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Nokia Lumia 930

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Nokia Lumia 930



Introduction

It may be a new house, new rules - but no sharp movements just yet. In the aftermath of Microsoft's recent acquisition of Nokia's devices and services department, it's really anyone's guess what will happen with the Finnish company that was once at the apex of the industry. There's no question marks hanging over the Lumia lineup though - it is going strong, and the Lumia 930 alongside the Windows Phone 8.1 update is proof that it's here to stay, be it under a new leadership.
The Lumia 930 was released in the US as the Nokia Lumia Icon this past February running Windows Phone 8, and after working the kinks out with the Windows Phone 8.1 update for it, Nokia is launching the international version right to the latest software.
 
Nokia Lumia 930
Besides supporting some different LTE bands, the Lumia 930 is identical to the Icon. It does come with some nifty extras, however, as Nokia is trying to entice users by throwing in a wireless charging pad with dedicated A/C adapter, as well as some different paint jobs. Here's a look at what you get with the Nokia Lumia 930:

Key features

  • 5" 16M-color ClearBlack AMOLED display of FullHD resolution, Gorilla Glass 3
  • 2.2 GHz quad-core Krait 400 CPU, Adreno 330 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 chipset, 2GB of RAM
  • Windows Phone 8.1 OS with Nokia Cyan
  • 20MP PureView camera with 1080p@30fps video recording, Carl Zeiss optics, optical image stabilization
  • 1.2MP front-facing camera with 720p video recording
  • 32GB of inbuilt storage
  • Free offline lifetime voice-guided navigation worldwide with Drive+
  • Nokia Music streaming service
  • 15GB of free OneDrive storage
  • FM Radio
  • Li-Ion 2,420 mAh battery
  • Wireless Charging Plate DT-900 included in retail package
  • Aluminum frame

Main disadvantages

  • No 2160p video recording
  • No microSD card slot
  • No headset included in the retail package
As far as recent flagship offerings go, the 930 does leave a bit to be desired. We would have liked to see a more recent Snapdragon 801 chip inside, and the lack of expandable storage and 2160p video recording make the 930 feel like it's falling behind competitors' flagships. Still, Nokia phones have traditionally relied on other strengths to set them apart, and the Lumia 930 may do enough there to give it the edge. There's also the new Windows Phone 8.1 update with Nokia Cyan to consider.
Windows Phone 8.1 has finally caught up to the competition and offers some long-awaited features such as Action Center with notification and quick toggles, customizable tile size and Start screen background, the Cortana voice assistant, Quiet Hours mode, and a swipe-able keyboard among many others. We'll get into the details in a bit.
Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 930
Nokia Lumia 930 in our studio
We'll be looking at the updated software interface a bit further on in the review. Up next, we get things underway with our traditional hardware examination, including a look at its stylish metal frame and 1080p ClearBlack AMOLED display.

360-degree spin

The Nokia Lumia 930 stands at 137 x 71 x 9.8mm and weighs 167g. The phone has a 0.5" bigger display compared to its spiritual predecessor, the Lumia 925. It's also 7mm taller, but enjoys roughly the same width and thickness as Nokia's top PureView cameraphone, the Lumia 1020. Without the camera hump, that is.

Design and build quality

The Nokia Lumia 930 features an aluminum frame covering the sides of the device, alongside a polycarbonate back panel that can come in a variety of colors, including orange, green, black and white.
The front is covered by Gorilla Glass 3 with a very slight tapered edge. The taper is very subtle, but surprisingly adds immensely to the look of the smartphone, and feels very pleasant to the touch.
The back panel is of polycarbonate, and comes in up to four colors. It's a bit more prominently tapered toward the edges, resulting in a naturally curved shape for a very comfortable grip. The back panel is nonetheless an odd choice by Nokia, as the plastic feels slightly out of place on the device, and looks like it should be removable but isn't. It somewhat detracts from the build quality, especially when compared to the Nokia Lumia 925.
Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 930
Nokia Lumia 930
The aforementioned aluminum frame is sharply cornered and provides a different feel to, say, the bulky Nokia Lumia 1020, which has a rounded back panel and sides. The sharper edges feel a little rough in-hand, but not overly so.
Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 930
Handling the Lumia 930

Controls and handling

The Nokia Lumia 930's front is all black glass, with three capacitive buttons located below the display. Above the display is the earpiece next to the front-facing 1.2MP camera, as well as some sensors above the Nokia logo.
Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia 930
The Gorilla Glass-covered front of the Lumia 930
The bare left side is complemented by a somewhat crowded right side, where you'll find a volume rocker, power/lock button, and a dedicated shutter key. The shutter key is a classic two-stage with a reasonably distinct half-press for autofocus.
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A peek at the Lumia 930's left and right sides
The top of the Lumia 930 features a centrally-located 3.5mm audio jack next to a high quality microSIM card tray that fits flush with the frame, yet is easily removable. There are two colored strips on either side of the audio jack as an accent.
Like we said, the retail package of the Lumia 930 doesn't come with a headset, so you'll have to provide your own to stick into the 3.5mm audio jack.
On the bottom you'll find only the microUSB port flanked by the same colored strips.
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The top and bottom of the Lumia 930
Finally, on the back you'll find the 20MP PureView camera with Carl Zeiss lens, a dual-LED flash, and two microphones. There's also a small loudspeaker grille in the bottom right corner.
Despite appearances, the back panel is non-removable, so you won't be able to access the 2,420mAh battery inside without taking it in.
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The back of the Nokia Lumia 930

Final words

Never mind the minor numerical difference from the Lumia 925, the Nokia Lumia 930 is a whole new step ahead for Windows Phone. With a pocketable size, Nokia's trademark design language and capable camera alongside Microsoft's latest Windows Phone 8.1 update and the best benchmark performance we've seen from a Nokia device yet, it's perhaps Nokia's most all-round solid offering to date. But is that enough?
Competition in the smartphone market is fierce to say the least. Capable Android offerings from the likes of Sony, Samsung, LG, and Oppo, among others, offer robust Snapdragon 801 processors, expandable storage, larger displays, premium build, and even QHD displays and 2160p video recording. All those Android trump cards already in play raise the question of whether Nokia's best is good enough to compete.
Nokia Lumia 930
Windows 8.1 brought with it a slew of improvements on the software side - you get a new notification area Action center, virtual assistant, and some nifty visual improvements, but these are, after all, things that their Android and iOS competitors have had generations to perfect.
With the Lumia 1020, many would say that Nokia did enough to outdo the Android and iOS crowd by introducing arguably the most capable smartphone camera to date (one that still hasn't been topped). The Lumia 930 has plenty of things that it does well, but nothing that exactly sets it apart like its 41MP sibling.

Key test findings for the Nokia Lumia 930:

  • The ClearBlack AMOLED display is gorgeous, sunlight legibility is exceptional
  • Battery life is below average, especially in web browsing and watching videos
  • The benchmarks are the best we've seen from a Nokia Lumia device
  • The still camera is very good and resolves plenty of detail
  • Video recording isn't as good and doesn't go as high as 2160p
  • It has the best audio recording in business, complete with six channel Dolby Digital Plus
  • The speaker is of adequate loudness
  • Managed to play almost every video format we threw at it, except MKV files or those with AC3 audio encoding
  • Robust retail package including wireless charging pad, but no headset (market dependent)
  • Good build quality, although the polycarbonate back panel slightly detracts from it
  • The phone heats up unpleasantly when charging, using the camera or playing a game
Nokia's camera software is one area where it's still very strong, and Windows Phone's robust selection of camera 'lenses' greatly enhance the performance of the 20MP shooter. The ClearBlack AMOLED helps make the primarily black Windows Phone interface look that much better, but we weren't impressed with the battery life that suffered greatly during screen-on activities like web browsing and watching videos. Still, the Lumia 930 is the most powerful Windows Phone to date, and the high quality design language make it a great purchase if you've got your heart set on a WP device.
If you're in the US, the Lumia 930 is available as the Lumia Icon for Verizon (previously known as Lumia 929).
Nokia Lumia 930 Nokia Lumia Icon
Nokia Lumia 930 • Nokia Lumia Icon
Nokia does have a few other offerings available that don't have the drawbacks of the Lumia 930. The Nokia Lumia 1520 has largely the same performance found on the 930 due to its identical chipset and processor. Thanks to its robust 3,400mAh battery, it almost triples the battery life, and there's a microSD card slot to build upon the internal storage.
Camera performance is on par as the 1520 has the same 20MP/1.2MP front-rear camera combo, but you're also looking at a much larger device due to its 6-inch diagonal. The aluminum frame is also gone, which means that you'll have to settle for a simpler, more rounded polycarbonate design aesthetic as well.
Nokia Lumia 1520
Nokia Lumia 1520
The Nokia's Lumia 1020 and its robust 41MP camera is a photographer's paradise, and is the go-to device if you're looking for a capable camera to go with your smartphone. It's a more compact device thanks to its 4.5-inch diagonal, but is nonetheless thicker due to its protruding camera module. The display is not as sharp at 768 x 1280px resolution, and you won't get as good a performance out of the slower 1.5GHz dual-core Krait CPU with Adreno 225 graphics. Battery life is more acceptable, however.
Nokia Lumia 1020
Nokia Lumia 1020
If it doesn't have to be Windows Phone, HTC's One (M8) flagship is another offering with a 5-inch 1080p screen and premium build quality. The M8's all-metal unibody is superior to that of the Lumia 930, and you get expandable storage, an IR-port, and a larger 2,600mAh battery to boot. The M8 is at a serious disadvantage in the camera department, however, and the droid will also be more expensive than the Lumia 930 in most markets. The other top droids fetch an even higher premium - but then again, you'll be getting 2160p videos and even a couple of QHD screens.
HTC One (M8)
HTC One (M8)
The Nokia Lumia 930 is undoubtedly one of Nokia's top offerings, which is particularly significant considering the message it sends. The Nokia spirit still lives after the Microsoft acquisition. The Lumia 930 isn't in the best position, being the first flagship following the transition, but what's more significant is that even at its best, a Lumia flagship stops just short of matching its Android peers. The WP8.1 update is certainly a step in the right direction, but one question still looms: what if Nokia had gone with Android?

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