From Lumia 520 to the Lumia 1520, which Windows Phone powered Nokia device is best for you?

If you are looking to make the switch to Windows Phone or simply confused by all the Nokia Lumia choices out there, have no fear. There are quite a few options out there for those interested in purchasing a brand new Nokia Lumia Windows Phone device. Ranging from the Lumia 520, all the way up to the Lumia 1520, which of these Windows Phone devices are the best for you?

Nokia launched its line of smartphones called ‘Lumia’ running Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform, first introduced back in November of 2011. These Lumia smartphones were the result of a partnership between Nokia and Microsoft, and aimed to challenge Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android dominated smartphone market.

Thanks to the Nokia Lumia line of smartphones, Microsoft can proudly tout Windows Phone as the third-place platform, behind iOS and Android. Sure, Windows Phone is on other devices, but Nokia makes up for the majority of Windows Phone devices out in the market today.

Nokia Lumia Windows Phone devices all range from a wide variety of specs, color options, and price points. Available on three of the biggest carriers in the United States – Verizon, ATT, and T-Mobile – choosing the right Lumia device may be a daunting task for some. Lets explore some of these handsets and see which one is the right choice for you.

Nokia Lumia 520, 521, 525

First off, we have the Nokia Lumia 520. Touted as the most popular Windows Phone device ever, the Nokia Lumia 520 is by far the most affordable choice out there. We recently did a piece on this device called Nokia Lumia 520: Exploring the world’s most popular Windows Phone device ever and we suggest taking at look at it if you haven’t already.

The Nokia Lumia 520 is a 4-inch handset (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 5MP camera, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage and a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4​ 1GHz dual-core processor. This device features 3G connectivity. If you want the same specs, but with 4G connectivity, the Lumia 521 is your phone. The Lumia 525, on the other hand, is similar to the 520 and 521 except that it features 1GB of RAM.

These devices pack basic power and functionality with a cheap price tag. Perfect as a secondary device or a backup device.

Nokia Lumia 620, 625

The Nokia Lumia 620 is a Windows Phone 8 smartphone which features a 3.8-inch display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Plus processor with 1Ghz dual-core CPUs, a 5MP rear camera, and 8GB of internal storage. Unlike the Lumia 520, the 620 features a front-facing camera. The Lumia 625, on the other hand, features the same specs as the Lumia 620 except for a larger 4.7-inch display and a slightly bumped 1.2Ghz CPU.

Nokia Lumia 720

The Nokia Lumia 720 is a SIM-free device which you can snag from online retail outlets such as Amazon.com and comes packed with a 4.3-inch WVGA (800 x 480) IPS LCD. The device also features a Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Plus processor with 1Ghz dual-core CPUs, 512MB RAM, 8GB storage space, and a 6.7MP camera.

Nokia Lumia 810, 820, 822

The Nokia Lumia 810 features a 4.3-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, with a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and an 8MP camera. The Lumia 820 features a 4.3-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage, and a slightly better 8.7 MP camera.

The Lumia 822, available on Verizon, features a 4.3-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, with a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and an 8MP camera.

Nokia Lumia 920, 925, 928, 929*

The Nokia Lumia 920 is an AT&T Windows Phone device that features a 4.5-inch WXGA (1280 x 768) IPS LCD display, with a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, 32GB of storage, and an 8.7MP Pureview camera. The Lumia 925, on the other hand, is newer with an Amoled display, rather than an IPS LCD display. Having roughly the same specs as the Lumia 920, the Lumia 925 is simply lighter and thinner.

The Lumia 928, which is available via Verizon, features the same specs as the Lumia 920. The Lumia 928 sets itself apart by having both a Xenon and LED flash on the rear camera, along with a trio of mics for noise cancelation and distortion-free recording.

Verizon is also rumored to be receiving the Lumia 929 (also known as the Lumia ICON), which features a 5-inch 1080p display, 2.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage space, and a 20MP camera.

Nokia Lumia 1020, 1320, 1520

The Lumia 1020 is known for its 41MP camera with Xenon flash. Other specs include a 4.5-inch screen with 334 ppi and WXGA (1280 x 768) resolution, dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 2GB RAM, and 32GB of storage.

The Lumia 1320 is a lower-cost sibling of the 6-inch Lumia 1520 and features a 6-inch 720p screen, a 5MP camera, dual-core 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, and 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded to 64GB. There is also a 5MP camera.

The Lumia 1520, on the other hand, is the current flagship Windows Phone device in the market with a gigantic 6-inch display sporting a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels with 367 ppi density. Under the hood, the phablet is powered by the monstrous Snapdragon 800 SoC clocked at 2.2GHz with Adreno 330 GPU and 2 GB of RAM. The device also features 16GB of storage space and a 20MP camera.

Available Where?

Verizon: Lumia 928, Lumia ICON

Lumia 928, Lumia ICON AT&T: Lumia 920, Lumia 925, Lumia 1020, Lumia 1520

Lumia 920, Lumia 925, Lumia 1020, Lumia 1520 Sprint: Does not carry Nokia Lumia devices.

Does not carry Nokia Lumia devices. T-Mobile: Lumia 521, Lumia 925

Comparing the camera and resolution

Lumia 520, 521, 525: 4-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 5MP camera

4-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 5MP camera Lumia 620: 3.8-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 5MP camera

3.8-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 5MP camera Lumia 625: 4.7-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 5MP camera

4.7-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 5MP camera Lumia 720: 4.3-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 6.7MP camera

4.3-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with a 6.7MP camera Lumia 810, 822: 4.3-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with an 8MP camera

4.3-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with an 8MP camera Lumia 820: 4.3-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with an 8.7MP camera

4.3-inch display (WVGA 800 x 480) with an 8.7MP camera Lumia 920, 925, 928: 4.5-inch display (WXGA 1280 x 768) with an 8.7MP camera

4.5-inch display (WXGA 1280 x 768) with an 8.7MP camera Lumia ICON: 5-inch display (Full HD 1920 x 1080) with a 20MP camera

5-inch display (Full HD 1920 x 1080) with a 20MP camera Lumia 1020: 4.5-inch display (WXGA 1280 x 768) with a 41MP camera

4.5-inch display (WXGA 1280 x 768) with a 41MP camera Lumia 1320: 6-inch display (HD720 1280 x 720) with a 5MP camera

6-inch display (HD720 1280 x 720) with a 5MP camera Lumia 1520: 6-inch display (Full HD 1920 x 1080) with a 21MP camera

So as you can see, there are a wide variety of Nokia Lumia Windows Phone devices available for selection. If you are in the United States, AT&T has a wider selection of Lumia devices, including the higher end Lumia 1520. Those of you on Verizon will have to wait for the Lumia ICON to be released, otherwise settle for the Lumia 928. Sprint, for now, does not have any Nokia Lumia devices available for purchase, but you can use an unlocked Windows Phone device on the network.

As for carriers outside of the United States, let us know in the comments below which Nokia Lumia device you are able to choose from and the name of the carrier.

So which one of these devices are best for you? If you are looking for something simple and basic in functionality, snag the Lumia 521 which comes with 4G connectivity. A great midrange device would be any device in the 9xx range for those wishing to have a balance between power and price. For those of you who want a larger screen device and a powerhouse device without worrying about price, grab the 6-inch Lumia 1520.

Which Nokia Lumia device do you currently own and on what carrier? Are you currently looking to make the switch to a newer Lumia device? Let us know in the comments below. If we missed or fudged any details, let us know in the comments as well so we can fix it!

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