Locked into ATT, Considering upgrading from L920 to L1520...but which one?

[valeriolucciola]

Hi Folks,

I have a L920 that I purchased around launch. I am due for an upgrade and I'm looking at the L1520. My wife is still locked in a contract with ATT so I'm stuck with ATT. I don't have the $$$ to buy an unlocked phone. I've been looking at the 1520 but it seems they are not all the same. So which one?

My goal is a Yellow, 32GB, L1520. Do those even exist or is that something you can only get if you get an unlocked phone. I know ATT sells a black 32GB but have they ever sold a 32GB Yellow?

What about the 32GB black? Seems like plenty of memory but it's black. My L920 is black because colors were so scarce at launch. I've heard there are issues with the screen too.

The Yellow 16GB? Less memory but it is Yellow and I can get it from ATT on the Next program. Is 16GB with expandable memory too little? I know a lot of apps want to be saved on the phone but is this really a problem?

How about the Green Lumia 1520? I know it's neither yellow nor 32GB but I've heard there are some hardware issues with the device and supposedly the Green Lumia, being the most recently released, may not succumb to those issues.

If internal memory isn't much of an issue with an microSD to expand it, I will probably go with the yellow or green but I'm really interested to know what you all think since you're the ones who have had these devices and have the first hand experience.

Thank you

 

[Nokia1520]

1520 is the worst phoneI have ever owned. It is my second WP device. First one was great a 620. Screen broke and decided to upgrade.Bought the 1520 and worked great for about 6 months. Then the random screen issues popped up. Upgraded to latest software twice and it never went away and got so mad I threw it at a wall and broke that screen (That isn't what happened to the 620, I left it in my pants pocket and the stepped on my pants and shattered the screen). I hope they fixed the issues mine was a very first Generation!!! SERIOUSLY considering a Iphone 6 Plus. If AT&T releases the HTC ONE M8 for Windows soon, I might give that a try but I amimpressed with the Iphone 6 plus right now.

 

[Ashalinia]

1520 is the worst phoneI have ever owned. It is my second WP device. First one was great a 620. Screen broke and decided to upgrade.Bought the 1520 and worked great for about 6 months. Then the random screen issues popped up. Upgraded to latest software twice and it never went away and got so mad I threw it at a wall and broke that screen (That isn't what happened to the 620, I left it in my pants pocket and the stepped on my pants and shattered the screen). I hope they fixed the issues mine was a very first Generation!!! SERIOUSLY considering a Iphone 6 Plus. If AT&T releases the HTC ONE M8 for Windows soon, I might give that a try but I amimpressed with the Iphone 6 plus right now.

No... just no.

To answer your question, 16 GB would be fine as long as you get expandable storage if you need it. You can install apps and games on them now so that shouldn't be an issue. I've never had any hardware issues with mine except the screen is a little too sensitive for my tastes, but I dialed that back.

As far as color, that's up to you. I believe the green and yellow are matte if that's what you're into. I have the black one and I'm perfectly fine with it. It's not the most eye-popping choice but it looks the cleanest out of most of the colors even when dirty. White and yellow would probably show dirt the easiest.

All in all, if you go for it I suggest either the 16 GB green or 32 GB black.

 

[joeinbh]

I just bought a 1520 within the last 2 weeks myself. I personally bought a seller refurbished unit on eBay from a seller known as deal.fisher. I paid $320 for a white 1520 and now they're only $300. They come in all colors except green. Make sure to buy one in "excellent" condition. That's what I did and when it arrived I swear I could not tell it from brand new. It was still covered in the factory plastic and had zero scratches or dings. It was absolutely flawless and, just as importantly, has worked flawlessly since I've gotten it.

I'm much more trusting of "refurbished" phones since getting a few reburbs over the years as replacement phones when I made an insurance claim. Every time, except for the packaging, the excellent-rated refurb looked and worked identical to a new phone. The critical part is to buy from a very reputable seller and get a refurb that's rated as being in "excellent" condition. The seller I bought from on eBay had well over 50,000 positive reviews! I received the phone 2 days after my order. And, they offer a 90-day guarantee and even a 30-day return policy. So, if you did get a lemon or a phone that wasn't pristine, you could simply return it. I swear I'm not in any way affiliated with them, but can't offer a strong enough endorsement.

The downside is that you're getting a 16gb phone. And I can tell you that after 2 weeks of taking tons of photos and videos, and installing some weighty apps (and Here+ maps), I can see myself soon bumping up against that limit. However, the great thing about the 1520 is that you can just put in a microSD card for more space. Also, the green model is newer and I haven't seen it offered as a refurb.

Finally, a quick word about the Next Program. It's the same as zero-interest financing on the full purchase price of the phone. The problem is that AT&T currently prices a new 1520 at $585. So, while they let you pay over 18 or 24 months or whatever it is, you're paying $585 for a 1520. Buying a refurb the way I did would cost you almost HALF that amount. Assuming you keep it in great condition, you might even be able to sell it on eBay for a profit 6-9 months down the line if a Windows 9 phone strikes your fancy.

 

[RumoredNow]

AT&T branded 1520 comes in 5 colors (black, white, red, yellow, green), but 32GB ONLY comes in black.

With WP 8.1 + Lumia Cyan (and make sure to update to Lumia Storage Check {Beta}) you can store Apps and Maps (w/ LSC) on your microSD card... So 16GB internal shouldn't be bad... Just get a 64 or 128GB microSD Ultra and you should have no worries.

​I can't speak about the screen Tap/Swipe issues... I'm not seeing them on my Factory Unlocked 1520.3.

 

[BobLobIaw]

I am considering upgrading from the L920 to the L1520 but am probably going to see what gets announced in the next two months before my contract is up. I was pretty set on the 32GB black but now realize the 16GB is fine since apps and everything else can be put on the SD card.

 

[smf98aggie]

I just went from a 920 to a 1520. I got it as an insurance claim replacement, so it didn't affect my upgrade eligibility. Its a nice phone, but I think in the long run, the size is going to bug me. I've kind of gotten used to how it feels in my front pocket, but I can't get past the fact that I can't use it one-handed. If you're cool with that, then it'll be a great phone, no matter what color (I personally prefer black). I was really waiting for a good, true upgrade to my 920, but so far nobody has made anything that I think compares to it.....until now. Apparently, everything I'm hearing about the Lumia 830 coming to AT&T in November will have pretty much everything my 920 did but better (camera, QI charging hopefully, 5" screen, better memory/expandable memory, processors). So, I think I'm going to try it out. If I don't like it, I'm switching to an iPhone 6.

 

[blue1k]

I am on my second 1520. First was an unlocked global yellow one but it had a defective optical image stabilization. Second one is a flawless white att model. I'm happy with the 16gb option. I just bought a large 64gb class 10 for 30 bucks so not concerned with smaller on board memory.

 

[jfa1]

My 920 cratered and I had been thinking about the 1520 anyway. I was able to get it in store for 99.00 for the black 1520 16gb model. (my email and calendar on the 920 were snarled up and as a lawyer I needed those apps everyday so it was a no brainer) The size of the 1520 was never an issue or a problem for me. That said the 830 is coming to ATT and it will have the Qi charging enabled the reviews from Paul Thuriott and WP Central have been pretty good and its coming on 11/7. It might be what you're looking for

 

[L Beezy]

I upgraded about 2 months ago from a L920 to a L1520 and couldn't be happier. I have the green 16GB from AT&T. I would say go for the green simply because it's the newest manufactured L1520. As for storage, I have a 32GB MicroSD card that suits my needs perfectly; if I need more, then I'll just buy a bigger card.

 

[Chris_Kez]

Interesting point about the Green being the most recently manufactured.

 

[Letros]

Where can I find a 1520.3 RM-938? Seems pretty rare aside from BHphotovideo.com. I've heard there are Nokia USA warranty issues with the 1520.3, can anyone comment on that? thanks

 

[Chris_Kez]

I've also seen them on EBay, NewEgg, and right here in the WPC Marketplace forum. B&H would be my first choice though.