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Nokia Lumia 625 review

6.5/10 AVG.
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Nokia Lumia 625
Nokia Lumia 625
Nokia Lumia 625
Nokia Lumia 625
Nokia Lumia 625
Nokia Lumia 625
...


6.5/10
Informr score
The Nokia Lumia 625 currently has an Informr score of 6.5 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 21 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Large display offers good Windows 8 OS experience
  • Fast 4G LTE connection
  • Decent 5 megapixel camera

What's bad

  • Poor pixel density and screen resolution
  • Absence of ClearBlack technology
  • Middling processor performance

The Lumia 625 joins Nokia's mid-range handset market alongside the Lumia 520 and Lumia 620. Although Nokia markets the 620 as a budget phone, the device sports a couple impressive features.

First up is the display. At 4.7 inches, it has one of the largest screens available in the Nokia lineup. Due to the larger screen real-estate reviewers found it easier to navigate around the Windows menus and using the onscreen keyboard. Since the screen is so large the 800 x 480 resolution results in a very low pixel density of 201ppi. Most experts noticed lack of detail when browsing the web or viewing HD quality images.

Aside from the poor resolution, the device also does not utilize ClearBlack technology. Reviewers immediately noticed its absence as black edges on the screen and above the soft keys looked dark blue. Unfortunately, the colors washed out even further as experts attempted to view the display from various angles.

The second notable feature of the phone is its 4G LTE connection. When connected, experts report download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 50Mbps. If LTE is not available, it also connects to HSDPA, which offers a decent 42Mbps download speed. As with all smartphones, this one also offers single-band Wi-Fi.

With a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 512GB of RAM, the Lumia 625 doesn't top any benchmark tests, but most critics found it fast enough to run Windows 8 and basic apps smoothly. Once reviewers started testing out more intensive apps, the device lagged significantly.

In addition to the processor and RAM, the device sports 8GB of internal memory, 7GB of cloud storage and a microSD slot. Unfortunately critics discovered that the phone does not have WP file manager, so any unrecognizable files like ZIP or RARs can only be accessed via a computer.

On the back you'll find a 5 megapixel camera. Although it certainly doesn't stack up to the 41MP of the Lumia 1020, GSM Arena says that it fares "surprisingly well as far as image quality is concerned." In both low and bright light conditions, the camera exceeded most critics' expectations by producing excellent contrast, color and dynamic range. Expert Reviews did notice a loss of detail when zooming in, however.

As a whole, reviewers were left unimpressed by the device. The Next Web says the phone "leaves me with little impression of anything whatsoever. It's about as middle-of-the-road as you can get…" V3 adds to the sentiment by saying, "…the device is fairly dull…we can't really see the 625 enticing too many new users to the Windows Phone ecosystem."


Windows Phone
Operating system
Operating system
Windows Phone
1.2 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.2 GHz
4.7"
Screen Size
Screen Size
4.7"
5+ MP
Camera
Camera
5+ MP
2000 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Know Your Mobile
Know Your Mobile

If you’re looking for a 4G enabled phone on a budget, Nokia’s Lumia 625 is the way to go. It brings about super-fast internet alongside everything else you need from a basic smartphone for just a smidgen over the £100 mark.Nokia has definitely improved the Lumia 620 with a bigger b...

- James Peckham, Know Your Mobile
TechRadar
TechRadar

The Nokia Lumia 625 is a bit of a mixed bag. In some ways it's a definite improvement over the Nokia Lumia 620 - thanks to better battery life and 4G support. But in other ways it's actually possibly worse. The screen for example, while bigger, is a lot less sharp and the price tag is quite a lot hi...

- James Rogerson, TechRadar
Mobile88
Mobile88

A colorful Lumia with the largest screen in the series and 4G LTE-capable. Really, what more can you ask for? For those wanting to try out a Windows Phone smartphone but are unwilling to burn a hole in their pocket, the Nokia Lumia 625 is a very good choice to consider.

- Mobile88 team, Mobile88
Tech Ticker
Tech Ticker

Nokia’s target market with the Lumia 625 is pretty clear – it goes for the consumers who require a large screen Lumia experience. The Windows Phone 8 powering the device maybe the same as other Lumias but Nokia makes this offering attractive by pre-loading the Lumia Amber update along wi...

- Kunal Gangar, Tech Ticker
Tech Advisor
Tech Advisor

The Nokia Lumia 625 is a big, bright and colourful Windows Phone 8 handset. If you're looking for a 4G capable smartphone on a budget then this is a great buy. It has good build and performance but has limited internal storage and a mediocre camera.

- Chris Martin, Tech Advisor


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Nokia Lumia 625 user manual here.


Nokia backs up the Lumia 625 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Lumia 625 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Nokia support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Nokia's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
4.7"

The Nokia Lumia 625's screen size is 4.7 inches with 480 x 800 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.2 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Dual core 1.2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Windows Phone 8 operating system (OS).

Camera
5+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 5+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with VGA (640 x 480) resolution.

Storage
8 GB

Internal memory is 8 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
2000mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 2000 mAh battery. Nokia's performance ratings are 1434 minutes, 522 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Lumia 625 Specs

Overview
Release Date September 15, 2013
Regions Available Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Windows Phone 8

Compare Windows Phone Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Dual core 1.2 GHz
Internal Storage 8 GB
RAM 512 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.95 W/kg
Body: 0.52 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Headset, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
EGPRS, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Micro-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC No
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Zoom
4x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Geotagging, ISO, Night mode, Panorama, White balance, Exposure
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, 3G2 / 3GPP2, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, ASF, AVI
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
VGA (640 x 480)+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Self-portrait
Video Recording Parameters
720 x 480 pixels
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 480 x 800 pixels
Pixel Density 201 pixels
Size 4.7 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 2000 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 408 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 522 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1434 minutes
Standby Time Up to 23 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Orange, Green, Yellow, White, Black
Dimensions [H x W x D] 13.3 x 7.2 x 0.9 cm (5.2 x 2.8 x 0.4 in)
Weight 159 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, MMS, IM
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Yes
Themes: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Voice Commands: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
DLNA Support: Yes
ECML / Digital Wallet: Yes
Audio Formats: AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, eAAC+, MP3, MP4, M4A, WMA Pro, WMA
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, 3G2 / 3GPP2, ASF, AVI, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: Yes
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Haptic Feedback: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Mobile Hotspot: Yes
Radio: Yes (FM)
Viewable document types: XLS, PPT, PPTX, DOC, DOCX, PDF
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
To-Do / Task List, Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Calculator, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Manual (PDF)
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