Nokia Lumia 521
The good: Nokia’s Lumia 521 packs in a better camera and more software features than you might expect for its $150 off-contract price tag.
The bad: No LTE, poor screen quality, and no camera flash remind you that the 521 wasn’t built to be a premium smartphone.
The bottom line: Nokia’s Lumia 521 is one of the best bargain smartphones on any platform, but skip it if LTE is of paramount concern.
If you’re all about value, then mosey on up to T-Mobile’s Nokia Lumia 521. For $150 off-contract (or $130 if you manage to nab it from Walmart) the Windows Phone 8 device brings on solid performance and Nokia’s signature apps for a bargain price.
Its biggest drawback — besides the obvious step-down in screen and camera quality compared with the now-discontinued Lumia 810 and upcoming Lumia 925 flagship — is that the 521 lacks LTE support. However, you won’t be hobbled by 3G speeds; the 521 will still ride T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network.
Most $150 smartphones give you exactly what you pay for, namely cheap, functional hardware that sometimes struggles with the OS demands. The Lumia 521 delivers an above-average experience that more than fits the price, so long as you don’t require T-Mobile’s fastest data speeds. T-Mobile customers looking for a more complete package should scrounge up a Lumia 810 or hold out and save up for the Lumia 925, which will admittedly cost hundreds of dollars more.
Readmore… [CNET]
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