Windows Phone 8 continues to provide us with new devices. While much attention has been given over to the Lumia 920, the 820 has some compelling features and specs that should appeal to many. Sharing some key specifications with the higher end Windows Phone 8 devices along with options for wireless charging and expandable storage it’s certainly worth a look.
I have been using one for a few hours and so would quickly like to share my thoughts on it before it gets a full review. Read on to see and hear more..
Looks and Design
I think the 820 looks pretty smart decked out in white, I have been using the wireless capable matt case on the device. Like the Lumia 920, the 820 looks good with the black buttons, dark glass and the white of the case to set it off. This phone has a utilitarian aesthetic that gives the impression of durability and getting things done.
Construction
The Lumia 820 feels really well made and twisting and pressing the device doesn’t initiate any nasty plastic sounds. The body is ridged and does not flex under force, the buttons feel sturdy and have a good amount of feedback when pressed, they do not creak when pressed, they just click nicely.
The glass, unlike the Lumia 800 or the 920 is totally flat and is finished around the edges with a slightly tapered plastic surround that helps blend the phone to the outer casing.
The snap on cover takes some degree of effort to get off but is easy enough to get on, just watch those fingernails!
Screen
Like its distant cousin from another time, the the Lumia 820 gets those clear blacks and heavily saturated colours that you may have seen on the Lumia 800 due to the AMOLED panel. Deep black does look great with the surround but it is not as deep as the Lumia 800, I can still see the screen is slightly lighter in colour.
The touch response and scrolling feel much the same as both the Lumia 800 but the 920 still feels to have the edge with how well it keeps up with rapid movements.
Size and Weight
I have been using the Lumia 920 for a few weeks now and the Lumia 820 doesn’t feel very much different when in the hand. If anything I find it feels slightly denser than the 920 but that could be due to the less oval shape and the texture of the snap on case.
Camera
It will need a full review but my quick snaps and experiments produced some very acceptable results, although even just a quick look shows it’s not up to the might of its bigger brother. It looks to be capable of taking some quick shots that look good all the same.
Performance
The Lumia 820 like the HTC 8X, 920 and the ATIV S all share the same CPU core and so its of no surprise that the 820 does a fine job here. The experience is the consistent with the Lumia 920 and the all the Windows Phone 8 devices I have used. A longer look might reveal more later when tested fully.
Sum up
The Lumia 820 is well constructed and exhibits good performance characteristics. It has a camera that should suit the casual snapper and if you like AMOLED screens this could be the device for you. Stay tuned for a fuller review soon.
We’d love to hear what you guys think of the 820, plans for your upgrade or even your experiences with the 820. Do let us know in the comments below..
