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Nokia Lumia 735 Smartphone Review

Great for selfies. Microsoft's Lumia 735 is a good middle-class smartphone with decent cameras on both sides and a comprehensive set of features. The bold colors, which are common for the Lumia-series, make quite a statement as well.

For the original German review, see here.

Microsoft describes their Nokia Lumia 735 - which debuted at the IFA 2014 - as a smartphones for selfies. The phone, which is equipped with a HD-AMOLED display, LTE, and a quad-core processor, appeals with both the design as well as a 5 MP front-facing camera. The 8 GB of flash storage can be expanded with a MicroSD card. Initially offered at an MSRP of 299 Euro (~$340), the price has dropped since and the phone now sells for around 250 Euro (~$285). The Lumia 730 with dual SIM card slots but without LTE retails for about 50 Euro (~$57) less.

Despite the slightly higher price tag, the Lumia 735 competes with the Motorola Moto G (200 Euro / ~$230), the HTC Desire 610 (200 Euro / ~$230), Wiko Highway (285 Euro / ~$335), and the Asus Zenfone 5 (270 Euro / $310).

Case

Cable-less charging (Qi standard) is possible as well.
Cable-less charging (Qi standard) is possible as well.

The Nokia Lumia 735 looks a lot like the Lumia 920, although it appears slimmer visually. The case is made entirely from colored polycarbonate and the phone is available in green, orange, white, and black. 

Construction is solid and neither pressure nor torsional forces have much of an impact. We did notice some very minor friction noises during our twisting attempts, but hearing them requires a very keen ear. Because of the rounded corners, the Lumia 735 is easy to hold and it's pretty resistant to finger prints as well.

After taking off the plastic back, which is easy to remove, the user has access to the swappable battery, the MicroSD, and the Nano-SIM slot. The sibling Lumia 730 features almost identical construction, but has two SIM slots which don't support LTE.

148.2 mm / 5.83 inch 72.8 mm / 2.87 inch 10.34 mm / 0.4071 inch 145 g0.3197 lbs141.5 mm / 5.57 inch 70.7 mm / 2.78 inch 11 mm / 0.4331 inch 150 g0.3307 lbs142.6 mm / 5.61 inch 69.54 mm / 2.74 inch 9.66 mm / 0.3803 inch 143 g0.3153 lbs144 mm / 5.67 inch 70 mm / 2.76 inch 7 mm / 0.2756 inch 154 g0.3395 lbs134.7 mm / 5.3 inch 68.5 mm / 2.7 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 134 g0.2954 lbs130.3 mm / 5.13 inch 70.8 mm / 2.79 inch 10.7 mm / 0.4213 inch 185 g0.4079 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The Micro-USB 2.0 port is only used to charge the smartphone and to transfer data, as neither MHL (for transferring video and audio) nor OTG (for connecting peripherals) are supported. Both DLNA and Miracast are available tough to allow the transfer of videos or for streaming purposes.

The MicroSD card slot supports up to 128 GB. Windows Phone 8.1 allows the user to install apps directly onto the SD card or to move existing apps from the internal storage after the fact.

Top: audio
Top: audio
Left side: no connectivity
Left side: no connectivity
Bottom: Micro-USB
Bottom: Micro-USB
Right side: volume control, power
Right side: volume control, power
Netflix users need to wait for a firmware update.
Netflix users need to wait for a firmware update.

Software

The Nokia Lumia 735 features Microsoft's own Windows Phone 8.1 (update 1) with Lumia Denim. The Lumia 830 is nearly identical in that regard, so we recommending reading that review for more information. Voice support via the personal assistant Cortana - a feature of the Lumia 535 - is not available in Europa yet, although an update is supposed to rectify that in the near future.

We didn't run into major issues during the review period. Some Windows phones with the Denim update can't play videos when using the Netflix application - our review phone was affected as well. According to Netflix (as of December 2014), Microsoft is working on a firmware update to correct the problem.

Communication & GPS 

 The WLAN module supports IEEE 802.11 standards b/g/n and thus can only transmit and receive using the 2.4 GHz band. The reception is good at distance and even 20 meters away from our router (Fritz!Box 6360), we still had average signal strength. Webpages load fairly quickly after an initial brief delay.

The Lumia 735 supports HSPA+ (max. 42 MBit/s) as well as LTE Cat. 4 (max. 150 MBit/s) to provide mobile data connectivity. Most European frequencies are covered, although globetrotters might discover that not all are supported.

NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 are on board as well. The latter works well without major issues, although we did notice very minor background hiss during audio transmissions. 

To establish the location, the smartphone can make use of both GPS and Glonass. Satellite acquisition happens quite quickly even when the user is inside; outdoors the connectivity was more or less instantaneous.

 In order to get an idea of just how accurate the GPS is, we've compared the Lumia 735 against the outdoor navigation device Garmin eTrex 30. The differences between the two is fairly minimal and during difficult conditions (like in the marina), the smartphone is actually more accurate. Overall, a very good result.

Garmin eTrex 30
Garmin eTrex 30
Garmin eTrex 30
Garmin eTrex 30
Garmin eTrex 30
Garmin eTrex 30
Nokia Lumia 735
Nokia Lumia 735
Nokia Lumia 735
Nokia Lumia 735
Nokia Lumia 735
Nokia Lumia 735

Telephone & Voice Quality

The voice transmission quality is very good. Our conversation partner had no issues understanding us no matter if we used the smartphone in conventional fashion or while using the speakerphone. We did notice, however, that we were able to understand our conversation partner better if we used the speakerphone, as the Lumia 735 sounded a bit muffled propped up against our ear.

Photo taken with the front-facing camera
Photo taken with the front-facing camera

Cameras

Microsoft calls the Lumia 735 a "Smartphone for selfies". The phone is equipped with a 5 MP (2592 x 1936 Pixel) front-facing camera with a 24 mm wide-angle lens and an aperture of f/2.4. Unfortunately, autofocus is not supported. The camera takes decent photos, although we noticed a decrease in sharpness towards the edges. The colors are vivid, but don't seem unnatural. For selfies in a social-media environment, the quality is definitely sufficient. The application Lumia Selfie allows the user to retouch the photos as he or she see fit.

The main camera has 6.7 MP and not only sports a higher resolution of 2848 x 2144 pixels, but also supports autofocus. The aperture is quite large at f/1.9 and the focal length is 26 mm. An LED flash is integrated as well. The resulting photos are noticeably sharper and look better around the edges as well. The colors are decent but could be slightly more vivid at times. Lower light results in somewhat hazy pictures and a loss of details.

Both cameras support Full-HD video (H.264, 30 fps). The main camera does particularly well here with very good-looking results. Annoying at times are the occasional push effects.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

Accessories

The Nokia Lumia 735 doesn't come with a lot of accessories and only the power adapter (3.75 watts / 5 V, 0.75 A) is included in the box. The cable is integrated into the adapter, so the user needs to purchase an additional USB cable if a connection to a PC is required for data transfers. No headset is included, either.

Microsoft offers various optional accessories like external batteries, charging cradles, headphones, as well as a replacement back cover for 20 Euro (~$23).

Warranty

In Germany, Microsoft offers a 24-month warranty, which can not be extended.

Input Devices & Operation

The capacitive touchscreen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which allows the fingers to glide easily. Inputs are recognized quickly and accurately. Should minor delays occur, they can most likely be attributed to the overall system speed.

The virtual keyboard hasn't been changed at all. In portrait mode, one-handed use is possible; users with smaller hands have to use both hands, since Microsoft doesn't offer any features to make the input easier. The available space isn't utilized very well in landscape mode and there's definitely room for improvement in that regard. The onscreen keyboards can be displayed or hidden with a simple swipe gesture. The physical buttons feature short travel and a clear click-point, but are a little stiff and thus are not that easy to depress.

Portrait mode
Portrait mode
Landscape mode
Landscape mode

Display

The Lumia 735 comes with a sharp OLED display.
The Lumia 735 comes with a sharp OLED display.

The 4.7-inch AMOLED display has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and a corresponding ratio of 16:9 with a pixel density of 313 ppi. The resolution is sufficiently high; the display is sharp and even smaller text remains readable.

The maximum brightness of 305 cd/m² is not outstanding for a modern AMOLED display, but still quite good. The brightness distribution is very even as well. The competitors come with IPS displays, which need to be brighter since they have less contrast.

305
cd/m²
292
cd/m²
286
cd/m²
303
cd/m²
291
cd/m²
284
cd/m²
301
cd/m²
291
cd/m²
284
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 305 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 293 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 291 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.04 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.87 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.49
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 8 GB SSD
HTC Desire 610
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 8 GB SSD
Wiko Highway
Mali-450 MP4, MT6592, 16 GB iNAND Flash
Asus Zenfone 5
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Screen
-2%
-26%
-5%
9%
Brightness middle
291
349
20%
339
16%
376
29%
389
34%
Brightness
293
348
19%
321
10%
376
28%
375
28%
Brightness Distribution
93
96
3%
91
-2%
88
-5%
88
-5%
Black Level *
0.4
0.55
0.47
0.58
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.04
3.74
7%
5.98
-48%
6.07
-50%
4.22
-4%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.87
4.52
-57%
5.95
-107%
3.6
-25%
3.08
-7%
Gamma
2.49 88%
2.63 84%
2.51 88%
2.35 94%
2.57 86%
CCT
6432 101%
7336 89%
7398 88%
6985 93%
6840 95%
Contrast
873
616
800
671

* ... smaller is better

The optimized settings lead to a accurate colors.
The optimized settings lead to a accurate colors.

Because of the AMOLED display technology, contrast and black value are absolutely outstanding. Black is as dark as it can be and the contrast ratio approaches infinite. None of the competing smartphones utilize the same technology, so they have no chance of posting similar results.

OLED screens are known to display colors too vividly and the display of the review smartphone does this as well - at least at the default settings. Some of the color deviations reach DeltaE values of 30, which is substantial. The Nokia Lumia does a good job as far as color accuracy and graylevels are concerned. The settings can be adjusted in the color profile, which leads to a much more realistic output. Users who prefer natural colors should check out our optimized settings (see screenshot), which give lead to the most satisfying experience in our opinion. The DeltaE-deviations for saturation drop to below 5 and the other results are improved as well. The panel is now very accurate and clearly outclasses the competition.

Graylevels (adjusted, sRGB)
Graylevels (adjusted, sRGB)
Color accuracy (adjusted, sRGB)
Color accuracy (adjusted, sRGB)
Saturation (adjusted, sRGB)
Saturation (adjusted, sRGB)
ColorChecker (adjusted, sRGB)
ColorChecker (adjusted, sRGB)
ColorChecker (adjusted, Adobe RGB)
ColorChecker (adjusted, Adobe RGB)
Graylevels (standard, sRGB)
Graylevels (standard, sRGB)
Color accuracy (standard, sRGB)
Color accuracy (standard, sRGB)
Saturation (standard, sRGB)
Saturation (standard, sRGB)
ColorChecker (standard, sRGB)
ColorChecker (standard, sRGB)
ColorChecker (standard, Adobe RGB)
ColorChecker (standard, Adobe RGB)

The Lumia 735 is quite usable outside. Although the contrast ratio is great and the brightness adequate, the curved glass makes it difficult to decipher the display content and more shallow angles. Normal viewing is possible without any problems. We couldn't check the special algorithm for outside use, since we didn't have sufficient sunlight and artificial light wouldn't trigger it.

The display is highly reflective.
The display is highly reflective.
Readability is good at more vertical angles.
Readability is good at more vertical angles.

Thanks to the AMOLED technology, the viewing angle stability is very good. At no point we encountered color changes and even the loss of brightness is negligible. In brighter environments, the reflective display can be an issue at times.

Viewing angle stability Nokia Lumia 735
Viewing angle stability Nokia Lumia 735

Performance

The Nokia Lumia 735 is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8926 and 1 GB of RAM. An integrated Adreno 305 handles the graphic duties. This means that the review smartphone features the same hardware as the more expensive Lumia 830. The perceived system performance is very snappy and we encountered lag only occasionally.

The lack of benchmark titles in the Windows Store doesn't make it easy to compare the phone to others. As always, Android-equipped are a bit faster, especially when it comes to GFXBench. We should mention here though that the two operating systems use different interfaces: Windows phone uses DirectX; Android OpenGL.

Internet Explorer 11 Mobile generally does not as well as the competition when it comes to the browser benchmarks, although the browser is faster in some sub-categories. Subjectively, the phone does well and web surfing with the Lumia 735 is quick and fluent.

The Lumia smartphones are known for their fast flash storage and the 735 is no different, as a glance at Basemark OS II clearly shows. 8 GB of storage might appear to be sufficient at first, but only 2.9 GB are available to the user after the initial system start. At least it's possible to expand the storage using MicroSD cards (up to 128 GB). Since Windows Phone makes it easy to manage storage, this is definitely an added value.

Linpack Android / IOS
Single Thread (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
59.7 MFLOPS
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
77 MFLOPS +29%
Wiko Highway
142.8 MFLOPS +139%
Asus Zenfone 5
61.8 MFLOPS +4%
Multi Thread (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
238.6 MFLOPS
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
190 MFLOPS -20%
Wiko Highway
277.4 MFLOPS +16%
Asus Zenfone 5
155.7 MFLOPS -35%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
460 Points
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
525 Points +14%
System (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
608 Points
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
766 Points +26%
Memory (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
765 Points
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
350 Points -54%
Graphics (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
235 Points
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
403 Points +71%
Web (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
409 Points
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
702 Points +72%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
4.2 fps
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
5.8 fps +38%
HTC Desire 610
5.9 fps +40%
Wiko Highway
10.6 fps +152%
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
7.7 fps
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
10.8 fps +40%
HTC Desire 610
15.2 fps +97%
Wiko Highway
9.6 fps +25%
WebXPRT 2013
Overall (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
138 Points
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
175 Points +27%
HTC Desire 610
114 Points -17%
Wiko Highway
281 Points +104%
Asus Zenfone 5
167 Points +21%
Photo Effects (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
2039 ms *
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
1497 ms * +27%
HTC Desire 610
2061 ms * -1%
Wiko Highway
2320 ms * -14%
Asus Zenfone 5
1634 ms * +20%
Face Detection (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
5840 ms *
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
3355 ms * +43%
HTC Desire 610
12024 ms * -106%
Wiko Highway
1100 ms * +81%
Asus Zenfone 5
3375 ms * +42%
Stocks Dashboard (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
2495 ms *
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
2614 ms * -5%
HTC Desire 610
2215 ms * +11%
Wiko Highway
1482 ms * +41%
Asus Zenfone 5
2642 ms * -6%
Offline Notes (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
2795 ms *
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
2427 ms * +13%
HTC Desire 610
3191 ms * -14%
Wiko Highway
1264 ms * +55%
Asus Zenfone 5
2648 ms * +5%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
1247 ms *
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
1406 ms * -13%
HTC Desire 610
1224 ms * +2%
Wiko Highway
904 ms * +28%
Asus Zenfone 5
1684 ms * -35%
Google V8 Ver. 7 - Google V8 Ver. 7 Score (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
1137 Points
Asus Zenfone 5
2188 Points +92%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Nokia Lumia 735
297 Points
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
515 Points +73%
HTC Desire 610
696 Points +134%
Wiko Highway
675 Points +127%

Legend

 
Nokia Lumia 735 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8926, Qualcomm Adreno 305, 8 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8226, Qualcomm Adreno 305, 8 GB SSD
 
HTC Desire 610 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8226, Qualcomm Adreno 305, 8 GB SSD
 
Wiko Highway Mediatek MT6592, ARM Mali-450 MP4, 16 GB iNAND Flash
 
Asus Zenfone 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8926, Qualcomm Adreno 305, 8 GB eMMC Flash

* ... smaller is better

Gaming

The Qualcomm Adreno 305 is certainly not one of the newest graphic units out there, but the performance is still adequate for all the games available in the Windows Store. When playing demanding titles like Asphalt 8 Airborne, the detail settings are automatically reduced, however. Classic games or titles which are not very demanding never push the smartphone to its limits.

The good touchscreen and the responsive sensors lead to a fun gaming experience overall.

Asphalt 8
Asphalt 8
Candy Crush Saga
Candy Crush Saga

Emissions

Temperature

The stress test completed successfully
The stress test completed successfully

The surface temperatures of the Nokia Lumia are well controlled during idle with a maximum of 26.1 °C. Under load, which we simulated with the tool Relative Benchmark, the temperature increased to 34.7 °C - barely lukewarm. Most competitors are similar in that regard and only the Wiko Highway (max. 42.3 °C) reaches a higher temperature, although there is still no reason for concern.

We ran the battery sub-test of the GFXBench 3.0 benchmark to subject the phone to a stress test. Here, the T-Rex portion runs thirty times in a row, while the frame rates and the battery life are monitored. We couldn't detect any measurable loss of performance during the test.

Max. Load
 33.3 °C
92 F
34.7 °C
94 F
34.3 °C
94 F
 
 31.9 °C
89 F
31.8 °C
89 F
32 °C
90 F
 
 30.9 °C
88 F
30.7 °C
87 F
30.8 °C
87 F
 
Maximum: 34.7 °C = 94 F
Average: 32.3 °C = 90 F
29.2 °C
85 F
30.4 °C
87 F
31.7 °C
89 F
29 °C
84 F
30 °C
86 F
29.4 °C
85 F
28.3 °C
83 F
29.7 °C
85 F
29.4 °C
85 F
Maximum: 31.7 °C = 89 F
Average: 29.7 °C = 85 F
Power Supply (max.)  34.8 °C = 95 F | Room Temperature 21.9 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.3 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34.7 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 31.7 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.4 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speakers

The mono speaker of the Nokia Lumia 735 is located on the back and generally produces decent sound, although we noticed a bit of distortion and occasional crackling. Mids and bass are not very strong and the sound appears somewhat muffled as a result. The sound quality is definitely sufficient for the occasional video, though. Output via the 3.5 mm jack is flawless.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

During idle, the Nokia Lumia 735 consumes between 0.6 and 1.9 watts, so the power requirement is slightly higher than that of the most powerful competitor Moto G (0.6 – 1.2 watts). We suspect that the WLAN module requires more energy. The Wiko Highway is a lot more power-hungry and needs up to 2.7 watts during idle conditions.

Under load, we recorded a power consumption of up to 3.6 watts. The power adapter is right at its limit, but can still satisfy the requirements. The Zenfone 5 (max. 3.1 watts) is the most frugal smartphone in our comparison.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.6 / 1.4 / 1.9 Watt
Load midlight 2.6 / 3.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 870
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

The battery has a capacity of 2220 mAh and the battery life is quite good. Both the maximum run time with the panel brightness turned down all the way as well as the minimum run time of 5 hours speak for themselves.

To best compare the battery life, we adjust the panel brightness to 150 cd/m² and run our WLAN-browsing test. In this test, only the Moto G (15 hours 4 minutes) lasted longer. Although the gap widened a bit when we ran the Bug Buck Bunny video test (1080p, H.264), the Lumia 735 certainly leaves us with a positive impression as far as the possible battery life is concerned.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
18h 28min
WiFi Surfing
12h 41min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
10h 43min
Load (maximum brightness)
5h 01min
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Motorola Moto G 2. Gen XT1068
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 8 GB SSD
HTC Desire 610
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 8 GB SSD
Wiko Highway
Mali-450 MP4, MT6592, 16 GB iNAND Flash
Asus Zenfone 5
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Battery Runtime
12%
-23%
-56%
-17%
Reader / Idle
1108
1195
8%
1020
-8%
1131
2%
H.264
643
941
46%
WiFi
761
904
19%
520
-32%
402
-47%
545
-28%
Load
301
221
-27%
216
-28%
106
-65%
229
-24%

Verdict

In Review: Nokia Lumia 735, courtesy of Microsoft Germany.
In Review: Nokia Lumia 735, courtesy of Microsoft Germany.

Microsoft's Nokia Lumia 735 is a very good middle-class smartphone. The phone is ships with an up-to-date OS, offers plenty of performance, supports LTE and features good cameras as well. Although the chassis is made from polycarbonate, the overall as well as the build quality are impressive.

The 8 GB of internal storage provide less space than expected, since less than 3 GB are actually usable. At least expansion is easy via a MicroSD card with a capacity of up to 128 GB. Speaking of expectations: the shipping box contains only the power adapter, which is stingy considering the MSRP of 299 Euro (~$340).

Despite the shortcomings, the Lumia 735 is a very well-rounded package with a good display and satisfying battery life. Although the Moto G offers superior performance in some categories, the Lumia pulls ahead in other areas.

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In Review: Nokia Lumia 735. test model courtesy of Microsoft Germany.
In Review: Nokia Lumia 735. test model courtesy of Microsoft Germany.

Specifications

Nokia Lumia 735 (Lumia Series)
Processor
Graphics adapter
Qualcomm Adreno 305, Core: 450 MHz
Memory
1024 MB 
Display
4.70 inch 16:9, 1280 x 720 pixel, capacitive touchsreen, highly sensitive, AMOLED, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, glossy: yes
Storage
8 GB eMMC Flash, 8 GB 
, 2.91 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: audio combo-port, Card Reader: MicroSD up to 128 GB (SD, SDHC, SDXC), Sensors: ambient light, acceleration, proximity, digital compass, sensor core, GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Miracast, DLNA, Secure NFC, cable-less charging (Qi)
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz), UMTS/HSPA+ (850, 900 and 2100 MHz), LTE Cat. 4 (800, 1800 and 2600 MHz), Head-SAR: 0.66 W/kg, Body-SAR: 0.57 W/kg
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.9 x 134.7 x 68.5 ( = 0.35 x 5.3 x 2.7 in)
Battery
8 Wh Lithium-Ion, 3.8 volt, 2220 mAh, Talk time 2G (according to manufacturer): 22 h, Talk time 3G (according to manufacturer): 17 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1
Camera
Webcam: 5 MP (f/2.4, 24 mm), main camera: 6.7 MP (autofocus, f/1.9, 26 mm, LED flash)
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: Virtual, power adapter, quickstart guide, Here Maps, Here Drive+, Bing-Apps, Storyteller, MixRadio, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
134 g ( = 4.73 oz / 0.3 pounds), Power Supply: 33 g ( = 1.16 oz / 0.07 pounds)
Price
299 Euro

 

The AMOLED display measures 4.7 inches.
The AMOLED display measures 4.7 inches.
The HD resolution of the Lumia 735 results in a pixel density of 313 ppi.
The HD resolution of the Lumia 735 results in a pixel density of 313 ppi.
The back cover is available in various bold colors.
The back cover is available in various bold colors.
The 6.7 MP camera is utilized very well
The 6.7 MP camera is utilized very well
Nothing for audiophiles: the speaker.
Nothing for audiophiles: the speaker.
Charging via induction is possible as well.
Charging via induction is possible as well.
The battery is removable.
The battery is removable.
Both slots feature an ejection mechanism.
Both slots feature an ejection mechanism.
The cable is permanently attached to the power adapter.
The cable is permanently attached to the power adapter.
The OS is Windows Phone 8.1 (Denim)
The OS is Windows Phone 8.1 (Denim)
Not a lot of storage capacity from the start.
Not a lot of storage capacity from the start.
Basemark OS II
Basemark OS II
Google Octane 2.0
Google Octane 2.0
WebXPRT 2013
WebXPRT 2013

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Price Comparison

Pros

+Good display
+High build quality
+Current Windows Phone 8.1 (Denim)
+Expandable storage
+LTE
+Good voice transmission quality
 

Cons

-Weak speaker for multimedia
-Not many accessories included
-Firmware update to rectify issues still not released
-Internal storage not very large

Shortcut

What we like

The build quality, the good display, and the decent battery life.

What we'd like to see

A better speaker would be appreciated. A modular power adapter should be standard issue as well.

What surprises us

Microsoft needs a quite a lot of time for an update to fix problems with at least one of the well-known VOD providers.

The competition

Competing smartphones are the Motorola Moto G2, the HTC Desire 610, the Wiko Highway, and the Test Wiko Highway SmartphoneAsus Zenfone 5.

Rating

Nokia Lumia 735 - 02/11/2015 v4(old)
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
90%
Keyboard
67 / 75 → 89%
Pointing Device
90%
Connectivity
47 / 60 → 78%
Weight
94%
Battery
93%
Display
84%
Games Performance
51 / 63 → 81%
Application Performance
19 / 70 → 27%
Temperature
93%
Noise
100%
Audio
64 / 91 → 70%
Camera
67%
Average
74%
84%
Smartphone - Weighted Average
Daniel Schmidt, 2015-02-21 (Update: 2018-05-15)