Nokia Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 - a tricky test comparison

The 920 on the left, the 820 on the right - which one wins the comparison? Photos: Nokia.

The Lumia 920 and 820 are involved in an exciting duel in the test comparison. Anyone looking for a smartphone with Windows Phone 8 will always come across the Nokia Lumia 920, but Nokia's flagship phone is expensive. For around 150 euros less, you can get its smaller brother, the Nokia Lumia 820, which is sometimes even better.

Lumia 820 and Lumia 920 - four times it's a draw

Lumia 920 / Lumia 820 - Draw 1: Processor & speed

Both phones are powered by a fast Snapdragon S4 processor from Qualcomm. With a clock speed of 1.5 gigahertz and two processing cores, it provides plenty of power in each phone. The working memory is decent with 1 gigabyte of RAM in each case. Whether Lumia 920 or 820 - both Windows smartphones work smoothly and as fast as an arrow.

Lumia 920 / Lumia 820 - Draw 2: Wireless data & bandwidth

The small Lumia 820 is also capable of fast LTE data transmission. It does so on the five most important frequency bands (800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz). This means it is ideally equipped for Europe and the USA. Also on board with both Lumia phones: the fast dual-carrier HSPA mode for UMTS. This enables the 920 and 820 to achieve theoretical bandwidths of up to 42 Mbit, WLAN in the 2.4 and 6 GHz bands as well as Bluetooth and NFC.

Lumia 920 / Lumia 820 - Draw 3: Navigation and positioning

Both models include the Drive+ Beta navigation solution. This allows maps to be downloaded in advance. This is a real advantage over Google Maps and Apple maps for use abroad. The integrated GPS module naturally enables even more functions: For example, you can use the Locate your cell phone - and find it againif it gets lost.

Lumia 920 / Lumia 820 - Draw 4: Battery performance

On paper, the Lumia 920 with 2000 mAh has a significantly more powerful battery than the 820 with 1650 mAh. In practice, however, the advantage is neutralized, it does not run longer. This is because the larger and higher-resolution 920 screen consumes more power.

This is much better with the Nokia Lumia 920

Lumia 920 - Advantage 1: Screen

The 920 has a clear advantage, as the buyer benefits from a sharper display with 1280 x 768 pixels. The screen of the Lumia 820 only has 800 x 480 pixels and is also a tad smaller (4.3 instead of 4.5 inches).

Lumia 920 - Advantage 2: Camera

The camera in the Lumia 920 is one of the best in the smartphone sector. The 820's camera is not bad either, but it lacks the optical image stabilizer, among other things. This ensures that the 920 can still take good pictures even in suboptimal lighting conditions.

Lumia 920 - Advantage 3: Wireless battery charging ex works

Mini-advantage for the 920: The back cover for inductive charging without a cable is already included - with the 820 it has to be purchased separately.

This is much better with the Nokia Lumia 820

Lumia 820 - Advantage 1: Size and weight

Although the Lumia 820 is anything but light and compact at 68 millimeters wide and 162 grams, overall it is more manageable than the 920 at just under 71 millimeters wide and 185 grams.

Lumia 820 - Advantage 2: Memory card slot

A must-have for many smartphone buyers is a memory card slot that allows the capacity to be easily and inexpensively expanded by up to 64 gigabytes. Only the 820 offers this option; the Lumia 920 has to make do with the permanently installed 32 gigabytes.

Lumia 820 - Advantage 3: Replaceable battery

The housing of the Nokia 920 is firmly sealed. This means that if the battery deteriorates over time, it will have to be replaced by the service department at great expense. With the 820, you can easily replace the battery yourself. Simply remove the cover.

Lumia 820 - Advantage 4: Interchangeable covers

The option of giving your Lumia 820 a new look in seconds by replacing the housing shell is really nice.

Lumia 920 or Lumia 820? Which Nokia is right for me?

The bottom line is that the Lumia 920 actually offers more, especially the sharper screen and better camera. On the other hand, the Lumia 820 has a memory card slot, a replaceable battery - and a saving of around 150 euros.