Know your Lumias with our full guide to the biggest and best Nokia Lumia handsets, and work out which of these smart Windows phones you should buy.
Nokia’s Lumia range consistently impresses us, offering unique features and great value for money, and even the cheaper handsets still boast colourful, distinctive designs that really stand out. If you’re tempted by a Windows Phone 8.1 mobile, with the slick and user-friendly tile interface, then a Nokia Lumia is your best bet.
The only problem is choice: from the bargainous Lumia 520 up to the powerhouse phablet Lumia 1520, there are dozens of Lumia mobiles to choose from, each with their own unique strengths. So, if you want to hop on the Windows Phone wagon right now, which Nokia Lumia phone is best for you?
Best for those on a budget: Lumia 520 (£75 PAYG) or Lumia 620 (£115 PAYG)
If all you want is a dependable little mobile that can email, browse the web and maybe run the occasional app, there’s no need to look beyond the excellent Lumia 620. You’ll get the full Windows Phone experience, complete with Nokia’s excellent add-ons (the Here suite of apps is perfect for urban explorers), and a commendable 3.8-inch screen that’s bright and vibrant for a budget device.
Expandable storage and NFC support are both surprise inclusions that add further value for money. Sadly the camera isn’t great, and there’s no 4G LTE support – for that you’ll need to upgrade to the Lumia 625 (below).
If you really can’t push towards the £100 price mark, don’t fret – the Lumia 520 has you covered. At just £75, this baby four-incher offers tremendous value for money. You still get the full set of Nokia features, presented on a surprisingly crisp screen, and although you won’t be able to run more demanding apps, the Lumia 520 does the basics remarkably well. We suspect most people won’t miss the slashed NFC support, although the camera does take a hit, with no on-board flash.
Best for cheapy 4G: Lumia 625 (£149 PAYG)
At just £149, the 4.7-inch Lumia 625 is the most affordable 4G LTE handset around. That doesn’t mean it’s cheap and cheerful, though – you get solid battery life and a dependable five-megapixel snapper, plus a dual-core processor that can handle all but the beefiest apps.
The only disappointing area is screen resolution. The display is bright and quite colourful, but the 480 x 800 resolution means images aren’t as crisp as we’d like. The Lumia 520 and 620 got away with the same specs, but only because their screens were significantly smaller.
Best for budding photographers: Lumia 1020 (£549 PAYG)
Nokia’s Lumia 1020 is one of the best cameraphones out there, thanks to its smart 41-megapixel optics and a great set of manual controls, which let you fiddle with your shot until it’s just right. Some thoughtful guides help noobs to learn the different modes, and a powerful Xenon flash handles darker scenes. You can even buy a camera shell attachment which makes the Lumia 1020 more comfortable to grip, and adds an extra battery – although you should already get a full day per charge.
The phone itself rocks a surprisingly slim and solid design, easy to carry around and wield, as well as a crisp and colourful 4.5-inch screen for viewing back your photos. It’s a solid all-rounder, not just a one-trick pony.
Best for movie lovers and creative bods: Lumia 1520 (£529 PAYG)
If you’re after a spacious screen to enjoy video on your commute, check out Nokia’s Lumia 1520. This six-inch phablet is a beast that most pockets would struggle to contain, but the 1080p display is like cocaine for your eyeballs – we just couldn’t stop watching HD films, and revelling in the sharp, vibrant visuals. The Lumia 1520 is also one of the beefiest Windows Phone devices, thanks to its quad-core processor.
Also bear in mind Nokia’s new tablet, the Lumia 2520, which offers a strong ten-inch display for enjoying movies and playing around with creative apps.
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