Top five Windows 8 phones

In a market that’s saturated with iOS and Android devices, and one device is almost indistinguishable from the other - Microsoft (once again) has tried to offer something different. WithWindows Phone 8, the Redmond crew aims to make a phone that is truly personal, and has something for everyone.

With five new handsets ready to raid the cellular market from big names like Nokia, HTC and Samsung, it can be a little difficult to pick the right handset, so we’ve made it easier for you to make a good purchasing decision, with the following comparison and analysis:

Features	Nokia Lumia 920	Nokia Lumia 820	HTC WP8X	HTC WP8S	Samsung Ativ S
Display
Resolution	1280x768	800x480	1280x720	800x480	1280x720
Screen Size	4.5 inch	4.3 inch	4.3 inch	4 inch	4.8 inch
PPI	332	217	341	233	306
Glass Type	Gorilla Glass 2	Scratch Resistant	Gorilla Glass 2	Gorilla Glass 2	Gorilla Glass 2
Body
Dimensions (mm)	130.3x70.8x10.7	123.8x68.5x9	132.3x66.2x10.1	120.5x63x10.28	137.2x70.5x8.7
Weight (grams)	185	160	130	113	135
Specs
CPU	Qualcomm S4 1.5GHz Dual Core	Qualcomm S4 1.5GHz Dual Core	Qualcomm S4 1.5GHz Dual Core	Qualcomm S4 1GHz Dual Core	Qualcomm S4 1.5GHz Dual Core
RAM	1GB	1GB	1GB	512MB	1GB
Storage	32GB	8GB	16GB	4GB	16/32GB
Expandable	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
NFC	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Main Camera
Resolution	8.7MP, BSI	8MP	8MP, BSI	5MP	8MP, BSI
Flash type	Dual LED	Dual LED	LED	LED	LED
Aperture	f/2.0	f/2.2	f/2.0	f/2.8	f/2.6
Video resolution	1080p	1080p	1080p	720p	1080p
Stabilization	OIS	OIS	No	No	No
Front Camera
Still Resolution	1.2MP	.3MP	2.1MP	No	1.9MP
Video Resolution	720p	VGA	1080p	No	Unknown
Battery	2000mAh	1650mAh	1800mAh	1700mAh	2300mAh

As you can see, the Windows Phone 8 line up looks pretty impressive in terms of their features, but each phone has something unique to offer. The Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia’s flagship WP8 device, runs the top-of-the-line hardware specifications, but packs in the PureView technology that was showcased in the 808 PureView. Nokia’s also packed in an f/2.0 lens into the Lumia 920 which includes, for the first time in a cellphone, optical image stabilization based on floating lens elements. If the preliminary tests are to be believed (and we don’t see a reason not to), the Lumia 920 hands down has the best camera that’s been packed into a phone, this side of the 808 PureView. On the flipside, the Lumia 920 is thick and definitely the heaviest WP8 phone in the lineup. That could be attributed to the impressive camera optics and a 2,000mAh battery Nokia’s packed into the body though. Sadly, it doesn’t come with a micrSD slot to increase the stock 32GB storage.

Nokia Lumia 920

Directly competing with Nokia’s Lumia 920 is the HTC Windows Phone 8X (henceforth, WP8X). Interesting/confusing naming scheme aside, HTC’s WP8X handset is extremely beautiful. Sure it may not have the brilliant camera of the Lumia 920, but it definitely beats the Finnish company’s phone in terms of form factor. The 8X is deceptively thin, with gently curved back that, despite the large screen size, seems to fit into our palms like it was made just for our hands. We’re almost tempted to say that we’d trade in the bulk, heft AND camera of the Nokia Lumia 920 for the sturdy and svelte HTC WP8X.

HTC Windows Phone 8X

The third premium Windows Phone 8 device is the Samsung Ativ S, a 4.8 inch phone that we can swear is a borderline phablet. It’s got the biggest screen size of all the phones, and the biggest battery too (2300mAh) to power that gorgeous display. It even comes in flavours of 16GB and 32GB onboard storage so you can have your pick. The icing on the cake, however, is that the Ativ S has a microSD card slot so you can pack in more music and movies onto this large device.

Samsung Ativ S

While premium flagship devices always steal the show, there’s still a lot of people who would love to have the premium features without paying the premium price. That’s where the Nokia Lumia 820 and HTC Windows Phone 8S (WP8S) come in. Both the phones feature a lower screen resolution of 800x480 pixels, but the slightly smaller screen on the HTC WP8S allows it to have a better overall pixel density. Both the phones come with microSD card slots so you can increase their stock storage capacities, which the Lumia 820 has more of (8GB vs. 4GB).

Nokia Lumia 820

Then there is also the point that even though the HTC WP8S is far more gorgeous looking, it lacks a front facing camera altogether. Even though the Lumia 820’s front facing shooter is a disappointing .3 megapixel rated, at least its something. Another feather in the Lumia cap here would be the faster processor (1.5GHz over the 1GHz in the 8S) along with double the RAM (1GB in the Lumia and 512MB in the 8S).

HTC Windows Phone 8S

These five phones are the first wave of Windows Phone 8 devices that should be hitting the shelves before the year ends. Other manufacturers like Huawei are expected to show off their Windows Phone 8 branded handsets around the time Mobile World Conference kicks off in February 2013. However, if you’re eagerly waiting to pick up a WP 8 handset, the first wave of WP 8 devices is an excellent lineup to choose from.

HTC Windows phone 8X

Windows Phone 8X

GOOD                            BAD

• Standout industrial design
• Pixel-dense, beautiful display
• New homescreen adds versatility
• Upgraded audio hardware

• App ecosystem remains deficient
• Not the best ergonomics for a 4.3-inch phone
• Beats Audio and new front-facing camera are superfluous gimmicks

The Windows Phone 8X is what every new smartphone should aspire to be: a combination of the software and hardware vendor’s best work to date, topped off with some unique new additions of its own. Everything that HTC could transport from its Android One series has made the leap to the 8X — the unibody case, dual-core processor, HD screen, camera filters, and even Beats Audio — and all of Microsoft’s mobile development efforts over the past few months are represented in the brand new Windows Phone 8. Topping them off is a truly individual design that will resonate with buyers tired of the smartphone monotony that has befallen much of the market.

Though laudable in its intentions and much of its execution, the 8X falls a little short. The primary culprit is Microsoft’s chronic inability to spur a third-party app ecosystem for the Windows Phone platform. There have been significant improvements in Microsoft’s own software and services, but without the ubiquitous support that competitors iOS and Android enjoy, WP8 faces an uphill struggle in trying to uproot users from their established ecosystems. HTC has done its utmost to assist this venture on the hardware side, but it barely moves the needle when it comes to software enhancements. You get a lot for your $99 when signing up for the LTE-capable Windows Phone 8X from AT&T, but in the end, it’ll be up to Microsoft to determine whether buying into its ecosystem was an investment worth making.

Nokia Lumia 920 review

The Nokia Lumia 920 is the company’s third attempt at launching the definitive Windows Phone. In April, Nokia and Microsoft tried to convince the world that theLumia 900 and Windows Phone 7.5 was that device, but that claim had a shorter expiration date than anybody realized. Its days were numbered, as Windows Phone 8 was an under-the-hood overhaul that wasn’t compatible with the phone.

The Lumia 920’s launch was mishandled at best. The compelling PureView camera was undercut by a marketing snafu when Nokia faked a video purporting to show its low-light capabilities. Neither Nokia nor its carrier partners could commit to a firm release date, and potential buyers have had to wait nearly two months to purchase the phone. In that time both the iPhone 5 and the Nexus 4 appeared on the scene — the competition has not stood still.

Though the Lumia 920 stumbled out of the gate, it still aims to be the long-shot, dark horse surprise of the smartphone race.

Nokia Lumia 920

GOOD                           BAD

• PureView camera takes incredible low-light shots
• Large, responsive screen
• Nokia software enhancements

• Very heavy and bulky
• App ecosystem remains deficient
• Some issues with LTE reception

Many of the frustrations we used to have in Windows Phone are now gone with this latest version, and Nokia has given the OS a very good stage with the Lumia 920. The speed and multitasking improvements, connections to Xbox and SkyDrive, and Start Screen experience are all much better, but there’s still a critical lack of apps and they too often feel as though they’re not as good as what’s on other platforms.

It’s fitting that I’m reviewing the Nokia Lumia 920 while Microsoft’s Build conference is going on here in Redmond. Microsoft has resolved many of the developer complaints with Windows Phone and is aggressively courting them to bring more and better apps to the platform. The work to bring Windows Phone 8 up to par is happening all around me — and it needs to keep happening. With its new core, Windows Phone 8 is in many ways a completely new platform that should enable rapid innovation — and users will need to continue to wait for it to come into its own.

The Lumia 920’s hardware and design is top-notch, the screen is lovely, and the camera is a marvel in low light — but you can’t ignore just how big and bulky the phone is. The software and hardware tradeoffs inherent in the Lumia 920 could be worth it if you’ve bought into the Microsoft ecosystem, but for most people I don’t think it’s a sure bet.