Size aside, Lumia 1020 vs 1520? Which one would you take?

[crash0330]

I'm in a bit of a pickle here, this past week I lost my 1 year old 1020, AT&T the proceed it to replace it with a HTC M8 for Windows. Which I like but not as much as my old 1020, the only thing I like on the M8 better then the 1020 is the screen resolution. Which is why I turned my attention to the 1520, so I would like to sell the M8 and get either a 1020 or a 1520, or trade it here in the forums for a 1020 or 1520. Besides the obvious size difference. Which one do you guys prefer and why?
Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[Brandon Keenan]

I would recommend the 1520 which I currently have. The 20mp camera seems more than sufficient for everyday shooting and has the battery life and latest cpu/gpu of any windows phones out there. Also it is going to be supported for longer which the 1020 will not. the size isn't really an issue for me but having a bigger more vibrant screen is a bonus when showing photos or videos to friends.

 

[Felix Bank]

Has to be the 1520. The only reason to get the 1020 would be for the camera, and even then it's slow to operate.

The 20MP camera is more than enough for great shots.

 

[rollindice]

Even though I have the 1020, if I was to recommend other person who wanna purchase between the two , I'd go for lumia 1520 , since it's bit faster and will get more future updates as compared to 1020, you can get unlocked lumia 1520 at Nokia Lumia 1520 for $425

 

[aximtreo]

1520

 

[crash0330]

Thanks guys, I think I will be looking to get a 1520, seems like the logical choice.
Thanks to ya'll for your input.

 

[thelegendarcy]

1520, same as Felix says the only reason I see to get the 1020 is the camera. But feature wise (aside from camera) it's the 1520 that stays on top. CPU/GPU, RAM, ROM, and microSD slot (which I think would give a bigger edge to 1020)

 

[bseuivafom]

I guess it depends on what you want regarding the camera.

The 1020's camera cannot be matched by the 1520's - which is kind of mediocre even for a 20MP unit. If you're prepared to wait, the 1020 takes shots that still can't be matched by any other smartphone.

The 1520 - meh quality, but obviously responds slightly more like a smartphone camera should but it's still too slow IMO compared to what else is out there (non-WP). I use both the 930 and 1020, but if I should feel the need to take a photo on a WP (my order depending on what I have is proper camera first, then iPhone, then Xperia, then WP - even if I'm carrying the 1020) I'll opt for the 1020 before the 930 every time.

But more importantly, the 1520 and 930 respond in your everyday apps a little more like a modern smartphone should. You still get too many 'resuming...' but they're much less infuriating than on the older phones.

So the question is, I guess, which is more important - camera or response.

 

[staticx57]

Meh if it was me, I'd keep the M8 and wait for the 1030. Being realistic here, both the 1520 and the M8 fall way short of the 1020 when it comes to the camera.

My best friend has the Icon, and obviously skill comes into play, but I find its photos lacking compares to my 1020.

Remember that the M8 has a marginally faster SoC as well.

 

[bseuivafom]

The M8 does have a terrible camera though. I mean truly terrible. I get the logic of 'bigger pixels = better individual pixel quality' but it just doesn't seem to have worked out. Apple obviously made it work when you compare the 930/1520 to the 6+, but the HTC Ultrapixel sensor somehow manages to be as pixel-smeary as the (obviously far more densely packed) Nokia sensor yet offer even less resolution than the Apple.

I liked the image tricks it does (at least in the Android version) but the quality is just amazingly bad. I didn't compare them directly, but I'd say it could actually have been quite a bit worse than the original Lumia 800.

 

[crash0330]

The M8 does have a terrible camera though. I mean truly terrible. I get the logic of 'bigger pixels = better individual pixel quality' but it just doesn't seem to have worked out. Apple obviously made it work when you compare the 930/1520 to the 6+, but the HTC Ultrapixel sensor somehow manages to be as pixel-smeary as the (obviously far more densely packed) Nokia sensor yet offer even less resolution than the Apple.

I liked the image tricks it does (at least in the Android version) but the quality is just amazingly bad. I didn't compare them directly, but I'd say it could actually have been quite a bit worse than the original Lumia 800.

I agree with you 100%, and that is the reason I wanna switch to either a 1020 or 1520. I just can't stand the bad picture quality of the M8. Which I know people argue is not bad at all. And I get it that is not bad if you compare it to an Android or even WP budget phone. But coming from a 1020, it does sort of emphasizes the poor quality of the M8 camera.
Plus this thing keeps on sloping off my shorts pocket when I'm in my car. Have to fish for it under my seat, hate it!

 

[bseuivafom]

No - it's equally bad when you compare it to other Androids with top-of-the-line cameras, which are as good as the 930 or 1520. I think a lot of people feel the need to downplay the terribleness of the camera because the rest of the handset is actually pretty good, if not among the best.

As for the 'falling out of your pocket' aspect, well - the 1020 has that unique hump which means it will get stuck on things (which is I guess what you want) and the 1520 probably won't fit comfortably in any pocket so problem solved there lol

The 1520/930 is probably a better balance in most conditions if you want a decent cameraphone, though again, it's a different prospect to the 1020 image quality wise. The main issue for me is that if I pick up the 1020 and press the shutter button, 90% of the time I'll see 'loading...' or 'resuming...' for at least a couple of seconds before the camera app kicks in, then there's the slow shot-to-shot time. With the newer WP's these aren't really problems that you are consciously bugged by every time.

 

[Arup Roy Chowdhury]

1520 20MP matches the best 20MP camera from Android aka the Z3 so its an even tie. Of course the later has some other attributes but if you want a WP with best 20MP, 1520 is a good deal. However its futile to compare it to 1020 but tell me which other smartphone comes close to 1020's imaging quality?