Nokia Lumia 830 review

Not top-of-the-range, and not budget - but the Lumia 830 isn't just right either

Nokia Lumia 830 review
Piggy in the middle

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With its stripped down flagship, Microsoft is pushing the Lumia 830 against some very well established handsets with an arguably better OS. Just how does it fare against its Android opposition?

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini

Microsoft Lumia 830 review

Perhaps the more famous of the 'Mini' generation, the Galaxy S5 Mini is the third iteration of Samsung's cut down flagships. It should be expected that Samsung has worked out how to produce a smaller, more budget friendly flagship and the S5 Mini is a very good example.

In terms of specs the Galaxy S5 Mini compares extremely favourably against the Lumia 830; better screen technology, a more powerful CPU and front camera, even a fingerprint scanner built into the home key.

The latter of these is PayPal certified meaning that it can be used on your favourite sites to buy a variety of items, as well as being used to secure information within your handset.

The Galaxy S5 Mini also comes with a skinned Android on board which will appeal more to the masses than the Windows OS.

For those looking for a metal handset though, the Samsung is sadly lacking.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini review here.

HTC One Mini 2

Microsoft Lumia 830 review

A metal frame is something that the Lumia 830 doesn't have over the HTC One Mini 2, as it follows the design of the larger all metal HTC One M8. The curved back makes it much easier to hold, and doesn't come with that plastic backing.

HTC has also given the One Mini 2 a superb 5MP front facing camera that smashes the Lumia 830's 0.9MP, and matches the 830 in terms of power with an identical 1.2GHz Snapdragon CPU, 1GB RAM and Adreno 305 GPU.

Again, the One Mini 2 runs Android although packs in HTC's Blinkfeed home screen to add in a customised news feed.

The Lumia 830 wins hands down here on battery life, with that extra screen size not providing the drain that might have been expected.

Read our full HTC One Mini 2 review here.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

Microsoft Lumia 830 review

The big battle between the Lumia 830 and the Sony here rests with the camera. Sony will win any competition on size, with its 20MP sensor doubling that of Microsoft's 10MP snapper. Both cameras come with the ability to download new lenses so will appeal to budding photographers.

Sony also comes with far more power being a smaller flagship, rather than a stripped down version of the Xperia Z1. The Xperia comes with a 2.2GHz CPU and 2GB of RAM, as well as an Adreno 330 GPU.

However, the Xperia Z1 Compact might feel a little dated having been usurped, the Japanese firm now offers the Xperia Z3 Compact.

Those looking for a media experience though may want to direct their eyes in the direction of the Lumia 830, with its 5-inch screen being a massive 0.7-inches larger making it easier to view videos whilst on the go.

Read our full Sony Xperia Z1 Compact review here.