Today, Nokia took the wraps off its Lumia Icon phone. The Lumia Icon is Nokia’s latest Verizon phone, which also happens to be the first 5-inch Windows Phone with a full 1080p display.
Here, we compare it with a couple of competing smartphones: the iPhone 5S and the Galaxy S4. Pictured above are shots of it next to both phones (though it’s worth noting that that’s a Google Edition GS4), as well as the Lumia 1520. You can read our full Lumia Icon review for an in-depth look at the new phone.
iPhone 5S |
Galaxy S4 |
Nokia Lumia Icon |
|
| Size | 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 (mm) | 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 (mm) | 136.9 x 70.8 x 9.9 (mm) |
| Weight | 112g | 130g | 166g |
| Screen | 4.0-inch LCD | 5.0-inch Super AMOLED | 5-inch OLED |
| Resolution | 1136×640 pixels | 1080×1920 pixels | 1080×1920 pixels |
| OS | iOS 7 | Android 4.2 with TouchWiz UI | Windows Phone 8 with Nokia Lumia Black |
| Storage | 16/32/64GB | 16/32/64GB | 32GB |
| SD Card Slot | No | Yes | No |
| Processor | 64-bit A7 chip | Quad-core Snapdragon 600 | Quad-core Snapdragon 800 |
| RAM | 1GB | 2GB | 2GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+ | Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+ | Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+, NFC |
| Camera | Front 1.2MP, Rear 8MP | Front 1.9MP, Rear 13MP | Front 2MP, Rear Dual Capture 5MP+19MP |
| Bluetooth | Yes, version 4.0 | Yes, version 4.0 | Yes, version 4.0 |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes | No | No |
| Battery | 10 hours talk, 250 hours standby | 2600mAh | 2420mAh |
| Charger | Lightning connector | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Marketplace | Apple App Store | Google Play Store | Windows Phone Store |
| Ave. Price | $200+ | $200+ | $200 |
| Availability | AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon | AT&T, Sprint, T-Mob, Verizon | Verizon |
Spec for spec, Lumia wins
When it comes to pure specs, the Lumia Icon wins hands down. The only phones out right now with a comparably fast processor are the Galaxy Note 3, Lumia 1520, LG G2, Nexus 5, and Sony Xperia Z1S. Of the phones in this group, only the G2 and Note 3 are available on Verizon.
Beyond the numbers
It’s not uncommon for consumers to prefer stuff that they’re already accustomed to using. For instance, if you’re on an iPhone, it’s tough to switch to Android, and vice versa. Unfortunately for Windows Phone, almost anyone making the switch to Microsoft’s smartphone platform will have some trouble adjusting.
Simply put, the Lumia Icon’s weakness is its operating system, which is what has harmed Nokia since it partnered with Microsoft. However, if you’ve never owned a smartphone before, the Lumia Icon is a great place to start. It doesn’t have the game or app selection found on iOS and Android phones like the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5S, but it’s not barren of apps either, and many of them function quite well.
Here are some random notes about each phone:
- If you want the best apps and games: Buy the iPhone 5S
- If you want the best free apps and games: Buy the Galaxy S4
- If you need Google services: Avoid the Lumia Icon
- If you hate notifications: Buy the Lumia Icon
- If you want the best Chat apps: Buy the Galaxy S4
- If battery life is your biggest concern: Avoid the iPhone 5S
- If call quality is your top concern: Avoid the Lumia Icon
- If you want the best photos: Buy the iPhone 5S
- If you keep going over your texting limit: Buy the iPhone (iMessage)
We hope this helps paint a clearly picture of the Nokia Lumia Icon as well as its competition. If you can justify making the Windows Phone leap, the Icon is the phone to buy.
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