Coming after a long wait is the next
harvest of Windows Phone handsets which is just launched in time for the
upcoming holiday. If you have read our reviews about HTC 8X and Nokia Lumia
920, you would have known that Windows Phone does have some formidable
competitors, but these top devices have just told half of the story. Now, we
have been given a chance to test the Lumina 810, an average-level smartphone
which is available on T-Mobile.
Obviously, it is not T-Mobile who starts
the price war here. At $150 after discount, Lumia 810 is more expensive than
the Nokia’s crown jewel, the Lumia 920, which you can find on AT&T for
$100. Naturally, you can recoup some of this with the lower monthly fees, but
it must be said that T-Mobile is levying an early adopter tax on its
subscribers. That means, for people who are fans of Windows Phone but are still
not ready to change the ship, so between Lumia 810 and the more expensive HTC
8X, the choice is yours. With the lower expense, Nokia hides its ace under the
forms of its home-brewed Windows apps, which are enough to draw customers’
attentions and blur its luxury competitor’s existence. However, whether the
additional card is adequate to win the gamble? Let join us to discover Lumia
810’s beauty.
Nokia
Lumia 810
Hardware
If you are interested in enduring handsets,
you would be fond of Lumia 810. For other people, its shape might be a
drawback, because it is one of the chunkiest smartphones we have ever seen for
such a long time. In spite of the popular 4.3inch screen, the newest product of
Nokia for T-Mobile is surprisingly large. To put things in a picture, the
device’s height and width are nearly equal to HTC One X’s, and with 0.43inch
depth (10.9mm), it is much thicker. If you prefer a more compact Windows Phone,
just consider HTC 8X, which is more slender among two, regardless of the
similar dimension.
Beside its physical dimension, the
substantial appearance of Lumia 810 is consolidated by the aesthetic design.
Unlike most of the smartphones, which usually try to hide its perimeter by the
curved or beveled edges, Lumia 810 seems to show off its thickness with clean
edges and flat sides linked with the tapered rear casing. Generally, it is very
comfortable to hold the handset and more importantly, you can easily operate
with just one hand. However, you might find it hard to fit your pocket, with
that thick shape.
Lumia
810’s outlook
Lumia 810 is the spiritual successor of
Lumia 800 and T-Mobile’s offerings, the Lumia 710. However, from the design
perspective, it represents a new begin of Nokia. There is no doubt that the
proportions of the phone are very similar with that of Lumia 820 for AT&T
and Lumia 822 for Verizon Still. Nevertheless, Lumia 810, without rounded edges
or sides, seems to be the most elegant of the bunch. The phone’s surface also
looks very spare with just a solid and expansive sheet of glass. It owns a
front 1.2-megapixel camera, light and proximity sensors, an earpiece and the
capacity Windows Phone navigation buttons. Notification light, which is the
distinct advantage of HTC 8X, is a lack of this device.
Of course, sitting in the middle is the
4.3-inch, 800x480 (WVGA) ClearBlack AMOLED screen. Exclusive to Nokia, a polarized
filter helps the screen displaying the view content better under the direct
sunlight, and just for this aspect, it really made a huge step forward compared
to its competitors. Manipulating tasks with your finger nails or even while
wearing glows is also another highlight. Yes, bare fingers are still the most
ideal, but it is so hard to dissemble that utility. Overall, the screen offers
much content space, lively colors, deep blacks and elite viewing angles.
Notwithstanding, there are some disadvantages as text appears roughly within
the web browser and the white balance of the display seems to be decidedly on
the cool end of the spectrum.
Lumia
810’s thickness
The rear case of Lumia 810 is really a
perfect case covering two sides of the device. It also contains the volume
rocker, power button and dual-stage camera shutter button, which are on the
right hand side of the vase. Good news is that right-handed people will face no
problem in adjusting the volume or waking the device up, because both buttons
are located within the reach of the thumb. At the bottom, you will find a
micro-USB port lying between two grilles which hide the loudspeaker on the left
side and microphone on the right. On the top, there is a 3.5 mm earphone jack
and an additional microphone for stereo recording. The back side of the handset
is quite Spartan, with a vertical camera pod – complete with Nokia and Carl
Zeiss mark and a dual-LED flash light. Those, who easily get bored, might find
it interesting to change the rear case everyday with different color and
texture shells, along with ones that support Qi wireless charging.
Essentially, Lumia 810’s thickness is
rather a differentiator than an inhibition. It is somehow necessary because the
phone provides the built-in support for the Qi wireless charging standard,
which means that it is able to compatible with Nokia’s charging pillow from
Fatboy. When removing the rear case, you will find a removable 1800mAh battery
which occupies such a large space. You will also see a micro-SIM array and a
microSD slot, along with a NFC antenna which is built into the rear case
before.
The
removable skin case for Lumia 810
