Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1?

[Windows Central Question]

Hi all, I'm one of the "Android users" who is interested in giving the WP 8.1 a try. However, I would know if it's worth it. So basically the reasons why i'm pretty much willing to give the WP 8.1 a chance is that I've got an entry-level Android device with 512MB RAM and well... It lags as hell unless I don't do some serious app closing / suspending , it has very limited multi-tasking capabilities (Chrome and FB Messenger opened at the same time and the phone turns into a whirlwind of massive lag) and the fact that the battery isn't good at all, I mean, with the wi-fi turned on the battery drains 15% an hour with moderate use(one hour screen time), however with 2G(not 3 or 4G) it basically murders the battery , it goes from 100% to near-25% levels in about two hours and half, and that's all with the minimum brightness. The phone i'll be buying , if I buy , is the Lumia 630 , and i've read reviews about it and it seems that the perfomance is generally fluid , and the battery is above average. Is it worth it ? Thanks.

P.S - I don't care about the camera at all , i just want good perfomance and battery life at a cheap price.

 

[dysje]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

Worth it is hard to say...

Will the performance of WP8.1 be better on lower end hardware? Hell yea, by lightyears. Do you have to close apps? No, that's all history. Apps running in background, managing and cleaning your device, that's all irrelevant with WP8.1 as it's automated. Basically it's a simple, very simple user friendly OS.

Battery use is not an issue anymore with the recent devices. The 735 and 830 have insane battery life compared to most Android devices and there's no risk of it getting less due to stupid background tasks and other weird Android-y issues. The Lumia 630 battery is not as epic as the 735/830, but it's still very solid and in it's price range very good. It'll definitely get you through the day.

But it's simplicity is also it's flaw. You won't be able to run your torrent client in the background indefinitely for example. There is support for some background features though. And your apps like FB messenger won't run in the background either. That means they take a moment longer to start after receiving a message. This does pay back in a more fluid experience.

The thing with WP is that it's not quite faster than Android, it's more fluid in it's performance however. There's no lag or delay when scrolling as the animations take the place of what on Android would be stutters and lag. But since less runs in the background, you may occasionally (especially on the 630/635) get a "resuming..." or loading screen.

You won't have to worry about battery life either with 3g on. WP is quite efficient and you can still do most things, like switch between browser and messenger and back without any lag or issues. But the 512MB of the 630 will make a small difference in how long and how many things will remain open in the background and the games availability.

I'd still recommend going for a 735. The price difference is there, clearly, but so are all the benefits like 1GB of memory.

To me personally, yes it's worth ditching Android any time of the day for a WP8.1 device. My main reason for that is that on WP8.1 everything simply works. There are no strange unexplainable issues or stupid crashes or other weird sh*t going on that ruins the experience. The interface is solid, simple and smart and I can do anything I want on WP. Considering that everything I do on WP seems easy. On Android everything works a little too complex, if things work at all. Thats why I can do most things faster with WP, as on Android I usually have to figure out how stuff works before I can do anything to begin with... on WP it's a lot more intuitive.

 

[xandros9]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

tl;dr if the price is right, the 630 is a fine option

 

[AlexT09]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

I would say so

 

[theefman]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

You'll probably get a lot of "resuming" and "loading" screens with a 512MB device like the 63x series, I'd recommend one of the new Microsoft Lumia's with 1GB of RAM if you can get one. Should be cheaper too.

 

[pankaj981]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

The 630 is a very nice device, especially for its price and performance. Outside of a few resuming screens (lack of enough memory) the phone is very fluid. Performance is on par with most flagships (expect the 8xx devices). I'm currently setting up one for my mother in law and in comparison to my 920, it's on par, battery life is way better on the 630 especially because of the newer SoC

 

[Microsoftjunkie]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

Please disregard anyone saying WP "resuming" is due to lack of memory. That is false. It is the change in memory management since WP 8.1. Most ppl don't know what there talking about.

Also, make your choice after the 21st. This way you'll know what to expect with that phone (635) with w10 update.

 

[pankaj981]

Please disregard anyone saying WP "resuming" is due to lack of memory. That is false. It is the change in memory management since WP 8.1. Most ppl don't know what there talking about.

Care to elaborate?

Also, make your choice after the 21st. This way you'll know what to expect with that phone (635) with w10 update.

Agreed

 

[etphoto]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

If you are one of those that need apps to help you function throughout the day, then no, don't switch. However, if you want a fluid, easy and quick functioning mobile OS, yes, make the change.

 

[jomarr]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

From your device right now, yes it's definitely a worthy upgrade.

512 MB of RAM comes a long way with Windows Phones. On Android devices, I can say based on experience, it doesn't.

Apps are plentiful in Android but in Windows Phone, I believe it's sufficient. Not as many as Android's but majority of the apps you'll need will be available for Windows Phone. My 1520 is with Nokia Care right now and I'm using an Android Phone right now (HTC M7) and I can't wait to get my 1520 back. User experience in Windows Phone is just leaps and bounds better than Android. That's my opinion so your experience may vary. I prefer Android on tablets. Tried it on phones and it's just a mediocre experience. Not good not bad, pretty much ok but the live tiles are just so useful and I got accustomed to it.

 

[realwarder]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

635 is a great device which I picked up off contract really cheaply. If you don't care about camera that's great value.

638 is the same with 1GB memory. Or current 535 is an excellent phone for the price.

Coming from a 512MB Android device all of these will appear fast and fluid.

 

[RumoredNow]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

In August 2013 I was enticed off Android on a Nexus 4 by the lowest model of Lumia at that time, a 521.

I'd say yes; provided you aren't an App-a-holic. Make a list of Apps and functions you just can't do without and make sure they are available on Windows Phone.

 

[sanjeet_deshwal]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

If u are a teen who is app-o-holic (LOL I invented new word) wants every single app ( snap chat ,kik and blah blah ) then it's better u look for Moto g or any Asus phone this OS isn't for you.


But if Want a Light , fluid ,Lag free OS then don't think again and Go for it!

If u already decided then better look for a 1GB ram phone(L535,638,4**) as many games with big names (NOVA ,NBA, Batman ,Amazing Spiderman and many more) aren't available for 512MB phones.

 

[D M C]

Hi all, I'm one of the "Android users" who is interested in giving the WP 8.1 a try. However, I would know if it's worth it. So basically the reasons why i'm pretty much willing to give the WP 8.1 a chance is that I've got an entry-level Android device with 512MB RAM and well... It lags as hell unless I don't do some serious app closing / suspending , it has very limited multi-tasking capabilities (Chrome and FB Messenger opened at the same time and the phone turns into a whirlwind of massive lag) and the fact that the battery isn't good at all, I mean, with the wi-fi turned on the battery drains 15% an hour with moderate use(one hour screen time), however with 2G(not 3 or 4G) it basically murders the battery , it goes from 100% to near-25% levels in about two hours and half, and that's all with the minimum brightness. The phone i'll be buying , if I buy , is the Lumia 630 , and i've read reviews about it and it seems that the perfomance is generally fluid , and the battery is above average. Is it worth it ? Thanks.

P.S - I don't care about the camera at all , i just want good perfomance and battery life at a cheap price.

I was wondering which Android device you are using?

And you should ask this question to yourself not to others.
Even if you want you ask then first tell what you basically do in your smartphone(I mean which apps and function you use most)

And yes WP is good for normal users.
It has now all the fictions and apps which a normal user use.

And about apps well it has all basic app with little quality and functionality issues

 

[harihar akhil]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

I would recommend to currently stick with your android device untill devices with WP 10 comes preinstalled if WP 10( some features "may" not support on current and previous generation devices.)
As for my experience in WP 8 days Lumia 520 really amused me in good way.my main use is music,audio and video podcast built in to one app(podcast search in store),Xbox games,peoples hub,facebook integration and many more which are removed in WP 8.1 and this just pisses me of.(made my experience with Lumia 520 laggy,crappy).currently in a state to switch back to android and modify it in my way but just waiting what Microsoft would do in WP 10 .

 

[Yasser Aboobakar]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

Microsoft lumia 535..if u want cheap and good

 

[Funky Cricket]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

if you have to have that latest app, or can't live with out the latest game that came out last week, this phone is not for you.

If you use mostly built in stuff, and the major apps, then I find my phone (Lumia 928) 1.5 years out is much better than my wife's android, her battery is junk, she can barely text, and she uses my phone when I'm home for stuff.

 

[Yazen]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

Hi all, I'm one of the "Android users" who is interested in giving the WP 8.1 a try. However, I would know if it's worth it. So basically the reasons why i'm pretty much willing to give the WP 8.1 a chance is that I've got an entry-level Android device with 512MB RAM and well... It lags as hell unless I don't do some serious app closing / suspending , it has very limited multi-tasking capabilities (Chrome and FB Messenger opened at the same time and the phone turns into a whirlwind of massive lag) and the fact that the battery isn't good at all, I mean, with the wi-fi turned on the battery drains 15% an hour with moderate use(one hour screen time), however with 2G(not 3 or 4G) it basically murders the battery , it goes from 100% to near-25% levels in about two hours and half, and that's all with the minimum brightness. The phone i'll be buying , if I buy , is the Lumia 630 , and i've read reviews about it and it seems that the perfomance is generally fluid , and the battery is above average. Is it worth it ? Thanks.

P.S - I don't care about the camera at all , i just want good perfomance and battery life at a cheap price.

Yeah you won't get massive lag trying to run both Chrome and FB because:
1 - There is no Chrome browser on WP.
2 - Background apps get suspended.

IMHO finding an LG E970 or similar variant is the best way to go. If you hunt you can find a gently used one for $80.
Seriously, get the E970. Sharp vivid screen, apps load faster, better multitasking, better app selection, great build quality.

I have a 635 and would not recommend it unless you could not find/would not consider purchasing a mint condition S4 Pro flagship.

I like that the 630's shell is one piece, but it does feel a little cheap in the hand. Screen may be IPS but it is not very good. Contrast is bad, colors are meh.. Not something I would want to look at very long. Touch screen and the glass itself are decent at best. Performance is generally fluid when you are not switching apps. Apps load slower on WP, and most have some form of issue when resuming from a suspend. Additionally, most people find the OS dull after awhile.
Galaxy Light was a better experience IMHO, and it packs more features for a lower price.

Facebook and IE 11 Mobile on WP pale in comparison to Chrome and Facebook on Android.

If your expectations are too high you definitely will not enjoy the 630/635 and WP8.1. But they sure are a blessing when you are stuck in Android hell

PS to the fanboys: Almost every app has a resume from suspend issue. MixRadio will occasionally black out, e.g when starting a mix and hitting the home button.

 

[EBUK]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

I came from Android. I was uncertain if WP would be for me, but I was willing to give it a try, and bought the Lumia 735 which was as close as I could find to the Moto G 4G as far as specs are concerned.

I am never going back to Android!

It took a while to adjust, but for my needs, WP is superior to Android. Whereas I needed a rooted phone and sideloaded apps to get a good Android experience, WP just worked right out of the box.

The Windows Store is crap in comparison to Google Play, but I can live with it; I'm sure it will mature over the coming months.

 

[SleepyTheDon]

Re: Is it worth to switch from Android to Windows Phone 8.1

Thats a trick question. Both great OS' you have to look at what apps are a must have for you 1st. Then look at the phone models. WP has all the apps I use with the exception of a few games but I would say go windows phone