The Nokia Lumia 925 is perched on the top of Nokia's Windows Phone lineup as one of the company's flagship smartphones alongside the Nokia Lumia 928 and the Nokia Lumia 920.There are only two other devices I would consider better than the Lumia 925 - One being the Nokia Lumia 1020, the company's camera flagship and the second, the Nokia Lumia 1520, the company's newly announced phablet. Both the Lumia 1020 and the Lumia 1520 are aimed at certain niches, while the Lumia 925 is more an all rounder which could find a home with any user.
I own a Lumia 521, an entry level Windows Phone which won me over for its affordability and functionality.
The Lumia 925 on the other hand is a top tier device, and having previously reviewed the Nokia Lumia 920, I knew my Lumia 521 would be outmatched in every avenue.
The Lumia 925 packaging is sleek and subtle, a common factor with most Nokia devices. Sliding open the box reveals the device, which is neatly packed inside. My first thought was that the Lumia 925 will feel as bulky as the Lumia 920, but the device is extremely lean. In fact I would call it lean to a fault as it looks like a Lumia 920 on a diet.
The display is beautifully curved almost seamlessly blending into the metal band that runs around the device. The metal band doubles as an antenna for improved reception, and the thin black bars that separate the metal band ensure the Lumia 925 won't face the antennagate issues that plagued the iPhone 4.
Above the display you have a earpiece and a front facing camera for video calls. Below the display you will find the standard Windows Phone keys - The back button, Start button and Search button. The keys are illuminated, and light up in the dark.
On top of the phone Nokia has placed the SIM tray (micro SIM), a microUSB port, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a secondary microphone. The left and the bottom of the device is left empty.
The right side has the volume rocker, Power button in the middle and the dedicated, two stage camera key at the bottom.
The back of the device is polycarbonate (which is a nicer way of saying plastic) but feels rich and solid. I think Nokia's secret to making plastic look rich is by giving it a matte finish instead of a glossy one.
The rear camera stands out like a blemish on the backplate, but I know that the camera is one of the biggest selling points of the Lumia 925. The camera has a dual LED flash above it while the speaker is found right at the bottom. Above the speaker you will find three contact points. These points connect to a wireless charging cover (sold separately) which can be used to charge your device without plugging it in.
The display is an HD one, though not a full HD like the one found on the new Lumia 1520. Still he colors are vibrant and rich and a pleasure to read and use. One of my biggest peeves with Windows Phone is the fact that you cant sign into Wi-Fi during the phone setup. Microsoft has finally decided to fix this with the Windows Phone 8 update 3 (GDR3), but I was disappointed to find my Lumia 925 was still without that update.
Because I don't get to sign into my Wi-Fi and I am unwilling to use my data connection to restore my Windows Phone account, I am stuck with a fresh device. This means I will have to install all my apps, one at a time from the marketplace.
Over the next couple of weeks I will be using the Lumia 925 as my daily driver, and I will share photo samples and my full review of the device at the end of my trial. If you have any questions or things you would like me to test and share regarding the Lumia 925, please feel free to leave me a comment below.