What's good
- Bright and rich display colors coupled with ClearBlack technology
- Smooth performance even with processor intensive apps
- Excellent indoor and outdoor camera usage
What's bad
- Boring, boxy design
- Some color oversaturation
- Slightly heavy at 167.3 grams
After the success of the Lumia 1520, Nokia decided to keep the hardware but decrease the phone's size when it released the Lumia 929. The 929, also known as the Icon, combines the specs of the 1520 with the body of the Lumia 928. Perhaps the biggest complaint about the phone is its lackluster design. Critics found the boxy, blunt shape to be unattractive and were disappointed with the limited color choice of black and white. Despite some qualms with its look, CNET mentions that it offers" some in-palm comfort and a real aluminum rim tries to class up the…polycarbonate backing." Despite its average size of 5.4 x 2.8 x 0.4 inches it is fairly hefty weighing in at 167.3 grams.
The front surface features a 5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080p. As with other Lumia phones, the 929 features Nokia's ClearBlack technology and a protective coating of Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance. Critics praise the display as the best feature of the phone as it provides rich color, excellent screen brightness and deep blacks. While the OLED display does lead to oversaturation, The Verge notes, "…it jibes perfectly with the Windows Phone 8 interface."
For camera enthusiasts, it comes with a 20 megapixel rear-camera and an f/2.4 lens. While not nearly in the same class as the Lumia 1020, critics were still quite pleased with its crisp and detailed picture quality in bright and low light conditions. WP Central adds, "the color and white balance were accurate for most shots…" though they go on to mention that the white balance did struggle with snow.
A 2.2 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 2,420mAh battery keep the phone running. Although Windows 8 phones don't necessarily need a lot of processing power, reviewers experienced no lag when opening apps or swiping through the menus and describe gameplay in graphics-intensive games as very smooth. Engadget goes so far as to call it "the best performing Windows Phone they've used so far." Besides processing power, the battery life was also a major highlight and Phonescoop clocked it at 12 hours of mixed usage.
Overall, most critics were very impressed with this model and GSM Arena calls it "…the best smartphone to run Microsoft's mobile OS hands down."
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Jeff Dunn, BrighthandIf you're on good terms with Verizon, and you're ready to jump to Windows Phone, the Lumia Icon is the phone to buy. It's stylish, powerful, and fitted with one of the best smartphone displays in recent memory. Its camera has much of the usual Nokia polish, and its carrier has largely kept its hands...
- Devindra Hardawar, Venture BeatIf you’re a Verizon Wireless customer who’s interested in Windows Phone, the Lumia Icon is your best choice. Everyone else will either have to wait for Nokia to bring new Windows Phone devices to their carrier or just make do with another smartphone.Though Nokia probably has plenty of go...
- GSMArena team, GSMArenaLike the Lumia 1520 which preceded it, the Lumia Icon for Verizon Wireless is a genuinely good offering from Nokia. Unfortunately, deprived of one of its key strengths (great battery life) and thrown into a territory where everyone has their best player, it's going to have a much harder time standin...
- Brandon Russell, TechnoBuffaloPerformance-wise, the Icon is top notch, and powers through Windows Phone 8 without issue. And that’s really no surprise, either, given the device sports a Snapdragon 800 chip. Even with a more powerful processor and higher resolution display, the Icon’s battery actually holds up quite w...
- Sam Kieldsen, StuffThis may well be the best Windows Phone on the market – what a shame it’s a US exclusive.
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Nokia Lumia Icon user manual here.
Nokia backs up the Lumia Icon with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Lumia Icon has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Nokia support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Nokia's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- Nokia Lumia Icon Manual (PDF)
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