[Real Users] My Lumia 1520 Review

[jeffwp]

I ordered my 1520 in April and love it. I use it for browsing, news, email, light gaming, photography, watching video, one note, facebook, twitter, and the list goes on. Since I started using the 1520 I only use my laptop PC at work, and almost never pick up my dell venue 6 pro. I waited at first to see if Att would get the ICON/930 to replace my 920. When they announced they would not I picked up the 1520 and never looked back. This phone is by far better than any before or since it was released. My only complaint is that ATT striped the qi wireless charging. I have four charging plates that I cannot use. Oh well, its the only thing missing.

 

[Paul Stasik]

Re: Played extensively with the 1520 at the Microsoft Store Today

You may be too young to remember running with one of these.

-snip-

BTW, do you use a different account for each phone or how does that work?

Thank you so much. I had a great laugh. I've had way too many people insist that the 1520 is too big to be practical and that nobody would ever use a portable device so large.

I got a nice armband case for mine off Amazon, was pretty cheap. Waterproof, too!

 

[Eabin Sai]

Why Lumia 1520 has not got any special importance ..like special update ..y its ditched

 

[ejvette]

This is the first time since the release of a new iphone that I have not jumped on the band wagon. I'm extremely happy with my 1520 the one short coming which I find to be a real inconvenience is with email you don't have option to leave messages on the server like you do with both android and ios .

 

[morpheus1982]

Re: Played extensively with the 1520 at the Microsoft Store Today

So I just wanted to post my thoughts on the 1520, and hopefully others can too in this thread.

The hardware is absolutely gorgeous. The build feels really good, and it's barely heavier than my 920, which is very surprising given the size (more on that below). It's also very skinny, and the camera bulge isn't noticeable at all.
But unfortunately, it was a lot bigger than I was expecting! I was trying to take pictures simultaneously with my 920 and the 1520, and I wasn't able to hold the 1520 and press the camera button with one hand. It's just not usable with one hand at all. Also, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the 1520 doesn't actually FEEL faster than 920. Switching screens, going to email, coming back, going to text messages, coming back to home, was identical in speed on both. I was trying to tap things at the same time to make sure I could see the speed improvements. Maybe it just goes to show how well optimized windows phone 8 is for dual core devices. That being said, the 1520 was just a hair faster than the 920 opening 3rd party apps. For example the camera app was faster by a couple milliseconds, but it wasn't AS fast as I was expecting. There was still a shot to shot delay that didn't seem any shorter than my 920.

I think this might be a fault with the current implementation of wp8, but I fully expect the snapdragon 800 to show it's might when WP8.1 launches. But until then, I plan on sticking it out with the 920. It runs WP8 at 60fps throughout the OS, and doesn't seem like GDR3 gains much from the new processor.

Surely the speed improvements are seen with high end games, nothing else. The UI was already smooth.

 

[Nisse Tuta]

The Lumia 1520 is pretty much being reviewed as well in my 930 review.

 

[BSobotta]

I ordered my 1520 in April and love it. I use it for browsing, news, email, light gaming, photography, watching video, one note, facebook, twitter, and the list goes on. Since I started using the 1520 I only use my laptop PC at work, and almost never pick up my dell venue 6 pro. I waited at first to see if Att would get the ICON/930 to replace my 920. When they announced they would not I picked up the 1520 and never looked back. This phone is by far better than any before or since it was released. My only complaint is that ATT striped the qi wireless charging. I have four charging plates that I cannot use. Oh well, its the only thing missing.

You should by the case that gives it qi charging ability.

 

[PepsimanLeh]

The Lumia 1520 is pretty much being reviewed as well in my 930 review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eom7e-8cp1Y

This review is simply an artwork. Love how cinematic it is. The ending of the review really touches me. Yes, Nokia phones will go into history. Microsoft may make them better, but still no more Nokia. This is my last chance and I know I will use the 1520 for a long, long time.

 

[jwinch2]

The Lumia 1520 is pretty much being reviewed as well in my 930 review.

​Excellent review. Thanks for that!

 

[Giants7330]

I bought my 1520 about 3 months ago. I had a 920 last year and had some issues with the battery draining quickly so I returned it and got a S4. I had that for a year and hated it. I just do not see the attraction to the Android OS. It's just like an iPhone and is very plain and boring.
When I received my 1520 I realized that it was going to big and it was. But I have to say that I absolutely love the 1520. It has done everything I have asked it to do. The screen is awesome. The live tiles is why I went back to windows phone. The interface is unique and interactive. The Android nor IOS comes close the how the windows interface works. 8.1 along with Cyan just adds to an already awesome experience.
I tell everyone I know about how awesome it is but I am still the only person I know that has a windows phone. I don't get it but everyone is buying either an S5 or iphone 6.
I never write reviews like this but I just have to let everyone in this forum know how great this phone is because you guys appreciate it.
I gave my S4 to my wife and she hates it. She is going to get an 830 when they come out on ATT. The 1520 is just to big for her.
I can go on and on but specific features the phone has but for anyone that has had a 1520 you know how good this phone is. It's still hard for me to believe that more people do not have a windows phone. The sales people in ATT sure don't help. When I go in and ask them to recommend a phone they also say Android or Iphone. I had an experience where I went in the store asking for a windows phone and the guy brought it out. He then proceeded to say that the S4 will run circles around the windows phone. This is the ATT salesman and I went in and asked specially for a windows phone. I don't get it. I happen to be technical and know about phones but someone who doesn't know anything would certainly go with the Android.
I just don't see the attraction.

 

[jwinch2]

Am I correct in my understanding that the ATT version of the 1520 does not have Wireless Charging?

​Thanks,

 

[pankaj981]

Am I correct in my understanding that the ATT version of the 1520 does not have Wireless Charging?

​Thanks,

It does but not the Qi standard but PMA (look it up online, you'll understand what's the difference), and that too with an external case, not built in like the international variants

 

[jwinch2]

Which totally stinks. This page claims it comes with Qi. http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/lumia1520/specifications/

 

[pankaj981]

Which totally stinks. This page claims it comes with Qi. http://www.microsoft.com/en/mobile/phone/lumia1520/specifications/

Well the US version of the Microsoft site does list PMA

https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...Flumia1520%2Fspecifications%2F&token=BKNSNUg8

 

[jwinch2]

Well the US version of the Microsoft site does list PMA

Nokia Lumia 1520 - Specifications - Microsoft - USA

I saw that, but thanks. It just stinks that they altered the one for the US, and not in a good way. Forgive my ignorance, but is there any way to buy an unlocked version with Qi and use it without issue on ATT?

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I saw that, but thanks. It just stinks that they altered the one for the US, and not in a good way. Forgive my ignorance, but is there any way to buy an unlocked version with Qi and use it without issue on ATT?

Sure. You can buy a 1520.3 several places. B&H was the cheapest when I bought, a little under $500.

 

[jwinch2]

Sure. You can buy a 1520.3 several places. B&H was the cheapest when I bought, a little under $500.

So, no issues whatsoever with use on ATT, getting updates, etc.? And, just to confirm, that would be the RM 937 version?

 

[HoosierDaddy]

So, no issues whatsoever with use on ATT, getting updates, etc.? And, just to confirm, that would be the RM 937 version?

No a 1520.3 is the 938 (Unicorn) model. And since its NOT from a carrier, updates happen the instant Microsoft releases them, not months later (or never) when a carrier feels like it.

 

[jwinch2]

No a 1520.3 is the 938 (Unicorn) model. And since its NOT from a carrier, updates happen the instant Microsoft releases them, not months later (or never) when a carrier feels like it.

OK. Thanks. I wanted to be sure before I purchased. I appreciate the help. Although, but the phrase "unicorn model", I presume this is all but impossible to actually get.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

OK. Thanks. I wanted to be sure before I purchased. I appreciate the help. Although, but the phrase "unicorn model", I presume this is all but impossible to actually get.

I think it got the name in the US because no US carriers offered it so it was like some magical mythical creature to some when they first heard of it.

It's the one compatible with the most US networks but its likely to be hard to get the US branch to do warranty work since they didn't get any of the money from its sale to pay for said work. If you use the app or web site to check warranty status in the US they will say its covered. But some people report when the sent it in, they got it back with a form letter saying it wasn't covered. Some who pushed back got service. So unless you don't mind sending it to the originating country for warranty work, the seller warranty is important. B&H has 3 months. You might want to buy an extended warranty to equal the factory 12 month.