Nokia Lumia 920 review round-up

Published by Adam Fraser on November 7, 2012

Nokia Lumia 920 review round-up

Last week, the Nokia Lumia 920 began appearing in stores, online and in people’s pockets in select countries. Already, we’re starting to see hands-on reviews coming in, so we thought we’d take a look at some of those. What have the tech news sites been saying about the Nokia Lumia 920? Let’s find out.

Engadget

Mat Smith, from Engadget, was very thorough with his Nokia Lumia 920. He explored the hardware, the software the camera and everything else in between.

When comparing the camera on the Lumia 920 to other manufacturers, Mat said:

“We came in to these testing scenarios with exceedingly high expectations, and in the extremely low-light situations, where most phones fall flat on their face, the Lumia 920 indeed hit its stride. Yes, there was often some ISO noise to be seen and the results weren’t always spectacular, but the 920′s low-light shots were always the best of the bunch.”

And when it comes to taking videos and using the Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) feature:

“Walking with the phone introduces minimal stutter – especially compared to what we’re used to on other smartphones, while autofocus is able to latch on to points of interest quickly. You’ll make the prettiest video clips you’ve ever seen on smartphone”

Nokia Lumia 920 in yellow

The Next Web

Matt Brian, from The Next Web, offers lots of insight into what you can expect when you buy the new Nokia Lumia 920. Matt reports:

“Microsoft has done a great job at making Windows Phone relevant again, updating its core offering to match and in some cases offer more than rival platforms from Apple and Google.”

And:

“Coming up against the HTC 8X, it’s close between the two, but the Nokia Lumia 920 edges out its HTC rival on imaging, ecosystem and its overall design.”

The Verge

Over at The Verge, Dieter Bohn dissects the phone, looks at the design and makes some pretty bold statements – he calls this phone a “tank”:

“You know that guy who walks into the coffee shop and unapologetically slams down a gigantic, 17-inch monster of a laptop on the table, declaring “This thing is a beast, but I don’t care.” That’s the Lumia 920. It’s a muscle car. It’s a monster truck.”

But then he explains why this is the case:

“There are ostensibly good reasons for the Lumia 920′s weight and size: a large battery, 4.5-inch screen, wireless charging, and PureView camera hardware all take up plenty of space.”

Nokia Lumia 920 in red

ZDNet

Writing about his experiences with the Nokia Lumia 920, Matthew Miller from ZDNet also comments about how the phone feels in the hand:

“There is definitely heft to the Lumia 920; it feels like a rock solid device.”

And when talking about the Windows Phone 8 OS, Matt says:

“Windows Phone 8 has addressed several weaknesses in Windows Phone 7/7.5 and the Lumia 920 looks to set the bar for features, functions, and apps on this new platform.”

Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820

Our first Windows Phone 8 smartphones.

Be a part of it.

Pocket-lint

While exploring everything the Nokia Lumia 920 has to offer, Stuart Miles has this to say about the specific Nokia apps, such as Nokia Maps:

“If it’s not the core OS features, it’s the Nokia apps that will enhance your experience. It’s simple things like offline maps to save you time and money when it comes to data costs – here or abroad – the People Hub and its ability to manage your contacts really is fantastic, and much better than the mess that iPhone or Android offer”

And what about the camera?

“Stunning. That’s probably the best word to use when describing the Lumia 920′s PureView camera, especially when looking at low-light shots – something the Lumia 920 specialises in.”

Nokia Lumia 920 grey

Wired

When it comes to design, Alexandra Chang likes the design, and talks about the size:

“Nokia has delivered a heavyweight player (pun intended) to take on the other smartphones, Windows Phone or otherwise.”

But the size isn’t a big issue:

“But that’s one of the few drawbacks to the Lumia 920. Otherwise, it’s a stunning device with two killer features: An amazing display and an excellent camera. The 1280×768 pixel PureMotion HD+ display is one of the best I’ve seen.”

All Things Digital

What comes to pricing, Bonnie Cha reports on the AT&T offer on the Nokia Lumia 920 saying:

“The Lumia 920 is an AT&T exclusive, and serves as Nokia’s flagship model. It features a 4.5-inch HD touchscreen and an 8.7-megapixel camera with advanced features such as an image stabilization system and technology to capture more light.

The smartphone’s battery can also be charged wirelessly, and to sweeten the deal, AT&T is throwing in a wireless charging plate for free, for a limited time.

With such features, I would have expected pricing for the Lumia 920 to start in the $200 range, but at $100 it’s quite the steal.”

Have you got your hands on a Nokia Lumia 920 yet? What do you think of it? Use the comments section below, to let us know.

Comments

  • http://twitter.com/WarriorWithin21 Warrior within

    india release date please???

  • http://twitter.com/o7oo7o Mahmoud A. El-Mon’em

    Slashgear also have a great review for the device.
    I want it badly when it’s gonna come to Egypt! :(

  • Eric Hill

    Hmmm, you left out the part where Matthew Miller at ZDNet put the HTC 8X ahead of the Nokia Lumia 920 because of the HTC phone’s availability on all the major US carriers compared to the Lumia’s AT&T exclusive. The Lumia 920 looks like the best phone, but I’m on Verizon and I’m not switching or waiting 6 months, so it looks like HTC 8X for me.

  • erfanullah

    Please launch it is in Pakistan!!!

    • arafattehsin

      I agree with Erfanullah! You guys should launch it in Pakistan if you really want the smartphone market here to become yours. Secondly (off the topic), as I have been complaining about the mapping services earlier, please look into it, you guys have done a tremendous job in UAE / Indian side but no word on discussed country yet.

      • http://twitter.com/engrtipusultan Tipu Sultan

        I have no clue why nokia cannot realize it. Pakistan people are asking for maps service since I guess last three or four years. Nokia never bothered to listen. In google’s CEO’s presentation Faisalabad (city of pakistan) was shown as one of the best user mapped city example in the world, where mapping and small bussiness POIs are provided by local users of google.
        Once in Pakistan Nokia only brand to look for now it is known as outdated company in masses.
        They should do some research, Pakistan has 160 million cell phone subscribers. Cellphone handset import rate is increased by 200% every year for last two years. Samsung has done great to over throw nokia with galaxy S and note series. Rest is done with black market importer who get high value sets from abroad and cell them here.
        Its about time that nokia should try to wake up.

      • http://twitter.com/harihb Hariharan B

        You can still use Google maps though

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=610796618 Fabio Stefanini

    Gizomdo had bad review instead, because they didn’t like the size, the weight, bulkiness in general.

    But… I prefer a heavy device! Haptic feedback is something that manufacturers keep seeing as some magical electronic feature that one could implement. Instead it should just be provided by the… laws of physics. If I “feel” the device, I can better handle it. (On the same line, typing on screen is more difficult than typing on real keyboard — as well as writing with stylus on glass screen). Whenever we don’t have haptic feedback we need visual feedback. Older Nokia phones where just great in this respect. I remember typing sms without looking, while driving my scooter along the streets of Rome ;)

    • http://conversations.nokia.com/ Adam Fraser

      I’m the same as you. I prefer a phone to have some weight to it – feels solid.

      • xoj_21

        camera is mediocre really, it’s not even close to the 808, or n8, windows phone will never be a good as symbian for taking pictures

        • http://www.facebook.com/rich.paine.3 Rich Paine

          You can’t really compare it to the 808, but I’ve got an N8 (contract about to expire) and looking at some of daylight the photos taken with the 920, my N8 looks as though it’s more of a capable camera.
          Hopefully it’s true that Nokia will release updated FW to rectify this.
          Also apparently the low light photos are only good providing the scene is totally static on the 920. Slow shutter time = blurring of moving objects.
          I’ll probably get the 920, but so far a little disappointed with the camera.

          • xoj_21

            i would get 808, if it was available.
            i dont like windows phone after using meego , maemo.

        • http://www.facebook.com/DJt0mmyb Tom Simeone

          well i wouldn’t expect it to be comparable to the 808, with a 41mp sensor…

      • http://www.facebook.com/DJt0mmyb Tom Simeone

        I like to have a phone that has weight to it, the phone looks like a well built phone, and a phone with weight feels more like a phone and less like a toy

    • http://www.facebook.com/dyson.lu Dyson Lu

      Gizmodo is a iFan lair, if not a Nokia haters temple. So no surprise there.

    • C38S

      You missed the choice quote from that review: “I slept with it one night, and it felt great against my skin. It is a beautiful thing to look at.” That made me laugh. During the review he does call the phone fantastic, awesome, phenomenal and wow and only has 2 complaints. (Weight and apps). Seems a bit harsh for such a praising review to condemn the phone over such a small thing.

    • Erkki Ruohtula

      Personally, I think the 920 might be too bulky and heavy for me in daily use, because I want a mobile I can carry in my pocket at all times (see, it is supposed to be a MOBILE phone). For the same reason it really should avoid any sharp corners, because they create holes in the pocket quite fast. My current one, the N97 mini (138 grams), fills both “pocketability” requirements barely, but of the current Lumia’s I could imagine only the 610 and 710 fitting in. Too bad. A “Lumia 920 mini” would be nice (hint, hint, Nokia designers…)

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Conor-Raypholtz/100001495640371 Conor Raypholtz

        the 920 doesn’t need a case so your logic that it is larger and heavier really has no real world basis.

      • Timo Laes

        I put a plastic pilltub on my Lumia 800 > 200 grams total. I could hardly pick them up altogether! So I don’t understand your point at all. And it takes some 90 years a Lumia to create one little hole in your pocket :) Lumia 800 is really a genuine mobile phone and so is 35 grams heavier (!) Lumia 920 too!

  • Mark_Anderson

    *sigh* If only you had made it 30g lighter you would sell shedloads. As it is it’ll be a minor hit.

    Does no-one in Nokia look at how phone styles are going?

    • http://twitter.com/AMindAmoK AMindAmoK

      Larger devices are selling better over the last 18 months than smaller ones. It is the current trend. Just look at the Samsung Note II. Selling like hotcakes and it doesn’t even fit into a pocket.

  • http://www.modernlifetips.com/Adriel_Mingo Adriel D. Mingo

    POY! (Phone of the Year)

  • Kevin Dimov

    All I see here are excerpts specifically selected out of the reviews and all praising the 920 camera. What about the browser and email client ? What about the calendar and event alerts management ? Are those any good compared to the competition ? These are one of the mostly used ones on any smartphone and I see no comments on them. And I can tell why. Because you failed there. What do you think will make s.o. switch from the Google / iOS ecosystem to the lacking-major-apps Microsoft one and losing all what they have purchased and got used to use ?

    • Mark_Anderson

      Drivel. The whole apps thing is massively overblown. The only things that anyone remotely cares about that aren’t there or will be shortly are Flipboard and Instagram. On the other hand neither iOS or Android having anything as useful as Office or Nokia Drive. Furthermore, since expenditure on apps is minimal, no-one has actually sunk anything substantial into an ecosystem. It’s a total myth.

      The browser and email client are both good. You would have noticed this if you had actually read the reviews.

    • C38S

      Mostly I read about how fast the browser was. Isn’t it the fastest now?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002440712140 Allyson Tavares Soares

    Nokia forgot Brazil, as always takes centuries to lauch new devices….

  • http://www.facebook.com/dyson.lu Dyson Lu

    Announcing the phone with much hype and pizazz only to release it in a rather low profile way months later. Is this terrible marketing or simply not really confident about your own product?

  • http://www.facebook.com/sirJerald Cristiano Jeraldo Abille

    Please wait after 6 months before you release it in the Philippines. I just got a Lumia 800! LOL.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/CeeGee-Borela/100000183782060 CeeGee Borela

      aba kasalanan mo yung nag Lumia 800 ka, RELEASE IT IN THE PHILIPPINES NOW!!!

      • http://www.facebook.com/sirJerald Cristiano Jeraldo Abille

        Hahaha. Its a joke men. Mura na lang Lumia 800 sa Globe e. Sulitin ko muna 7.8. Ang mahal nyan sa Ph malamang.

  • http://www.facebook.com/juned.malek Juned Malek

    want to take it right now, please give me one, I’m living in India

  • sumodk

    If Nokia is not selling Lumia 920 in India on Diwali, then when they? After Diwali it will have very hard time in India.

  • http://www.facebook.com/gmiguel83 Jorge Miguel

    This is the best phone EVER! I NEED to have one. Worldwide release PLEASE.

  • http://www.facebook.com/cliff.gesmundo Clifford Gesmundo

    As if an Iphone 5 or S3 + hard case doesn’t make it heavy

    • Madhu Surapaneni

      It doesn’t! And there is additional protection too!

  • Mike

    Will Nokia enable FM transmitter on 920? or do i wait for next gen to have that feature?

  • http://www.facebook.com/adoan.dbsan Adoan Dbsan

    Middle East? date please??

  • guestind

    bahrain release date please???

  • maanoj

    lumia 920 market price @ in india

  • http://www.facebook.com/rnavales Raffy Navales

    please please please…. release it here in the Philippines!!!!

  • ME

    Manila release date please ,i am still waitinggggggggggggggg
    its different i like it and i will buy it.

  • http://www.facebook.com/sanket.gaurkhede.9 Sanket Gaurkhede

    indian release?

  • esoje

    Contract offers in Nig plleeeeeaaaassssee!!! This phone is a must-ahve

  • http://twitter.com/nasherdezno Nasher Dezno

    Picked it up yesterday and can’t seem to put it down! It just begs to be held in the hand. The best phone I have ever had.. period!

  • eric

    I just picked up the 920 yesterday. On my first phone call, I seem to have run into echoes on the call. Anyone else? Can the official please comment? I actually exchanged for a new one and got the same problem.

  • Sam Gill

    I purchased a Lumia 920 on Friday from at&t. On Monday, less than 72 hours, it died – it will not power up. at&t has no replacements in stock. So now I have to wait for a replacement and nobody knows how long that is going to take. In the meantime I purchased an Alactel phone ($20) just so I can still use my cell number. I talked to Nokia and at&t and so far no help in sight.

  • Madhu Surapaneni

    No matter what others say. I had a hands on look at this phone and it is undoubtedly heavy and big. BBW of smartphones if I may say!

    Nokia never had the best of designs and it is proven. 4.3″ should have been the high end model. Now, there is not one phone in the lineup that is commonly liked by a large section of consumers.

    I have been a fan so far, but I have to admit, I won’t be buying Nokia this time.

  • Kenny

    I can’t wait to try my hands on the low light photography capabilities of Lumia 920. But, this is hardly possible even with the display units in well-lit shop floor.

    May I suggest setting up mini photo booths with low light conditions and challenge other smartphone users against Lumia 920 on the result of low light photography. I am sure lots of users of other smartphones will be amazed and consider to #switchtolumia!!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QH25RVNTUIAU7HT6DQ7CONEO2U havasu46

    The Lumia 920 rocks and I can’t wait to upgrade from my Lumia 900 which I’ve had since April, 2012.

  • first

    When is the release date for Nokia 5110 windows 8 phone? Just joking. I need a phone with thermometer, barometer, LED flashlight, 808-like camera, and a motion-sensor camera.

  • Douglas

    I keep reading the same things over and over again about this phone. It’s heavy, and it’s low light performance is really good.

    Unfortunately when you actually dig deeper into the reviews, you find that the one thing everybody is talking about, the camera, really ISN’T that great. In fact, looking at the day time photos, which is when most of your photos would be taken, you really have to wonder what was going on at Nokia.

    Photos are either really soft in spots, or severely over-sharpened. And we’re supposed to be talking about how great the camera is? My N8 from 2 years ago produces worlds better photos. No, it doesn’t look like someone turned on HDR mode in dark situations, but my N8 doesn’t lose details in overly white areas, nor does it over sharpen photos, show that much noise, or overly soften things either.

    I hate to say it Nokia, but between this and the iPhone 5, the iPhone will produce better photos 8/10 times. This is not going to help you build your name in the camera department again. Damian needs to go back to the drawing board and figure out what’s going on. There’s an issue here that seems to be common with all WP8 phones and their image quality. Maybe Symbian was a better OS. You were able to produce such an awesome camera with the N8. Why is it that you can’t do the same with a Windows device?

  • Xiao Wac

    Release date for Pakistan…anyone who can answer this please