Microsoft Lumia 535 and 535 Dual SIM review: A first of many

Unboxing the Microsoft Lumia 535

Microsoft Lumia 535 comes in a familiar moderately-sized retail box, similar to previous Lumia packages. It contains just the basics - a microUSB charger and some paperwork. There is no bundled headset or a data cable.

Lumia 535 Dual SIM's retail package

We found out the bundle for the Asian markets also includes a basic headset. Sill no data cable though. So, the box contents depend on where you get it from.

Design and build quality

The Microsoft Lumia 535 is a familiar sight - an upsized Lumia 530 and Lumia 630. The simple, laid-back styling has become a Lumia trademark, and that applies to budget handsets and flagships alike. Being an affordable device, Microsoft Lumia 535 isn't particularly slim, nor is its finish anything special.

Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM

The price tag of the first Lumia phone to wear the Microsoft logo wouldn't have justified any experiments with the design. It looks very consistent with the rest of the lineup - some might find this rather repetitive but we wouldn't blame an entry level phone. The multiple color options and exchangeable rear covers do help the Lumia lineup appeal to different demographics.

The Microsoft Lumia 535 can be purchased in orange, green, gray, blue, black or white. And if you want to try another paintjob later, a new original rear cover costs just a few bucks.

Microsoft Lumia 535

So, the new logo front and rear aside, the rest of the Lumia 535 is pretty familiar. Corning Gorilla Glass 3 is covering the entire front and a removable, glossy green, battery cover warps around the sides of the device as well. If you're wary of the glossy finish because of fingerprint smudges, some of the exchangeable covers are matte (such as the black option).

Handling the Lumia 535

Handling the Lumia 535 is quite comfortable, even though the glossy green version we tested can get quite slippery with use. The phone is pretty much as big as an iPhone 6, just not as thin which actually helps a more secure hold. The Microsoft Lumia 535 will easily slip in most pockets.

Controls

The Nokia Lumia 535 front is all black with two small slits - one for the earpiece above the display and a very tiny one for the mouthpiece below the screen. The front camera of the Lumia 535 is a wide-angle 5MP unit, which reportedly is optimized for Skype video conferencing.

The Lumia 535's front

There is nothing on the left, while the right side has the volume rocker and power/lock key. Both controls are prominent enough to locate by touch, offer a solid press and are finished in the same glossy or matte plastic as the battery cover.

A peek at Lumia 630's left and right sides

The top of the Lumia 535 has the 3.5mm audio jack, while the bottom accommodates the microUSB port for charging and PC connections. If you want to use the Mass Storage mode on the Microsoft Lumia 535 you'd have to either buy a microUSB cable separately or use one from an old phone.

The top and bottom of the Lumia 535

The big change around back is definitely the Microsoft logo but you'll certainly notice a LED flash too, if you compare it to the likes of the Nokia-made Lumia 520 or 630. The 5MP autofocus camera is centered near the top, a small loudspeaker grille all the way across at the bottom.

Lumia 535 at the back

Removing the battery cover is quite hard, as it requires some bending and twisting of the phone. We suggest prying at the bottom - it pops up more easily this way. Once you've removed the cover you'll get access to the pair of microSIM compartments and the microSD card slot that supports up to 128GB cards. Neither of the SIMs is hot-swappable, but luckily you can hot-swap the memory card.

What's under the battery cover