Nokia, after acquiring its giant Microsoft, began working in a completely different format. New models began to appear that work on the Windows Phone operating system, which received additional demand from the audience of users who are tired of devices on Android and iOS.
One of these smartphones, also running on WP, was the Lumia 535 phone. Reviews about the model were very different - starting from the fact that the device is praised for its excellent design and excellent operation of the operating system (to be more precise, WP 8.1 is installed on the phone - the most a new version loved by many OS), and ending with the fact that the device is unhappy at once for several reasons.
In order to figure out which Lumia 535 is actually, in this article we will give its independent characteristics and give an estimate. Also, of course, we will take into account the reviews. Nokia Lumia 535 today will be the subject of our review article.
General characteristics of the device
So, according to official sources, the Lumia 535 model was the first phone that Nokia released after it was absorbed by Microsoft. It happened in 2014.
This approach indicates that specialists from Silicon Valley have already managed to put their hands on this product. No wonder the phone was released with the latest version of the OS.
In addition to the fact that the Microsoft Lumia 535 phone ( user reviews is a vivid confirmation of this) was positioned as a youth device (taking into account the bright, brilliant and generally attractive design), it also came out with a support function for two SIM cards. Such a move clearly indicates the expansion of the customer audience and attempts to capture a large part of the market due to more active customers who value the opportunity to be connected in two networks at once. In addition to all this, the phone was positioned as an option located in the highest budget class. Again, the emphasis in this move was on the wide consumer market, where the Nokia Lumia 535 smartphone got to immediately after the release. Reviews of those who have already managed to use the model and learned its advantages and disadvantages from their own experience, as well as some information about the model from open sources we publish in this article.
Open the box
The acquaintance of each customer with a new smartphone begins with ... opening the box. It’s one thing to see the device in a store window, and it’s completely different to come home and realize that your phone is. Then you better start to understand what the device is.
So, opening the package, you will see the documentation for the model, a charger with a microUSB cord (not separate, so you will have to separately purchase a cable for connection) and, of course, the device itself. A set of additional back covers playing the role of phone cases cannot help but catch your eye. There are two of them - one acts as the main one (it can be orange, light green, blue or white), and the second is a spare one and has black color. The features of these covers are that the spare is always made with a matte texture, and the main ones (those that are made in bright colors) are glossy. Thus, according to customer reviews about the Nokia Lumia 535 DS, the manufacturer provides a kind of right to choose how the device will look.
Design and housing
Since we’ve started talking about design, we’ll reveal this topic in more detail. So, in general, the device is made in the corporate identity of Nokia and Microsoft (more precisely, this phone was one of the first "samples" of this style). This means gloss, a large screen, neat square shapes and, of course, bright colors in which the back cover of the device is made.
As for the case, despite the fact that the model belongs to the “budget” segment, as the Lumia 535 reviews claim, the plastic is of high quality, the device sits quite firmly and comfortably in the hand. Only some users complained that after the purchase they found a strange backlash play. When they replaced it with the second one that comes with the kit, the latter “sat down” perfectly. This indicates that, apparently, some panels can go defective. Although they are not sold in official stores, there are many online solutions, for example: auctions, message boards and Chinese stores. There you will find a cover of any color at a reasonable price.
According to the case, it should also be added that the 535 model has side and on-screen keys that are conveniently used, have a smooth and easy travel. In order to access the SIM card slot, you need to remove the back cover and battery from the device.
Screen Lumia 535
Special attention deserves the display device. If we talk about it in a physical sense, then, as noted by users who left reviews, the Nokia Lumia 535 has an overly “slippery” screen. Apparently, the reason for this is the use of some special material from which the glass of the smartphone is made. Some users claim that it is convenient and fairly easy to work with; others, on the contrary, complain of discomfort and discomfort from touching the display.
Another rather disadvantage of the device is the lack of a special screen cover (called oleophobic). For this reason, stains and fingerprints constantly appear on the display.
As for how our “experimental” Lumia 535 transmits images, reviews claim a high-quality picture and excellent color reproduction. The device has a 5-inch IPS screen, capable of transmitting 16.9 million colors with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels.
"Filling" the phone
Let's move from the case and the screen to the hardware feature - the “stuffing” of our Lumia 535. Customer reviews indicate that the phone works smoothly, without delays and freezes (as is often the case with Android devices). Some even call Windows Phone a rival to iOS for the reason that the work of all systems is just as well optimized here.
According to the official specifications, the smartphone has a Snapdragon 200 - a quad-core processor with a clock speed of 1.2 GHz. Offered Lumia 535 with 1 GB of RAM.
Judging by such digital indicators, we can assume that the device will not work as smoothly and quickly as, say, a more powerful Lumia 830. Nothing of the kind! As Microsoft Lumia 535 DS points out the reviews of people who have tried several different models from this family, the device is in no way inferior to the Lumia 830, because it pulls all (even the most complex in terms of graphics) games and applications with a bang.
We can conclude that the phone’s hardware is all right.
Camera at Nokia Lumia 535
Now let's touch on another important element - the camera, which is equipped with phones of this model.
To be more precise, the Lumia 535 has two cameras for shooting - the main and the front. Both of them have similar characteristics, namely: a resolution of 5 megapixels and a lens capable of taking pictures at a wide viewing angle. A flash is also installed on the model with the main camera, which allows you to take great photos in the dark or in places with a limited amount of light.
If we talk about image quality, then, of course, for such a small resolution of the matrix, they, as evidenced by Lumia 535 (two SIM) reviews, are acceptable. Their peculiarity also lies in the fact that the pictures in the room come out much better than on the street. Perhaps the reason for this is the lack of additional light sources (sun, glare, and so on). True, if you compare photos with pictures taken by budget Samsung on Android OS, the quality is a little worse.
The camera for a "selfie" here has a pretty good indicator, so nothing bad can be said about it - the pictures (again, like for a "selfie") come out quite tolerable.
operating system
A little should be said about the new (for most smartphone users) Windows Phone 8.1 operating system. According to Microsoft Lumia 535 dual reviews of those who have tried this OS, in fact there are not so many changes in it compared to the previous version. Although in general this system looks more understandable and accessible to the user than those that were previously presented. At least, even a person who is far from technology can figure out how to work with it.
Owners of Android devices who are used to the broad capabilities of this platform may experience some discomfort. Let's just say: WP can do almost the same thing, but it’s a little more complicated and not so convenient.
A vivid example of the fact that WP is still more complicated than Android and iOS is the need to connect a Microsoft account. If at Google everything is intuitively clear - an account can be easily changed during use, then in WP its data needs to be driven in at the very beginning of work. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to do this in the future, and without that, using Market functions will not work.
The Windows Phone is praised for its responsiveness and speed. As noted above, the system is quite optimized with the hardware (hardware) of the phone, so no braking and freezes in the process of working with Microsoft Lumia 535 DS (reviews can serve as confirmation).
Sound in smartphone
The sound quality that the Lumia 535 smartphone has can be called quite high. It is achieved due to the speaker under the back cover. Given the "budget", expect something unusual here, perhaps, is not worth it. In general, the volume of the Lumia 535 Dual SIM (reviews of most users - confirmation of this) pleases.
Separately, regarding the sound and music, it should be noted the procedure for setting the melody as a call. For some buyers, it seems quite complicated. According to the manufacturer’s representatives, on one of the sites with reviews about the model, this is done simply: you need to fill in the desired ringtone in the Ringtones folder in the phone’s directory, then go to the contacts section and set the desired sound to the appropriate contact.
Lumia 535 disadvantages
So, in general, we described some of the main points that a user of a Microsoft Lumia 535 (White) phone encounters in his work. Customer reviews about this model helped us to identify the main shortcomings and positive aspects of the phone, and we just collected them and put together in one article. In this case, of course, we would hardly be able to take into account all the nuances, therefore the emphasis was placed precisely on the big picture.
Let's start with the flaws. There are a lot of them, since the phone is new for the manufacturer, it can be called “raw” for the market, although in general, obviously, it takes the right steps by promoting its Lumia line in this way. This can be seen even in the growing demand for these models.
Regarding the shortcomings, we note several key topics: the case, the camera, the operating system. The assembly of the phone, although tolerable in general, can leave an unpleasant impression on itself for the reason that marriage can be caught. Plus, despite the attractive glossy shine, the phone’s case clearly positions the model as a budget one. Manufacturers did not think out the mechanism for introducing SIM cards without the need for a complete disassembly and removal of the battery from the phone.
As for the camera, it, despite the thesis that Nokia make smartphones with excellent optics for shooting, is clearly losing ground, even compared to devices at the same price. It’s not worth counting that you will take cool pictures with this phone. Smartphone Microsoft Lumia 535 reviews "camera phone" will not be called, it is a fact.
Another negative side of the phone can be called slowness, cumbersome operating system. Perhaps this is a subjective factor that only arises for former Android users, but WP is not suitable for all users. Yes, it looks beautiful and quickly executes commands, but a lot of settings are implemented through a complex mechanism that is not always intuitive to the average buyer.
Main advantages
From the shortcomings of the Lumia 535, we turn to its strong qualities, which may make you personally think about buying this smartphone. Firstly, it is a beautiful design. Despite the cheapness of the assembly, the device looks wonderful (not without the use of tricks with a glossy bright surface, as on the iPhone 5C, of course). Further, the device can be called convenient in terms of control: it easily lies in the hand, the sensor is perfectly controlled in any position. The display captures an excellent picture - what else is needed for games, reading, watching movies and images?
Another quality possessed by Microsoft Lumia 535 (specifications, reviews are not taken into account now) is the novelty. Yes, the phone is really new in the market, considering that earlier smartphones were divided into two camps - iOS and Android. Now, phones on WP can be safely called "fresh breath of wind." Again, healthy competition will not hinder manufacturers.
The obvious advantages of the smartphone can also include low cost, and the presence of two panels, and support for two SIM-cards.
In fact, in general, the Lumia 535 is not so bad. Yes, you may have problems working on the Windows Phone platform, you may be unhappy with the pictures and backlash of the case cover. But the device looks cool, it is able to perform the tasks that face the average user of the device, and it is also a new direction in the development of the mobile industry. Perhaps, after analyzing all the errors and shortcomings, Microsoft, after some 3-5 years, will be able to create a new iPhone in the mobile device market and become a leader ...
So far, looking at the new Lumia models, even this scenario can be assumed.