First Impression: Nokia Lumia 525

New Delhi: Nokia's newly launched successor to the best-selling Lumia 520, comes with a modest revision at an affordable price tag.For the most parts, the 525 is identical to the 520 for the most part inside and out. That means the device will work with the same accessories like that of Lumia 520, including the snap-on color covers.Still, the device is different from the 520 in two major ways. Instead of the 512 MB of RAM, the 525 now comes with 1 GB of RAM. Further, the phone runs on the Windows Phone 8 OS with Lumia Black update.Like with the 520, the Lumia 525 lets you switch colors with a removable shell, giving you the option of black, white, orange, and yellow. However, the sad part is, the phone doesn't come with front-facing camera.The new phone will be available in Singapore on December 14 for S$249 ($198), the same date as its larger, more expensive cousin, the Lumia 1520. In India the device is expected to cost around Rs 10,000 and is likely to release in December or first week of January.Let us take a closer look at the phone:DesignOne of the high points of the Nokia Lumia 520 is its design. That's a hallmark of Nokia's Windows Phones. The Nokia Lumia 525 sports a soft, matte finish throughout the chassis. The curved back of the Lumia 520 fits snugly and the buttons line up perfectly with the fingers. As compared to the Lumia 620 and 820, the back cover of the Lumia 525 can be easily removed. Users can interchange the covers available at Nokia like blue, red, white and black, or buy covers from third party manufacturers as well.The device measures 119.9 mm x 64 mm x 9.9 mm and weighs 124 grams. Although not the slimmest phone around, but when taken out in public, heads surely turn around. In Lumia 525, the microSIM and microSD card slots are placed next to each other, which means they can be changed easily. In addition, there is also a dedicated camera shutter button that ensures that the user does not have to go searching for a camera button.The 525's rear cover and 1,430mAh battery are replaceable. Regarding button allocation, the volume rocker, power and camera buttons are located on the left side, while the micro-USB jack is located at the bottom.DisplayJust like the phone's dimensions, the screen hasn't changed either, meaning it still measures 4-inches and has a 480 x 800 pixel resolution. When placed next to the Lumia 1520, the display of 525 appears not too vibrant and somewhat sunken in.HardwareThe Lumia 525 is powered by a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and will launch Nokia Lumia Black update package, which includes the latest version of the Windows Phone 8 OS.While the Lumia 525 has the same specs as the Lumia 520, Nokia has upgraded it with twice the RAM. It now has 1GB, which should help with multi-tasking. The smartphone comes with 8GB of onboard storage, and has a microSD card slot for expandability.The device comes with free apps like Here Maps, Here Drive, and Here Transit. According to Nokia, the Transit now works for public transportation in Singapore, though real time bus timings are still being worked on. CameraOn the imaging front, Nokia has tried to keep things pretty decent. The device comes with a 5-megapixel that should be able to do well in bright daylight. As mentioned earlier, there's no flash, so you need to light up your subject.Battery The device gets its juice from a 1,430mAh battry which is quoted to last for up to 10.6 hours of 3G talk time. Maximum music playback time is quoted at 48 hours, while video playback is claimed to be up to 5.9 hours before the phone will need to be recharged.Sound qualityThe overall sound quality of Lumia 525 is crip and clear that can be clearly heard from far. While the Lumia 520 does not include the Dolby headphone enhancement as seen in the higher Lumia devices, the audio quality of the headphones bundled along are equally good and renders excellent bass.OutlookThe three things that really make the phone stand out from the crowd are: pretty decent hardware specs including 1 GB RAM and 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, an average display and an affordable price tag. The device is extremely attractive to those who want an affordable yet reliable Windows experience.