Is the Lumia 1520 still worth to buy??

[halflifecrysis]

If you want to stay on W10 the Nokia 1520 is a beast of a phone and works very well on 10586.545.

 

[RumoredNow]

If you want to stay on W10 the Nokia 1520 is a beast of a phone and works very well on 10586.545.

Curious why you didn't install the AU. My 1520.3 is ticking along nicely on 14393.67

 

[MDK22]

... and my Lumia 1520 runs very well with 14393.82, the last Redstone 1 build.

 

[hmmwv]

Bought my 1520.3 right after it became available, IMO it's the best phone period. I've had the phantom touch issue for about a year and then it disappeared, it's not over sensitivity but actual phantom touch, it can sit on my night stand and launches Cortana on its own. But it disappeared last year, right before W10M launch. Just cracked the screen a month ago but I may look into fixing that and continue to use it. Updated to 14393.103 and it runs pretty well.

 

[Paul David O]

I really like my 1520 - when the screen was recently broken I opted to get it repaired as there was nothing else on the market I considered to be worth the money as an upgrade (though with the latest 950 and XL price drops I might have thought differently).
However: I have recently have the 'Hey Cortana' issue - 'Hey Cortana' stops working and the only known way to get it back is to use wdrt to go back to WP8 and then upgrade again via Windows Insider - a pain as the restore of my settings did not work 100% and I had to set up all my live tiles again.
Further, I have an issue in Edge (even after the wdrt) where many web pages are unreadable due to large text that sometimes overlaps vertically (especially on Disqus comments).
While the hardware is mostly great (I had one return due to the phantom touch issue) keep in mind that this phone is not a support priority for MS so you may have to live with some issues or hunt through forums such as this to fix things if you plan on running Windows 10 Mobile on the device.

 

[sklchan]

if you have higher budget go for 950XL (if u still prefer WP), i'm currently on L1520 and just got my phantom click as well the front mic, front navigator LED fixed. Then with RS2 14915 latest build all seem good to go.

But I also eyeing on the Gnote7 as the 950XL pricetag at my place just about same as the Gnote7 with provider phone plan.
The things that make me thinking of switching would be the IP68/camera/batt/mem/apps/body/spen but will miss the wp surround mics as well its adjustable shutter speed camera...

 

[sklchan]

Hey Cortana fixed on the latest RS2 14915 build

 

[pulkit10]

Absolutely. Still a few available these days on eBay for less than $200 for the RM-940 (U.S.) version. At that price, with the components and the internals, it's amazing. The 2GB RAM is VERY good because of how Windows Mobile is designed, storage is same as others, camera is still excellent and the screen looks beautiful. The only worthy upgrades on this are the new flagships from Apple, Samsung, Sony or OnePlus and they cost a pretty sum (not to mention the last 3 run Android which is awful).

Some users have pointed out issues and that's fair. Not everything will run perfectly all the time but it's still not bad at all given the price. Someone said buy one from a store with a good warranty or return policy and I agree. Make sure you can return it just in case it has terrible components.

But if you do end up getting stuck with one, don't lose hope. I have found the phone to be pretty easy to repair and replace parts in. Most of the stuff is available on eBay and can be done pretty easily (including the screen, which are like $50 now).

 

[raycpl]

I'm on my second unit. The first was a used set, which served me well for half a year until the screen gave up. My second and current unit is running really smooth on W10M. I was lucky to get it brand new and at a huge discount as the shop was moving and clearing stock...
No complains. To get a 950/XL I would have paid almost thrice the $$$. ... so, yeah. It's definitely worth it.

....!!

 

[Cane Prevost]

It'd be hard to spend 200.00 on a different phone and get this quality of handset. It really is still a nice phone if you want windows phone.

 

[rje]

I currently have a 640 upgraded to Win10 Anniversary update and liking it. But it has become slow on Win10, so was just looking to pick up a used 1520 from ebay as i see units for sale for about $120 to $150. Is it worth buying and is there anything I need to be aware of and look for while shopping for it?

 

[RumoredNow]

I currently have a 640 upgraded to Win10 Anniversary update and liking it. But it has become slow on Win10, so was just looking to pick up a used 1520 from ebay as i see units for sale for about $120 to $150. Is it worth buying and is there anything I need to be aware of and look for while shopping for it?

Depending on where you are, you may be faced with several choices for a variant.

The RM-940 for AT&T will likely only have 1/2 the internal storage (16 down from 32GB) although there is a rare-ish black one that has 32GB. Not every black one though... Also no Qi charging n the AT&T units without a physical mod.

For the US, Canada, Central/South America your preference would be the RM-938 made for the Latin American markets. Factory Unlocked and IMHO the way to go for those regions. (This is the fabled unicorn, the 1520.3)

For Europe and other parts the RM-937 might fit, depending. There are a lot of radio variations on this one and you want to make sure it works where you will use it.

Maybe the least seen option is the Built for APAC (Asia, Pacific) RM-939 which is an odd duck. No LTE.

Depending on the seller, and where their supply is coming from, you might see a bunch of options. And some misinformation as to which RM-# is actually being shipped...

 

[rje]

Thanks a ton for that reply, that clears up my confusion on the RM numbers. I am looking for that 1520.3 only, but i guess from the listings, all are 16GB models and look likely to be the RM-940 one. I am in US.

This is the listing i am looking at:
Nokia Lumia 1520 16GB Green Unlocked Smartphone B Cosmetics 6438158640337 | eBay

What would be the drawbacks for RM940 against RM938? I am ok with no Qi charging available.

 

[MrWhiteman]

The 1520 is old! You would be much better off getting a 950XL. You don't know how heavy, fat and bulky the 1520 is compared to the 950XL and the screen only 0.3" bigger.

 

[rje]

I agree, it might be old. The only reason I am looking at the 1520 is because I can get better performance than my current 640 without paying too much for the 950 or the 950XL

 

[RumoredNow]

What would be the drawbacks for RM940 against RM938? I am ok with no Qi charging available.

Those really would be the only two things. No Qi... But if you are invested in Powermat, you could find a case that let's you use PMA charging. (That's what those 3 pogo pins are for on the back of the AT&T 1520 - to connect to a "charging case" on the PMA standard.) And the halved internal storage. 16GB really should be fine... People have used 128GB SD cards in the 1520 with no issues. Get a quality brand and a fast speed. I'm really digging Samsung EVO cards right now. A UHS-I SDHC in 32GB is embarrassingly cheap on Amazon.

LOVE that green BTW.

 

[rje]

Thanks for that info. I will make a decision by tonight and will hopefully get that piece and update here.

 

[paul87russell]

YES! if only the ghost touches were not an issue for me, it got too much for me that i bought a note 7 as my daily driver

 

[Timbre70]

Strange. Think you either get it or don't. My screen has already popped up, but still no touch issue.

 

[raycpl]

YES! if only the ghost touches were not an issue for me, it got too much for me that i bought a note 7 as my daily driver

Ghost touches seems to appear and disappear with every build...
.. and SGN7?? I was on a domestic flight and it was announce on the PA before take-off to not use the N7 onboard. Seriously, I won't touch that phone with a ten-foot pole..

....!!