One of the biggest pieces of news this year was the finalization of Microsoft’s purchase of the Finnish brand, Nokia. We love Nokia phones, and it’s hard to see them gone from something they are really good at. Before they fully turn over their Lumia nameplate to Microsoft, however, Nokia left us some really good devices that hold their own even against stiff competition.
Design: (4/5)
If celebrated performers embark on farewell tours, the Lumia 830 is Nokia’s swan song. In this regard, this “affordable flagship” surely takes this responsibility seriously. A colorful polycarbonate back cover paired with a gorgeous metal frame has been a known Lumia hallmark, and the 850 goes down that same lane.
The 830 is about as wide as a chocolate bar, and tips the scales at 150g; light, yet feels great in the hand. The handset gives you a dedicated physical shutter button along with a power/lock and volume rocker on its right side, while the opposite side is bare. The top part sports the audio jack and micro-USB port.
Hardware: (3.5/5)
Flipping its plastic rear open gives you access to its removable battery, microSD card, and micro-SIM slot. The Lumia 830 carries a Snapdragon 400 quad-core chipset clocked at 1.2GHz with 1GB of RAM, which in some way explains why this flagship is under the midrange category.
Another trademark Lumia phones are famed for is its ClearBlack technology integration. This is a display technology that reduces reflections on the screen to improve the visual quality of images. This same technology is added in the 830, and it’s fine-looking. Apart from this, this five incher’s 720p IPS-LCD display produces sharp images with just the right punch of color. It also gives you great readability even outdoors, and a super sensitive touch overlaid with a curved Gorilla Glass 3.0.
You can also charge this Lumia without plugging it in as it supports wireless charging, and supports NFC to boot.
User Experience: (3.5/5)
Going back to the pixel discussion, the 830 gives you deep blacks worth mentioning. Colors come out accurately, and viewing angles are wide and comfortable. This feature goes perfectly with Lumia’s modern Live Tile interface. Every flick offers you great visuals you could fiddle with all day.
One of the strengths of the Lumia is the OS that runs it. We agree that Windows Mobile is a powerful OS, but the lack of apps and services available on the Windows Phone store still make it tad bit cumbersome for Android and iOS followers to shift. However, Microsoft does offer strong core apps. Cortana, for example, is a brilliant personal assistant that takes care of the work well, and the Live Tiles give you the information you need at a quick glance.
One week into reviewing the 830 prompted good impressions. It is a mighty-fine phone that can run nearly everything you throw at it. It does stutter slightly with games with intensive graphics. Response and frame rate at times turned sluggish. But if day to day use is your concern, this isn’t a matter over which you should lose sleep.
Key appeal to Lumia phones is the camera. As is so often the case, its 10MP camera is a real top snapper. Shutter speed is fast, shots come out great, colors are sharp, and there’s plenty details to wonder over, as expected from a Lumia phone. The Nokia Camera app further ups the quality of photos and videos as it gives you control and more options, the way you want it.
Battery life is pleasantly unremarkable. The 830 gives you just the right amount of juice to last you a day. No problems here, if you stick to the basics. You may have to consider bringing a power bank in tow if you are heavy on data use and gaming.
Value: (3.5)
The Lumia 830’s real attraction is its superb camera, awesome build, and the fact that is manufactured by Nokia. It is a stylish and an all-around device that’s a definite bang for your buck.
Bottomline:
If a solid mid-ranger is what you are after, then the 830 is the answer.
Specifications:
- Processor: 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400
- RAM: 1GB
- Internal Storage: 16GB
- Display: 5-inch IPS LCD (720×1280 pixels)
- OS: Windows Phone 8.1
- Dimensions: 139.40×70.70×8.50mm
- Cameras: 10MP rear camera and 0.9MP front camera
What’s Hot:
- Stunning, high resolution display
- Rear camera produces great shots
What’s Not:
- Lack of apps
- Plastick-y back cover