1020 to 1520?

[Kurtis Fox]

I currently have a Lumia 1020 that I bought back in September, upgraded from a 920 that I had since day one, and now I'm thinking about getting the 1520 for the updated specs and larger screen. I'm a little apprehensive about it though since I live in Canada and the only way to get Qi wireless charging AND proper LTE support for my carrier is to buy the more expensive RM-938. Should I wait until after the summer when the price drops a bit, or is this model going to be a unicorn only available for a certain amount of time and then discontinued?

TL;DR: Should I take the plunge for them specs?

 

[ven07]

The 1520 is one of a kind... Well kinda since the 950 is just as good, but with a smaller screen.. Personally i would go for the 1520 just for the screen size and the fact that it hast the latest tech.. But since i din't necessarily like big phones i would go for the 950..

hope this helps lol

 

[Marlon Bu]

updated specs

Why Do you need the "updated specs"? You won't notice them. But you will notice no 41 MP Camera, no Flash and (hopefully not) no Gorilla Glas 3. :wink:

 

[Kurtis Fox]

Why Do you need the "updated specs"? You won't notice them. But you will notice no 41 MP Camera, no Flash and (hopefully not) no Gorilla Glas 3. :wink:

1080p screen.

I was under the impression 8.1 runs slightly better on newer hardware, plus longevity with the next set of updates.

 

[giantenemybird]

Why Do you need the "updated specs"? You won't notice them. But you will notice no 41 MP Camera, no Flash and (hopefully not) no Gorilla Glas 3. :wink:

I've switched between the 1020 and 1520 many many times. The spec difference is noticeable. The 1520 is much snappier.

And I doubt he's going to notice a difference between GG2 and GG3. They're equally damage resistant.

The camera difference is definitely noticeable. During daytime shots, it's pretty close, though.

 

[giantenemybird]

OP, I've switched back and forth between the 1020 and 1520 a lot. Couldn't decide which one I liked more. I feel like I'm very qualified to answer any specific questions you have. I'm too lazy to type out a comparison again haha. But if you want to know how specific things contrast, I'm all ears.

 

[Kurtis Fox]

OP, I've switched back and forth between the 1020 and 1520 a lot. Couldn't decide which one I liked more. I feel like I'm very qualified to answer any specific questions you have. I'm too lazy to type out a comparison again haha. But if you want to know how specific things contrast, I'm all ears.

How is the speed difference in camera performance? Is it really noticeable? I've seen reviews that go back and forth.

And what about battery life? There's been nothing but praise for the 1520's battery, but I've never had difficulty getting through a full day with my 1020, even when taking some pictures here and there.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Ed Boland]

I for one have had my 1020 for about a year now.. and I know that I don't want anything less than my 41MP camera. I've played with the 1520 at the at&t store a bunch of times and I can't see anything other than the screen size being a reason to "upgrade". I'm sure 8.1 will run fine on my 1020, so I'm gonna hold off on any upgrades myself... until they come out with a real 1020 successor with an even BETTER camera... I can't see upgrading and getting a "downgraded" camera..

 

[giantenemybird]

How is the speed difference in camera performance? Is it really noticeable? I've seen reviews that go back and forth.

And what about battery life? There's been nothing but praise for the 1520's battery, but I've never had difficulty getting through a full day with my 1020, even when taking some pictures here and there.

Thanks in advance.

The camera speed different is absolutely noticeable. More ram + faster processor + smaller size picture = much faster picture taking. I still wouldn't say it's fast at taking pictures, but it is better than the 1020 as far as speed. (obviously not picture quality)

Battery life a HUGE difference. I can't stress this enough. In fact, it's one of the main reasons I've switched back to the 1520 so many times. If you're ok with your 1020 charge, you're going to be aroused by the 1520's battery. I can go well into the next day on a single charge with moderate usage. I actually never even pay attention to my battery level on the 1520, where on the 1020 it's something I have to keep track of.

I'll also mention that the optical image stabilization on the 1520 is sooo much better than the 1020. I have shaky hands and I have way less of a problem with blur in night time shots with the 1520. Also, my hand held videos look like they're on a tripod with the 1520.

A consideration you should make, however, is that the 1520 is NOT great at night time photos or video compared to the 1020. Much more noise. Day time shots are comparable. I've actually tested both side by side, and the differences in day time shots were BARELY noticeable. In fact, a few shots were better on the 1520. Overall though, the camera is, no surprise, better on the 1020. Although, the difference isn't as great as the numbers would seem to indicate.

EDIT: sorry i keep adding to this. Also, the flash on the 1020 crushes the one on the 1520. Much more natural shots with the 1520. The flash washes out some colors on the 1520.

 

[giantenemybird]

If you held a gun to my head and made me pick one, I'd pick the 1520 as the overall better device.

 

[Kurtis Fox]

If you held a gun to my head and made me pick one, I'd pick the 1520 as the overall better device.

Thanks for answering. I think I'm going to wait until I can get the developer preview of 8.1 on my 1020 before deciding.

 

[sjgore]

Good thread, I'm considering making the move myself. It comes down to two differences for me; camera and physical size.

Today I made a cardboard cut-out of the exact dimensions of the 1520, even the right thickness, and have kept it in my pocket all day. No bend marks or crush marks so far, and it felt comfortable in my pocket. Even my 3 year old daughter can hold it to her face with one hand (she would get upset if she couldn't use Daddy's phone to speak to Mummy!). So that just leaves the camera, then.

Although I'm not doubting that the 1020's camera is superior, I think I've seen enough comparisons and reviews to know that both are pretty close, and both much better than the nearest competitor. And yet, something is still niggling at the back of my mind about changing. Will continue my research!

 

[psychotron]

I carried a phone with a 6.3" screen for several months (the Galaxy Mega) and it seemed really cool having the bigger screen at first, but after a while day to day it increasingly became awkward and inconvenient to carry, but that's just me. That size phone is definitely not for everyone and is probably at the outer limit of what is practical. I personally was relieved to get back to a 4.5" screen, but everyone is different. Even though I couldn't get along with it, it may be the perfect thing for you.

 

[trandz]

I carried a phone with a 6.3" screen for several months (the Galaxy Mega) and it seemed really cool having the bigger screen at first, but after a while day to day it increasingly became awkward and inconvenient to carry, but that's just me. That size phone is definitely not for everyone and is probably at the outer limit of what is practical. I personally was relieved to get back to a 4.5" screen, but everyone is different. Even though I couldn't get along with it, it may be the perfect thing for you.

Exactly. I love everything about the 1520. I tried to love the size twice. I couldn't make it past a week. It is awkward to use, especially when your our. WP uses BIG fonts and pics, do I want all my business out on this massive phone that triggers attention just by the size? I always felt like someone was over my shoulder looking at my instagram feed or what ever I was typing

 

[venom5150]

Ifs funny I should see this topic as I just inserted my sim (I have nano adapter to Micro Sim) from my 1520 to 1020. I cant decide to be honest. I really like both. Battery on 1520 is amazing, no comparison. My 1520 goes all day and keeps on going to the next morning. I had to buy a holster though from PDAIR ( PDair Ledertasche f?r Nokia Lumia 1520 - Horizontaler Typ ) because its just way too big and uncomfortable in my work slacks so I have been able to tolerate the size. I don't even notice it with a holster (yeah, yeah, you can dismiss the holster all one wants but there is no going back with a size like this). With Windows Phone 8.1 and the ability to install apps on the Micro SD card, I think that the 1520 will be my only phone going forward but the 1020 will be my Camera. I used to use a point and shoot which has been replaced by my 1020. Right now, my red 1520 is always out of space and if you don't mind the black, get that with 32 gigs. The 1520 also has a sensor to track your steps which I leave on the glance screen and with 8.1, I may not need to use my fitbit at all. Additionally, rumor is that the 1520, Icon are the only current gen devices which will use most if not all of the 8.1 features like Miracast, Sensor Core, etc.

 

[xRiceyx]

I own both of these devices and I use the 1020 mostly for going to events/nights out etc and the 1520 as my daily driver. The 1520 is definitely much snappier and the screen is gorgeous. Sure the camera isn't as good as on the 1020 but it's still just as good as if not better than every other phone out there. As others have said you have the benefit of the hardware lasting for much longer too in terms of updates and app availability.

It's so hard to go back to a smaller screen when you've used the 1520 for a while too. SD card support is another thing. Much more storage space and also the battery life is insane! That one is very important as I can go through a whole day no problem on one charge.

Tempted to sell mine. Really want it in that green...

 

[Dan Strong1]

I love my 1020 but the bump on the back pisses me off sometimes. Personally if the 930 had a 41mp it would be the perfect phone for me. I love the style/specs/screen size, just the camera being 20mp is something that irritates me in the back of my mind.

Please Nokia, create the 1030 without the bump!

 

[infinity12402]

I currently have a note 3, and I just took the plunge and bought a 1520. Its coming tomorrow for me, theres no going back to a 4.5 screen. my current is already 5.7, so 6 isnt that big of a jump for me. I just cant use those small phones anymore. 20 mp is enough for me as well.

 

[Terminatorbob]

I currently have a note 3, and I just took the plunge and bought a 1520. Its coming tomorrow for me, theres no going back to a 4.5 screen. my current is already 5.7, so 6 isnt that big of a jump for me. I just cant use those small phones anymore. 20 mp is enough for me as well.

Please post a review of the 1520 vs the note 3 when you get a chance. I'm considering moving from a note 3 to a 1520 here soon and would love your input.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

 

[MoggSquad]

I switched from 1020 to 1520 about 5 weeks ago. I am pleased with the 1520. The 1020 is a great device but I didn't take advantage of the advanced features of the camera like I should have.

I just sold my 1020 the other day and while I was giving it once last try I couldn't get over how small the screen felt after using the 1520 exclusively for a month. The 1520 size works well for me and really enjoy the screen real estate.