HMD's first Nokia tablet features a huge battery and costs $250
The T20 can go nearly 15 hours between charges and offers optional LTE.
Nokia Lumia 1520
86
Engadget Review
The Lumia 1520 offers a Windows Phone experience unlike any we've seen before. With its top-notch hardware, fantastic imaging and constantly improving firmware, this is by far our favorite WP8 device.
Brad MolenNovember 18, 2013
Pros
- Vibrant display
- Top-of-the-line hardware
- Great imaging experience
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Can be uncomfortable to hold
- 6-inch display may be too big for some
View All Critic & User Reviews
Nokia Lumia 1520
- Critic Reviews (24)
- User Reviews (35)
- 78AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE24 ReviewsAllThingsD70Nokia Lumia 1520 Marks Giant Leap (In Screen Size)For those craving big screens, Windows Phone now has a device to compete with the growing list of Android phablets. As long as you’re okay with the smaller selection of apps, the Lumia 1520 offers solid performance and a good camera for about $100 less than the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.Ars Technica70The Lumia 1520: enormous hardware, troublesome sofThe problems I have are all software, and software can be fixed ... For me, it ruins the experience of using the 1520, and as a result, I can't recommend it.Wired80Nokia Lumia 1520Straddling the line between a smartphone and a tablet also means having to deal with inherent trade-offs that come with these larger-screened devices... If those compromises seem minor to you, then the Nokia Lumia 1520 should definitely be on your shortlist.GigaOM70Nokia Lumia 1520 review: Good things come in hugeThe Lumia 1520 is the best Windows Phone yet – as long as you can wrap your hands around it.PC Mag80Nokia Lumia 1520 (AT&T)The Nokia Lumia 1520 is a gigantic smartphone with an excellent camera, but it's just plain too much phone for most people.Engadget90Nokia Lumia 1520 review: the best Windows Phone deThe Lumia 1520 offers a Windows Phone experience unlike any we've seen before. With its top-notch hardware, fantastic imaging and constantly improving firmware, this is by far our favorite WP8 device.Gizmodo70Nokia 1520 Review: A Burden in My HandThe Nokia Lumia 1520 is at best a novelty phone. It's a very nice small tablet. But if it's not supposed to be a smartphone, then why does it even exist?CNET80Nokia Lumia 1520 review: Nokia goes big, but OS stNokia came to compete in the extra-large smartphone space, and that it does, bringing top-notch specs and attractive hardware to an increasingly crowded field.Laptop Magazine80Nokia Lumia 1520 ReviewSo long as you're comfortable with its very large size and hefty weight--and the smaller app selection for Windows Phone 8 devices--the Nokia Lumia 1520 is one fabulous phablet for the priceGizmodoNot RatedHands-On With Nokia’s Lumia 1520 and 1320 PhonesThe 1520, which we focussed most of our attention on, runs on the latest build of Windows Phone 8, GDR3. The only noticeable lag felt was when I opened up the new Nokia Storyteller app, but it wasn’t before long that the images popped up and I was able to view the geo-tagged photos.EngadgetNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 hands-on: the weighty new flagshiAs the new flagship device, its top notch 1080p display is well worth the extra money over the lesser 1320.The Guardian60Nokia Lumia 1520 review: bigger is better for WindOverall, the Nokia Lumia 1520 is a great large phone. But it's too big and unwieldy for your average user.CNET UK80Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewThe Nokia Lumia 1520 has a gorgeous, high-definition screen, a powerful core, solid battery life and a good camera. It's monstrously big though, which won't suit everyone and there are very few apps to choose from in the Windows Phone store.TechHive70Lumia 1520 review: A really, really big Windows PhI wouldn’t recommend it as your first Windows Phone device. It’s too big for any phone, and Nokia’s participation in the large-phone craze is just another indication that it’s playing catch-up, not leading.Pocket-Lint90Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewThe Nokia Lumia 1520 has to be the best Windows Phone 8 handset on the market. It's certainly the best Lumia we've used to date. That's not just thanks to the reassuringly high quality build, but also thanks to the new Black OS.PC World AustraliaNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 Windows Phone (preview)The Nokia Lumia 1520 is the company's "first ever large screen Lumia smartphone". It boasts a 6in, full HD display, is powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core processor, the Lumia 1520 also includes a 20-megapixel PureView camera.Wired UKNot RatedHands-on with the Nokia Lumia 1520 and 1320 six-inIn some brief hands-on time with the phone, whizzing around the Windows Phone interface felt noticeably zippier than on any other Lumia phone that's preceded it. No doubt Microsoft and Nokia are extremely keen to take advantage of this extra oomph for Xbox gaming.SlashGearNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 hands-onIf there was going to be a previous Lumia for Nokia to take 1520 inspiration from, we’d have liked it to have been the metal-edged Lumia 925. Instead, the new phone has the pillowed edges but none of the metal, sticking instead with polycarbonate plastic.CNET AsiaNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520Taken together, top-tier screen, processor, and camera specs make the 1520 the most advanced Windows Phone device there is, although its massive form won't appeal to everyone. It'll also be Nokia's most expensive handset.Pocket-LintNot RatedHands-on: Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewIf you're only priority is getting the fastest, most visually stunning Windows Phone handset in the world, then you need look no further.What Hi-Fi80Nokia Lumia 1520While there’s no denying the Lumia 1520 has its flaws, if you’ve ever been curious about Windows Phone this could well be the handset that finally pushes you to make the jump.T360Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewThere's a lot to love about the Nokia Lumia 1520, from the gorgeous display, to the precision-designed shell and the fantastic photos taken by the camera. Yet, it just doesn't use the full potential of having 6 inches of screen to play with - making everything bigger is simply not a solution.TechRadar80Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewThe Nokia Lumia 1520 is an absolute beast of a phone that we suspect only the large-handed and generous pocketed will be able to live with day to day.Ubergizmo80Nokia Lumia 1520 ReviewAs far as a Windows Phone 8 device, the Lumia 1520 may not be one of our favorites, but it’s a device that is a welcomed addition to the phablet world. Its large 6-inch 1080p display is downright impressive and will keep your eyes very happy with whatever it is you’re viewing on it.The Verge70Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewIf all you’ve ever wanted in life is a Lumia 925 with a magnifying glass on top of it, the 1520 is exactly that. It’s a tour de force in resolution and speed, but it’s not a great smartphone or even a great replacement for a tablet.TechRadarNot RatedHands on: Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewWhat's Nokia done here? Made something that we can't criticise from the spec sheet alone? The answer has to be yes: the CPU, screen, design and expansion offerings are all the things we've been gagging to see for months, if not years.Gizmodo AustraliaNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 And Lumia 1320 Australian Hands-OThe 1520 in particular looks to be setting a new standard for smartphone photography both in terms of image quality and versatility.phoneArenaNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 hands-onComing straight with Windows Phone 8, the Lumia 1520 presents us with an almost identical user experience as any other WP handset, but there's a small, yet significant difference. Due to the larger screen size and extra resolution, the 1520 sports a third column for live tiles.GSM ArenaNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 hands-on: First lookThe good news is the Lumia 1520 feels built like a tank. It feels extremely solid in the hand and very pleasant to the touch. We have no doubt it will hold up greatly against everyday wear and tear.TechRadarNot RatedHands on: Nokia Lumia 1520 review... we can honestly say this might be the first Nokia phone in ages that we can recommend without worry.Expert Reviews100Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewNothing particularly ground-breaking, just a very, very competent Windows Phone phablet.Stuff80Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewStill, it’s a sign of great things to come. Put the 1520’s insides and screen resolution into the 1020’s successor, and you’d have the most compelling Windows Phone handset to date.TrustedReviews80Nokia Lumia 1520 reviewThe Lumia 1520 is a watershed phone in many respects. It brings Windows Phone hardware on par with the rest of the smartphone world, but the software still needs a bit of work.BGR80Nokia Lumia 1520 review: Nokia’s first phablet iWhere the software is concerned, yes, the Lumia 1520 is for the most part the same as countless other Windows Phones. But the big, beautiful 6-inch 1080p display makes the experience feel new.The Next WebNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 hands-on: This colossal 6″, 108The stand-out feature is a 6-inch, 1080p display; a first for Windows Phone 8, made possible by the latest firmware update announced by Microsoft for its homegrown mobile platform. It’s also packing a quad-core, 2.2 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor and a mighty 20-megapixel PureView camera.The InquirerNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 hands-on reviewThe Lumia 1520 looks like a typical Nokia device. Set to launch in four different colours - black, white, red and yellow - the handset features a polycarbonate casing similar to that of the Nokia Lumia 920 handset, but at 8.7mm thick the Finnish firm's latest device is substantially thinner.TrustedReviewsNot RatedNokia Lumia 1520 review: Hands-on... the overall package feels bang on the mark from first use. In a market of super-sized, super-speced smartphones, the Nokia Lumia 1520 has brought the Finnish manufacturer back into the race.Photography Blog80Nokia Lumia 1520 ReviewThe Nokia Lumia 1520 is a capable photo-taking device that delivers very good image quality, but suffers from being physically too big, too fragmented in the design of its graphical user interface, and from the omission/downgrading of some important features.MobileBurn80Nokia Lumia 1520 Review - Windows Phone 8 hits theWindows Phone 8 is better off than it was a year ago, Nokia is still making great smartphone cameras, and the large display is truly something to marvel at in many cases. The only problem is that it might literally be too much to handle.
- 92AVERAGE USER SCORE35 ReviewsEngadget Reader100March 10, 2015Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I was all iOS from the 3G to the 4 (and, prior to that, I used Psion, Handspring, and Sony PDAs) but then someone borrowed me a Nokia 710 and three years (and five Lumias) later I have to say WP is the best mobile platform I've ever used, and the 1520 the best built and most versatile and reliable mobile I've ever owned. The Denim update has rejuvenated the camera, which was always capable of truly beautiful shots, but which is now fast enough to snatch them when time's tight. 4K video with full manual focus is now also excellent, as is the improved AF, which previously did a bit too much seeking to make comfortable viewing. It's still inferior to my old 925 in low light, though - videos can be especially noisy indoors - so I'd hope for a faster lens in the next flagship.That aside, the 1520 is still the best windows phone on the market, and, even with a 64gb SD, is still almost half the price of a 16gb 6 Plus, which makes it an absolute bargain.Engadget Reader100February 25, 2015Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader100November 5, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader90October 25, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader10August 23, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!An awful product that should be avoided. You'll be sorry. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90August 15, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best Windows phone by far. Excellent camera, display and superior battery life.Engadget Reader90August 13, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I couldn't ask for much more in a phone. This is my third windows phone and by far the best one. Its fast, camera is great. the size is perfect for me. People ask if the phone is too big but in all honesty I wouldn't want a smaller phone after having this one. I't really is a phone that shows what Windows Phone OS is made of. Highly recommended.Engadget Reader100August 10, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader100August 4, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I really can't fault this, the smaller models I found that I needed more screen, with this I get it, and so much more.... 6 columns, large tabs are a breeze, everything is right there in clear view, totally seamless.... everything i would ever need and more...... no more hunting around for an app, or information, it's all right infront of me.... I'd be totally lost with out not just this phone, but a windows phone. The battery lasts over a day and a half..... even at 20% it has still got 6 hours life.Engadget Reader90July 22, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader100July 15, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Since I took the leep, there's no looking back. Android had its pros as well as its cons. As does Lumia 1520. I find the easy to use interface on WP to speak in favour of the Lumia 1520.The camera is outstanding, as well as the battery life.Engadget Reader100July 1, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader100June 15, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I was not a big fan of Microsoft and Nokias windows choice.. i was at The Gathering 14 and was watching Oculus Rift and they where talking about what was coming to windows phone and platform etc. , i took up a windows phone that i hated, cause i was android fan.. im never going to change! if you buy one now its maybe alittle different, but give it over summer the next patch will fix everythingEngadget Reader100May 13, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Such a wonderful piece of hardware running the cleanest and smoothest phone OS on the market. It's a shame that so many reviewers do such a poor job of representing things fairly. The bias in tech gadgets is abysmal these days.The form factor is wonderful, with a large screen at a 16:9 aspect ratio you can enjoy the majority of video media without letterboxing. The added support for microSD means that I can carry around dozens of HD videos for viewing at my leisure.I leave WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC turned on at all times (for syncing to home and work networks, and for travel in the car) and the battery lasts 4-6 days on a charge before reaching the 25% point. That's the best I have EVER seen in any phone. The screen is bright and vivid, and while it could be better (OLED) - it still surpasses 99% of what's out there. The phone is large, but it fits in the pocket of my jeans or my suit pants, and I have no trouble tucking it away in the interior pocket of a jacket. When it's in my hand (yes, singular) I can use it without having to bend or grip awkwardly. The camera is second only the 1020, which is still many times over the superior of anything else out there.Windows Phone OS is a dream. It syncs seamlessly with my media from all sources, has playback for anything I throw on it (mostly converted Mp4 videos in my case), and has never skipped a beat. It never stutters, never slows down, and never requires that I reboot it for anything other than major OS updates. The common joke of it having a weaker ecosystem is a big laugh. Every major app that people could want or use is available - and the only reason it has a smaller number of apps is because it doesn't have the same 4,00 iterations of Solitaire and Flappy Bird that plague the iOS and Android markets. If it has any shortcomings at all it is that it does lack POS (point of sale) support from brands like Square & PayPal, but both of those are coming shortly.Engadget Reader100May 3, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader100March 24, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader90March 11, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader80March 8, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!There is lack of third party accessory choices for Nokia 1250 comparing to the Nokia 1020.I switched from Nokia 1020 for a bigger screen. Beside the larger screen, the Nokia 1250 trump the 1020 with the microSD memory slot.It's hard to judge reception since I work in Washington DC and are surrounded by tall buildings; reception is hit-or-miss. With Windows Phone OS, native support for video format is still lacking, similar to Windows 8; this is especially true for HiDef *.mp4 encoded in high data rate. One of my favorite part of Windows Phone OS is the ability to uninstall vendor bloatware; this is for my reason to switch from Android phone which is full of Google's backend services eating up data and battery. I like Apple OS, except the latest version, but my blood boil when I have to touch iTune. I like the cloud, but don't want to be tied down by a hardware platform such as Apple's iCloud. I prefer the convenience of having ability to locally drop files into my devices. iTune boils my blood. I use multiple computers and iTune's DRM limited me to one machine. Third party app has the ability to drop files just like Andoid and Windows Phone, but its app also locking down to a single machine. It's a no win situation. Since I don't use too many apps, Windows phone meet the rest of my needs. At 6" screen, it's awesome for long train ride; portability suffer though.Engadget Reader100February 28, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader100February 18, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader80February 17, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!There's a lot to like about this in spite of a few flaws. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90February 11, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Not a kind of phone for everyone. First look may create a feeling of huge screen but you will definitely love the screen once you start using it. The camera is the striking part of phone. The phone combines excellent hardware and software available in the market. Finally i am completely satisified with my new nokia lumia 1520. also you will definitely love the office,365,Nokia music.Engadget Reader90February 4, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90January 29, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90January 9, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90January 9, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Great screen. OS is smooth. Need official apps. Plenty of third party apps but most of them are bogus. Maps are awesome.Need to mention the auto brightness bug. Need not always turn to optimal brightness. But locking the screen and unlocking fixes it.Sometimes, pressing lock screen turns the screen o but doesn't let it slide open. This may be an issue with my device.fly0rdie85100January 8, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader80December 29, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!There's a lot to like about this in spite of a few flaws. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90December 20, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Overall, this is a very great phone. It runs smoother than buttery smooth 99% of the time, although I get some minor issues on rare occasions. Windows Phone has certainly hit the mark with it. Don't believe at first what most tech sites say about its bulkiness because that would be relative for each person.Engadget Reader100December 20, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I absolutely love my 1520. The screen size is great (coming from a Note 2), and the OS and UX is amazing (thank you, windows 8). The camera shutter speed could use some work, but luckily there are camera apps out there that use the native camera--kind of, making the shutter speed better.Engadget Reader100December 18, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetCat90December 15, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Over all, I can't be more impressed at a phone this much. It really makes Windows Phone OS shine. The hardware and software are a match made in heaven. It is not a phone for everyone, but it is a great one nevertheless.Engadget Reader100December 12, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The Nokia Lumia 1520 it just amazing,its fast smooth and less glitchyThe camera is very impressive even its not as good as Lumia 1020The design is very cool much better than any other devicesEngadget Reader100December 5, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - Engadgetbitlemon100November 24, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - Engadget
Key Specs
TYPE
Smartphone
OPERATING SYSTEM
Windows Phone
SCREEN SIZE
622
INTERNAL MEMORY
321
CAMERA
Yes
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