Thanks L830 for Making My Choice Easy

[joeinbh]

My beloved Lumia 900 was really starting to show its age and I've been looking for a suitable Windows Phone upgrade on AT&T for awhile. I was about the pull the trigger on a 1520 a couple months ago but had some reservations about the size, so I decided to hold out and see what the 830 had to offer. I started following these threads again and even set my alarm for 4:00 a.m. east coast time to watch the Microsoft presentation.

I'm glad that the 830 at least made my decision very easy. Today, I ordered a 1520. On the processor, I'm not a gamer or a specs fiend, but just for web browsing the S800 processor is noticeably faster than the S400 (AT&T having the 1520 and 635 sitting next to each other at the store makes it easy to do my own casual testing). And for me, the camera is the single most important factor (our dedicated camcorder went kaput about 6 months ago and my wife and I are taking all our family photos/videos on our smartphones). I would have been willing to overlook a lot of other shortcomings if the 830 had a camera that could compete with the 1520, which wasn't an unrealistic expectation given the camera-centric design and marketing of the 830. However, the 830's camera is half the resolution on a significantly smaller, unremarkable sensor. There's unfortunately no "but" there - the 830's camera is inferior to the 1520's in every way. Finally, for me, Microsoft's just-announced 4K moments capture (lets be careful not to call it video recording, since that's not how it's really intended) is a new must-have feature. And more than just that feature itself, the very fact that Microsoft is already drawing a line between features that will be made available on the 1520/930/Icon vs. everything else makes it obvious to me which side of the line I want to be on (particularly given my experience with the Lumia 900).

The 830 is a little cheaper and a lot sexier, but for everything that matters to this consumer, there's really no comparison. I just regret that the camera-centric messaging around the 830 kept me from getting my 1520 earlier.

 

[RestLessElement]

Nice but too late but atleast better than 830..but here in india i do not have any choice like 1520 too big,830 just ruined my expectations and 930 not (will never) available here..If i go with WP i don't have any choice just to pick 830 and live with it happily or unhappily or turn your head towards android and apple and back towards WP and that's all i can do.

 

[theefman]

First world problem #384 - expecting a cheaper, mid range device to have the same specs as a flagship.

 

[joeinbh]

First world problem #384 - expecting a cheaper, mid range device to have the same specs as a flagship.

I wasn't expecting the 830 to have the same specs (plural) as the 930. However, based on Microsoft's own deliberate reference to the 830 as an "affordable flagship," many people expected it would match the 930 in some specs. Sorry if the main point of my post wasn't clear, but my point was that I was justifiably disappointed in the camera. Microsoft used the same style of distinctive camera housing used in only one other phone, the 1020. Microsoft's announcement of the launch event prominently featured the 830's camera housing. Ignoring internet rumors, Microsoft itself was telling us that the 830 (i) was a flagship, of sorts and (ii) was all about the camera. Therefore, it wasn't unreasonable to hope for the 830's camera to be comparable to the cameras of its current flagships, either through using the same camera as the 930, through a lower resolution but on an atypically large sensor, or through some entirely new camera hardware development like new-and-improved OIS, optical zoom, etc. Because I accepted at face value Microsoft's own messaging around the 830, I postponed purchasing my 1520 much longer than I had to.

 

[snowmutt]

First world problem #384 - expecting a cheaper, mid range device to have the same specs as a flagship.

I think the main point of most WP users is that Microsoft itself was referring to the L830 as a Flagship. As far as marketing, labeling it as "an affordable Flagship" instead of "upper middle range" is genius. As far as tech enthusiasts and WP fans, seeing the specs after that proclamation is deflating.

I am not turned off by the L830, it checks off most of my "want" boxes. But, it isn't a flagship. Affordable or otherwise. The L1520 still is by WP standards. The OP made the right call for his use.

Joeinbh, I hope you got the green one with Wp 8.1 installed. That green just looks way to cool for school....

 

[Keith Wallace]

First world problem #384 - expecting a cheaper, mid range device to have the same specs as a flagship.

Like Joe said, when you market it as a flagship, you don't get to complain when folks don't like that it has specs well below that of a flagship.

Oh, and saying "mid range device" is even being generous, considering the SoC is about on-par with something 2 years old. It's a step or two below mid-range.

 

[theefman]

I wonder if the L830 haters are going to take out TV ads or start a petition against the phone? Seems no matter the question, no matter the forum if its L830 related they pop up whining how its not worthy, slow, not worth anything, etc., etc.

Sent from my Surface Pro 3 using Tapatalk

 

[AlexFlorin]

I wonder if the L830 haters are going to take out TV ads or start a petition against the phone? Seems no matter the question, no matter the forum if its L830 related they pop up whining how its not worthy, slow, not worth anything, etc., etc.

Sent from my Surface Pro 3 using Tapatalk

It's like they are on a mission or something.

 

[Quantos]

One of the things I've noticed is that whenever people complain about the L830, they're always drawn to the "affordable flagship" keyword. I'll grant that it's not a very good slogan, but what Microsoft refers to the phone as should be irrelevant when it comes to actual comparisons. Is it a flagship? Nope, not by any means. Should it be compared against flagships? Nope.

A lot of the hate also comes from current Lumia users who were originally expecting a flagship to be announced to replace their own (e.g. AT&T Lumia 920 users). I totally agree that those people are let down, but they should not critique the L830 unfairly because it is not what they wanted.

Taken on its own, the L830 seems to be a very good product, that is perhaps slightly overpriced. It's got similar specs, but overall a higher quality package than, say, a Moto G2, and should be priced accordingly. It definitely has the right to be priced slightly higher, but perhaps not as much as right this. It's probably 50-75$ too expensive.

 

[fdalbor]

Have to agree with you a great deal. I have a 820 and a Moto G LTE as my backup. I would not mind having a 830; but I think it is much too expensive for what it is. I only paid 200$ for my G, with the same screen resolution as the 830, and the same processor as the 830. Granted the 830 has a much better camera than my G. I would like to finally upgrade my 820 (which is excellent); but I don't feel the 830 is that much of an upgrade over the 820. I think alot of 820 owners feel the same way. Now if the price were 350/300$ I might be willing to finally retire my 820. But I would really like something a little better (for which I am willing to pay 475/550$). Will wait and see what happens to the price of the 830 or if they are going to come out with something like the 925 with a better processor, SD card etc, at least a 800 quad core..The 830 has the same processor as the entry 630/635, hardly flagship or even middle flagship. Sorrry Microsoft; but thats the way I feel.

 

[Euell Gibbons]

As an 822 owner, I think you're looney! The 830 is a huge upgrade over the 822! Much bigger screen, higher resolution screen, bigger battery, and a flagship level camera. The screen, battery and the camera were the only areas I found the 822 lacking, and they answered all three concerns. Basically, it is a PERFECT replacement for the 822.

The only people wah-wahing are the spec whores and 9x0-10x0 owners who for some reason expected the 830 to be an across-the-board upgrade for them.

 

[hasasimo]

Different things are important to different people when it comes to smartphones, but specs are not the only thing to consider. You're also paying for generally better build quality and much more appealing aesthetics. And don't forget about little extras like Qi wireless charging.

 

[Bodeanicus]

One of the things I've noticed is that whenever people complain about the L830, they're always drawn to the "affordable flagship" keyword. I'll grant that it's not a very good slogan, but what Microsoft refers to the phone as should be irrelevant when it comes to actual comparisons. Is it a flagship? Nope, not by any means. Should it be compared against flagships? Nope.

A lot of the hate also comes from current Lumia users who were originally expecting a flagship to be announced to replace their own (e.g. AT&T Lumia 920 users). I totally agree that those people are let down, but they should not critique the L830 unfairly because it is not what they wanted.

Taken on its own, the L830 seems to be a very good product, that is perhaps slightly overpriced. It's got similar specs, but overall a higher quality package than, say, a Moto G2, and should be priced accordingly. It definitely has the right to be priced slightly higher, but perhaps not as much as right this. It's probably 50-75$ too expensive.

How does it have the "right" to be priced higher? I keep seeing people saying the 830 has a higher build quality when a very few, if any, people here have had their hands on one. I've has my hands on a Moto G, and every review I've ever seen agrees that it's built like a tank, AND practically water proof. The 830 and Moto G are practically the same phone running different OS's. Tell me how Microsoft is going to convince the general public that the 830 is worth $100-200 more than a proven quality phone that has a mature and thriving eco system behind it. The 830 is going to flop.

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

First world problem #384 - expecting a cheaper, mid range device to have the same specs as a flagship.

Yes. The only "problem" with Lumia 830 is about the CPU chip. I think it's ok for a mid range device.