Nokia Lumia 525

“Unpretentious, effective. Two words that are at the very core of the Nokia Lumia 525's DNA. With a price tag of about $180, and the possibility of another sales frenzy à la Lumia 520, this is Nokia's new device to watch.But success is hardly ever built on just past laurels, and Nokia likely knows that better than most. The Lumia 520 is now in the past, and it's a different world out there, with devices like the Motorola Moto G launching a serious offensive. For the same price, the Moto G gets you a bigger, more-detailed screen, a quad-core processor, a better all-around camera, and a matured operating system. Thankfully for Nokia, the Lumia 525 is as out-classed by pretty much non other, but mainstream devices like the LG L7 II and the Sony Xperia M are also worth a consideration before you commit. In other words, if the Nokia/Microsoft duo is as intent on getting a win with the Lumia 525, it might have to considering going down the path of crazy sales promotions once more.”

“The Lumia 525 is a small, affordable phone with a surprisingly decent camera and plenty of attitude, but not much else going for it. When held up to similarly priced Android phones, it's hard to make a case in favour of Windows Phone, which is why Nokia has capitalised on looks and ease of use.”

“The Lumia 525 is all about making the Lumia 520 present and future proof. Nokia has fixed one of the biggest complaints of the most popular Windows Phone, hoping it can extend the perceived lifetime of the successful device with a minor upgrade. Considering this is not exactly a successor kind of device, it might be unfair to expect a front facing camera or even a LED flash, but we certainly would have loved those additions.”

“While using a Windows Phone device as a primary smartphone is very challenging for me, I would still recommend the Lumia 525 just as readily as I did the Lumia 520 to first-time smartphone buyers, novice users or people with simple needs. The Lumia 525 makes what was already an appealing product even better, and can even serve as a more-than-capable secondary device for more advanced users. However, I would also like to see further advancement in hardware features and component quality at this price point, the Lumia 525 feels more like a half-step ahead of the Lumia 520 instead of a new-generation entry-level Lumia. Still, the Lumia 525 is solidly-built and works well, and at this price point there is really not much more you can ask for.”