I have been very critical of Windows Phone 8 smartphones, especially in the high-end segment where I believe they cannot compete with Android smartphones. Despite having great hardware, Nokia’s high-end Lumia smartphones leave much to be desired especially on the OS and UI front, which are essentially Microsoft problems. However, yesterday I played with the Lumia 720, which could possibly be the first Lumia smartphone that I’d actually want to buy. Read on for my first impressions. The first thing you’d notice about the Lumia 720 is how sleek it is and how good it feels in the hand. I’m a big fan of Nokia’s new design language and the premium-feel materials Nokia is using for its smartphones. The Lumia 720 feels just right and with a thickness of 9mm it doesn’t come across as too flimsy or too thick as most Lumia smartphones tend to be. The rounded edges ensure a comfortable grip and I like Nokia’s color palette too.
The Lumia 720, in my books has lots going for it. I am already sold out on its design and Nokia has managed to price it realistically and has confirmed it will be available under Rs 20,000 when it is launched in India next month. This makes it a very good value for money smartphone, especially if it delivers on all the claims that Nokia is making. Some of the biggest deal makers for the Lumia 720 could be its 2,000mAh battery that is rated to provide up to 23.4 hours of calls on 2G or 13.4 hours of calls on 3G. Or its 6.7-megapixel camera with a relatively large 1/3.6″ sensor and f/1.9 arperture, which Nokia claims would provide great low-light performance. Then there is Nokia’s Music Store and Mix Radio offerings as well as its Maps and navigation software. Not to forget 8GB of internal storage apart from a microSD card slot.
I’m willing to sacrifice the Windows Phone app ecosystem and the few UI idiosyncrasies if the Lumia 720 actually performs as claimed. For a sub-Rs 20,000 smartphone, it offers a good bang for the buck on paper. Whether it does that in reality is something we will find out in our upcoming detailed review.
Originally published by Rajat Agarwal for BGR
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