We were able to get our hands on the Lumia 1020 at Nokia’s press event in New York City on Thursday. The company’s latest flagship smartphone is equipped with a 4.5-inch 1280 x 768-pixel display, a dual-core Snapdragon processor, 32GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM. The internal hardware isn’t going to blow you away but it isn’t supposed to. The dual-core processor handles the Windows Phone 8 operating system with little lag and 2GB of RAM makes multitasking as smooth as butter. We would have liked to see a full HD display on the device, but the selling point isn’t the screen — it’s the 41-megapixel PureView camera.
The camera has a laundry list of features, many of which we didn’t have time to dive into. It includes Carl Zeiss optics, second-generation optical image stabilization, rich audio recording, dual capture mode, Nokia Pro Camera software and more. The Lumia 1020 is even capable of capturing long exposure photos. Nokia didn’t hold back with the 1020 and its shows: The device can take truly remarkable pictures that seem to have unmatched color and clarity.
Despite such a large sensor, the Lumia 1020 isn’t like the Galaxy S4 Zoom, meaning it doesn’t have a large bulge on its rear. In fact, it fit comfortably in my pocket. The 1020 is similar to the Lumia 920 with its polycarbonate case and overall design motif, although I did notice that it was considerably lighter than the 920.
Nokia is offering an easy grip accessory alongside the 1020 that adds a considerable amount of bulk to the device. It will be sold for a hefty $79.99, which is personally far too rich for my blood but may be acceptable for dedicated camera users.
Nokia has created a very intriguing device, but unfortunately its loyalty to Windows Phone 8 makes the Lumia 1020 less appealing. The limited app selection and the Lumia 1020’s high price tag will make it hard for Nokia to compete with Samsung and Apple, even with this incredible 41-megapixel camera.
The Nokia Lumia 1020 will be exclusively available from AT&T beginning July 26th for $299 with a new two-year agreement.
