Nokia Lumia 1520 review: a worthy alternative to Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Nokia's new Lumia 1520, with a 6-inch display, is the brand's first foray into the phablet segment. So, how did it size up?

The Nokia Lumia 1520 offers a large screen and powerful camera but the tile system may not be to everyone's taste. Courtesy Nokia
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Nokia’s new Lumia 1520 is the manufacturer’s first foray into the clunkily named phablet segment, aimed at the smartphone user who prefers a larger screen to give a more tablet-like experience.

To that end, the “phone” packs a whopping 6-inch Full HD Super Amoled screen, giving it an edge over the 5.7 inch screen of the bestselling Galaxy Note 3. If you’re wondering what Full HD Super Amoled means, it means that images and videos look amazing.

Nokia has put a lot of effort into its cameras as a means of competing with the likes of Samsung and Apple, and the 1520 is no exception.

It doesn’t have the jaw-dropping 41 megapixels of its cousin the 1020, but it still sports an impressive 20MP with a Carl Zeiss lens, producing high quality photos and videos. And on the plus side, it doesn’t have the 1020’s bulging lens, which some have found awkward.

So far so good. But two things may give you pause before splashing out. First, as with all phablets size matters. A large phone will be great for some, but not for everyone. See how it fits in the hand before you part with your well-earned dirhams.

Secondly, although the tile-centred layout of the phone is neat, the Windows Phone operating environment is not going to please everyone. More than anything, the range of apps available in the Windows Marketplace, still trails far behind that of Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

It's worth stressing however that the disparity in the number of available apps is not going to be a deal breaker for everyone. The range of apps available via Windows is growing all the time, with popular favourites such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, Angry Birds and others readily available.

If you’re after the widest range of cutting edge apps then perhaps the 1520 (or any Windows Phone for that matter) probably isn’t for you. If however you’re happy with a few old favourites, and tiles, a large screen and a decent (non-bulging) camera are your thing, the 1520 is definitely worth a look.

The phone sells for Dh2,599 in both Sharaf DG and Axiom Telecom.

Q&A

What is a phablet? It sounds silly.

It’s a device that offers you the best of a tablet and a phone in one handy device.

A phone that’s too big and a tablet that’s too small. Surely people aren’t going to go for that?

Actually, quite a lot of people seem to like the phablet. Samsung’s most recent flagship phablet, the Galaxy Note 3, first unveiled last September, sold a whopping 10 million units in its first two months.

Wow. So what does it feel like to use your phone as a tablet?

Very good actually. The Lumia 1520’s large screen is great for watching videos, playing games and reading long articles, providing a welcome change from squinting at my relatively small iPhone screen.

Sounds good. What does it feel like using a tablet as a phone?

The jury’s out. It fits well in the pocket, but making a call with a large yellow rectangle next to your ear can feel silly. The Lumia comes in yellow, white, red and black.

Seems people don't mind looking silly with their phones.

What’s probably more relevant is the messaging experience. While bashing out a message with both hands is fine, walking down the street texting with one hand with a coffee (or a bunch of flowers) in the other is a bit more of a precarious experience.

Sounds like you don’t have a problem looking silly with your phone either.

Bottom line is, have a play with it in the shop and see if it’s comfortable for you.

jeverington@thenational.ae

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