Nokia Lumia 1520-Relevance

[Zachary Boddy]

Is the Nokia Lumia 1520 still relevant a full year after its launch? A year is an extremely long time in mobile device terms, and since the 1520 we've seen ranks of smartphones lining up to take on its 6-inch might. Even Lumia devices have come, the 930 attempting to take the title of the "best Windows Phone yet."
The Galaxy Note 4 has arrived, an absolute beast of a phone with a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED screen, considered the best screen on any smartphone. Period.(The iPhone 6 Plus was named the best IPS display) (this all according to a company who reviews the screens of all smartphones and rates them-the iPhone 6 only got very good, but the Plus was amazing)
The HTC One M8-both for Windows and Android-the LG G3; Samsung Galaxy S5. Where does the 1520 fit in?(It needs a lot of room to do so, haha)
Is it in the breathtaking 6-inch 1080p IPS LCD display?
The still above-average 20mp PureView OIS camera?
The beautiful, simple yet elegant uni-body polycarbonate design?
Its speedy performance-even though it doesn't have the newest and best?
Should we still consider the 1520 with all these smartphones that somehow manage to overshadow it? I think so, but do you?

 

[garak0410]

Is the Nokia Lumia 1520 still relevant a full year after its launch? A year is an extremely long time in mobile device terms, and since the 1520 we've seen ranks of smartphones lining up to take on its 6-inch might. Even Lumia devices have come, the 930 attempting to take the title of the "best Windows Phone yet."
The Galaxy Note 4 has arrived, an absolute beast of a phone with a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED screen, considered the best screen on any smartphone. Period.(The iPhone 6 Plus was named the best IPS display) (this all according to a company who reviews the screens of all smartphones and rates them-the iPhone 6 only got very good, but the Plus was amazing)
The HTC One M8-both for Windows and Android-the LG G3; Samsung Galaxy S5. Where does the 1520 fit in?(It needs a lot of room to do so, haha)
Is it in the breathtaking 6-inch 1080p IPS LCD display?
The still above-average 20mp PureView OIS camera?
The beautiful, simple yet elegant uni-body polycarbonate design?
Its speedy performance-even though it doesn't have the newest and best?
Should we still consider the 1520 with all these smartphones that somehow manage to overshadow it? I think so, but do you?

If the 1520.3 came to Verizon today, I would get it...there is very little news on the upcoming flagship and I need EXPANDABLE storage that my ICON does not offer...

 

[theefman]

I prefer to ask the question, is there any practical feature on any of those phones that makes the 1520 irrelevant? Personally I cant see a single feature that makes the 1520 any less desirable or competitive. But then again, I dont worship on the altar of smartphone tech specs.....

 

[Zachary Boddy]

I think the 1520 is a fantastic device and will continue to be so until the 1530 hopefully comes out next year with Windows 10, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 and a QHD screen(maybe a stylus as well) and utilize battery efficiency techniques(like the LG G3).

 

[oneira]

I was in the market for a new phone last week. I used an iPhone for a few years before switching to Android for the last three. I really enjoyed both OSs. I love the user-friendliness and polish of iOS, but disliked the limited app functionality and lack of integrated services. I really like the integration of services in Android, but dislike the bloatware and the terrible culture of newer/better/faster that makes you regret your purchase after one month bec the next best thing has just came out. Again.

The large majority of fanbois live and breath their phones, and need to have a phone that is the newest and fastest with millions of apps that will satisfy them for 5 minutes. I am a working professional, studying at uni, travelling overseas lots (every week), and trying to be a good dad/husband. A phone is not a goal, it is simply a tool that we use to assist in our lives. Specs of phones are meaningless, it's the user experience that determines the value.

I had a look at the iPhone 6 Plus. Nothing about it excited me. It's just the same thing. How many ways can you remix the same song and give it ongoing appeal? Sure, it was a great song to begin with. But for how long?

The Galaxy Note 4 excites me for its innovation. But there are so many functions on this phone that I will never use in a practical sense, including the S Pen. And I dislike TouchWiz.

I've only just stumbled across the Lumia 1520. It is a thing of beauty. It has a timeless charm just like a piece of eclectic European furniture. The display is fantastic. The Live Tiles are sublime. It is going to make reading work/uni documents and textbooks much easier on the fly. It has a terrific camera for me to use in spontaneous moments when my full-frame is not to hand. It's going to have a ton of space for photos/music. I am getting rid of my Nexus 7 tablet. Despite the limitations of Windows Phone, there is ongoing thought and innovation, and I am looking forward to what the future holds.

This phone is still the best thing I have looked at a year after its release - and I am not talking about its specs. I am talking about a tool that I use for my life. My first phone was a Nokia 5120i; one of my all-time-favs was the Nokia N95; and I am really excited to own this, the last high-end Nokia ever.

 

[blue1k]

I hear ya. I dumped my S5 and kept my 1520. Love this phone.

 

[Citizen X]

Is the Nokia Lumia 1520 still relevant a full year after its launch?

Well considering it is getting 4k video recording in a few weeks... yes. I mean what are you going to do? Pay hundreds of dollars more for an iphone with no 4k? Just because a phone is new doesn't mean it will match a Windows Phone from last year. How long did it take iphones to get LTE? 1080p displays? Six inch screens? A camera that you can actual adjust settings on? Optical images stabilization?

 

[CSMR250]

Is it in the breathtaking 6-inch 1080p IPS LCD display?
The still above-average 20mp PureView OIS camera?

1080p is optimal for a 6" phone. Higher resolutions are a disadvantage (power consumption/cost).
20mpx is high-end DSLR level, 5pmx is good enough for a phone. 20mpx is then ok on phones if you want to crop to 1/2 or 1/3 horizontal size. Silly megapixel war.
Not to say screens and cameras can't get better but to improve IPS screens you have to improve the contrast/color fidelity and to improve cameras you need bigger and better lenses/sensor, not higher and higher pixel/megapixel specs.

 

[cesar ruiz1]

I have the 1520 since launch and I have regrets, and with Microsoft updating so frequently is just making better I still recommend the phone over anything else.

 

[GSOgymrat]

I spent some time comparing the iPhone 6 Plus with the 1520 and was surprised, given that the iPhone is brand new hardware and software and the 1520 is a year old, that the iPhone didn't offer anything substantially better than the 1520. I also borrowed my partner's iPhone 5S so I could really get the feel of the OS. The iPhone has a zillion apps but if you are like me and have all the apps you need, what exactly is the advantage? The 1520 has a bigger screen, expandable storage and a dedicated camera button, which I really appreciate on a large phone. Also, I just like the UI better, Xbox Music is better on the 1520 and I prefer Cortana to Siri. I was seriously thinking of switching to iPhone 6 Plus so I could move from AT&T to Sprint and save money but after actually using the iPhone I was kind of let down. It isn't really better, just different. Even my partner, who LOVES his iPhone, said after seeing them side by side that he understood why I preferred the 1520.

 

[Bobvfr]

Even though it's a year old, as far as I am concerned is still the best looking.

Plus because the same OS will run happily on a 520 it flies on the 1520 with the added advantage of, when it is getting near two years old it will run Windows 10 with ease.


Bob

 

[raycpl]

Just got my wife a lovely yellow 1520.... its a fantastic device... its big (in every sense) upgrade over her previous lumia, but she's coping... LOL
So now I'm still rocking to my robust 920 and keeping her 720 as a spare.

 

[Geddeeee]

It's still the premier device for experiencing WP in all it's glory. Even the HTC doesn't come close. Still the king, and will be for a good while longer. Best phone I've ever owned. More features added with each firmware and OS update. Loads more to come from this behemoth!!!!

 

[Zachary Boddy]

All great points. I'm really enjoying the almost stellar display. Everyone praises the IPS LCD displays of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and the Super AMOLED displays of the Samsung Galaxy series such as the S5, Note 4, and Tab S series.
But the 1520's 1080p IPS LCD ClearBlack display is by far and away one of the best screens on a mobile device with great contrast, pure white, excellent viewing angles and very impressive black for an LCD screen. And being RGB-stripe, it appears sharper then any Samsung Diamond PenTile display.
People are saying the iPhone 6 Plus has the best LCD screen ever produced, but I think the 1520 gives it a run for it's money.

 

[sonic1519]

Like others here I've been through them all iphones, note3, and a 930. The 1520 does take some getting use to. and how many apps do you need.
i do wish the top 20 apps were available but more are coming everyday. the only complaint i have and it's not with the phone. Why hasn't otter box
come out with a case yet. whats the deal. there must be enough sold to justify offering some.

 

[akthelonelyman]

Well still serves my need and I don't think 930 is better than 1520. Actually same specs and additional features in 1520. So still the best windows phone.
And of course phones which came out a year later are supposed to be faster and better
Sent from my NOKIA 1520 using Tapatalk

 

[odklizec]

I'm still a bit torn between 1520 and 830 I don't care about benchmarks, number of cores or ram difference. 930 is out for me because it has no memory card and no glance. What worries me a bit about 1520 is its size and the so many times discussed tap&scroll bug.

I was about to buy 830 almost immediatelly when it's out. It's 1" smaller than 1520, which I consider a plus and hopefully without the tap&scroll bug. Additionally, it has user replaceable battery, which I consider a major advantage over the 1520 or 930. Not only that one can always carry a spare battery, but also when the battery finally dies, one can easily replace it with a new one! Something that is not so easy to do with glued 1520 battery But as a keen mobile photographer, I would also like to have that 4k 24fps shooting capability, which is not available for 830. True, it's not available for 1520 yet, but it should be available soon. And another plus, new 1520 can be bought for the price of 830! So I think it will be 1520 then. Probably a yellow one

BTW, so far, I was an iPhone user. But I'm no longer willing to pay premium price for middle-range HW and somewhat static&boring OS. I know the WP eco system is nowhere as packed with premium apps as iOS world. But I don't care about that too. Most of the apps I'm using have WP counterparts and if not, well, I will have to live with that

 

[EC Translating Services]

I had a short opportunity to compare my 1520 with a Galaxy Note 4 in Taiwan.
My impression is simple:
- Galaxy Note is the usual good device from Samsung (I may buy one) but with the usual Android issues. Android L may put a stop to some issues in terms of battery etc. Screen appears good but i still prefer my 1520. 1520 still works smoother for me (I didn't check the ROM of the GN4...could have easily been a non final one and i only had less than 5 minutes of test time). I insist in deeply disliking the Google business model (or the data robbery if you allow me to).
- 1520: Has all the issues i have ranted about in these forums which will force me to buy a Galaxy Note; However, i still find 1520 a tad better in terms of how the device is assembled (even with metal and fake leather the GN4 seems not so good for me...it would be different if was a unibody slab); display for me has no rivals. GN4 is surely a very high quality display, still lacks something compared to 1520. Let's say 1520 offers a very sharp view with faithful colors in all conditions while the GN4 offers an improved experience compared to GN3 but with those "cartoonish colors" which i used to like and now make me think they make my eyes more tired than 1520 does. Didn't test the photocamera. However whatever you buy in one year from now, the 1520 still stands up on top or near there. Functionalities/Apps: GN4 wins hands down. I am leaving 1520 home often because i need an Android to have things done. It may not be the case for US users or users who are not in Asia.

For me 1520 is still relevant. Perhaps even more relevant if it gets Windows 10 on it. To be clear, if the phone had all the things i need to work and the apps i need to have the job done i'd buy one again tomorrow. The only reason why i buy a GN4 is that Microsoft operates like the sleeping beauty and nobody is willing to kiss them to wake the company up. People can't wait till they retire to have things working on a phone.

 

[CSJr1]

My1520 is going to carry me in to next year. Its not the newest on the block, but I don't see anything that can beat its value. Large display, Miracast, 20MP cam, SD storage, and 2 day charge. I think I am hooked till next year.

 

[BaritoneGuy]

All great points. I'm really enjoying the almost stellar display. Everyone praises the IPS LCD displays of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and the Super AMOLED displays of the Samsung Galaxy series such as the S5, Note 4, and Tab S series.
But the 1520's 1080p IPS LCD ClearBlack display is by far and away one of the best screens on a mobile device with great contrast, pure white, excellent viewing angles and very impressive black for an LCD screen. And being RGB-stripe, it appears sharper then any Samsung Diamond PenTile display.
People are saying the iPhone 6 Plus has the best LCD screen ever produced, but I think the 1520 gives it a run for it's money.

Nokia clear black is basically a polarizing filter behind the glass. Apple has introduced this as well on the 6 and 6 plus hence the great display on those phones as well. I also agree that I would take an IPS LCD over and LED any day. More accurate colour.