Introduction
The Nokia Lumia 735 is a phone unashamedly targeting selfie fans, the latest ‘love it or hate it’ craze. Nokia is by no means the only manufacturer to have noticed this trend, the HTC Desire Eye shows just how big this market has become.
Pitching up free in the UK from £13pm (about US$21, AU$24) on 24 month contracts or available on PAYG from £160 (about US$259, AU$294) and £180 (about US$291, AU$331) SIM-free, the Lumia 735 certainly doesn’t break the bank.
It also means that it fights against the likes of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, HTC Desire 610 and Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Mini, as well as the go to budget handset, the Moto G 4G.
This is certainly one of the fiercest ends of the market, so what has Nokia packed in to give the Lumia 735 the edge?
The most obvious feature has to be the forward facing camera, measuring in at 5MP, more than twice the size of nigh on all front facing sensors. Coupled with a 4G connection to share those images, and it seems Nokia knows its market.
On paper the Lumia 735 certainly seems rather impressive. Nokia has fitted a quad-core Snapdragon 400 SoC (system on chip) clocked at 1.2GHz backed up by 1GB RAM and an Adreno 305 GPU.
There is also 8GB of storage, backed up by 15GB of Microsoft’s One Drive cloud storage and up to 128GB via a microSD card. All of this is accessed via the 4.7-inch HD screen, with the 720 x 1280 resolution giving a density of 312ppi.
As with every Lumia handset, the Nokia Lumia 735 comes in a range of colours. My review handset is a rather bright green, with an equally bright orange available, as well white or black. Unsurprisingly, this brightly coloured handset is made out of plastic rather than metal, but it doesn’t detract from the feel of Lumia 735 at all.
It does seem to pick up dirt easily though, 20 minutes in my bag on a walk left dark smudges that needed to be wiped off with a damp cloth. That meant removing the back plate, which is a little difficult, although I didn’t ever feel like I was in danger of snapping it.
The curved 134.7 x 68.5 x 8.9mm frame reminds me of a much slimmer iPod Mini and sits very comfortably in the hand. The volume rocker and power/lock key on the right are the only buttons to hit and it is easy enough to do so.
In terms of ports the Lumia 735 has both the standard 3.5mm headphone port and microUSB port, situated in the middle of the top and bottom respectively.
The nanoSIM and microSD slots are both located behind the back plate, accessed by removing the 2220mAh battery.
I’m a big fan of the smaller screen as I have yet to buy into the phablet phenomenon, and it certainly fits the bill for the younger teen market that the Lumia 735 is going to be aimed at.
Key features, performance and battery life
The 5MP front facing camera is certainly one of the main features of the Nokia Lumia 735. It is impossible to ignore, especially with Microsoft itself claiming that it is “the first smartphone designed specifically for selfies and Skype video calls”.
I can’t comment on the specifics of that quote, but it is clear that Microsoft is making a big deal of the front sensor and I can see why.
I’ve never had any problems with the forward facing camera’s on many phones, the typical 2MP forward sensor has always seemed enough for me. That said, Nokia has done a lot of work to convince me that 2MP just isn’t enough.
Unfortunately I can see there being a bit of a problem for Microsoft and the Lumia 735 if they are aiming for the ultimate selfie phone, namely the lack of Snapchat in the app store. Thankfully, this is something that I can see being rectified at some point in the future. Until then, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all available.
The inclusion of Skype also has to be considered a key feature, thanks to that camera and Microsoft including three months of free Skype to mobile and landline numbers. It seems a little odd to be including a built in app as a key feature, especially as it is available on countless other handsets such as the Android Moto G or the iPhone 5C.
Despite this, I have to say that I am a big fan of the way that Skype has been integrated into Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8.1 OS. I’ve been using Skype across all mobile platforms for a while and this is by far my favourite version, and that camera is certainly a massive bonus.
My one qualm with it was that it took a few seconds to load up when tapping the notification, something that I am not used to. That brief loading period was also noticeable on other apps, but mostly on Skype.
The final feature that I think is key to the Lumia 735 is the Windows Phone 8.1 OS.
Coming from daily use of an Android phone, the Lumia 735 could have been a step into the unknown, but it felt familiar thanks to my use of Windows 8.1 on my desktop, and the very intuitive live tile UX.
One thing that I was really looking forward to was the background to the live tiles, as Windows Phone 8.1 allows you to set a background image that appears as a collage made up of the tiles, however this is hampered by the amount of apps that come in block colours.
For those that haven’t ever used the live tiling system before, it is a little like Android’s widget system, providing information at a glance without having to load up the app itself. I’ve been a fan of this system for a while, and I certainly recommend you check it out.
Performance
Throughout my time with the Nokia Lumia 735, I have to say that I was always left a little disappointed with the lack of internal grunt. This was a little suprising given that older versions of Windows Phone were optimised to run on lower powered dual-core CPU’s, and the Lumia 735 comes with a quad-core CPU.
This lack of power was particularly noticeable when loading up Skype, especially from the notifications bar (affectionately known as the Action Centre on Windows). This is probably because Windows pushes Skype to the background to save battery, and needs to manually reload it every time.
General day-to-day use with the Lumia 735 was pretty easy, although power users will definitely notice the lack of processing power. But at this price range the Lumia 735 matches up with its rivals, the Moto G 4G and HTC Desire 610, hertz for hertz.
Unfortunately for the Lumia 735, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is also available for a very similar price tag and that comes with a lot more power.
Running the benchmarking app WP Bench gave an average of 220.24 putting it behind the lower powered Lumia 530 and equally powered Lumia 635. This could be down to the higher end screen of the 735 putting a greater demand on the CPU.
Battery life
When it comes to using smartphones, one of the key things is battery life. Coping with the aforementioned screen seems to have put a bit of a dampener on the GPU, but thankfully the same can’t be said for the 2220mAh battery.
I am pleased to say that the Lumia 735 performed exceptionally well. During light usage, sending the odd Skype and Facebook message with around 10 minutes of gaming during a lunch break, I was able to eke out almost 2 days usage.
That dropped down to one days use when really pushing it, snapping a few photos and heavy Skype texting in the evening. But given that I have nightly access to a charger, this was never a problem.
The TechRadar battery test showed up some equally impressive results. With the screen up to its maximum brightness and Skype and Facebook all logged in, the battery test video showed a drainage of only 15%.
It is interesting to note that there is not a lot of manual control over the brightness only a high, medium and low setting, alongside the auto brightness.
The Essentials and camera
When it comes to using the Lumia 735 everyday there are certain things that it must do well. The big one for me has to be the keyboard, as I find that I am forever sending texts, and with the Lumia 735 I found myself typing on Skype a lot more than I would usually be.
One thing I couldn’t find myself getting use to with the Windows keyboard was its positioning on the screen. The added buttons often positioned below the keyboard (such as the send button on Skype) meant that the keyboard sat a lot higher on the screen.
The keyboard also seemed larger than most, and meant that less of the screen was visible at the time which was a little frustrating. Generally though, the larger keyboard meant that I was accurate in my typing. This was rather thankful given the poor auto correct.
Web browsing is also extremely important on the modern smartphone. As with all Windows handsets this is all handled via Internet Explorer. Under normal circumstances I would sigh. IE has hardly built itself the best reputation over the years, but things have changed.
I can’t say that I am a big fan of the URL bar’s placement at the bottom, but general internet browsing was smooth over a 3G network, as well as over Wi-Fi, and it comes with all the features that you would expect from a standard mobile browser; tabbed browsing, full page views, the ability to disable pictures and even Do Not Track.
When it comes to viewing media on the Lumia 735, you are left pretty well catered for. The external speaker is loud enough to annoy your friends with. It also doesn’t suffer from any loss of quality at the highest volume, but if I’m extremely critical, I found that bass was a little lacking.
If you plan to store a lot of media I would suggest buying a decent microSD card though, as of the 8GB internal storage only just over 2GB is actually available. This means that your app consumption will also be restricted.
All of these are smartphone functions, but does the Nokia Lumia 735 still work as a simple phone? The short answer to that is yes.
At no point during my time with the Lumia 735 did I find that I was lacking in signal, except in areas that I know to be signal black spots. I also found that phone calls came through clear, something that is expected of all modern smartphones but has been found a little lacking on some cheaper handsets.
Making those phones calls is also easy, although not as much as I would have first hoped. If you have the contact in your address book it’s not too bad, but if you have to manually type in the number it’s a little more complicated.
Push the phone button and you’re faced with a speed dial list, and able to swipe left and right to see the call history. The dialler is hidden under a small button at the bottom, rather than being front and centre, and is something that I managed to overlook for the first few seconds.
It’s only a small problem, and one that I could easily overlook for most of the time, especially as I find that 99% of my contact interaction through my phone is text based, but if you’re in a hurry and need to make an emergency call, those few seconds could be vital.
Camera
When it comes to the cameras on the Nokia Lumia 735, it is clear that the majority of the emphasis has been placed on the forward facing camera, after all it’s not every day that you find a handset with a 5MP front sensor.
Nokia hasn’t left the rear lens lacking though, as it comes packed with a 6.7MP sensor and Carl Zeiss lens, as well as a single LED flash.
In terms of software, the Lumia 735 comes with all the standard Windows phone options, including the ability to download different lenses to add effects to your images. This is something that I have previously encountered with the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact coming with a similar ability.
Searching through and selecting lenses will take you to a dedicated page of the Windows Store so you can have a look through the lens before downloading.
Despite this, the camera app does feel a little bare. Yes you can pop a framing grid on screen or set a timer, even the white balance can be toggled, but added extras such as scene and ISO modes are missing.
Selfie lovers have been given their own app though, inventively called the Lumia Selfie app. At first I was a little confused as it doesn’t automatically save your photo like an ordinary camera app, but does mean that you can perfect your pose before saving and editing.
You’re then brought into a basic photo editor, with the ability to apply different filters to your perfectly framed visage. I can see the appeal, especially to those looking to share the photos via Instagram, but it is not something that I found myself using a lot.
Camera samples
Click here for the full res image
Click here for the full res image
Click here for the full res image
Click here for the full res image
Verdict
Nokia has fitted its latest handset with a killer feature that will no doubt appeal to many; a 5MP forward facing camera.
Couple this with a price tag that starts low and you’ve got a handset that will really appeal to the youth market.
We liked
I can’t start this without sounding a little vain, but I am a really big fan of that front facing camera. No doubt there are many out there that will argue that you don’t need more than 2MP for a front facing camera, but it makes Skype calling much clearer and is great for taking photos to upload to social media. I just wish Snapchat was available.
The design is also appealing. With a minimalist rounded design, Nokia has created a handset that is comfortable in the hand with the lack of buttons and the clear, central ports giving the Lumia 735 a clean feel. The bold colours also make it stand out, and immediately draw the eye.
Finally, I have to give a massive nod to the battery life. I managed to get 2 days of light to medium usage out of it, although heavier usage will reduce this down to only one day. Running the standard TechRadar test at full brightness gave a drop of a mere 15%, much better than the 33% drop with the Moto G.
We disliked
For a quad-core phone, I was disappointed with the way the Lumia 735 handled the Windows Phone software. There was a noticeable delay when loading up Skype from the Action centre, or while loading up apps that will require the processor to do some heavier lifting.
The Windows Phone OS was also a little frustrating. It has come a long way since the launch of Windows on mobile handsets with Windows Phone 7, with the Action Centre being a great addition, but I still don’t think that it has the right tools yet to compete with Android or iOS.
Finally, I found that the keyboard was a little annoying. While generally accurate, I still don’t think that it is anywhere near as good as ones that I have used on even the cheapest Android handsets. The placement on the screen is also annoying as, despite the reasonable screen size, it was a little bit of a stretch for my thumbs.
Final verdict
There is no doubt that the Nokia Lumia 735 will sell to those like me who have wholeheartedly joined the selfie bandwagon, with its 5MP camera able to take the clearest and highest quality snaps. No promises that it will make you look better though.
The bright colours will also help it stand out against the competition, and will catch the eyes of the younger audience that the Lumia 735 is clearly aimed at.
That said, if you’re after an all round device then I would have to recommend that you look elsewhere, with the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact and Moto G proving to be that little bit better at this price range.
First reviewed: October 2014
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