Product Description
Product Features Entry 4G Windows 8 Smartphone 4? WVGA LCD display 5MP Camera - Snap creative photos with built-in digital lenses Dual Core (1GHz) Processor Listen to your favorite songs with Nokia Music Dimensions Size (LWH): 2.5 inches, 0.4 inches, 4.9 inches Weight: 4.48 ounces Product Features Network Compatibility: GSM
Product Details
Amazon Sales Rank: #629 in Cell Phone Accessories
Color: White
Brand: Nokia
Model: Lumia 521
Released on: 2013-06-12
Dimensions: 4.90" h x .40" w x 2.50" l, .28 pounds
Features
Mobile Operating System: Windows Phone 8
Color: Not Available
Touch Screen: Yes
Built-in Digital Camera: Yes
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
823 of 857 people found the following review helpful.
5Great Phone - AMAZING price!
By Amazon Customer
Let me first start of by saying, this is an amazing phone! I bought it as a cheap entry into Windows Phone 8, and I'm completely blown away. I wasn't expecting this. This phone was going to be something I use as a backup, but I'm currently using this as my daily driver, and I love it!
Let me also say, that I'm not new to the world of smart phones. I consider myself a techie enthusiast that buys and tries new phones / tech every few months or so. I've been on every phone carrier, and tried every platform except for WP8 (until now). I've also picked up every iPhone released (1st gen to iPhone 5), and I'm HEAVILY invested in Google services. I've had the last 3 generations of Galaxy S devices, tried many of the Verizon Droid line devices (X, Droid, Droid2). My most recent love has been the pureness of the LG Nexus 4. The fact that I'm impressed with this budget device is no small thing.
Pros:
-Fantastic Battery Life - (Appears to hold its charge while on stand by like an iPhone. Unlike Android phones that continue to drain heavily even without use. The phone also charges fairly quickly since the battery only rated at 1430mAH).
-Great Nokia Construction - (Nokia does an amazing job with plastics. Remember the days of the old Nokia 3300's? You could drop those things over and over again without worry. I have nearly the same confidence in this phone. Something you definitely don't see in other phones these days. The phone even has a good weight to it. Not the light, cheapy feeling you get from some Samsung devices).
-Removable Rear Cover - (Most WP8 phones that I see - even other Nokia ones - don't have a removable back. I was very pleased to see one on the 521. Scratch or crack a back? No problem! Replace it. Hopefully there will be some 3rd party support here making other colors and designs. I haven't had the need for it yet, but I can't tell you how many battery pulls I've had to do with some of my Android phones. I like knowing that if I ever have to reset my phone, I'm just a pop of the cover away. Even the buttons come off with the cover! This means if you ever have wear on the buttons, it'll be replaced with the new cover you put on there as well).
-Dedicated Camera Key - (From what I've read online, this is a feature implemented by WP8. I was glad to see that this transferred even down to their entry level 521. I like having quick access to my camera, and this is a feature that is rarely seen on Android devices, and has NEVER been on an iOS device. It's also a 2-stage button. 1st click focus, 2nd click snap).
-Acceptable Camera - (Now, you might be wondering why this is a Pro, since the camera is only a 5mp sensor. However, considering the 5mp limitation, I was very impressed with its quality. Even in low lighting, images are very acceptable. I rate this camera higher than my iPad3 & iPod5, and probably the best 5mp phone shooter that I've seen so far).
-Great Speaker - (This was something that I didn't even care about right away. Then I tried using this to play some music from Pandora, and wow. It really caught me off guard. It can get really loud without distorting).
-Snappy Processor - (I can't find any lag on this thing. I can't say whether this is hardware or software since I'm new to WP8, but it certainly makes it easy for me to switch back from an iPhone 5, Nexus 4, & S3 without really noticing a difference.
-Generous Storage - (8 Gigs internal, with expandable storage options. There are phones that cost 3x this that don't even give you the expandable storage option. Other phones in this price segment don't give you anything close to 8 gigs internal space).
There are other great things about this phone, but these are just the things that stand out.
Cons:
-Screen Technology - (I'm sure Nokia cut some cost here to keep the phone at a great price, so this is in NO WAY a deal breaker, but it picks up a ton of finger prints. You can't touch this screen without leaving smudges. It's just impossible. Higher end phones use a glass that's gone through anti-smudge treatment to prevent this. Wipe your screen more often, or put an anti-smudge screen protector and you're problems are solved. No biggie).
-No LED flash - (Again another way Nokia cut cost, and again NOT a deal breaker. I only use LED flash on my other phones as a flash light. Everyone knows that those tiny lights don't do crap to help dark photos anyways. If I really have to pop some night shots, I'll be busting out a DSLR or a Point & shoot).
Conclusion: - If you're on the fence about this device, let me help you. Stop reading my review here, and go buy this thing! You won't find a better value anywhere else. Prior to purchasing this phone, I stood by the Nexus 4 as being one of the best value's on the market, but Nokia is really putting a different spin on things. Any Android phone that you find in this price segment will be using an old OS (you'll be lucky to get Gingerbread), & extremely dated hardware. Here you have up to date hardware with an up to date OS at a 3rd of the competition's cost.
Suggestions: - Buy this at Walmart if you can find it. I got mine for $129.00 at a local Walmart. T-Mobile sells this for $150.00, and right now Amazon has it for $199.00. Also I'm currently using this on Straight Talk. I see ton's of forum posted questions asking if this will work with Straight Talk, and I CAN confirm that it does. You just have to be sure you're using a T-Mobile compatible Micro-Sim. I also had to enter the APN setting manually. After just putting my sim in, I could receive calls and texts, but no data service. After entering the proper APN settings (available on Straight Talk's website), data worked just fine.
... New $700 smart phones come out everyday, but the $129 Nokia 521 is a true gem.
----------------------
7/26/13 UPDATE!
I still can't get over what an awesome deal this is. You can now get this phone as little as $99 OFF CONTRACT / OUTRIGHT. Since purchasing this phone, I've also picked up a Samsung Galaxy S4 & an HTC One. I can honestly say, that the differences between this phone and those other 2 "Flagship" phones don't justify the price difference. I still switch to his 521 regularly, and the only thing I miss or feel I'm sacrificing is the screen quality (resolution and technology). Still, it doesn't justify a near $500 price difference. The differences aren't even all sacrifices! The 521 at times feels quicker and less buggy than my S4 (although credit must go to WP8 for that), and the rear speaker is louder.
I just have a few other notes to share:
Battery - I love the battery life that I'm getting with this 521. I keep my phone on "Battery Saver", and I can go 24+ hours and still have about 30% battery life by the end of that cycle. I have this phone linked to my business Exchange account, and use this phone for work regularly (so the 521 is being used fairly heavily). Also, thanks to the small battery capacity, charging this thing really is EXTREMELY quick in comparison to the HUGE battery in my S4 that takes forever to charge. I suppose I must also credit WP8 for some of that.
I did have that battery sucking bug that another reviewer experienced as well. For some reason, my battery life would just go from 100% to 30% in minutes. This had me really freaked out at first. After half an hour of testing, I found the culprit to be a bad app. Pretty simple fix: deleted the app, restarted my phone. Problem solved. I didn't even have to wipe my phone or clear it of any data (other than removing the bad app).
Loud Speaker - Man. I don't think paid / "Pro" Phone reviewers give this phone enough credit. The rear loud speaker on this phone is amazing. I wouldn't say the quality is as good as the Beats Audio on my HTC One, but it may very well be the loudest speaker among my large phone collection.
For anyone looking at this phone thinking that it's just a cheap phone to settle on, let me assure you, this is an AMAZING value, and you won't be disappointed. You absolutely won't find a better deal than the 521. If Nokia did more advertising in the US, the 521 would kill sales of many more popular devices out there. I truly hope the 521 pushes the market to create more budget friendly devices with fewer sacrifices just as Nokia managed to do. I find it truly ridiculous that phones are costing so much that some people are having to step into financing options to pay for the "latest & greatest" devices.
435 of 462 people found the following review helpful.
5Don't Let Inexpensive Fool You - This Phone is Packed With Features Including WiFi Calling & Tethering
By Carrie
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I thought about waiting on the Lumia 925, but after reading how much the Lumina 521 has to offer, I decided that since I tend to change phones about every 2 years, it made more sense to go with the phone that was lighter on my wallet. After finding that my local WalMart had one phone left, I snagged it and haven't regretted my purchase one bit.
What I love about the phone:
1. WiFi calling (set up instructions below) - calls are clear, but calls don't hand off to cellular network if you step outside of your WiFi range
2. Tethering Capable (must add to your plan as a separate service, but no charge)
3. MicroSD slot (up to 64GB)
4. Camera is touch adjustable
5. Adjustable font size
6. Ability to have a high contrast screen (for those with poor eyesight or someone who wants a cool looking screen)
7. Transfer My Data App makes switching phones super easy - even transfers text messages
8. All of the Nokia app collection for free (drive, music, photobeamer, yousendit, etc).
9. Touchscreen is very responsive - sensitivity is adjustable
10. Visual voicemail (free, but have to enable your account)
The few negatives:
1. Camera isn't fancy, but is 5mp. Use fingers/touchscreen to zoom. There is not a flash, so indoor pics can be blurry.
2. Phone supposedly won't be able to access the LTE network if available in your area. I haven't confirmed this claim. The phone speed is fast enough for my needs, but I am not a gamer.
3. Plastic back. Does it matter? Most people use a cover anyway.
The OKs:
1. Screen is nice and easy to see indoors. Sunlight causes difficulties. I have not tried a non-glare screen protector.
2. Phone does not come with a headset
3. Phone does not come with a car charger
4. The ear sound can get tinny. I use to up the volume to hear on other phones. In this phone, I turn down the volume to get rid of the tinny sound. This is not noticeable when on speakerphone.
I really like this phone - it has all of the features I want at a fantastic price point. If you are buying a Windows phone (and you should), this phone is a no-brainer.
WiFi calling set-up: get wifi calling enabled on your t-mobile account (free set up), and make sure that you have a wifi enabled sim card (free at TMobile store). Then do a hard reset on the phone (not just a simple update). Reset is found at Settings - About - reset your phone. Once you do these steps, a WiFi calling button will appear on your home screen. Press it and choose your option (Wi-Fi Preferred, Cellular Preferred, Wi-Fi Only).
EMail/Social Media set-up: was a Breeze. I set up Hotmail, outlook, Gmail, roadrunner and a business email. Facebook and other social media is also very easy to set-up.
Font size & High contrast screen is at Settings - Ease of Access.
Tethering is at Settings - Internet sharing.
(This review is not intended to endorse a third party seller.)
SOFTWARE UPDATE (news release 8/16/13):
The Windows Phone Amber update--available for Nokia's Lumia 920, 820, 720, 620, 520, 928, 822, 521 and 810--includes Smart Camera, which promises users the tools to create higher-quality photos by taking a series of rapid-fire shots then editing the best elements of each image together, further bolstered by filters and effects.
Windows Phone Amber also touts Nokia Glance Screen, which adds a clock to the screen when the phone is inactive, alongside indicators that depict the battery level when the device is running on a low battery, charging or set to silent mode. "You can activate the Nokia Glance screen in the 'display and touch' section in Settings by swiping left to 'glance,'" said Nokia Conversations blog editor Ian Delaney. "Nokia Glance screen will be available for all WP8 Lumia devices except the Nokia Lumia 520 and Lumia 625, which have a smaller display memory."
Following customer requests, Windows Phone Amber additionally resurrects features from older Nokia handsets. Users may now flip the phone over to mute incoming calls and double tap the screen as an alternative to the unlock key.
"The rollout starts now first for the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 in selected countries as well as the Lumia 521, Lumia 810 and Lumia 928 in the U.S.," Delaney said. "Exact delivery timings will vary by region, phone and operator, but we expect the update to reach your Lumia 520, Lumia 620, Lumia 720, Lumia 820 or Lumia 920 by the end of September."
UPDATE (12/6/13
T Mobile changed their international features outin Oct 2013, allowing free data & texting in areas they serve (phone calls .10 unless wifi calling (wifi calling is free). I took & used my phone to Peru & it worked quite well, both roaming on the Moviestar network (free) & hooking up to wifi. I tethered to my tablet as well.
UPDATE (3/28/14)
I just returned from a trip to Vietnam where I used the Lumia 521 continuously both roaming & WiFi. In airports and other venues that had spotty or no WiFi, I tethered my phone to my tablet & to another user's tablet. WiFi calling provided free calls back to the states & using my apps, including Facebook, was a breeze. TMobile's free international features are awesome (free texting & data, $.20/minute network calls, free WiFi calling to states, not in-country) and saved me hundreds of dollars.
That said, I'm finding that I use my phone a lot more to take pictures, and the 521 only has a 5mp camera & no front facing camera. The 5mp is OK & my phone has taken some very nice pictures, but now I want more & will probably upgrade to the Lumia 925 down the road (hoping for a T Mobile phone similar to the Lumina 1020).
UPDATE (7/18/14)
The Lumina 521 was resistant to its first fall into water, but after a longer second dunking, it died. It died slowly in order to give me a chance to find a temporary replacement, but death was its final outcome (it survived 1 swim & multiple drops). Since the Lumina 925 has fallen in price, I ordered it as a replacement. The Lumia 925 has an 8MP rear camera & is suppose to take good low light pictures. It also has a front facing camera. It does not have the micro SD card slot that the Lumina 521 has.
335 of 373 people found the following review helpful.
4It has no equal in the value catagory
By J. Martinez
In terms of price/performance this one is off the charts. It completes nicely with phones costing 3x as much. If you are looking for a high quality low price phone this is it. If this phone has weaknesses, I had to search hard to find them. I will get to the cons in a minute but this is a well thought out well constructed phone.
First off, I will say that I use an iPhone 4S as a business phone. I am an IT professional and have used blackberry and droid phones and have touched many different devices so I have quite a bit of experience with what is out there. While I like the iPhone ok, I wanted something different then everyone else and heard great things about the new Windows 8 phones and decided to give them a try. I don't want to spend a bunch on a phone because I swap my phone out every year and have T-mobile's no contract family plan. My old phone gets passed down to my kids. My personal phone was a Sammy. I like the flexibility of the Android phones vs the iPhone but I don't like the Android apps that much. I used the Mango platform WP 7.5 and decided to try WP 8 and see if the hype is warranted. Ok on to the pros and cons.
Pros: 1) The Windows tiles look great compared to the very plain looking iPhone square icons. 2)The installed phone apps are much more useful to me then the pre-installed iPhone apps. 2) The offline feature of the Nokia maps are very cool. 3) Most of the time I am near a WiFi connection so the Nokia phone makes it very easy to connect to WiFi and use only Wifi unless that is unavailable. You can also use WiFi calling on the phone. This can really help on keeping your bill down. 3)The device is small and easy to hold yet large enough to be useful. I love the size of it. The iPhone is a bit too wide for my taste. 4) Navigation on the phone is super easy. WP8 is far superior to IOS here. It is a very easy phone to pick up and use out of the box. 5) When I connected the device to my Windows 7 computer, it recognized it right away and suggested the phone app to download and Windows got my phone hooked up to my computer very painlessly. Going with all Windows certainly has an advantage here. 6) Price. This is simply the best value out there. There is no way you can get something even close to this capable phone for even twice the price. 7) easily connected to my Blue Tooth headset something my iPhone refused to do. It easily connected to Wifi. It is just very simple to set up. 8) hooks up easily to the cloud to store files and backup your phone. Skydrive is a big plus. There phone backup utility is fantastic. 8) I like the music app much better than the one on the iPhone. 7) very snappy performance
Cons: 1) Screen resolution isn't bad but could be better. 2) Speaker sound is better on the iPhone but again not bad. 3) Phone case is a bit plasticy. 4) Camera has no flash but not a big deal for me.
Looks like Nokia and Microsoft have knocked it out of the park with this phone. Sure there are better phones out there but at this price there is nothing. It is hard to believe that Apple charges $600 for a phone that just isn't significantly better then this one. No doubt to me that the hardware on the iPhone is superior but I can buy 4 of these of that same cost. In terms of ease of use the iPhone has nothing over this one. The iPhone has the best app collection out there but it has been around awhile. I like being different in a world crowded with Sammy and Apple phones. I would have given it a 5 star except that you can see how Nokia tried to shave costs to get the price down but in terms of value I would give this 6 stars.
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