The evolution of the Windows operating system for phones has been a long and painful one, as Microsoft has struggled to adapt its desktop-centric OS for the smaller screen. With Windows Phone 8, it has a system that combines simplicity with speed and flexibility, and even if its app store has a long way to go to catch up with the behemoths of Apple and Google, it's making steady progress, with 140,000 apps and counting, including many big names.
Windows 8 mostly means Nokia, though HTC, Samsung and others have dabbled with it. If you want the very best Windows smartphone, go for the one with the biggest spec. But there are horses for smart card, and for considerably less cash, you can get some very good devices without too much compromise on capability and performance.
The latest big beast in Nokia's formidable army of Lumia handsets packs in just about every trick that both Nokia and Windows can throw at it, putting it in direct competition with the likes of the iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy S4.
It has a thinner, lighter casing than its predecessor the 920, despite a move from plastic to aluminium. The 4.5-inch PureMotion HD+ Amoled touchscreen offers a beautifully sharp resolution of 1,280x768 pixels and offers strikingly vivid colours supported by deeply contrasting blacks.
It has a dual-core 1.5GHz processor rather than the quad-core type modelled by some of the more advanced Google smartphones, but it operates with an impressive smoothness, due in part to the streamlined OS which has so far resisted customisation from manufacturers. Apps open with impressive speed and web browsing is almost as fast as thought.
The camera has been beefed up with an 8.7-megapixel PureView model. It has the biggest arsenal of extras of any Nokia phone, including City Lens, which allows you to view the scene around you augmented with business and tourist information.
The 2,000mAh battery held up very well too delivering a good day and a half of regular use, better than we've come to expect from most high-end smartphones.
As with other Nokia Windows phones you get 7GB of free cloud storage via SkyDrive and a range of extras including HERE Maps and satnav, as well as Nokia Music which offers free downloadable playlists of tunes. Unfortunately, you're stuck with the 16GB onboard memory as there's no option to expand it via microSD card.
The dual-core 1.5GHz processor is nippy enough (all these Windows phones seem fast in comparison with similarly specced Androids) but like most Windows phones, there's no option to expand the 16GB memory via microSD card.
As usual with HTC, the camera is a bit of a let-down. It has eight megapixels and includes autofocus and an LED flash as well as a wide-angle lens option, but doesn't deliver the same basic pic quality as any of its Nokia rivals. There's also a 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls -- Skype and other video calling apps are now available from the Marketplace.
Coming in below the 925 in the Lumia hierarchy, the 820 knocks a couple of hundred quid off the price while still maintaining a very good set of features.
It has a similarly robust build and shape (all-plastic this time though, with changeable back covers) as its pricier cousin but the display reveals its midrange ambitions. With a sub-HD 800x480 pixel resolution it's noticeably less sharp, though it still looks vibrant and dynamic.
It's still a very fast handset too, with its dual-core 1.5GHz processor backed by a full 1GB RAM -- the same as you get on the 925. Unless you're used to the highest-end Androids, this is one of the key features of Windows phones -- you just don't have the same amount of hanging around waiting for apps to open.
The eight-megapixel camera is a step down from the 925's 8.7-megapixel model but it's certainly no slouch, delivering sharp and detailed pics on its automatic settings, plus there are plenty of extras to play with as well as the ever-growing list of Windows 'Lenses' which add extra functionality.
Unlike the 925 however, the 820 allows you to expand its 8GB of onboard memory by up to 64GB via microSD card. If you're fond of your HD videos and hi-res audio this is a major consideration for Windows phones, many of which don't offer memory expansion.
Battery-wise the 820's 1,650mAh power pack didn't distinguish itself, though you should be able to rely on a good day of regular use without having to worry.
Skipping out the next-in-line 720, the Lumia 620 offers a competitive spec and a considerably lower price without compromising too much on the features.
Something you can't do with the pricier Lumias is open the case. With the 620 you can and there is a range of bright colours to choose from to match your personal style -- green, yellow, pink and blue, as well as standard black or white.
The dual-core processor is clocked at 1.5GHz but while it's noticeably a little slower than its more expensive cousins, it's very smooth and slick in operation so that you barely notice the very slight delay while apps open.
It has most of the Nokia extras you'll find on more expensive handsets, including HERE Maps and satnav and Nokia Music, though it doesn't have the City Lens augmented reality feature for the camera.
The five-megapixel camera may not match more expensive Nokias but it still has a Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and outperforms many similarly specced Android cameras.
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