a tablet, I am really enjoying Windows 8.1. Using the split keyboard option really helps on typing in the wide format screen. Here are my pros and cons:
Size: I love the size. It feels and looks really thin because of the tapered back. I was worried that the screen would be a little small and I would have problems reading text, but the screen is so amazing that I can read it no matter how small the text is. Sometimes I feel like I am picking up a piece of glass instead of a tablet with the sleek design.
Screen: Amazing. Apple may have a higher resolution, but the Lumina screen is so bright and clear, I don't know how it can be ay better, and on a screen this small, I wonder if I could even see any difference if it was a higher resolution. Everything just pops on the screen, and pictures look amazing. Viewing angles are wide as well. I have not tried it outside, but since putting maximum brightness can blind me inside, I am sure it would look great outside. Probably my only negative is that the screen is a fingerprint magnet. The screen is so bright you do not see them when it is in, but you really do when it is off. I picked up a screen cleaner that uses a pad with carbon on it, and it does a much better job than just a cloth. Just plan on cleaning it regularly. I may consider a screen protector at some point.
OS: I have 8.1 preview in a netbook, and it is Ok. This Os really shines with touch. It only took me a few days to master it, an I am loving it. I love how you can have 2 programs on the screen and how you can fly programs on to the screen from the left like sliding pictures. You have to play with it to discover how to get to some things, but once mastered, it is very slick. To me, windows 8 is more of a mobile OS. Would I have preferred full Windows? Maybe, but then the tablet would have been thicker and heavier, probably with less battery life, and for what I use it for, I am not missing any functionality. All the things I was doing in my netbook, I can do better and faster on my 2520. When the number if apps grow, this tablet will be able to do anything an overpriced IPad can do and then some.
Battery: Yes the charger is a little bigger than most, but well worth it for the ultra fast charging. I have not measured it, but I seem to be getting what is claimed. I play with it a lot (My little laptop is gathering dust), and I am probably charging it every other day. When my free powered keyboard arrives, it will be even better.
GPS: one if the reasons I went with the 2520. It works great and Here maps is very nice and is very fast. My dream is that they will release Here Drive so I could have them on a split screen. I would get a car mount ands catch my little GPS.
Price. I could have gotten something like a dell venue for the same price, but it was thicker and heavier, did not have GPS , 4g , fast charging, and gorgeous display. And I will be getting the free powered keyboard case, so actually it was $150 cheaper. As I said, for my use, I really do not need more than RT on a tablet. And a similarly configured IPad is over $750, so I think the price is fair. I am sure there will be good deals down the road when their supply can meet demand. I paid full price to avoid a contract and feel I got my money's worth and then some. If you want it off contract, you probably have to buy it at the Microsoft Store.
4g: I look at 4g as a bonus, as I will probably just use it sometimes when I travel, and buy it prepaid, At the price I paid (with the free keyboard case), I really did not pay extra for the 4g, so it was not a big deal. I bought a tablet and got a bonus feature I can use down the road if I ever want it.
Speed: This thing flies. I cannot turn on my Celeron based netbook anymore, as this tablet blows it out if the water. And it never gets even warm to the touch, which tells me the CPU is just coasting. My daughters IPad can get very warm. I do not feel I made any sacrifice going to an rt tablet when it comes to speed. Internet speed on my home wireless is amazing, as fast as my desktop in a wired connection. Only one time I had the tablet slow down, and it was probably an app in the background not behaving. A simple shut down and rebooted to fixed it.
Memory: I would have liked a 64g option, but I installed a 64g micro sd for all of my pictures and music, and I have plenty of room for lots more music and pictures. I am hoping Nokia lets you put offline maps in the micro sd at some point. No matter how much memory you have you tend to install lot of stuff you seldom use anyway.
Overall: Would I choose the Lumina again if I were to do it over? YES, without hesitation. If you need a tablet to run legacy windows software, this may not be the right tablet for you, but if you need a tablet that does what most tablet users need (including millions of IPad users), the Lumina 2520 is a great option.