Both the Lumia 520 and X look similar and are available in a similar price bracket, but it’s more than what meets the eye. So, if you are confused between the two, here’s a comparison in pictures.

1. Comparison in pictures
Nokia Lumia 520
vs
Nokia X

2. What’s the same
• Both the devices are encased in
polycarbonate, and available in
multiple hues of black, white, red
and yellow
• They feature 4-inch displays with
aresolution of 480 x 800 pixels
• They’re powered by 1GHz dual-
core chipsets (though the SoC is
different)
• The processors are accompanied
by 512MB of RAM
• The interface is remarkably
similar thanks to the use of tiles
But there’s more than what meets the eye. Here’s how they’re
different..

3. Design: curved vs boxy rear
• The Nokia X has a rectangular design, whereas the Nokia
Lumia 520 has a curved rear that offers better handling
• The Nokia Lumia 520 features a dedicated camera key,
allowing you to capture images quickly
• At the front, the Lumia 520 has three capacitive keys, while
the Nokia X has a single capacitive key

4. Display: the Lumia 520 has a few tricks up its sleeve
• The display on the Nokia Lumia 520 is protected by scratch-
resistant glass
• The Lumia 520 display also supports glove mode, making it
easier to use the device while wearing gloves

5. Camera: the Nokia Lumia 520 turns out be a
decent snapper
• Both devices lack front-
facing cameras and LED
flashes
• The Nokia Lumia 520 comes
with a 5-megapixel primary
camera with autofocus
• The Nokia X has a 3.15MP
fixed-focus primary camera
• While the images captured
by the Lumia 520 are
decent, Nokia X captures
below-average images

6. Performance: the Lumia 520 has the upper hand
• While they have a similar
processor, the Nokia Lumia
520 is aided by a better
Adreno 305 GPU in contrast to
the Adreno 203 graphics
processor in the Nokia X
• Windows Phone is optimised
well to run on low-end devices
like the Lumia 520, while the
same isn’t the case with Nokia
X (see screenshot)
• The Nokia X manages to keep
up with basic tasks

7. Performance: more accolades for the Lumia 520
• However, games are a different story altogether. Even while
playing games like Temple Run 2 and Subway Surfers, you can
notice some frame drops on the Nokia X
• The 520 features complete multitasking with the ability to
switch and close apps, but the Nokia X doesn’t offer proper
multitasking

8. Ecosystem: the gap becomes apparent
• The Lumia 520 runs Windows
Phone 8 and makes use of
Microsoft Windows Store to
download apps. The Nokia X is
powered by Android AOSP
(version 4.1.2).
• In case of the Nokia X, apps can
be downloaded from Nokia Store,
or third-party stores like 1Mobile
Market and Amazon Appstore.
• You can also sideload apk files to
install apps or games on the
Nokia X.

9. Ecosystem: signature Nokia experiences
• Both the Lumia 520 and X are
preloaded with apps from
Nokia – HERE Maps, MixRadio
and more.
• However, the Nokia X offers
lifetime free music streaming
on MixRadio, along with the
ability to store up to four
offline mixes for a period of 30
days.

10. Battery life: the Nokia X dies in a day
• The Nokia X can hardly last a
complete day of moderate
usage
• In contrast, the Nokia Lumia
520 can easily last more than a
day

11. At a glance
Parameters Nokia Lumia 520 Nokia X
Dimensions (in mm) 119.9 x 64 x 9.9 142 x 72.5 x 8.1
Weight (in g) 124 145
Body Polycarbonate Polycarbonate
Colors Black, white, red, yellow, cyan Black, white, red, yellow, cyan, green
Display Size 4-inch 4-inch
Display Resolution 800 x 480 pixels (233ppi) 800 x 480 pixels (233ppi)
Display Technology IPS LCD IPS LCD
Network Support 2G/3G (micro-SIM) Dual SIM 2G/3G (micro-SIM)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8227, 1GHz
dual-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play, 1GHz dual-
core
Graphics processor Adreno 305 Adreno 203
RAM 512MB 512MB
Internal Storage 8GB 4GB
External Storage up to 32GB up to 32GB
Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
Primary Camera 5-megapixels 3.15-megapixels
Flash - -
Secondary Camera - -
OS Windows Phone 8 (Nokia Black firmware
Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean (Nokia X software
platform)
Battery 1,500mAh 1,410mAh

12. Pricing and verdict
“If you’re looking for a Nokia-branded device that offers
access to the vast ecosystem of Android apps, the Nokia X is
pretty much the only choice. However, if you’re looking for
an all-rounder device at this price point, then the Nokia
Lumia 520 comes across as a better option. Moreover,
Windows Store is now coming of age, and carries most of
the popular apps and games.”
Nokia Lumia 520
~ Rs 7,300
Nokia X
~ Rs 7,400