Why should I buy the Lumia 920?

[jomarr]

I have read everything guys.

I've been waiting too long. And finally the Lumia 920 will be having its soft launch this week in our country. The problem is (I know this may sound idiotic but) I am really blinded by the iPhone 5. It's ridiculously smoother than the 4S and looks really really good. Though the 920 is launching this week, we still don't know which carrier will get it which is a major factor for me. Right now, I'm on the verge of buying the iPhone 5 since I am tired of waiting too long and probably looking at the phone everyday on the internet makes me tired. When it was launched, I said this is going to be my next phone but after almost 3 months, I'm actually considering the impossible, getting the iPhone 5.

I am concerned by the benchmarks of 920. I haven't seen them and I've been looking for it for weeks now.

Sorry for this but for the real users of the 920, can you pinpoint what's great about it? I need the users to give me their honest view on the phone.

I don't care about the apps. I just need a nice phone to take a few pictures, for browsing the net and for social media. That's it. This will be my very first smartphone so I'm really being careful about what I will get.

Thanks guys for the help. I appreciate it and Merry Christmas!!

 

[aximtreo]

From an old guys perspective, it's beautiful, fits the hand, solid construction, easy to use and most of all, common across OEM platforms. I know Apple shares this as well. My son is a true Apple Geek but he saw my 920 and just said "WOW".

Simple things to like but you gotta to start somewhere in your decision process.

 

[jomarr]

I definitely agree with your statement. I think I need to take another look at the store again tomorrow to remind me how amazing this phone is.

 

[johninsj]

II need the users to give me their honest view on the phone.

You should buy it because I own stock in Nokia (don't ask...) and I need it to recover.

Other than that, why should you buy a phone based on how well it meets my needs?

Oh well, ok here we go.

WP8 in general
1) it's not an iPhone - no boring rows of icons with red circles. Yay.
2) it's not Android - no boring rows of icons or garish widgets pinned to a desktop, with a mishmash of horrid java apps to boot, all on top of a beautiful linux core.
3) if you use it like it's made to be used, and not like a poor knockoff of either 1 or 2, things are actually well integrated.

Lumia 920
4) it's pretty
5) the screen is nice and large and easy to see
6) I like the weight
7) wireless charging is nice
8) the camera is quite good (post new os update)
9) decent battery life
10) nokia apps are a value add - music and drive are two software reasons to pick nokia over HTC

If it's your first smartphone, you should love it since you'll not be trying to use it like an iPhone or an Android phone.

 

[Dave Blake]

You should get it because WPCentral community rocks! This is the place you want to be. I might be bias.

 

[Coreldan]

Naturally I'm sorta biased for being here in the first place, but I wouldn't get iPhone at this point if you are new to smartphones. I think the rows of icons and apps being like mini-operating systems within operating system is outdated and archaic compared to solutions that the WP has.

There's only really 2 scenarios in which I would recommend iPhone over WP (I do that, cos I dont try to blindly convert everyone into WP, but rather get them the device that works best for them) and they are:

1) If said person plays a lot of games on the mobile phones
2) They use/like/want smartphones due to the apps (sorta overlaps with the first point, but more so extends outside games)
Bonus pointer: if they are heavily invested in Apple ecosystem, but this is rarely the case if they are first time smartphoners

Now, as you havn't had a smartphone before, you probably don't really have any addiction to the apps for example. WP has plenty of good apps, but naturally is missing some compared to the huge app stores of Apple and Android.

I don't care about mobile gaming or apps much, but what has totally sold me with WP8 and the Lumia 920 is the integration. One could say I'm fairly heavily invested into the Windows ecosystem as I have Win 8 Pro on my PC, I have a Surface running Windows RT and a Lumia 920 running WP8. My fiancee also uses a WP7,5 phone. I just love how well everything is automatically integrated and often very well across the whole OS.

I know Google and Apple have integration too as well as many other things, but they sorta often require some extra software for example on my Windows PC, what I really like is that the integration is so baked in.

The current software for 920s camera isn't the best atm, causing daytime shots to be a bit soft, but overall I think this is by far the best somewhat normal smartphone camera on the market (barring the 808 Pureview). The image stabilisation is frigging amazing (both video and photo), low light shots are near unrivaled and even the daytime shots are really good considering it's just a phone. And I have no doubts that the hardware is more capable and it's just the software beign non-optimal for daytime atm. Personally I have not however found this an issue, mostly just reflecting the "usual community concern".

I really like the design philosophy of WP8. Maybe the rows of icons and whatnots work for some, but I think Live tiles are great, so are the "headers" that you swipe between within apps. I sometimes find myself just starting at my home screen until the screen times out simply cos it's just nice to watch when it cycles my favourite pictures in the photos app, cycles through people that I care about in the People-app, even seeing my XBOX Live character peeking from the XBOX live tile and whatnot. It's just great.

Not to get started on the screen. I don't really have much words to describe it, it's amazing. Same goes for the physical design of rest of the phone. Some find it too big/bulky/heavy, but I think a phone of that size needs some weight to not feel like a toy. My friends 4,8" Android phone that weights 135g feels like a toy. I agree that the 920 could use a bit bigger screen for the rest of it's physical size, but bezels arn't always bad. It makes easier to hold the phone when doing certain things so that you arnt touching the screen unintentionally. People just don't realize it until they actually use a phone with little to no bezels.

You were worried about benchmarks, I havn't managed to had a single bit of lag or anything bad performance wise, I wouldnt worry about it, especially if you don't really play games.

" I just need a nice phone to take a few pictures, for browsing the net and for social media." If these are your criterias, I wouldnt hesitate at all to recommend getting a WP8 device, especially the Lumia 920. The default People-app (integrated facebook and twitter etc) can't handle Facebook groups afaik, but there are many alternative Facebook apps available too that do. Also if social media includes Instagram (doubt it if you are a first time smartphone user), that is not available at this time for WP8.

Also, if you have any tendency to use/open/edit Office documents, the WP8 is really great. As a university student, the feature is near priceless. And it comes free with the phone! OneNote is godlike as well!

 

[jomarr]

Thanks!! I really hope the phone is coming to my carrier of choice. If not I'll get the i5.. then sell it to get the 920. I really can't help it

 

[Optimus82]

Have you tried asking this question on an iPhone forum? Lol.

Whatever your choice, you can't go wrong with either especially for a first time smartphone owner. They are both easy to learn and get the hang of. They both feel great in the hand.

Social networking will be a better experience on the iphone. Don't let people tell you otherwise. I hate iPhones but compared to wp8, its the truth and many are just trying to cope.

 

[jomarr]

No. Lmfao. I am a member of Macrumors (mainly because of my iPod) and I will get burned to ashes.

I have decided to get the iPhone, try it for a month or two then probably sell it if I don't like it. I'm tired of waiting.

 

[cashcar1979]

Bad choice man...the iPhone5 brings nothing innovative to the table. Its a phone for followers...

 

[irvin792]

Bad choice man...the iPhone5 brings nothing innovative to the table. Its a phone for followers...

what do you mean? Apple invented everything cool!

 

[irvin792]

Oops double post

 

[jomarr]

Bad choice man...the iPhone5 brings nothing innovative to the table. Its a phone for followers...

I know but at least if I ever feel disgusted by it I can sell it at a higher price then go for the 920.

If I buy the S3 now then I will suffer it's price mark down.

The iPhone 5 sells at 830 USD here (34,000 Pesos). I can sell it at 700 (29,000) after 1-2 months of usage.

If I buy the S3, I can only sell it at 460 USD (19000) because it's tad cheap here already. I think 1 or 2 months is enough for me to decide whether to keep the phone or to sell it and buy the Lumia. The 920 (in the black market) sells at 700 USD here. So it would be really practical for me to buy the iPhone now rather than getting the other one which sells cheaply already. The 920 isn't out yet and I need to know which carrier will be offering it. Until then I will settle for the iPhone 5. I want to get the S3 but what if I change my mind and want the 920 instead? I will sell it at a very low price then add a few hundred dollars for the 920. With the iPhone 5 I can sell it, then buy a 920 without adding much more.

Goodluck to me! Lol. It's taking too long. I need a smart phone already. I thought I wouldn't need one before but now I think I do more than ever lol

 

[Lumis90]

Because it's the most innovative phone and + you get hammer as well.

 

[dogfish54]

The iphone5 is really the dud of the series in my opinion. The software is really good in general. It's thin, yes, but the battery life is much worse than the 4 and it's less durable (if that's even
possible).

Now, is the 920 better ... yes ... if enough people will stick with the platform long enough to get some (more) apps. The list that theverge.com made for Christmas was just embarrassing.

 

[Optimus82]

I am not an iPhone person but I'm no dickrider either. I think you will like the iPhone especially for a first time user of a smartphone and never having an iPhone. I prefer android phones myself but always refer people to iPhone or windows phone. You can't go wrong with the i5. It just works and is backed by many quality developers.

 

[Coolknight1968]

Buy the phone you like best! If you want a iPhone5, do it. I will not buy an iPhone5 because I find the OS lousy and email terrible on it.

 

[nander]

You should buy it if you want it more than the iPhone 5. If you get it and don't enjoy using it, then return it and get the iPhone, but always get what YOU want and not what others pressure you to. You're gonna be the one using it after all

 

[baseballbert]

Yes, you should buy it. Great phone and an OS that is constantly evolving.

 

[jomarr]

Thank you guys. I think I'm going to buy the 920. It's so hard to resist. I just need to wait for the official announcement.