Nokia Lumia 810

“In their effort to find a way around the AT&T exclusivity on the Nokia Lumia 820, the company's engineers have ended up with an arguably better device in the face of the Lumia 810. The T-Mobile exclusive smartphone benefits greatly from the larger battery, while maintaining everything we liked about its Lumia 820 sibling. This includes the capable chipset, decent camera, and a display which makes Windows Phone OS even more enjoyable.As far as the handset's limitations go, we reckon that they are mostly due to the OS. Windows Phone 8 is a major improvement over the previous version, but it's still well behind the Android and iOS establishment. This is mostly due to the lack of quality apps for Windows Phone 8. Microsoft might be constantly boasting about the ever increasing number of apps in its Marketplace, but the truth is that not many of them are a joy to use.Normally, the Nokia Lumia 810 is priced at $99.99 with a two-year commitment to T-Mobile in the US. For the next couple of days however, the Big Magenta has dropped the smartphone's price to free with a contract. This makes the Lumia 810 a great value for anyone looking to enter the Windows Phone 8 realm. But as with every other phone, there are always a handful of nice alternatives.”

“The Nokia Lumia 810 is T-Mobile’s attempt to stand out from the competition with its own custom variant of a midrange Windows Phone 8 device. In that respect, the phone succeeds: it’s a unique piece of hardware that delivers a serviceable experience overall. We’re not sure why T-Mobile and Nokia decided to depart so drastically from the 820′s design in crafting the 810, but its boxy design, and the suggestion of ruggedness accompanying it, will doubtless appeal to some customers.We also think the asking price is a little steep for a device like this. $149.99 isn’t a negligible amount for a midrange device, nor is the special $99.99 price point available to customers with qualifying T-Mobile plans. For that same hundred dollars, a customer could walk across the street to an AT&T store and pick up a much higher-end Lumia 920 (though it’s true the monthly cost would probably be higher).Are the custom apps, above-average camera, and solid battery life enough incentive to lay out a little more dough than usual for a midrange smartphone? Well, we don’t think it’s is the best option for everyone, but if you’re sweet on T-Mobile and Windows Phone, the Lumia 810 is the closest thing to a premium experience you’re going to get from a carrier store. And for all its compromises, there’s a lot to like in this hardy little smartphone.”

“The Nokia Lumia 810 is an undoubtedly solid smartphone, but its ultimate undoing is the Lumia 920, a better device that costs less money. If you're unwilling to jump ship from T-Mobile, Nokia's custom software also throws a wrench in the equation, because you'll need to choose between superior hardware that does less (HTC 8X), or a relatively inferior smartphone that does more (Lumia 810). Alternatively, you could also wait for the Lumia 920 to break free of its six-month AT&T exclusivity. Or you could import the Canadian version, which just so happens to support T-Mobile's HSPA+ bands. So long as you're aware of the alternatives, we have no qualms recommending the Lumia 810. If you're wanting to snag the phone right away, however, you should prepare to swallow a bitter pill, because we don't expect its $150 price tag to last far beyond the holiday season.”

“Despite the less than elegant design, the $150 Nokia Lumia 810 is a good Windows Phone 8 device that offers speedy performance, a nice display, and a decent camera. For a budget phone, it has many great attributes. However, if you’re not a T-Mobile customer, this is not a device that entice you to switch. For $50 ($100 less), you can get the same phone with better design elements on Verizon Wireless or AT&T. Or you can get a better (but bigger) Nokia phone overall for $50 less on AT&T.Existing T-Mobile customers who want a Windows Phone will appreciate the upgrade in operating system and specs the Lumia 810 offers over the Lumia 710. However, the HTC One S offers better specs at the same price over on the Android side. If you have the budget and want a Windows Phone, HTC’s 8X is only $50 more.Overall, the Lumia 810 is a good phone hindered by a steep price.”