After a long wait, the next crop of Windows Phone handsets are beginning to trickle in, and just in time for the holidays. If you're familiar with our reviews of the HTC 8X and Nokia Lumia 920, you already know that Windows Phone has some impressive contenders in its stable, but these flagship devices only tell half of the story. Now, we're given an opportunity to test the Lumia 810, a mid-range smartphone that's now available on T-Mobile.
It's clear that T-Mobile isn't looking to start a price war here. At $150 after a rebate, the Lumia 810 costs more than Nokia's crown jewel, the Lumia 920, which you can find on AT&T for $100. Another telling sign: the phone also costs more than its siblings, the Lumia 820 for AT&T ($50) and the Lumia 822 for Verizon ($100). Naturally, you'll be able to recoup some of this with T-Mobile's lower monthly fees, but it goes without saying that T-Mobile is levying an early adopter tax on its subscribers. That said, for those sold on Windows Phone yet unwilling to jump ship, you're left to choose between the Lumia 810 and the more expensive HTC 8X. Along with its lower cost, Nokia holds an ace up its sleeve in the form of its home-brewed Windows Phone apps, which may be enough to sway customers away from HTC's flagship. Will the extra card be enough for a winning hand? Join us after the break as we explore the finer points of the Lumia 810.
It's clear that T-Mobile isn't looking to start a price war here. At $150 after a rebate, the Lumia 810 costs more than Nokia's crown jewel, the Lumia 920, which you can find on AT&T for $100. Another telling sign: the phone also costs more than its siblings, the Lumia 820 for AT&T ($50) and the Lumia 822 for Verizon ($100). Naturally, you'll be able to recoup some of this with T-Mobile's lower monthly fees, but it goes without saying that T-Mobile is levying an early adopter tax on its subscribers. That said, for those sold on Windows Phone yet unwilling to jump ship, you're left to choose between the Lumia 810 and the more expensive HTC 8X. Along with its lower cost, Nokia holds an ace up its sleeve in the form of its home-brewed Windows Phone apps, which may be enough to sway customers away from HTC's flagship. Will the extra card be enough for a winning hand? Join us after the break as we explore the finer points of the Lumia 810.
Hardware
| Nokia Lumia 810 | Nokia Lumia 820 | HTC 8X | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier | T-Mobile | AT&T | AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon |
| Pricing | $150 after rebate | $50 | $100 - $200 |
| Dimensions | 5 x 2.7 x 0.43 inches (128 x 68 x 10.9mm) | 4.9 x 2.7 x 0.39 inches (124 x 69 x 9.9mm) | 5.2 x 2.6 x 0.4 inches (132 x 66 x 10.1 mm) |
| Weight | 5.11 oz. (145g) | 5.64 oz. (160g) | 4.59 oz. (130 g) |
| Screen size | 4.3 inches | 4.3 inches | 4.3 inches |
| Screen resolution | 800 x 480 pixels (217ppi) | 800 x 480 pixels (217ppi) | 1,280 x 720 pixels (342ppi) |
| Screen type | AMOLED ClearBlack | AMOLED ClearBlack | S-LCD 2 |
| Battery | 1,800mAh | 1,650mAh | 1,800mAh |
| Internal storage | 8GB | 8GB | 8GB / 16GB |
| External storage | MicroSD, none included | MicroSD, none included | No |
| Rear camera | 8MP, AF, dual-LED flash, f/2.2 | 8MP, AF, dual-LED flash, f/2.2 | 8MP, AF, LED flash, f/2.0, HTC ImageChip |
| Front-facing cam | 1.2MP | VGA | 2.1MP |
| Video capture | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radios | HSPA 850 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100MHz; GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz | LTE 700 / 1700 / 2100MHz; HSPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100MHz; GSM 850 / 1900 / 1800 / 1900MHz | HSPA 1700 / 1900 / 2100MHz; GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz (T-Mobile) |
| Network speeds | DC-HSPA+ 42Mbps | LTE; HSPA+ 21Mbps | DC-HSPA+ 42Mbps (T-Mobile) |
| Bluetooth | v3.0 | v3.0 | v3.1 |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 |
| CPU | 1.5GHz dual-core Krait | 1.5GHz dual-core Krait | 1.5GHz dual-core Krait |
| GPU | Adreno 225 | Adreno 225 | Adreno 225 |
| RAM | 1GB | 1GB | 1GB |
| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n | 802.11a/b/g/n | 802.11a/b/g/n |
| Operating system | Windows Phone 8 | Windows Phone 8 | Windows Phone 8 |