Phones Nokia Lumia 1520 or Lumia 1020? Which would you choose?

[jamezr]

I am thinking of trying a Windows Phone. I have had the itch for a while now..... I have a great opportunity to get a great deal either a 1520 or 1020 off contract for less than $300.
So I ask which would you choose? My requirements for any phone are a great camera. I have kids and spend a lot of time outdoors hiking and off roading. Need a great camera. I know the build quality of Nokia phones are topnotch so no issues there. Next it be nice to have a SD card but not mandatory. the size factor is next. The 1520 is a large phone at 6 inches. The 1020 is 4.5 inches.
The camera on the 1520 is only 20MP compared to 41MP on the 1020. But MP is not everything.... But I already know both of these phones take great pictures.
I am leaning to the 1520 because of the size and great screen and SD card slot.
So what are your thoughts?

 

[Robster3]

I am thinking of trying a Windows Phone. I have had the itch for a while now..... I have a great opportunity to get a great deal either a 1520 or 1020 off contract for less than $300.
So I ask which would you choose? My requirements for any phone are a great camera. I have kids and spend a lot of time outdoors hiking and off roading. Need a great camera. I know the build quality of Nokia phones are topnotch so no issues there. Next it be nice to have a SD card but not mandatory. the size factor is next. The 1520 is a large phone at 6 inches. The 1020 is 4.5 inches.
The camera on the 1520 is only 20MP compared to 41MP on the 1020. But MP is not everything.... But I already know both of these phones take great pictures.
I am leaning to the 1520 because of the size and great screen and SD card slot.
So what are your thoughts?

You sick of the S5 already.

 

[Technarchy]

The 1520 with 8.1 sounds pretty enticing.

 

[jamezr]

The 1520 with 8.1 sounds pretty enticing.

Yeah...I am leaning that way......I wonder what the battery life is like? I have checked some forums and the pictures that thing takes are amazing! Now with 8.1 and Cortana.....it might be time to try WP8.

 

[MRU]

I had the choice... I chose 1520 simply because whilst the camera may not be as high mp, 20 is still beyond most android phones and the rest of the internals in the 1520 are just so much more up to date.

Add wireless charging and a much bigger battery too...

 

[maflynn]

The 1520 is a large phone - that's really the only caveat that I would throw out there.

 

[MRU]

The 1520 is a large phone - that's really the only caveat that I would throw out there.

Agreed. Had the 930 (still not available here till june) been available I would have chosen that myself.

 

[jamezr]

The 1520 is a large phone - that's really the only caveat that I would throw out there.

It is a large phone.....it is slightly larger than a Note 3. I returned my N3 because it was big but i also had a S4 at the time. I never used the stylus on the N3. I have been watching W8P for awhile now and almost got the Icon as you did. I wish the Icon was on AT&T....I closed my Verizon account......
When I did have the N3 i noticed that i hardly ever picked up my iPad. The phone did double duty as a tablet replacement as well. I am hoping the 1520 can do the same. If not i will sell it and get the 1020. I am getting the 1520 at a great price of $275 so i can not pass it up.

 

[jamezr]

The 1520 is a large phone - that's really the only caveat that I would throw out there.

So what has you battery life been like so far on the Icon? Have you tested the camera yet?

 

[maflynn]

So what has you battery life been like so far on the Icon? Have you tested the camera yet?

Once I got my replacement, battery life turned completely around. I easily get all day and by the evening its in the 40s (that's without recharging for the entire day). I use the phone for calls/voice mails/streaming/some games.

I'm very happy with the battery now, as for the camera its good. I'm happy with the results of the camera.

 

[ravipiero]

I was thinking of getting lumia 1520 as my ipad mini (1st gen) replacement. I use my ipad mini mostly to watch movie on bed and some browsing. While with lumia 1520, I can also take it on the go.

Is wp 8.1 really on par with iOS or android right now (except apps)?

 

[MRU]

Is wp 8.1 really on par with iOS or android right now (except apps)?

Yep ... for the most part.

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So what has you battery life been like so far on the Icon? Have you tested the camera yet?

You will love battery life on the 1520. If your not using it as your daily driver you can easily eek out 5 days on 1 charge....

 

[Max(IT)]

I am thinking of trying a Windows Phone. I have had the itch for a while now..... I have a great opportunity to get a great deal either a 1520 or 1020 off contract for less than $300.
So I ask which would you choose? My requirements for any phone are a great camera. I have kids and spend a lot of time outdoors hiking and off roading. Need a great camera. I know the build quality of Nokia phones are topnotch so no issues there. Next it be nice to have a SD card but not mandatory. the size factor is next. The 1520 is a large phone at 6 inches. The 1020 is 4.5 inches.
The camera on the 1520 is only 20MP compared to 41MP on the 1020. But MP is not everything.... But I already know both of these phones take great pictures.
I am leaning to the 1520 because of the size and great screen and SD card slot.
So what are your thoughts?

Well, I'm a WP 8 user sinc a while, but it's not easy to answer your question.
Did you try the 1520 ? It is huge, very huge.
I was close to buy one, but I didn't pull the trigger because I was scared by the idea to carry a 6" device with me all the time.
If you can deal with it, the 1520 is just a fantastic device, and you will discover how good WP 8.1 is.
The 20 Mpixel camera of the Luma phablet is very good, and it is quite faster than the 40 Mpixel shooter of the Lumia 1020.
Hardware wise the Lumia 1520 is a fantastic device, with a gorgeous display, a fast SoC (and in WP you don't even need such a powerful chipset, trust me) and maybe the best battery on the market.
The Lumia 1020 is good, but not at the same level.
It's up to you: could you stand the 1520 dimensions ? Go for it !
Another option could be the Lumia 930/icon ....

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I had the choice... I chose 1520 simply because whilst the camera may not be as high mp, 20 is still beyond most android phones and the rest of the internals in the 1520 are just so much more up to date.

Add wireless charging and a much bigger battery too...

You have wireless charging on both

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It is a large phone.....it is slightly larger than a Note 3. I returned my N3 because it was big but i also had a S4 at the time. I never used the stylus on the N3. I have been watching W8P for awhile now and almost got the Icon as you did. I wish the Icon was on AT&T....I closed my Verizon account......
When I did have the N3 i noticed that i hardly ever picked up my iPad. The phone did double duty as a tablet replacement as well. I am hoping the 1520 can do the same. If not i will sell it and get the 1020. I am getting the 1520 at a great price of $275 so i can not pass it up.

Be advise: the AT&T version of the 1520 is downgraded: only 16 Gb of internal storage and no wireless charging.

 

[MRU]

I think the main thing here for Jamezr is the fantastic $275 price for the 1520....

For that price it's a steal.

If you don't like it you are not going to lose money selling it on again at that price. Colour me jealous, I paid €470 for mine which was still €180 less than the €649 retail price here... That's a shocking $895 !!!!!!

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Be advise: the AT&T version of the 1520 is downgraded: only 16 Gb of internal storage and no wireless charging.

That sucks, thankfully the memory card slot circumvents the storage but the wireless charging is soooo handy.

 

[MRU]

A few odd snaps with the 1520 in 16:9 rather than 4:3 and the smaller sharing size rather than full sized image as they're too big each to attach.

 

[Lloydbm41]

Be advise: the AT&T version of the 1520 is downgraded: only 16 Gb of internal storage and no wireless charging.

I think the main thing here for Jamezr is the fantastic $275 price for the 1520....

For that price it's a steal.

If you don't like it you are not going to lose money selling it on again at that price. Colour me jealous, I paid €470 for mine which was still €180 less than the €649 retail price here... That's a shocking $895 !!!!!!

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That sucks, thankfully the memory card slot circumvents the storage but the wireless charging is soooo handy.

The AT&T version does have wireless charging, but it is via the crappy PMA standard vice Qi. The reason: AT&T is in bed with the other companies trying to use this (Duracell).

 

[jamezr]

A few odd snaps with the 1520 in 16:9 rather than 4:3

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MRU...... You are a very good photographer! Very nice shots! Cute little friend.

 

[Lloydbm41]

MRU...... You are a very good photographer! Very nice shots! Cute little friend.

Pics are good, I'm just more amazed there is sun in the photo's.

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A few odd snaps with the 1520 in 16:9 rather than 4:3 and the smaller sharing size rather than full sized image as they're too big each to attach.

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Which photo app are you using for your pics and which one for sharing? I'm curious, because these look more like 16mp images, vice the standard 5mp compressed images that get saved with the stock photo gallery.

 

[Max(IT)]

The AT&T version does have wireless charging, but it is via the crappy PMA standard vice Qi. The reason: AT&T is in bed with the other companies trying to use this (Duracell).

It's not the same: the international version has INTEGRATED qi wireless charging, the AT&T version need an external adapter (a case) to use a PMA charger.
And I don't know if it is even yet available ....

 

[Menneisyys2]

Of the two, the 1520, despite the superior camera in the 1020.

Or, I'd wait for the next camera flagship of Nokia, which is bound to have an excellent camera with high-specced hardware components.

 

[Lloydbm41]

It's not the same: the international version has INTEGRATED qi wireless charging, the AT&T version need an external adapter (a case) to use a PMA charger.
And I don't know if it is even yet available ....

Hence why I said "crappy pma" and you can't say it doesn't have wireless charging, cause it does have the internal support for it. In fact, you can convert an ATT version to use the Qi backplate from the Int'l version, should you be so inclined.

 

[MRU]

Pics are good, I'm just more amazed there is sun in the photo's.

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Which photo app are you using for your pics and which one for sharing? I'm curious, because these look more like 16mp images, vice the standard 5mp compressed images that get saved with the stock photo gallery.

I just uploaded them from my surface 2 pro and made sure I didn't choose the RAW version tbh. I didn't fully count the pixels.

And you are quite right about the sun


Just checked they are 3072 x 1728 = 5308416 (so 5.3 mp).

 

[jamezr]

I got it! Got the Lumia 1520 from CL today for $275. It came with a case, charger and an extra braided USB cable.... Installed W8P 8.1...but now i have a lot of work to do! It is a big phone but not too big so far.....But man those corners are sharp......
More to come after i get aquatinted with WP8.....can't wait to try Cortana....

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[AppleScruff1]

I got it! Got the Lumia 1520 from CL today for $275. It came with a case, charger and an extra braided USB cable.... Installed W8P 8.1...but now i have a lot of work to do! It is a big phone but not too big so far.....But man those corners are sharp......
More to come after i get aquatinted with WP8.....can't wait to try Cortana....

Congrats! That was a good deal. Let us know your impressions as you play around with it.

 

[Lloydbm41]

I got it! Got the Lumia 1520 from CL today for $275. It came with a case, charger and an extra braided USB cable.... Installed W8P 8.1...but now i have a lot of work to do! It is a big phone but not too big so far.....But man those corners are sharp......
More to come after i get aquatinted with WP8.....can't wait to try Cortana....

Sweet! Congrats. There are plenty of nice TPU cases that will take care of those sharp corners.

I bought mine off of the WPCentral website for $14.95

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I just uploaded them from my surface 2 pro and made sure I didn't choose the RAW version tbh. I didn't fully count the pixels.

And you are quite right about the sun


Just checked they are 3072 x 1728 = 5308416 (so 5.3 mp).

They look better than the 5 mp. Must be the photographer taking quality pics.