620 vs 820 vs 8X: help me decide [updated]

[AngryNil]

I went for an 820 and don't regret it at all. Good screen size, compact design considering and similar internals to the 920. Slapped a 64gb SD in and very happy. Wouldn't go for anything other than a Nokia due to their support and bespoke apps.

Apart from the HERE services, which have been released for all devices in some countries already, I really don't see that much value in Nokia's exclusive collection. They seem to be either the kind of apps that you either need or don't need, or games that personally don't excite me.

But I am impressed with what Nokia is doing on top of Windows Phone, such as the upcoming double-tap to wake and standby clock. Despite the fact that I am highly disappointed in HTC for backing away from its "signature" devices, the 8X may very well end up as my choice if I can be adequately convinced that HTC is going to roll out future OS updates, and on time.

 

[mitunchidamparam]

My friend I will never by the HTC 8X because i have seen many photos of people complaining that the plastic peels of , it is not the same polycarbonate as the nokia phones
HTC 8X has no here maps + , that is a big deal breaker too since, a GPS device standalone will cost 100 bucks + 10 bucks for extra maps + many more for updates.
620 is nice, but i am put off by how small it is.
I will go with 820 since it has removable storage , removable battery and last of all, i has AMOLED screen, which is a fantastic.
Go for 820 it has higher ram, processor and you will never have the feeling of regret that you missed some features
It is better than HTC one X and S 3 in browser benchmark.
Seriously, i think we use phone 99% just for the browser
and the AMOLED screen is good for it

 

[svenhassel]

Re: 520 vs 620 vs 720: help me decide

I currently use a 4.0" phone, so 3.8" probably won't be too bad for me. However, I currently don't have a tablet so I end up consuming a lot of content on my phone.

If you plan to consume a lot of content, then I would suggest something bigger than the 620: the 820. However, some apps are perfect for the size of the 620 to read the news, like Weave, CNN or Collector.

In the end its a matter of what you can afford. For a low budget the 620 is the best option.

 

[ImAdrian23]

I've bought the 8X. Couldn't wait for 920 any longer.
I really like my Californian Blue phone. I had no problems with peeling or anything (well had one but it was from factory, but it's been repaired).
I love its design but I keep it in a case (HTC's) as I tend to drop it ... One thing that bothered me is the camera, it seems like it cannot focus as good as I thought it would. Might be a faulty sensor? I don't really know but I took really COOL pictures with it. I'm going to share a few with you later . I can run any games so far (thought Gravity Guy 2 lags when coins appear and because my other friends have low end WPs I cannot test it on theirs, but what I've seen from YT is that the lag happened on different phones -WAITING FOR YOUR REVIEW WPCENTRAL >_>). Sometimes it bothers me that cool games (Cut the Rope etc) don't use the 720p but I'm fine as long as they will change it in the future.
I don't want to persuade you buying the 8X but that's the phone I would've chosen if I were in your shoes.

 

[Slai]

If you include the 820, id take that. But i hate the design and feel of the htc wp phones.

 

[berty6294]

The 8x is the most beautiful windows phone hands down! Its got top end hardware and is in a very appealing form factor. The 720p screen is absolutely stunning! The camera is awesome for stills but the video capture is absolutely horrendous. Build quality is straight, I don't know why so many complaints. Beats audio sounds awesome in the phone.

for the prices you mentioned, I say definitely get the 8x!

 

[Slai]

If you can get past the design, then the htc one is probably the best.

 

[berty6294]

If you can get past the design, then the htc one is probably the best.

Dang dude, why do you keep bashing htc design. The 8x is absolutely stunning. I have received nothing but compliments. Have you not seen one in person? Cause every single person I've shown has told me that the 8x is the most beautiful phone they've ever seen. Not only that, but each one is pleasantly surprised how thin it feels... cause it feels like a razorblade compared to most!

 

[Microsoftjunkie]

I'd go for the 8x, best design, best screen, and the 820 2nd. Both of those will be future proof with games, apps and is updates.

 

[Slai]

Berty: Ive used one. I hate the positioning of the powerkey, I don't like the feel when I hold it, it looks bland and boring, it even feels icky on the back of it.

Maybe I had a bad day when I used it, and my mood painted my impression of the phone, but even if it was great to hold and look at, the powerkey thing would be a dealbreaker for me, simply because of habit

Edit: to be fair, Im weird when it comes to design. I love the s4 design, for instance, but dislike the design of tge s3 and think the htc one looks ugly and reminds me of the n95-era, and I like the 920s design but think the 900 looks bad. So its probably just me.

 

[berty6294]

Berty: Ive used one. I hate the positioning of the powerkey, I don't like the feel when I hold it, it looks bland and boring, it even feels icky on the back of it.

Maybe I had a bad day when I used it, and my mood painted my impression of the phone, but even if it was great to hold and look at, the powerkey thing would be a dealbreaker for me, simply because of habit

Oh well yeah ha ha I completely understand that, cause every phone I've ever had has the power button on the top so I'm completely used to it!

 

[Slai]

In used to like... N8, n900, s2, s3, n9, etc. Never had a phone with the power button up top

 

[berty6294]

In used to like... N8, n900, s2, s3, n9, etc. Never had a phone with the power button up top

I like the feel of the power button on the side but what it comes down to for me, that area under the volume rocker is my grip area. If I'm at a rowdy concert trying to get a picture or video in the middle of the crowd with people jumping up and down throwing their arms around, you know dam straight I'm gripping my phone like its my life. Same for when I'm out on the boat or snowboarding trying to get a video. I also have a car mount that pinches my phone in that area.

Not saying I wouldn't get a phone with the power button on the side, just saying it'll take me quite a while to get used to it.

 

[ricardios]

My previous phone was a Lumia 810. Now I'm using an 8x and really love it. Better, faster camera, great sound, vibrant 720 screen (hard to go back to wvga), feels less bulky in the pocket, larger internal storage (for apps). Will miss the Lumia exclusives though.

 

[AUCLABruin]

To get the most of your money, I would recommend the 822. Yes, it is CDMA (Verizon U.S) but it can take SIM cards. There are people that have it running on AT&T at 4G (which would normally be the 820) will all features except MMS. You could get an 822 in good condition for around $150 used: Nokia Lumia 822 16GB Black Verizon Smartphone Near Mint Clean ESN B 758478025314 | eBay . It has 1 GB or RAM, so there shouldn't be any worries about apps. However, I'm not too sure about how updates work, but for $150, it's a steal! Oh, if only MetroPCS had SIM cards!

 

[AngryNil]

Berty: Ive used one. I hate the positioning of the powerkey, I don't like the feel when I hold it, it looks bland and boring, it even feels icky on the back of it.

I find the 8X nice in black. On the hardware side, the buttons are definitely my complaint. They feel like little plastic inserts and the power button positioning is frustrating, especially coming from a device that had a physical home button. I'm far more concerned by the software though, I'm guessing the 8X is this cheap because it didn't sell well in my country and I'm unsure of how well HTC is going to support it as a result.

To get the most of your money, I would recommend the 822.

Unfortunately, I'm in Australia and would only buy such a device if it was from a trusted importer like Expansys that offered their own warranty.

 

[omgitsnick]

My friend has an 8X and I have an 820. The 8X feels tall like the iPhone 5, 720p screen. The display is ok, but the brightness isn't that bright compared to 820, which has AMOLED ClearBlack display, but WVGA screen. The pixels aren't that noticeable on the 820, and as the previous Lumia 900 reviews, the screen is just awesome. The thing you need to consider is storage. If you want apps and games, then the 8X will do as it holds 16GB (I think 12GB is free) of internal storage, but no microSD card. On the other hand, if you use very few apps and light gaming, and more to the media side like I am (Xbox Music, photos and more photos) you might want to get an 820 with 8GB (6GB free) internal storage, and a microSD card slot with support for up to 64GB memory and Ultra class cards. For cosmetics, the 8X's rubberized feel (like in HTC Trophy) gradually chips off over time, so its best to use an all-over case. The 820 gives you a benefit of replacing the whole back cover which comes in different colors, in either glossy or matte. The matte cases usually have support for wireless charging, so the 820 has optional wireless charging, whereas I think only the Verizon 8X has wireless charging.

Also, HERE software is available for the 8X and other WP8 devices.

And if you travel a lot, the latest Storage Check setting (beta) allows you to store maps on the SD card for Lumia phones with microSD card support. This can be very useful if you factory reset your phone, and your maps and other media stored on the SD card will not be affected. Just reinstall the apps and you're good to go!

 

[chklumia]

go for nokia l820,it wont have the limitation of apps n games and nokia exclusive like temp. storage clearing,plus the ability to put map into sd card is an edge against other wp oem....i owned l620 by the way,bang for buck wise,i think it's the best,but if u could afford l820, go for it

 

[AngryNil]

I like the feel of the power button on the side but what it comes down to for me, that area under the volume rocker is my grip area.

The layout on this broken Omnia 7 is ideal, in my opinion. Volume on left, power and camera on right. Leaves you plenty of room to grip.

Also, HERE software is available for the 8X and other WP8 devices.

Thanks a bunch for the comparison. Regarding this specific point, I was under the impression that HERE was only available in certain countries, per the January announcement. Was there a global roll out I missed?

 

[clbarker10]

For what its worth, I made a statement and slight comparison on the 8x and 820 here: http://forums.windowscentral.com/introductions/224608-hello-help-me-decide-d.html