Is Microsoft changing Lumia design?

[Ariel Takom]

Oh, I know that processor used in 930 is better, but it doesn't have that brave design like 830... I like macros and details, so i don't know i I need 20mp, but why not? Battery life is big part of decition, but... is 830's display that bad? I heard something about grayish black... I didn't know about that 830 doesn't support double tap, but since W10M I'm not using it very often (in most cases it doesn't work even on slow ring). Main detail that 830 has and 930 hasn't is that circle around camera... Now I don't know which should I buy...

Sorry if I had confused you regarding the double tap thingy. 830 has it, 930 doesn't.
Battery life wise, I'd say it depends on your usage, but most certainly both phones have poor battery compared to the cheaper 640XL or the rare 1520. The 830 has a measly battery life, though it definitely can last you throughout your working hours. I unplugged mine at 100% at around 7.00am, came back from school around 6-7-ish pm, and still had around 15%. While at school I usually receive an average of 18 e-mails, 30 whatsapp messages, 1 or 2 calls, lots of social media browsing (I'd say about an hour plus of browsing in between 7am-7pm. School comes first lol). That's my average use. And most of my apps are enabled in background.

About the display. The 830's, even when off, doesn't really look black (you can tell the area of the screen apart from the navigation buttons and bezels). When you first turn the phone on (and with the typical NOKIA splash screen showing), you can clearly see that other parts of the screen is not black, and is, as you said, dark-grayish.

Although others posted some positive news regarding the camera capability of the 830, I sometimes find it lacking, especially when I'm pixel-peeping. Believe me, the 930's camera is much more worth it compared to the 830 (especially the front one. Let your loved ones see your face better when skyping or whatever). When not cropped, it may look great. But sometimes, just because it "may look great" doesn't make it great at all, if you get what I mean.

And why I'm recommending the 930 over other options like the 640XL or the 1520? Well, let's go about this based on your phone's criteria, (excluding battery since I've mentioned it above), and comparisons of them against the 830 (your first choice):

1) Design:
640XL and 1520 are larger than the 830 (5.7 and 6 inch respectively). Both does not have aluminium frame, and are quite flat, unlike 830 (830 has a bit of a curve between the screen and the aluminium frame, but not as significant as the 930's). Also, 930's size is almost similar to the 830, albeit with extra heftiness to make it more comfortable to hold.

2) Hardware (Camera, Internals, etc).
640XL has similar internals to the 830, but it has a slightly better camera in terms of MP (13MP+5MP). The camera is a Zeiss lens, but it has no OIS. Some people declared that the 640XL shoots better, but comparisons online shows that this is not always the case, especially in low-light situations.

1520 and 930 both have similar specs and internals, and both are wayyyy better than the 830/640XL, making them future proof. Also, this extra internals brings about better features for the phone: passive Cortana listening, slow-motion capture.

3) Availability
Generally, only the 930 and the 640XL are still available easily (830 has been discontinued btw). For the 1520, it's hard to find original ones (still in an unopened package) unless you don't mind buying used ones.

4) Problems with each phone
930 - No SD-card support, no double tap to wake, microphone may be damaged (depends on your luck)
640XL - Creaking issues (UNCONFIRMED)
1520 - Ghosting (not sure if fixed), replacement parts is very rare

 

[P1ng0fDeath]

Sorry if I had confused you regarding the double tap thingy. 830 has it, 930 doesn't.

4) Problems with each phone
930 - No SD-card support, no double tap to wake, microphone may be damaged (depends on your luck)

930 has double tap too lol
Only phones without proximity sensor don't. And x50 series Lumias, at least for now.

 

[kegare]

Sorry if I had confused you regarding the double tap thingy. 830 has it, 930 doesn't.
Battery life wise, I'd say it depends on your usage, but most certainly both phones have poor battery compared to the cheaper 640XL or the rare 1520. The 830 has a measly battery life, though it definitely can last you throughout your working hours. I unplugged mine at 100% at around 7.00am, came back from school around 6-7-ish pm, and still had around 15%. While at school I usually receive an average of 18 e-mails, 30 whatsapp messages, 1 or 2 calls, lots of social media browsing (I'd say about an hour plus of browsing in between 7am-7pm. School comes first lol). That's my average use. And most of my apps are enabled in background.

About the display. The 830's, even when off, doesn't really look black (you can tell the area of the screen apart from the navigation buttons and bezels). When you first turn the phone on (and with the typical NOKIA splash screen showing), you can clearly see that other parts of the screen is not black, and is, as you said, dark-grayish.

Although others posted some positive news regarding the camera capability of the 830, I sometimes find it lacking, especially when I'm pixel-peeping. Believe me, the 930's camera is much more worth it compared to the 830 (especially the front one. Let your loved ones see your face better when skyping or whatever). When not cropped, it may look great. But sometimes, just because it "may look great" doesn't make it great at all, if you get what I mean.

And why I'm recommending the 930 over other options like the 640XL or the 1520? Well, let's go about this based on your phone's criteria, (excluding battery since I've mentioned it above), and comparisons of them against the 830 (your first choice):

1) Design:
640XL and 1520 are larger than the 830 (5.7 and 6 inch respectively). Both does not have aluminium frame, and are quite flat, unlike 830 (830 has a bit of a curve between the screen and the aluminium frame, but not as significant as the 930's). Also, 930's size is almost similar to the 830, albeit with extra heftiness to make it more comfortable to hold.

2) Hardware (Camera, Internals, etc).
640XL has similar internals to the 830, but it has a slightly better camera in terms of MP (13MP+5MP). The camera is a Zeiss lens, but it has no OIS. Some people declared that the 640XL shoots better, but comparisons online shows that this is not always the case, especially in low-light situations.

1520 and 930 both have similar specs and internals, and both are wayyyy better than the 830/640XL, making them future proof. Also, this extra internals brings about better features for the phone: passive Cortana listening, slow-motion capture.

3) Availability
Generally, only the 930 and the 640XL are still available easily (830 has been discontinued btw). For the 1520, it's hard to find original ones (still in an unopened package) unless you don't mind buying used ones.

4) Problems with each phone
930 - No SD-card support, no double tap to wake, microphone may be damaged (depends on your luck)
640XL - Creaking issues (UNCONFIRMED)
1520 - Ghosting (not sure if fixed), replacement parts is very rare

Thank you, these are very useful informations. I find 830 design best, but that camera thing may be main reason to choose.
About avaibility... I'm from slovakia (middle of europe) and all of 1520/930/830 are pretty avaible on internet and new (On one side it's sad, but we can buy new phones with normal price too!) and about 1520 it can be useful to have no replacement parts - laws in europe union works like this: warranty is 2 years long and when I have issue, I can send phone to shop (if phone is from slovak shop, shiping is paid by them) and if they can't send me working phone back in 30 days (and waranty isn't void ofcourse) they must return me price i paid = I'll can buy now phone if they can't fix it in 30 days.
But i want colorful phone and original packages od 1520 are only in black/white (310€/351$). it hasn't detachable cover, but 930 has! Am I right? One slovak web said that no but then I saw this

Green 930 costs 135$ more just because color...really? white 930 costs 289€/327$ so if I can change back cover it's new candidate. Lumia 830 costs 200€/226$ which is really less than 289€/327$ but if camera is better, future-proof, slow-motion capture... I can live without double-tap (nothinh depends on cortana - she isn't avaible in my country; I don't need more than 32GB storage and I'm doing backup every 14 days) but now I'm really thinking about spending more for 930 (It's old so with luck I can do my "plan" with 1520 with 930 too if something happens and I'll need repair).

 

[Sab2468]

I have a lumia 830 and bought it 2 months after launch. Personally I bought it because of the design, because i'm just a design person I suppose! I wanted it in orange with the silver metal around it, but EE, my carrier didn't sell it so I had to stick with the black, which felt different as I owned a cyan Lumia 520 before. I sort of just love how metal, glass (camera) and poly carbonate reflects light and feels different you know? I think its the most beautiful lumia ever and loads of people commented on it weirdly cuz of alot of people don't usually comment on a Windows Phone lol . In terms of hardware, i think its okay, not slow or anything I was on the windows 8.1 and went on the Insider Preview but it got bricked just last week so I used WDRT to get it back, so i was back on to 8.1 and then updated to the official Windows 10 Mobile. Battery wise, its good but its dropped just a bit after on Windows 10 Mobile but screen flickers black sometimes (used to happen on the WIP and the official update). I'm waiting for the surface phone like a keano cuz i'm not impressed by the design of the 950 and 950 xl so I think you should wait cuz "it will definitely be worth the wait" . Hope this helped!

 

[Ariel Takom]

930 has double tap too lol
Only phones without proximity sensor don't. And x50 series Lumias, at least for now.

eh really? Wait, then was it the glance screen missing on the 930? I'm quite confused now lol~

And sorry, I was typing all of these info based on what I know, and I'm clearly in the wrong

 

[Ariel Takom]

Thank you, these are very useful informations. I find 830 design best, but that camera thing may be main reason to choose.
About avaibility... I'm from slovakia (middle of europe) and all of 1520/930/830 are pretty avaible on internet and new (On one side it's sad, but we can buy new phones with normal price too!) and about 1520 it can be useful to have no replacement parts - laws in europe union works like this: warranty is 2 years long and when I have issue, I can send phone to shop (if phone is from slovak shop, shiping is paid by them) and if they can't send me working phone back in 30 days (and waranty isn't void ofcourse) they must return me price i paid = I'll can buy now phone if they can't fix it in 30 days.
But i want colorful phone and original packages od 1520 are only in black/white (310€/351$). it hasn't detachable cover, but 930 has! Am I right? One slovak web said that no but then I saw this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbT6lIjO6X4 Green 930 costs 135$ more just because color...really? white 930 costs 289€/327$ so if I can change back cover it's new candidate. Lumia 830 costs 200€/226$ which is really less than 289€/327$ but if camera is better, future-proof, slow-motion capture... I can live without double-tap (nothinh depends on cortana - she isn't avaible in my country; I don't need more than 32GB storage and I'm doing backup every 14 days) but now I'm really thinking about spending more for 930 (It's old so with luck I can do my "plan" with 1520 with 930 too if something happens and I'll need repair).

If you're doing regular back-ups, then the 930 should be good for you. And the higher price due to colours? I call that fraud, mate. Here in my country (Malaysia), it doesn't matter what colour you buy, the price remains the same. So I hope you can find proper 930 sellers. Try checking the market section here in Windows Central forums, some people may sell them to you at a cheaper price.

and regarding the detachable back of the 930, I'm pretty sure doing so voids your warranty, but I am not too sure about this. Maybe you can, as the video suggests, and maybe you can't. I don't know. I'm thinking that you may not be able to do so since the battery isn't removable. Maybe you can remove the back, but that means voiding your warranty. Again, this is just a speculation since I myself am not sure regarding the 930.

Also, as another user pointed out above, I made another mistake. the 930 DOES HAVE DOUBLE TAP TO WAKE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYblqGY2lcU

So, yeah. I'm not sure what other mistakes I've made about other phones, but for the 830, I'm pretty sure whatever I said regarding that phone is correct since I'm using it right now lmao

 

[kegare]

eh really? Wait, then was it the glance screen missing on the 930? I'm quite confused now lol~

And sorry, I was typing all of these info based on what I know, and I'm clearly in the wrong

Yes, I've googled it... 930 hasn't GLANCE... I'm using Glance every day... now it's really hard. 930 with better camera and more future-proof or 830 with better design and Glance? Someone with Lumia 930, Do you miss glance? Thank you for your opinion and informations!

 

[kegare]

If you're doing regular back-ups, then the 930 should be good for you. And the higher price due to colours? I call that fraud, mate. Here in my country (Malaysia), it doesn't matter what colour you buy, the price remains the same. So I hope you can find proper 930 sellers. Try checking the market section here in Windows Central forums, some people may sell them to you at a cheaper price.

and regarding the detachable back of the 930, I'm pretty sure doing so voids your warranty, but I am not too sure about this. Maybe you can, as the video suggests, and maybe you can't. I don't know. I'm thinking that you may not be able to do so since the battery isn't removable. Maybe you can remove the back, but that means voiding your warranty. Again, this is just a speculation since I myself am not sure regarding the 930.

Also, as another user pointed out above, I made another mistake. the 930 DOES HAVE DOUBLE TAP TO WAKE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYblqGY2lcU

So, yeah. I'm not sure what other mistakes I've made about other phones, but for the 830, I'm pretty sure whatever I said regarding that phone is correct since I'm using it right now lmao

Thank you for info, I've searched it and back cover is available on internet in original package, so it looks like changing color doesn't void warranty Nokia Lumia 930 - Zadn? kryt - oran?ov? - 02507T9 - Nokia/Microsoft - N?hradn? diely | fix-servis.sk (That web it's in slovak - my language but point is it really looks like I'm right)

 

[P1ng0fDeath]

eh really? Wait, then was it the glance screen missing on the 930? I'm quite confused now lol~

And sorry, I was typing all of these info based on what I know, and I'm clearly in the wrong

Yep, Glance is missing on the 930. 830 is the only x30 series phone that have it.
Don't worry though, this is the only thing that you missed on your posts :wink:

 

[RumoredNow]

1520 FTW. Still an absolute BEAST and the very same camera as 930. 1520 has DTtW, Glance, SD card and FANTASTIC battery endurance. 930 can't touch that. Only "advantage" 930 has over 1520 is that power slurping high pixel density screen. The 1080p IPS Display on 1520 is crisp, clear and great in sunlight.

Get a 1520 in a nice color and put it in a clear snap on case.

 

[kegare]

1520 FTW. Still an absolute BEAST and the very same camera as 930. 1520 has DTtW, Glance, SD card and FANTASTIC battery endurance. 930 can't touch that. Only "advantage" 930 has over 1520 is that power slurping high pixel density screen. The 1080p IPS Display on 1520 is crisp, clear and great in sunlight.

Get a 1520 in a nice color and put it in a clear snap on case.

I think you're right, from 1520/930/830 is 1520 best... but i cant change it's color and nobody is selling it at the moment. There are still two local e-shops that have aoriginal package bu only in black and white... Now i really don't know what to do... non-color 1520 (glance, great camera, still great performance) / colorful 830 (only mid-end snapdragon 400, 10Mpx, Glance) / colorful 930 (powerful, grat camera but probably not so great as 1520's, without glance)... Everyone there has pretty good reasons for each model...

 

[Ariel Takom]

I think you're right, from 1520/930/830 is 1520 best... but i cant change it's color and nobody is selling it at the moment. There are still two local e-shops that have aoriginal package bu only in black and white... Now i really don't know what to do... non-color 1520 (glance, great camera, still great performance) / colorful 830 (only mid-end snapdragon 400, 10Mpx, Glance) / colorful 930 (powerful, grat camera but probably not so great as 1520's, without glance)... Everyone there has pretty good reasons for each model...

But tbh, why are you limiting your options on these 3 phones? Why not consider non-Lumia phones? I myself am looking at the NuAns Neo, a Continuum-capable phone which has better specs than 830; SD617, 2GB RAM, Micro-SD support, 13MP+5MP camera combo,USB type-C with OTG and Quick Charge 2.0, and a fresh design that imo are quite good since you can do different combinations as per your own liking. I am personally waiting for this phone to be made available in my country, but so far I can only hope.

Btw, the specs for this Japanese made phone is available here: https://neo.nuans.jp/spec/?lang=en

 

[Hoangboy]

Actually I do not like any of the x50 design. For me the 730 has the best body shape, hope some day can see that design in a more elegance material, the feel of the 730 in hand is just phenomeno.

 

[Ricardo Gonzalez5]

Lumia Design look like a cheaper cell, the 650 look just a little better but like Nokia design was so different and for keep attention, that Apple had to do iPhone 5C...
I think one of the bigger problems on cell design a lot of theme is so beautiful but so slippery when you take on hand it, or so fragile and need it to dress horrible cases for doesn't broken.

The cell designer doesn't think about the people who buy the cell doesn't have any can protection, all the time need to buy screen protection, cases and other...

Why the cell phone doesn't come with a screen protection and the design come with the protection needed ... really need to make and other market around the cell phone?

Anyway I Love the bigger screen and Nokia 1520 is great for me... but now is to old (2013). I waiting for Hp X3...

 

[kegare]

But tbh, why are you limiting your options on these 3 phones? Why not consider non-Lumia phones? I myself am looking at the NuAns Neo, a Continuum-capable phone which has better specs than 830; SD617, 2GB RAM, Micro-SD support, 13MP+5MP camera combo,USB type-C with OTG and Quick Charge 2.0, and a fresh design that imo are quite good since you can do different combinations as per your own liking. I am personally waiting for this phone to be made available in my country, but so far I can only hope.

Btw, the specs for this Japanese made phone is available here: https://neo.nuans.jp/spec/?lang=en

I'm limiting myself because in Slovakia I can purchase only Lumia WP... when I want camera better than 8mp, I'm limited to 1520(white...) / 930 / 830 / 640XL...

 

[kegare]

Actually I do not like any of the x50 design. For me the 730 has the best body shape, hope some day can see that design in a more elegance material, the feel of the 730 in hand is just phenomeno.

yep, 730's design (based on Nokia N9 and used on L800,L900,L910,L920,L1020) is best in my opinion too. But geometry used on 1520/925/830 is pretty cool too. BUT x50' design is HORRIBLE! x30 are really old phones, but I don't want ugly iphone-like design fail.

 

[Tottee]

yep, 730's design (based on Nokia N9 and used on L800,L900,L910,L920,L1020) is best in my opinion too. But geometry used on 1520/925/830 is pretty cool too. BUT x50' design is HORRIBLE! x30 are really old phones, but I don't want ugly iphone-like design fail.

I think that so. I don't like ugly design. But the above phone you shared really good.

 

[EspHack]

Originally posted by kegare
I'm thinkig about purchasing Lumia 830. (I want decent camera for taking photos of natural details and there are phones with better than 10.7mp camera) I know it's 1 year and 8 months old but I really like old Lumia design.
Lumia 925, 1020, 830, 800, 735 were beautiful phones and x50 line is just... trying to look like regular android? In my opinion Microsoft is trying to get android user to it's side but they'll lose old WP users (just like me). I love Windows 10 but as designer I'll never buy "ugly" phone.
Lumia 950 XL looks a bit like Phablet version of 830 but something isn't okay... That aluminium, geometry... it just isn't like harmonical 925 design, it's not iconic 800/1020/730 design... 950xl is only acceptable but it's little bit expensive (i liked "affordable flagship" idea of 830).
So my question is: Should I buy Lumia 830 or wait for next wave of MS Phones and hope for nice phone with "old brave" design and big camera (like 1020/830/950XL)?
Thank You!

a 830 will probably outlast the 650 if raw specs are what matters

yea they fired the designer it seems, but the probable thing to happen is that there wont be more lumias, whatever they release will be from panay, which isnt a guy that takes design lightly, whatever phone they release will probably look like its worth a thousand dollars, and it will probably cost that too so no more budget flagship if thats what you're waiting for, get the 830 or 930-icon, they cost about the same on ebay