I am an Android fan but I got this at Bestbuy for $69 prepaid with T-mobile. I have to say I LOVE THIS PHONE! It's like an Iphone and Android combined.PROS - Speakers are Loud, very sensitive screen, very light, everything you do on it there is no waiting time seriously 512MB ram and it's faster then my Android with 1GB ram, love the live tiles, Camera is good, and there are plenty of Apps and games that ARE USEFUL! CONS - Hard to use at night since the lower buttons don't light up, Camcorder is a pain to get use to, edges are too narrow or sharp so it may get annoying while holding tight, The off button is on the right side and is annoying. The app that says call using WIFI won't work.You need a knife or something thin and sharp to pop open the battery. YOU CAN'T USE FIREFOX BROWSER, Case is hard to open as well but these two things might be good thing. My rating 8/10. After this phone I will stay with windows phones. The more you use it the more you love it.
I just bought this phone on amazon for $79.95 tonight. I am digging all the positive reviews. I don't need a real fancy phone and I think I will be happy with this.
Yes it can. press the home button and the lock button at the same time. The screenshots can be found in photos and by scrolling to albums and selecting screenshots.
My beloved Motorola Razr is about to die, so I chose this as a replacement. I did research into the model & am glad I watched your video! Nokia is/was a Finnish company & I had Nokia when I lived in Germany, so I'm hoping to have a good experience with the Lumia 521. It's scheduled to arrive in a few days. Just hope it's not smarter than I am! Very helpful video -- thank you for uploading!
Excellent review! I'm online scouring around for as much Windows Phone info, as possible, since after 6 years with Android, I'm finally looking to branch off into something new This vid helped a lot
Definitely recommend this phone. Bought it first as a temp phone to hold me over until my next one, but I see no reason to get another phone now. It meets if not exceeds all my needs at a ridiculous $70 price tag.
this phone is great for the price. cons: no flash, no front facing camera, less apps than on android and IOS. (but they should have more apps soon) pros: it's not laggy, wifi calling, you can block your caller id just from settings, has "transfer my data" which will bluetooth link to your other phone to transfer your phone contacts, has Microsoft Office, message threading,call and text message blocker,
I'm so glad I looked this phone up before I bought it I'm not gunna lie I used to be greedy and want a IPhone and stuff but I'm pretty excited I'm getting this phone it's looks amazing and it's set at a nice price. I'm literally going to pick the phone up like rightt now lol.
Omg same here i was like i want a iphone or galaxy like everyone else but then my friend bought it and i was like im getting this phone 👍👍 i love this phone... Now its $126.00 at tmobile.
I think it's awesome :) excellent build quality, runs smoothly, and for a camera without flash, it's takes pretty awesome pictures. The screen size isn't small at all, it's 4 inches, only cons are that it doesn't have a front facing camera :)
Marky Marc because I high end phone is nearly useless. what's the point of having a slight bit more performance when you're going to be running lite applications only
Nokia Lumia 521 is one of the best phone in Lumia series . It has all latest functionality that we expect from own phone . It is affordable by anyone because it is available on lowest price .
Is there a way to listen to my last fm account on it? I like the radio feature on this but I've invested to much time and money in that account thanks in advance
Just purchased this phone from metro pcs a few days ago. Now I've been with iOS for three years and android for another four years. None of their phones have ever offered what this windows phone offers for $99. This phone is VERY fast, comes with a crap load of applications that make life easier and the complexity of detail it offers for your contacts and such (among many other things) are still unmatched. A very loud crisp speaker and amazing call quality make this purchase a no brainer.
Also the HSN has a good sale on the Lumia 521 currently. There's a coupon code on slickdeals that lowers the cost to 80.00. Would that make it the best value smart phone currently?
Hey Aaron I love me some high end smart phones (hence the droid DNA I'm typing on now) but how about doing a 30 day challenge with a low end device, see how you hold up. I feel maybe a low end android phone challenge should be in your future because those seem to come with the most fall backs, just something to think about
with no contract? You do know that htc one cost around 650 dollars, and it is only with a two year contract that you can get one for 100 dollars. When you get the two year contract, they charge you an extra 20 or more a month to get to the 650 dollar price. So what do you think of the 150 dollar lumia now?
I have a Nexus 4 but I picked one of these up today from HSN for $80. $26.xx a month via Flexpay I couldn't pass it up! It'll make a great backup phone in the event I drop my beloved N4 or have a rom flash go very wrong! My mom (who's almost 80) also bought one today. It will be her first smartphone and I think she'll take to the easy to use W8 platform well.
just ordered it for 99.99. 4 payments of 24.99. not bad. this video makes me happy I ordered. My last beloved phone I broke was the htc hd7 with windows 7 and it was amazing with the most amazing camera and dual flash. But times are hard and i think this phone will phill the void my htc hd7 has left :)
Can you use google calendar with this phone? I read somewhere that windows isn't compatible with G Calendar and that is stopping me from buying this phone...
Budget friendly, easy, fluid, nice UI, pleasing to the eye animations... I guess it's all a matter of style :) I like Windows phone 8 and I gotta feelin it's only getting better
Is this about the same size as an iphone because i have an iphone holder and i wouldn't want to get rid of it if i have a use for it. oh and by the way, i was going to get a htc lg optimus l9 but then i saw this nokia and i thought that i should see if phonedog has said anything about it, i can always count on you!!!
You could also go to Aio Wireless too. They have the Nokia Lumia 620 for only $180 and they have plans starting at $55 for smartphones, no family plan though
I have noticed my att 80 is faster than any android or ios Ive seen. Do you happen to know how it compares to an 820? I want to give my teen one. 100 is a great deal!
sorry if im asking but is it confusing to work with? because im so used to my iphone4 and im trying to see if I should get this phone 'cause it's cheap too. I'm just wondering if I could get used to it real fast or yea :P thanks !!
what is the difference between windows phone 8 and actual windows 8 on a phone? I mean besides the fact that I highly doubt you can get to the windows desktop on it.
and no the metro PCS their different people but t-mobile is better i have had metro PCS and they suck i have t-mobile now and ive had this phone for about 2 years now and im just tired of having an old flip phone and i found one that i want and it is also t-mobile
I think it would work with "xbox music" subscription which is basically the zune music subscription but you wouldn't be able to use the zune software to sync music to the phone.
Got mine brand new off eBay for $29.00 shipped, they are selling like 1,000+ of them per day on eBay. Now the eBay 'Buy Now' page says "Limited quantity available," so I guess they are finally running out of them. I already have unlimited 4G everything with T-Mobile, so it was easy to activate the new unit. I love the Nokia Lumia 521 waaay better than my old Samsung Galaxy S2, which I had in service for like 4 years going and was crashing alot. Happy I switched since T-Mobile no longer provides a free phone with service contracts, they are now purely month-to-month with no commitments, but you have to bring your own phone or buy their refurbished phones with jacked up prices, the Nokia Lumia 521 is $149.00 from T-Mobile directly, so I'm happy I got a brand new one for $29.00 with free shipping!!
On sale at Walmart right now for 49.00, I have never had a smart phone,I'm a beginner so it's all I need to check emails and Facebook page. no need to pay hundreds for stuff I'll never use. this review lets me know i made a good choice. I don't even know what LTE is so I'll never miss it.
Someone real quick, I never had windows based phone before, and was wondering compared to android, can you access the file system just as easy? Like, connect it via USB to your computer, and access the folders to add music, pictures, videos etc? Also, does the windows OS phones have their own app store? I don't really recall seeing apps for windows based phones as much as android or iOS. My LG Motion died on me, and it was the only phone for the money with 5GB of internal storage which about 3 was available to the user which is great. Metro currently has the Lima for $29 after MIB, and it's the ONLY phone besides the high end priced phones that have that much internal space. The LG F3 and F6 both have about 1.27gb available to the user which goes very fast so I'm a bit concerned about space. Not sure what I want to do. Anyone?
It doesn't have to take the best quality pictures. I just want to know if this phone mutilates the pictures in any way (such as half the picture becoming a solid grey block) after having the picture in the phone after a certain period of time. I do realize that to have a better camera, you have to spend more. But it would be nice to see if it is possible to get a cheaper phone with a camera that at least does the basic functions with no issues.
How does it do with pictures? Every smart phone I have owned so far (all androids) mutilate my pictures sometime after I take the picture. I am trying to find a smart phone that won't do that to my pictures, otherwise there is no point to the camera for me.
Mine keeps dropping calls and losing network. I am really dissatisfied. Was so looking forward to a windows 8 phone. Can't handle the more expensive end right now so this was perfect. It just doesn't work perfect.
I NEED HELP PLEASE! Okay I've seen just about everything this phone can do for the past 3 hours but I can't get any answers to my question! Can this phone work for a prepaid plan that DOES NOT REQUIRE DATA? I just want talk and text with no data. Is that possible?
To be honest, if Nokia could've found a way to get the Lumia 620 on American Shores that would've been a steal. Screen is a bit smaller on the 620 but you get the same type of camera in addition to a front-facing camera. As well as the same decent chipset that the 520/521 has.
I am an Android fan but I got this at Bestbuy for $69 prepaid with T-mobile. I have to say I LOVE THIS PHONE! It's like an Iphone and Android combined.PROS - Speakers are Loud, very sensitive screen, very light, everything you do on it there is no waiting time seriously 512MB ram and it's faster then my Android with 1GB ram, love the live tiles, Camera is good, and there are plenty of Apps and games that ARE USEFUL! CONS - Hard to use at night since the lower buttons don't light up, Camcorder is a pain to get use to, edges are too narrow or sharp so it may get annoying while holding tight, The off button is on the right side and is annoying. The app that says call using WIFI won't work.You need a knife or something thin and sharp to pop open the battery. YOU CAN'T USE FIREFOX BROWSER, Case is hard to open as well but these two things might be good thing. My rating 8/10. After this phone I will stay with windows phones. The more you use it the more you love it.
5 years later, how's the windows phone thing going, damn I had this phone and damn 512 mb of ram seems so small now damn
lol at 5:21 it says 5:21 on the clock and this phone is a lumia 521
Lol xD
I just bought this phone on amazon for $79.95 tonight. I am digging all the positive reviews. I don't need a real fancy phone and I think I will be happy with this.
You suck
We get it. You're asshurt.
BmanNintendo Hahahaha
Yes it can. press the home button and the lock button at the same time. The screenshots can be found in photos and by scrolling to albums and selecting screenshots.
I just got this for Christmas it's amazing
Just got the phone today. Can't wait to dig in and experience it's awesomeness.
My beloved Motorola Razr is about to die, so I chose this as a replacement. I did research into the model & am glad I watched your video! Nokia is/was a Finnish company & I had Nokia when I lived in Germany, so I'm hoping to have a good experience with the Lumia 521. It's scheduled to arrive in a few days. Just hope it's not smarter than I am! Very helpful video -- thank you for uploading!
Really going to get this phone for Christmas and I'm really excited Thad phonedog for review really exited to get the Nokia lumia 521!
Excellent review!
I'm online scouring around for as much Windows Phone info, as possible, since after 6 years with Android, I'm finally looking to branch off into something new
This vid helped a lot
Definitely recommend this phone. Bought it first as a temp phone to hold me over until my next one, but I see no reason to get another phone now. It meets if not exceeds all my needs at a ridiculous $70 price tag.
this phone is great for the price. cons: no flash, no front facing camera, less apps than on android and IOS. (but they should have more apps soon) pros: it's not laggy, wifi calling, you can block your caller id just from settings, has "transfer my data" which will bluetooth link to your other phone to transfer your phone contacts, has Microsoft Office, message threading,call and text message blocker,
I'm so glad I looked this phone up before I bought it I'm not gunna lie I used to be greedy and want a IPhone and stuff but I'm pretty excited I'm getting this phone it's looks amazing and it's set at a nice price. I'm literally going to pick the phone up like rightt now lol.
Omg same here i was like i want a iphone or galaxy like everyone else but then my friend bought it and i was like im getting this phone 👍👍 i love this phone... Now its $126.00 at tmobile.
*****
Is there a USB port? not really into videos, but can i down load videos and still photos on my laptop?
I just ordered mine on amazon for 82 bucks. What a deal! And it even comes with a SIM card.
Thanks for the review I love this phone so much my mom has it and I'm dumping my iPhone 5 for it! So tired of crapple lol
I think it's awesome :) excellent build quality, runs smoothly, and for a camera without flash, it's takes pretty awesome pictures. The screen size isn't small at all, it's 4 inches, only cons are that it doesn't have a front facing camera :)
I would rather have a low end phone and a high end pc.
thank you
Why not both?
Marky Marc because I high end phone is nearly useless. what's the point of having a slight bit more performance when you're going to be running lite applications only
AMGV Media are you an idiot
That dude just picked his nose.
Nokia Lumia 521 is one of the best phone in Lumia series . It has all latest functionality that we expect from own phone . It is affordable by anyone because it is available on lowest price .
"You got a battery in this thing"- Aaron Baker
Is there a way to listen to my last fm account on it? I like the radio feature on this but I've invested to much time and money in that account thanks in advance
Just purchased this phone from metro pcs a few days ago. Now I've been with iOS for three years and android for another four years. None of their phones have ever offered what this windows phone offers for $99. This phone is VERY fast, comes with a crap load of applications that make life easier and the complexity of detail it offers for your contacts and such (among many other things) are still unmatched. A very loud crisp speaker and amazing call quality make this purchase a no brainer.
Is it possible to turn the interface into a regular smartphone view where all the apps show as their icons like a desktop?
Just picked this phone up last week to use for my small business. So far I love the thing.
I love this review it's very helpful as I'm considering buying this phone but I'm wondering if I can download & use firefox on it
Also the HSN has a good sale on the Lumia 521 currently. There's a coupon code on slickdeals that lowers the cost to 80.00. Would that make it the best value smart phone currently?
Thank you for the review, looks like I am getting this after your informative and in-depth review.
Getting the 520 for Xmas can't wait!!!!
Hey Aaron I love me some high end smart phones (hence the droid DNA I'm typing on now) but how about doing a 30 day challenge with a low end device, see how you hold up. I feel maybe a low end android phone challenge should be in your future because those seem to come with the most fall backs, just something to think about
Does widows phones get software updates like Android and ios
with no contract? You do know that htc one cost around 650 dollars, and it is only with a two year contract that you can get one for 100 dollars. When you get the two year contract, they charge you an extra 20 or more a month to get to the 650 dollar price. So what do you think of the 150 dollar lumia now?
You mention it being in the top three for best value or bang for buck. What were the other two phones?
Glad you like WP8. I'm enjoying my AT&T Lumia 920 :)
I might be getting this tomorrow. I'm giving up my prism for this beauty.
What are the other phones in the budget top 3 mentioned here?
Almost looks exactly like my 520. Btw have you experience any random reboots?
Can you use it like an iPod? That would be great.
I just got it for Christmas too!!!
I have a Nexus 4 but I picked one of these up today from HSN for $80. $26.xx a month via Flexpay I couldn't pass it up! It'll make a great backup phone in the event I drop my beloved N4 or have a rom flash go very wrong! My mom (who's almost 80) also bought one today. It will be her first smartphone and I think she'll take to the easy to use W8 platform well.
just ordered it for 99.99. 4 payments of 24.99. not bad. this video makes me happy I ordered. My last beloved phone I broke was the htc hd7 with windows 7 and it was amazing with the most amazing camera and dual flash. But times are hard and i think this phone will phill the void my htc hd7 has left :)
Hey, do you know if the version purchased from the Microsoft website is able to get the 30 buck a month tmobile plan?
Is there an app that lets you transfer files from and to pc over wifi? Like es file explorer for android?
What is the new one that's coming out? Is it this one or another one?
A prepaid cellphone works with SIM cards from other service providers ? Or do i have to by it unactivated ?
Can you use google calendar with this phone? I read somewhere that windows isn't compatible with G Calendar and that is stopping me from buying this phone...
oh and if it is refurbished would you recommened buying it or not?
Budget friendly, easy, fluid, nice UI, pleasing to the eye animations... I guess it's all a matter of style :) I like Windows phone 8 and I gotta feelin it's only getting better
Is this about the same size as an iphone because i have an iphone holder and i wouldn't want to get rid of it if i have a use for it. oh and by the way, i was going to get a htc lg optimus l9 but then i saw this nokia and i thought that i should see if phonedog has said anything about it, i can always count on you!!!
And now my sister in law just got one too. Young ! Works great
Would I be able to text on it? And is there an app store on it so you can install games and other apps on it?
You could also go to Aio Wireless too. They have the Nokia Lumia 620 for only $180 and they have plans starting at $55 for smartphones, no family plan though
So does the metro one have a front facing camera?
Phonedog: Which other two "lower-end" smartphones do you prefer over this Nokia? You said that this one is #3 on your list. What are the other two?
@Trevor Jones well theres an app named instance which is instagram for windows
I have noticed my att 80 is faster than any android or ios Ive seen. Do you happen to know how it compares to an 820? I want to give my teen one. 100 is a great deal!
Can you text and talk with the wifi if it is a no contract phone???
sorry if im asking but is it confusing to work with? because im so used to my iphone4 and im trying to see if I should get this phone 'cause it's cheap too. I'm just wondering if I could get used to it real fast or yea :P thanks !!
what is the difference between windows phone 8 and actual windows 8 on a phone? I mean besides the fact that I highly doubt you can get to the windows desktop on it.
Does the nokia lumia 521 in metropcs cost 29.99 if youve been a memeber or is it for ne members??
The reviewer said it has no 4G but on the Metro PCS info page it says the phone has 4G LTE. Which one is it?
Is the Metro PCS one just like the T-Mobile?
T mobile is linked with metro pcs
Nelly Love no its not their different phone plans
and no the metro PCS their different people but t-mobile is better i have had metro PCS and they suck i have t-mobile now and ive had this phone for about 2 years now and im just tired of having an old flip phone and i found one that i want and it is also t-mobile
Metro runs on the T-Mobile network.
They're asking if the Nokia is the same phone as the one offered by T-Mobile. Yes, they are the same phone.
does the nokia lumia have a good camera? And how many megapixels does it have?
I think it would work with "xbox music" subscription which is basically the zune music subscription but you wouldn't be able to use the zune software to sync music to the phone.
Im trying to pick between this or the 620 still not sure which
Got mine brand new off eBay for $29.00 shipped, they are selling like 1,000+ of them per day on eBay. Now the eBay 'Buy Now' page says "Limited quantity available," so I guess they are finally running out of them. I already have unlimited 4G everything with T-Mobile, so it was easy to activate the new unit. I love the Nokia Lumia 521 waaay better than my old Samsung Galaxy S2, which I had in service for like 4 years going and was crashing alot. Happy I switched since T-Mobile no longer provides a free phone with service contracts, they are now purely month-to-month with no commitments, but you have to bring your own phone or buy their refurbished phones with jacked up prices, the Nokia Lumia 521 is $149.00 from T-Mobile directly, so I'm happy I got a brand new one for $29.00 with free shipping!!
its stil selling for 28 on ebay, do you like yours???
On sale at Walmart right now for 49.00, I have never had a smart phone,I'm a beginner so it's all I need to check emails and Facebook page. no need to pay hundreds for stuff I'll never use. this review lets me know i made a good choice. I don't even know what LTE is so I'll never miss it.
Question: is there a spotify app available for this device?
so t mobile has no more contracts on any phone?
is it possible to customize the messaging tone on this phone?
i herd you need to pay for the facebook app on the window phones is that true?
I added pictures to my contacts, but when the I go to home screen to view my people app on large display it doesn't shuffle through their pics, help?
Do they have cases for it ?????
Can the phone be unlocked? I'm planning to buy it but it would be a plus if I can, considering its a prepaid phone
@stephanie burgos @phonedog can you add apps like vine, instagram, etc?
Someone real quick, I never had windows based phone before, and was wondering compared to android, can you access the file system just as easy? Like, connect it via USB to your computer, and access the folders to add music, pictures, videos etc? Also, does the windows OS phones have their own app store? I don't really recall seeing apps for windows based phones as much as android or iOS. My LG Motion died on me, and it was the only phone for the money with 5GB of internal storage which about 3 was available to the user which is great. Metro currently has the Lima for $29 after MIB, and it's the ONLY phone besides the high end priced phones that have that much internal space. The LG F3 and F6 both have about 1.27gb available to the user which goes very fast so I'm a bit concerned about space. Not sure what I want to do. Anyone?
is it possible to customize the text message tone on this phone
It doesn't have to take the best quality pictures. I just want to know if this phone mutilates the pictures in any way (such as half the picture becoming a solid grey block) after having the picture in the phone after a certain period of time. I do realize that to have a better camera, you have to spend more. But it would be nice to see if it is possible to get a cheaper phone with a camera that at least does the basic functions with no issues.
this is the best phome i have ever used.. i love it! u can do anything on it! it has incredible graphics
Its 520, 521 is tmobile version, because the original unit is not shipping to USA but its simfree and with lte connectivity
does it except googleplay and google instead of bing?
is it in stores? in metro pcs ? please reply
Does this phone support normal SIM cards or does it need a MicroSIM card?
I got this for like $49 today and so far its really good.
Can you listen to to it with ear phones?
yup
How do pics come out in a dark place??
got my mom one today at T-mobile. I would rather pay the extra $40 and know that she will have reception everywhere in SoCal.
How does it do with pictures? Every smart phone I have owned so far (all androids) mutilate my pictures sometime after I take the picture. I am trying to find a smart phone that won't do that to my pictures, otherwise there is no point to the camera for me.
What's the difference between Nokia white or black plz tell
Is there a front camera
Mine keeps dropping calls and losing network. I am really dissatisfied. Was so looking forward to a windows 8 phone. Can't handle the more expensive end right now so this was perfect. It just doesn't work perfect.
Does the 521 have 4g and also can I get it on straight talk?
can I unlock the metropcs one and use it with tmobile??
I NEED HELP PLEASE! Okay I've seen just about everything this phone can do for the past 3 hours but I can't get any answers to my question! Can this phone work for a prepaid plan that DOES NOT REQUIRE DATA? I just want talk and text with no data. Is that possible?
Lumia 520, 620 or S3 mini to replace a Galaxy Y?
is the home screen low-resolution or high-resolution ?
The app store for Windows Phone is the Marketplace app but it's not as extensive as the App and Play Store are.
Does it work with the Zune software?
Will this phone work in Verizon networks?
This or the htc radar?
To be honest, if Nokia could've found a way to get the Lumia 620 on American Shores that would've been a steal. Screen is a bit smaller on the 620 but you get the same type of camera in addition to a front-facing camera. As well as the same decent chipset that the 520/521 has.
Does it have thethering ? hotspot ?