Nokia Lumia 520

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Reviews for the Nokia Lumia 520

80% Nokia Lumia 520 review
Source: Expert Reviews Archive.org version
If you can stretch your budget a little further, though, the Lumia 630 is much better value, as you not only get an awful lot more for your money, including a more pleasing design, but a much better screen and an even better battery life. At £87 SIM-free or £60 on O2 Pay & Go, we think it's worth the extra expense.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 04/14/2015
Rating: Total score: 80%

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 520 comparison review: why the new Windows Phone is worse than the old one
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
It’s too early to give a definitive verdict on which smartphone is better, but it’s almost certainly not worth buying a 530 if you already have a 520. We’ll bring you a full review of the 530 when we can get our hands on one, and we’ll update this comparison review as well.
Comparison, online available, Very Short, Date: 08/19/2014

Nokia Lumia 520
Source: Hardware Secrets Archive.org version
The Nokia Lumia 520 is the cheapest Windows Phone 8 smartphone available on the market today. However, don’t expect a low-quality phone, with a slow processor, poor camera, etc. The device is agile and you will feel like using a mainstream phone, not a cheap one.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/28/2014

Nokia Lumia 520 review - a cheap Windows Phone 8 smartphone with a lot to offer
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
Lumia 520 vs Motorola Moto E comparison review: best cheap smartphones you can buy in the UK in 2014 There is little to choose between the Moto E and the Lumia 520. Indeed, the chief thing to note is that these are both great handsets at a remarkably low price. The Lumia 520 is thinner and lighter, and comes in multiple colours. The Moto E is marginally cheaper and more powerful. And it has a bigger, better display. You will make your own choice, but for us the combination of that display and the greater flexibility of Android makes us choose the Moto E.
Comparison, online available, Short, Date: 06/02/2014

Lumia 520 is a great way to spend £100 - Lumia 520 video review
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
The Nokia Lumia 520 fits comfortably in the hands. Rounded corners and sides help you to easily operate it in a single hand. Even with a removable rear panel it doesn't creak or flex under pressure, although the build is a touch plasticky and you'll be constantly wiping away greasy fingerprints. It is solid, and you won't need a case to prevent scratches, however.
video review
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 03/04/2014

80% Lumia 520 review: budget smartphone offers good features and build for less than £100
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
An ideal first smartphone for those who are willing to part with only £100 or less, the Lumia 520 is a well built inexpensive handset with all the features you need. Indeed, at this price you could consider it a second phone: a robust backup for those times when you don't want to risk your hugely expensive main phone, but you need to be able to contact and interact with the world.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 02/26/2014
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 90% performance: 70% features: 60% workmanship: 80%

80% Nokia Lumia 520 review
Source: Stuff TV Archive.org version
Everything about this smartphone - screen, camera, battery life - is just about good enough to raise it above the usual cheap suspects. And with Nokia’s ace apps and colourful back covers, there are a few added extras that help to explain how the 520 has bagged so many fans around the globe. That said, if Android can get a look-in (which it should), we’re sticking with the Moto G as our afford-a-phone of choice. It’s still the benchmark for budget smartphones and manages to make capable kit such as the Lumia 520 look second best.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 02/13/2014
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 60% display: 70% workmanship: 70%

80% Nokia Lumia 520 review: an affordable and stylish Windows Phone 8 device
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
If you're looking for a cheap smartphone, you may have just found it. The Nokia Lumia 520 doesn't tick all the boxes on our features wishlist, but it capably handles those that are most important. Windows Phone 8 is a beautiful operating system, but it still lacks apps. If you can get past this and don't mind sacrificing some performance and connectivity, the Lumia 520 is a strong budget buy.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/18/2013
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 90% performance: 60% features: 60% workmanship: 80%

iPhone 5c vs Nokia Lumia 520 comparison review: which colourful smartphone is better?
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
The iPhone 5c is Apple's 'budget' phone, but there looks to be very little budget about it (even the price), so comparing it to the Nokia Lumia 520 is a bit unfair as that genuinely is a budget smartphone. The iPhone 5c will obviously be the better smartphone, but its price holds it back a little.
Comparison, online available, Short, Date: 09/18/2013

90% Nokia Lumia 520 review
Source: Techradar Archive.org version
The Nokia Lumia 520, much like its big brother the Nokia Lumia 620, is a jack of all trades and a master of none - although manages to make a good fist of nearly all it tries, for the price. Budding photographers might find the lack of a flash prohibitive and if you're a power user you might want to consider the Huawei Ascend W1 for its superior battery life, but for everyone else the Nokia Lumia 520 comes heartily recommended.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 07/18/2013
Rating: Total score: 90%

80% Nokia Lumia 520 Review
Source: Think Digit Archive.org version
This is the cheapest Windows Phone 8 device you can buy at the moment, a mobile platform that Microsoft has promised to support at least for the next two years. The phone is incredibly well priced at Rs. 10,499 and should attract many of those looking to buy their first smartphones, or students who may be on a tight budget. However, just because the phone is cheap, does that mean it can't live up to our expectations? We find out.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 07/18/2013
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 80% performance: 80% features: 70% workmanship: 80%

80% Nokia Lumia 520 review: a very popular budget Window Phone 8 device
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
If you're looking for a cheap smartphone, you may have just found it. The Nokia Lumia 520 doesn't tick all the boxes on our features wishlist, but it capably handles those that are most important. Windows Phone 8 is a beautiful operating system, but it still lacks apps. If you can get past this and don't mind sacrificing some performance and connectivity, the Lumia 520 is a strong budget buy.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 07/17/2013
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 90% performance: 60% features: 60% workmanship: 80%

80% Nokia Lumia 520 review
Source: Pocket Lint Archive.org version
The Nokia Lumia 520 is a great little smartphone. It delivers what Nokia is known for, with good design and build quality, despite the affordable price point. A few hardware shortcuts have been made, knocking out the flash, front camera and NFC, for example, which the slightly more expensive Lumia 620 offers. But at this price there's little to criticise. It's a competent smartphone, delivering the Windows Phone 8 experience aptly, so if you're in the market for a smartphone that won't cost the earth, it's well worthy of consideration. If you have a few pounds more, however, then it's worth looking at the Lumia 620 too.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 05/23/2013
Rating: Total score: 80%

80% Nokia Lumia 520 review - a cheap Windows Phone 8 smartphone with a lot to offer
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
If you're looking for a cheap smartphone, you may have just found it. The Nokia Lumia 520 doesn't tick all the boxes on our features wishlist, but it capably handles those that are most important. Windows Phone 8 is a beautiful operating system, but it still lacks apps. If you can get past this and don't mind sacrificing some performance and connectivity, the Lumia 520 is a strong budget buy.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 05/03/2013
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 90% performance: 60% features: 60% workmanship: 80%

Foreign Reviews

Preisbewusst – Günstiges 4-Zoll-Smartphone für Windows-Einsteiger
Source: Notebookjournal DE→EN Archive.org version
Positive: good price-performance ratio; good stability; practical device
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 06/20/2013

Windows Phone 8-Handy für 150 Euro
Source: Netzwelt DE→EN Archive.org version
Positive: good workmanship; colorful design; respectable configuration; multiple Nokia services available
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 06/13/2013

Comment

Qualcomm Adreno 305: Integrated mid-range graphics card in the Snapdragon 400 and S4 Plus SoCs that supports OpenGL ES 3.0 and features unified shaders.

These graphics cards are not suited for Windows 3D games. Office and Internet surfing however is possible.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

S4 Plus MSM8227: Mid-range, 28nm Dual Core SoC clocked at 1.0 Ghz for Smartphones.» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.

4.00":

» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.

Nokia: Nokia is a Finnish company founded in 1865 and headquartered in Finland. The company is known for its telecommunications equipment and cell phones. Nokia was one of the leading manufacturers of cell phones in the 1990s and has expanded its business into networking and technology solutions in recent years. 

In 2011, Nokia partnered with Microsoft on Windows-based cell phones and sold the entire cell phone division to Microsoft in 2014, which limited the Nokia brand name to basic cell phones. In 2016, Finnish electronics manufacturer HMD Global entered into a licensing agreement with Nokia, bought the remaining Nokia name rights from Microsoft Mobile, and since 2017 has exclusively offered Nokia cell phones worldwide, which are based on Android, among other things, and are produced by Foxconn.

81.7%: This rating is slightly above average, there are somewhat more devices with worse ratings. However, clear purchase recommendations look different.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

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