Flashback: Nokia Lumia 520 was smoother than any Android twice its price

07 October 2019
That's largely because the price was as low as we've seen on smartphones - it started at $100 and regularly went for around $50.

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It is one of the best phones by Nokia. I got 520 for my wife in 2013 and a year later I got Lumia 630 for myself apart from my business Blackberry phone.

Both Lumias are working till this day. Unfortunately no more software updates. Yet it's difficult to throw away. I have moved on to pure Android from past 3 years ( sadly given up Blackberry and Windows )

But I wish windows OS phone to revive and these two phone (520 & 630 ) are rebooted with front cam and improved ram and storage. I don't know if revival is done by Nokia or Microsoft, but it has to be done.

    That's like saying Linux($0.00) is cheaper than Windows 10 but why is everyone still using Windows 10. Plus, Linux is definitely smoother than Windows.

    Windows has killer apps (gaming, productivity) compared to Linux.
    That's all that matter!

    * I'm a Linux user.

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      • HiWay
      • YQJ
      • 07 Oct 2019

      During those years, the main reason from switching from windows to android was call recording as windows policy did not allow to have. Now in newer version of Android, Google did the same. At least for me, there is no more difference anymore.

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        • QBL
        • yMH
        • 07 Oct 2019

        Agreed, lumia 520 was the first windows phone I bought, and I have good experience with it. I hope windows phone is coming back

          r31ya, 07 Oct 2019"Nokia Lumia 520 was smoother than any Android twice its pr... moreWhat to expect when quality is more important than quantity. We heard numerous stories about "dangerous" apps roaming around in Google Play Store, but no such thing for Microsoft Store. Even after one apps have been taken down, there will be more others coming in.

            IThe 520 was my first Lumia phone. The screen broke and ibpuhgt anothe one! I bought 3 Lumia 520's back then. It was a good phone!I

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              • Roland
              • nCn
              • 07 Oct 2019

              I have that phone. Smoother? Facebook, Internet Explorer and some games was a laggy, in Camera is hot.

                Being a former Android user, I am definitely amazed at how fast and fluid Windows Phone OS really is. My first Windows Phone device was the Lumia 830, and I just couldn't believe at how fast it is despite only have 1GB of RAM and quad-core. If that same phone is running on Android, it would be lagging like hell despite numerous junk cleaning.

                The day when I finally made my switch to Windows Phone more than three years ago was and still is the best decision I ever did in my life. Even to this day, I still see no reason to go back to Android as my daily driver since I'm not feeling the app gap strain. All the essential app I need for daily usage, be it official or third-party, are all available.

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                  • Fanatic
                  • Hxb
                  • 07 Oct 2019

                  Love the UI simple and fluid. Still have a Lumia 730 in my drawer. I switch to android and get a Nokia 7.1.

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                    • Anonymous
                    • Kxu
                    • 07 Oct 2019

                    Whackcar, 07 Oct 2019I have had the opportunity to use quite a few windows phone... moreThe problem is no users, which result in no incentive for developers to make apps for the platform. And no dev.. lead to even less users.

                    They had a solid background with Win mobile 6.5.. But Android / iOS overtook them so fast they can't react in time.

                      I have had the opportunity to use quite a few windows phone devices, and let me tell you, my experience was mostly very pleasant with them. The OS was far smoother than Android at the time (think Google Pixel of today), and it had some neat customization features that nobody else was offering (ascent colors, black theme, etc), and it was also more secure than Android because all apps ran inside a sandbox. The only major gripe with it was the lack of apps and developer support. Very few developers got on board and that turned many buyers off.

                      I was very disappointed to find out that Microsoft was killing the OS. They're a huge company, they should've worked on it's shortcomings and improved it instead of pulling the plug. Now we have a monopoly between Android and iOS, neither of which is an admirable OS. We can only hope for a new contender to come in and shake it up.

                        I have used, definably Lumia 520 is faster compare to 25k ranger Android phone

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                          • TonyGT92
                          • PBx
                          • 07 Oct 2019

                          I got the Lumia 525, which was the same phone as the 520, but had a GB of ram. Great camera, great UI, rugged build, everything I could ask for from my first smartphone.

                            Indian, 07 Oct 2019I have used Lumia 520 nearly two years never faced any lag ... moreWindows mobile gives me nightmares when I think about my lumia950XL.

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                              • MASA
                              • akI
                              • 07 Oct 2019

                              My first smartphone, still using as spare phone. Best design & display, even the camera is really good for 5MP.
                              Always a NOKIA fan, here are my list of phones from first to last.

                              Nokia 7210 SuperNova
                              Nokia C1-01
                              Nokia Lumia 520
                              Nokia 6
                              Nokia 1

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                                • Anonymous
                                • ypc
                                • 07 Oct 2019

                                It also had very decent camera for the price

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                                  • Indian
                                  • g3T
                                  • 07 Oct 2019

                                  I have used Lumia 520 nearly two years never faced any lag it's easy n simple to use. After that I sell it n upgraded to Lumia 640 still 640 with me all applications in Memory Card. But now I'm using Android. I really miss Windows phone offline maps which I used without Internet in other countries. Android can't match Windows OS in just 512 mb Ram Windows give u Smoth performance.

                                    Xhxhyy, 07 Oct 2019I almost buy this phone. Windows phone is smooth but their ... moreYou won't blame UI of you are a Windows 10 pc user. Windows 10 Mobile has the Windows 0 pc interface which is fast Berry than the toyish android ui.

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                                      • TimApple
                                      • 552
                                      • 07 Oct 2019

                                      Android is a terrible OS and phones with it sell DESPITE it not BECAUSE use of it.

                                      It's a shame the only other alternative is iOS. When you consider that the iPhone 11 Pro Mac is exactly 2x the price of a OnePlus 7T/7 Pro or other phones despite being basically the same in terms of features and user experience, it's hard to go with Apple despite the superior OS.

                                      Also with the advent of faster than ever SoCs Android's jankiness and inefficiency was just brute forced away. The efficiency issue was solved by either cramming in bigger batteries or "solving" it by killing every app in background - looking at you Xiaomi, Huawei and OnePlus.

                                      Also how funny it is that Pixels have the most broken software of all the Android phones? They have to be patched by OEMs like OP does with OxygenOS. Even Samsung's skin is less buggy than Pixel's "stock" Android, Samsung's bloatware and slow updates aside.

                                      Ideally there'd be a third option but for now we're stuck in a duopoly of Apple and Google, neither checking all the boxes so there's always a compromise to be made.

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • gJs
                                        • 07 Oct 2019

                                        Third party apps for windows phones were the worst.