Nokia Lumia 720 VS Lumia 520 : Which is the Victor?

The Nokia Lumia 720 and 520 were launched simultaneously following an official announcement at the Mobile World Congress 2013 held at Barcelona, Spain. Both Lumia 720 and the Lumia 520 are falling under budget phones segment running on Windows 8. These phones easily managed to woo consumers and intimidate competitors. The entire plan being behind well created form factor which has been designed perfectly enough to accommodate the required specifications that are more than what an average budget phone can bring to the table. From a positive approach, these phones have all the standard features at good quality and perform ceaselessly. 

Nokia Lumia 720 vs Lumia 520

Let the Battle Begin

With the addition of these two mobiles in the Lumia lineup, Nokia plans to take its sales far and wide covering many more markets. In deciding which way to go, 720 or 520, its not just numbers. On looking closer reveals that both phones have their own advantages, and in other respects, disadvantages.

Both the Lumia 720 and Nokia Lumia 520 use mid-quality display technology which is more or less the same. Both devices have IPS LCD screens having resolutions of 480 x 800 pixels. The pixel density however varies with both phones, and one reason for this is the difference in the size of each screen. The Lumia 720 has a 4.3 in display and a density of 217 ppi while the Lumia 520 has a 4.0 inch screen thus coming with a better density of 233 ppi.

The Lumia 720 and Lumia 520 also come with similar processors and specifications. They both have a 1GHz dual core MSM8227 processor, which is fuelled by 512MB RAM and Adreno 305. These specifications are one of the reasons that these phones will sell like hot cakes since they pack a lot. These phones run on Windows 8 with easy and problem free functionality, making it a convincing alternative to Android phones, if not a better option. 

Also See: Nokia Lumia 920 Made into Top 10 Smartphones of 2012 List.

Hardware

Memory wise both phones are said to have 8GB of internal memory, and which can be expanded all the way to 64GB using microSD card slots present in both devices. This serves a good purpose to take on storing of documents and video files. 

Concluding praise where the hardware is concerned and moving on to appraisal of the software, there is not much to write about. The software used is the run of the mill stuff, and deliberately so since these phones are made to run on the Windows 8 experience. Nokia is not packing in a lot into the versions of Windows 8 available, but the software operates to bring in most of the major Windows 8 features.

Camera

As for the camera, the Lumia 720 has a 6.7 Megapixel snapper for its primary camera, and given it fancy features like Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, a neat LED flash, plus geo-ragging and 720p video recording facility. The Lumia 720 is also equipped to take on video calls generating decent visual quality with its 1.3 Megapixel front camera.  On the other hand, the Lumia 520 has given a less powerful camera in terms of megapixels, being only 5 megapixels, which on its own is in no way a compromise. The camera also has autofocus facility and a 1/4inch sensor size and also has geo tagging and 720p video capture like the Lumia 720. However unlike the Lumia 720, this one does not offer video calling since it lacks a front camera. 

Connectivity

Both devices are packed with the usual connectivity features like GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a microUSB, however the Lumia 720 succeeds in having a NFC (Near Field Communication) while the Lumia 520 doesn’t offer the same. 

Both phones have a fair amount of specifications, but neither hits the high quality specification mark that other big brother Lumia phones have. The Windows 8 feature is an added bonus but it will not be a reason to buy these devices. These phones mostly target users on a tight budget, and these phones are a good example of exactly what budget phones should offer.

Comparison

Take a look at the comparative table below for a more in-depth analysis at the Lumia 720 and 520. 

For those who want to own an extra spare phone that can hold a lot of data, and can basically be used for regular functions like camera shots, taking videos, etc.  The Lumia 720 is a good phone since it offers good optics and software features to compliment those. For consumers on an even tighter budget, or if you need a backup of an intermediary phone to take on simple functions, the Lumia 520 will do the job. These phones are good entry level options. The build of these phones makes them even suitable for rough use like for your children. They are also durable so when you don’t want to lug around your expensive phablet on a long trip, where you don’t need those fancy features, then these phones are appropriate. The fact that you can afford the entire Windows 8 experience with all the major features on a responsive touchscreen is another point in favor of these phones.

For those intending to use voice and video calling the natural choice would be the Lumia 720 since the 520 has not been fitted with one. However, there are a ton of other phones and phablets available for just a little more money, and while Nokia’s first attempt at bringing in the lowest costing phones to the Lumia range is not a failed one, we suggest to hold off buying the Lumia 520 phones except if absolutely required. The Lumia 720 packs in quite a bit for its price and so being part of the Lumia lineup it’s a good choice coming in between the Lumia 620 and Lumia 520. The former is also expected to roll out soon, and is complete with good features and design.

Also See: Top 5 Smartphones below Rs. 10,000 ($200)

About Author
Julia works with 91mobiles - an ecommerce mobile comparison company. Her passion for upgrading her knowledge puts her to research on topics relevant to her industry. Besides, she also likes to share her findings by writing about them in her free time.

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About Jimmie Luthra

Jimmie Luthra is a Mariner, Tech enthusiast, Blogger and Gadget reviewer. He is fond of technology and is usually found playing with some piece of tech. He is also a Guitarist, Music lover & fitness freak.