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Which Nokia Lumia is best for me? 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930

Our in-depth comparison review checks out five of Nokia’s biggest new Lumia smartphones, from the value £60 Lumia 530 up to the mighty £429 flagship phone, the Lumia 930. So which Lumia’s best for you?

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930: At a glance

With so many Nokia Lumias on the table, it can be hard to keep track of which is which. So here’s a quick, dirty comparison table to check the specs in a hurry.

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930 comparison review table
Model Lumia 530 Lumia 635 Lumia 735 Lumia 830 Lumia 930
Price £60 £139 £229 £329 £429
Screen size 4″ 4″ 4.7″ 5″ 5″
Resolution 854×480 854×480 1280×720 1280×720 1920×1080
Weight 129g 134g 134g 150g 167g
Rear camera 5MP 5MP 6.7MP 10MP PureView 20MP PureView
Front camera No No 5MP 1.2MP 1.2MP
Processor Snapdragon 200 Snapdragon 400 Snapdragon 400 Snapdragon 400 Snapdragon 800
Storage 4GB 8GB 8GB 16GB 32GB
4G? No Yes Yes Yes Yes

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930: Media

If you’re after a phone to watch or stream video on the go, you can immediately discount the cheap-as-chips Lumia 530. Not only is the screen abysmal compared with the other Lumias, but the phone has almost no available storage space (although admittedly you can boost with a memory card) and there’s no 4G support to stream media.

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930 comparison review
Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930 comparison review

If you’re struggling for cash, the Lumia 635 will do in a pinch. Although the screen isn’t HD and is only a 4-incher, it’s still bright and colourful enough to enjoy a spot of telly. You also get 4G support. The other Lumias here sport spacious HD displays, with the Lumia 930 obviously proving the best of the bunch thanks to its Full HD 1080p resolution.

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930: Performance and battery life

We noticed performance issues on the Lumia 530, Lumia 635 and Lumia 735, with the occasional stutter and lag, although they were most noticeable on the budget Lumia 530. The Lumia 830 also rocks a basic processor, but the overall experience was pretty smooth and you can play the latest games with little in the way of lag.

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930 comparison review
Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930 comparison review

If you demand the absolute best, however, and want some serious future-proofing too, the Lumia 930 is the way to go. The Snapdragon 800 processor can handle everything thrown at it and shouldn’t slow down any time soon.

As for battery life, the Lumia 530 and Lumia 635 again disappoint, struggling to make it through a full day. Every other Lumia excels however, offering well over a day of use per charge.

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930: Cameras

As you’d expect, the cameras on these devices get progressively better as you up the price.

The Lumia 530 and Lumia 635’a 5-megapixel camera is bog-standard, with no manual focus or LED flash, but it still takes half-decent everyday shots with only occasional haziness. However, there’s no front-facing camera for selfie shots.

Bump up to the Lumia 735 and you get a 6.7-megapixel auto-focus shooter with LED flash that in most conditions performs well. There’s still no PureView tech on board, but nine times out of ten you get sharp results. And selfie fans will love the 5-megapixel front-facing camera, which produces strong images thanks in part to the post-processing that goes on.

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930 comparison review
Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930 comparison review

Another bump up and the Lumia 830 and 930 both rock Nokia’s PureView tech, which means sharp, bright photos almost all of the time, even in low light conditions. Camera fans should definitely opt for one of these two handsets, which we’d happily use every day to shoot our lives.

Nokia Lumia 530 vs 635 vs 735 vs 830 vs 930: Verdict

While the Lumia 530 is a great handset for the price, it will disappoint if you need anything but basic use; the washed-out screen and bog-standard camera are clearly budget. For the price, the Lumia 635 is a much better option for media, with its bright, colourful screen and 4G streaming support, although the camera and battery life still leave much to be desired.

If you’ve got the cash to spare, anything from the Lumia 735 upwards will suit for everyday use. You get a dependable pair of cameras, a colourful screen and strong battery life to keep you going all day.

Read our full reviews of the Nokia Lumia 530, Nokia Lumia 635, Nokia Lumia 735, Nokia Lumia 830 and Nokia Lumia 930.

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