Lumia 1520 Review: Nokia outdoes itself with best Windows Phone yet

[Julio Franco]

Read the full article at:
[newwindow=https://www.techspot.com/review/766-nokia-lumia-1520/]https://www.techspot.com/review/766-nokia-lumia-1520/[/newwindow]

Please leave your feedback here.

 

[CJ100570]

The 1520, like every Lumia Windows Phone before it, won't even register in the minds of consumers. It has 2 major problems it can't overcome;
1.Windows Phone
2. AT&T
It's quite sad honestly. Nokia was once the **** Of The Walk.... Now it's that panhandler that keeps coming by with a cup and out!

 

[yRaz]

The 1520, like every Lumia Windows Phone before it, won't even register in the minds of consumers. It has 2 major problems it can't overcome;
1.Windows Phone
2. AT&T
It's quite sad honestly. Nokia was once the **** Of The Walk.... Now it's that panhandler that keeps coming by with a cup and out!

the amount of ignorance in this post is simply astounding. WP is on all the major carriers now, a Verizon variant will likely be made under the name 1525. As far as the OS is concerned, it is far more efficient than android. The power isn't always there, but where this really shines is battery life. I can go 4 days with out charging on my 920 with moderate usage, two days with heavy usage. I've owned 3 windows; the LG quantum, Lumia 900 and the Lumia 920. I plan on picking this up with my tax return. My experience with all devices has been nearly identical. However I must say that I miss the physical keyboard on my quantum. That said, I have been using windows phone since its infancy. It had a slow start but it's right up there with android and ios now. It's also a hell of alot more stable than android. Sure there is a "lack of apps," but the problem is overstated and getting better everyday.

 

[Guest]

the amount of ignorance in this post is simply astounding. WP is on all the major carriers now, a Verizon variant will likely be made under the name 1525. As far as the OS is concerned, it is far more efficient than android. The power isn't always there, but where this really shines is battery life. I can go 4 days with out charging on my 920 with moderate usage, two days with heavy usage. I've owned 3 windows; the LG quantum, Lumia 900 and the Lumia 920. I plan on picking this up with my tax return. My experience with all devices has been nearly identical. However I must say that I miss the physical keyboard on my quantum. That said, I have been using windows phone since its infancy. It had a slow start but it's right up there with android and ios now. It's also a hell of alot more stable than android. Sure there is a "lack of apps," but the problem is overstated and getting better everyday.

Don't waste your time with these "people". Haters gonna hate, and there's nothing you can do about it!
These kinds of people hate windows (in any form), they don't know why they hate it, but they do.

 

[tipstir]

I'll see for myself I had to re-order my lumia from Amazon instead from Microsoft deal was the same on Amazon but no tax and free shipping same price. Microsoft Store Online lost my order in shipping it to me.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I'd be so embarrassed talking on one of these in public, in fact I get embarrassed on behalf of the people I know who use them in public around me. I draw the line at 4.5" screen on a phone. Anything bigger than that is a tablet as far as I'm concerned.

 

[treeski]

I'd be so embarrassed talking on one of these in public, in fact I get embarrassed on behalf of the people I know who use them in public around me. I draw the line at 4.5" screen on a phone. Anything bigger than that is a tablet as far as I'm concerned.

Why be embarrassed? Who cares? Let people use whatever they want, it doesn't affect you.

 

[darkzelda]

I would love to get a Nokia phone, but Windows Phone keeps me at distance...

 

[cliffordcooley]

Don't waste your time with these "people". Haters gonna hate, and there's nothing you can do about it!
These kinds of people hate windows (in any form), they don't know why they hate it, but they do.

I know exactly why I hate it. You won't see me with a Windows Phone until they do something with those Lego Blocks for menu options. And to the contrary, I love Windows 7 and always have. But then I get your point, I'm not one of these people coming here spreading non-sense about a phone I didn't like.

Out of the three phones, I would only pick up the Samsung for review and possible purchase. And I'm trying not to support Google, even though their Android OS seems to be the most desired among phones.

 

[Guest]

I like the Nokia 1520 and would have been interested in getting it. BUT! I am not giving Microsoft another chance until they prove to me that they can update a Windows Phone 8 to 9. 8.1 is not going to be enough. Too many times we have fallen for the Windows Mobile 6.0 - 6.5 and Windows Phone 7 - 7.8. trick. I will sit back and wait to see if they are able to pull it off this year. Till then... no dice!

 

[Guest]

Absolutely love my 1520. Fits my pockets just fine. The battery life is phenomenal compared to my old 920. It will last days on standby (920 was lucky to make it overnight without having to be charged). The size of the screen makes the phone actually useful if you want to use any of the office apps. I do wish I could use my old wireless charging with it but it seems that you need a special "case" for it to work.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Why be embarrassed? Who cares? Let people use whatever they want, it doesn't affect you.

No it doesn't affect me, I just think they look ridiculous and they think they look cool. As the tester said in his article, "they aren't for everyone". I'm definitely one of the "everyone'.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I know exactly why I hate it. You won't see me with a Windows Phone until they do something with those Lego Blocks for menu options. And to the contrary, I love Windows 7 and always have. But then I get your point, I'm not one of these people coming here spreading non-sense about a phone I didn't like.

Out of the three phones, I would only pick up the Samsung for review and possible purchase. And I'm trying not to support Google, even though their Android OS seems to be the most desired among phones.

I've been using a Nokia 625 and Win 8 for the last 3 months and there's not much wrong with it as far as I'm concerned but having said that I'll soon be returning to my roots with Samsung and Android. It's a personal preference.

 

[Guest]

I've been using a Nokia 625 and Win 8 for the last 3 months and there's not much wrong with it as far as I'm concerned but having said that I'll soon be returning to my roots with Samsung and Android. It's a personal preference.

I can appreciate that. Android is not a bad platform, but I'm with cliffordcooley when he says he wants to limit googles "presence". Further to this, I am just so sick of seeing everyone with the same phone, a.k.a. some variant of Samsung Galaxy. I challenge you to go out into public, I can almost wager this is true in any country, and count how many phones are a Samsung. By my count almost 7 out of 10 phones will be a Galaxy, either a Note or more probably an S3 / S4. Its almost as if people have lost the will to think for themselves. Some decry the lack of customization in windows phone but then all flock and get the same phone from one vendor. No thank you, I'll walk against the flow. If I was asked why I chose windows phone, I always say, "To be different".

 

[Guest]

Sweet device but I think 4.5 - 5" is max for me. Love my Nokia 1020 (4.5")

 

[Guest]

Looking forward to MWC 2014 next month. I want a 5-inch phone with those specs.
Is anything on rumors list yet?

 

[Jad Chaar]

The 1520, like every Lumia Windows Phone before it, won't even register in the minds of consumers. It has 2 major problems it can't overcome;
1.Windows Phone
2. AT&T
It's quite sad honestly. Nokia was once the **** Of The Walk.... Now it's that panhandler that keeps coming by with a cup and out!

I think the carrier exclusivity is what is killing Windows Phone, not the OS.

 

[Allexx46]

Bought it and returned it. I had huge hopes for this phone and for the Surface pro 2 which I also returned. This is a fast phone. Fastest I have experienced. Wanted seamless compatibility with my Surface pro 2 with windows 8.1. I wanted so bad to get away from Apple and this was so close to making me successful. Why did I return? Office is actually the free Office apps that run on Sky Drive. Without access to the internet you cannot use it. Least I could not. The apps are souped up viewers not real office. I sell things and have a spreadsheet with hyperlinks to my website. Excel on SkyDrive has no clue what an @hyperlink formula is. To me it is worthless. Phone size is huge. Every time I used it I could see Maxwell Smart holding a shoe phone. Do not get me wrong, this thing has screen that is a thing of beauty but might be better utilized on a tablet. Fit in my shirt pocket but was in constant peril of falling out. Half the reason I bought it was for the Surface Pro 2. Win 8.1 needs a touch screen zoom that works with all programs not just select ones. Not even Office 2013 Office Pro Outlook worked with the touch zoom. After 3 weeks of trying to make both devices work and many calls to tech support. I gave up and sent them both back. Back to apple now. Microsoft is so close to knocking Apple off the hill. Their hardware is indeed better. The software that they have had 5 years to fix is almost there, but without compatibility across systems and touch zoom that works on all applications they will never knock anyone off a hill.

 

[Guest]

Why the haters? Microsoft's behaviour...Seattle Computers Products QDOS for a start... and then endlessly...Netscape and Compaq, Netware Lite and Windows 3.11, An Wang (cost them $100m in court), DRDOS, Sybase and SQLServer, and that strange thing that happened to Judge Jackson when he was about to rule that MS should be split in two to prevent Windows being used as anti-competitive tools in other areas, the story continues to this day. But you are probably too young to remember all this, and now it is all much more covert so you are probably unaware of it.

 

[drjekel_mrhyde]

Now if At&t would not have gimped it with no qi and no 32GB version

 

[Guest]

Why the haters? Microsoft's behaviour...Seattle Computers Products QDOS for a start... and then endlessly...Netscape and Compaq, Netware Lite and Windows 3.11, An Wang (cost them $100m in court), DRDOS, Sybase and SQLServer, and that strange thing that happened to Judge Jackson when he was about to rule that MS should be split in two to prevent Windows being used as anti-competitive tools in other areas, the story continues to this day. But you are probably too young to remember all this, and now it is all much more covert so you are probably unaware of it.

Actually, I am quite aware of all those things you mentioned. Yes, they were caught doing those things, yes, they should be punished for it, and they have been. Only recently have Microsoft been granted freedom to pursue business without the regulators ever watchful eyes scrutinizing them. You make it sound as if Microsoft is the only company to do any of those things, perhaps they were among the first, but then there were no regulations in place to prevent them in those early days, or at least not enough. Google these days are as bad, if not worse than what Microsoft did. Sure, you can use their services for free, but you just have to sell your privacy to them. They just want to be in control of every aspect of your digital life, so of course to stay relevant Microsoft must do the same, and any company really. So ultimately there are many companies out there that have done what they (MS) did, and are still doing right now. So if you hate the Microsoft of the past and boycott them of the now, then hate the Google's of the now just as much and boycott them to not be a hypocrite... but wait a second, if I did that, then I would have to boycott all companies...

 

[drjekel_mrhyde]

The 1520, like every Lumia Windows Phone before it, won't even register in the minds of consumers. It has 2 major problems it can't overcome;
1.Windows Phone
2. AT&T
It's quite sad honestly. Nokia was once the **** Of The Walk.... Now it's that panhandler that keeps coming by with a cup and out!

I think the carrier exclusivity is what is killing Windows Phone, not the OS.

Nokia and Microsoft right now have to pretty much do what the carriers say. I'm hoping for a L929 for At&t ungimped but that won't happen for months

 

[Guest]

With all my respects. I own a Galaxy Note 2 and a Lumia 1520. Now, we can claim we like or dislike one OS VS the other but I think the efficiency of Android and Apple OS are far higher than that of WP. I have owned the Nokia for about one month now and still can't get work done. Amongst shortcomings (just a few):

1) Screen oversentiviness. Types the same character 3 or 4 times in a row, can't browse properly, can't select tiles (you want to resize and they open the app, you want to open the app and they resize, this also for dozens of times). Browsing news apps is a pain.
2) Keyboard implementation is terrible, especially for some languages. If English is more or less ok, Italian is so so; Chinese is a total failure in both handwriting and the other ways you have to insert chinese characters. In particular, it lacks totally the PinYin input for Traditional Chinese, which was requested 3 years ago in Microsoft suggestions section.
3) Lack of a swipe function. This means that if you tap on keyboard while moving your accuracy gets even worse.
4) Chinese handwriting is timed (maximum 0,8 seconds). This makes it useless for an average foreigner who needs to write characters slowly. These issues have effectively prevented me from contacting my Chinese customers in Taiwan (also because WP only supports simplified Chinese with Pinyin and that is not the chinese used in Taiwan)
4) You CANNOT select single words or put the cursor in between two words in certain portions of texts while you can in other areas (OS is so by design I have been told by several WP users and experts)
5) Character prediction is inconsistent and shaky. It is there in some apps, not there in others and it has been delaying my job even more.
6) The so acclaimed TILES are "neither meat nor fish". They are better than icons and worse than widgets. While a widget allows you to actually interact with multiple parts of it (weather widgets and calendars in particular), WP Tiles, even the more sophisticated are nothing but pictures on a squared or rectangular "thing" that rotates showing one face or the other. The effect is great. The functionality is not compared to the best widgets out there. Tiles have limited customization. Can't resize as I actually want (just 3 sizes available).
This is for the OS and just a few of the issues I have had in one month
The REST:
- I bought and use a variety of apps for my job on mobile. I am a translator so I buy dictionaries like Pleco, Hanping, use office apps, encrypted documents and files etc.

WP doesnt' have anything I need for my work but also has other shortcomings.
- Office won't allow you to A) Read files from the SD card (It won't see them); B) It won't allow you to open MS WORD FILES protected by password. Something even the most basic third party apps can do in Android. Again, I can't work like this.
- Checked for a newsreader and tried almost all of them (Phonly, Weave, Flux, etc. name one and I have tried it). Most of them have huge limits and faults. One won't allow you to save to Pocket, the other forces you to choose the news it wants and won't allow you to add more, another takes the news from Feedly but won't let you manage any, another expects you to add sources one by one (what if you have 200 sources?), NONE of them allows you to import an OPML file. All of them are affected by slowliness and one (Weave) keeps crashing to desktop randomly.
- Can't share pics, documents, videos properly event with Microsoft apps like Skype. In the Note I just click on a button and decide what to share in Skype, Line, App etc. In WP you have none of all this. The options are simply not there. Try to share data with a colleague or send in a report through Skype and you'll see.
- Bing translations is useless and slow to use compared to any translator in the android world (including google traslator).
- Total lack of support for a variety of common apps that are given for granted in any other platform and this after almost 4 years from the WP launch.

What is good in the phone?

1) Screen
2) Pictures
3) Hardware quality
4) Design
5) Nokia premium feeling even if they use plastic.

So, the phone will keep you happy if you take pics, watch videos and do a few other things but don't have the expectation of using it for heavy professional use, especially if you need a language support, dictionaries etc. helping you when you are abroad. When I want to watch a video or take a picture I use the Nokia (without sim card). When I need to have the work done quick and efficiently I use a Galaxy Note II (Cheap plastic but top engineering and well thought software environment beyond the crappy Android experience).

I wouldn't recommend any WP for professional use, especially if you work with languages or deal with lots of news, edit text, copy/paste and do a lot of text manipulation while on the move. The phone is simply not suited for this as the combination between bugs, OS design shortcomings and lack of proper apps on market make the experience extremely frustrating.

My Nokia is a gift. If I could return it I'd return it and would take something else that better suits my needs.

 

[thaidamen]

I am have lumia 920,1020,1520, note 1,2,3 , s3, s4 and iphone 4s,5....
I have no problem typing on L1520 and note2 ..infact typing quickly on note2 tends to give me errors in words but not L1520 ot L1020.
Pinyin on L 1520 is far more better on stock samsung keyboard or googke pinyin. . Increasing my speed of typing Chinese/ mandarin.
I never use swipe on any of my android (note or s) it is just too slow to type a email or a document. .
words predictions is fantastic on L1520, note2 you got to add new words all the time to get it right, L1520 is pretty accurate without adding anything yet.
typing thai is also alot alot faster on a L1520 rather then a stock note2.
Typing in taiwan is not a issue for me too.. same character different arrangement. Just need to add new words to dict so that it will remember.
Titles is fantastic..no idea why you use it if you hate it.
I buy tons of apps just to support good developer.. I do beta testing for almost all the popular third party apps that came over to wp8.. just hope developers keep the update coming to make it up to par with other os..
photogrid is one that was not updating regularly these days..
Photo gallery on wp8 have problems when you have over 5000 pics is one folder on skydrive.. will not load correctly..
office and one note is the main reason for L1520 or L1020 to be my daily driver.. note3 or note 2 is basically for certain apps like social cam..

You need to get use to the os before judging it..
Note 2/3 is nice but constance malware makes it basically not safe to use for me.
if you hate your 1520.. I don't mind buying from you.. so contact me ya..
and if anyone want to buy my note3 or 1 or 2 or s3 s4, you are welcome to contact me.. but I am not selling my 1020 or 1520 for sure.
oh I buy used 1520 for my family as gift.. so contact me..