Comparison in pictures

Nokia Lumia 520

vs

Nokia X

What’s the same

• Both the devices are encased in polycarbonate, and available in multiple hues of black, white, red and yellow

• They feature 4-inch displays with aresolution of 480 x 800 pixels

• They’re powered by 1GHz dual-core chipsets (though the SoC is different)

• The processors are accompanied by 512MB of RAM

• The interface is remarkably similar thanks to the use of tiles

But there’s more than what meets the eye. Here’s how they’re different..

Design: curved vs boxy rear

• The Nokia X has a rectangular design, whereas the Nokia Lumia 520 has a curved rear that offers better handling

• The Nokia Lumia 520 features a dedicated camera key, allowing you to capture images quickly

• At the front, the Lumia 520 has three capacitive keys, while the Nokia X has a single capacitive key

Display: the Lumia 520 has a few tricks up its sleeve

• The display on the Nokia Lumia 520 is protected by scratch-resistant glass

• The Lumia 520 display also supports glove mode, making it easier to use the device while wearing gloves

Camera: the Nokia Lumia 520 turns out be a decent snapper

• Both devices lack front-facing cameras and LED flashes

• The Nokia Lumia 520 comes with a 5-megapixel primary camera with autofocus

• The Nokia X has a 3.15MP fixed-focus primary camera

• While the images captured by the Lumia 520 are decent, Nokia X captures below-average images

Performance: the Lumia 520 has the upper hand

• While they have a similar processor, the Nokia Lumia 520 is aided by a better Adreno 305 GPU in contrast to the Adreno 203 graphics processor in the Nokia X

• Windows Phone is optimisedwell to run on low-end devices like the Lumia 520, while the same isn’t the case with Nokia X (see screenshot)

• The Nokia X manages to keep up with basic tasks

Performance: more accolades for the Lumia 520

• However, games are a different story altogether. Even while playing games like Temple Run 2 and Subway Surfers, you can notice some frame drops on the Nokia X

• The 520 features complete multitasking with the ability to switch and close apps, but the Nokia X doesn’t offer proper multitasking

Ecosystem: the gap becomes apparent

• The Lumia 520 runs Windows Phone 8 and makes use of Microsoft Windows Store to download apps. The Nokia X is powered by Android AOSP (version 4.1.2).

• In case of the Nokia X, apps can be downloaded from Nokia Store, or third-party stores like 1Mobile Market and Amazon Appstore.

• You can also sideload apk files to install apps or games on the Nokia X.

Ecosystem: signature Nokia experiences

• Both the Lumia 520 and X are preloaded with apps from Nokia – HERE Maps, MixRadioand more.

• However, the Nokia X offers lifetime free music streaming on MixRadio, along with the ability to store up to four offline mixes for a period of 30 days.

Battery life: the Nokia X dies in a day

• The Nokia X can hardly last a complete day of moderate usage

• In contrast, the Nokia Lumia 520 can easily last more than a day

At a glance

Parameters Nokia Lumia 520 Nokia XDimensions (in mm) 119.9 x 64 x 9.9 142 x 72.5 x 8.1

Weight (in g) 124 145

Body Polycarbonate Polycarbonate

Colors Black, white, red, yellow, cyan Black, white, red, yellow, cyan, green

Display Size 4-inch 4-inch

Display Resolution 800 x 480 pixels (233ppi) 800 x 480 pixels (233ppi)

Display Technology IPS LCD IPS LCD

Network Support 2G/3G (micro-SIM) Dual SIM 2G/3G (micro-SIM)

ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon MSM8227, 1GHz dual-core

Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play, 1GHz dual-core

Graphics processor Adreno 305 Adreno 203

RAM 512MB 512MB

Internal Storage 8GB 4GB

External Storage up to 32GB up to 32GB

Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS

Primary Camera 5-megapixels 3.15-megapixels

Flash - -

Secondary Camera - -

OS Windows Phone 8 (Nokia Black firmwareAndroid 4.1.2 Jelly Bean (Nokia X software platform)

Battery 1,500mAh 1,410mAh

Pricing and verdict

“If you’re looking for a Nokia-branded device that offers access to the vast ecosystem of Android apps, the Nokia X is pretty much the only choice. However, if you’re looking for

an all-rounder device at this price point, then the Nokia Lumia 520 comes across as a better option. Moreover,

Windows Store is now coming of age, and carries most of the popular apps and games.”

Nokia Lumia 520~ Rs 7,300

Nokia X~ Rs 7,400