Decent processor, acceptable camera, Nokia and Windows extras, expandable memory, 4G
Screen could be better, Windows Store still a bit lean
Following hot on the heels of the Lumia 630 we have yet another Day-Glo coloured budget phone from Nokia. The Lumia 635 adds 4G to a decent device and range of extras from Nokia and Microsoft.
Nokia's numbering system can sometimes be a bit baffling. As a general rule, bigger numbers tend to denote higher specifications, but that can vary, and when you get two fairly similar numbers, such as the 635 and the 630, it's not always obvious what the differences are likely to be.
In this case, the main difference is that while the 630 is a perfectly capable Windows smartphone, it'll never surf the web at faster than 3G speeds. The 635 on the other hand, is a 4G-capable handset, and your gateway to extra-fast downloads and smoother video streaming.
Chassis and screen
Like the 630 and indeed most Nokia handsets these days, the 635 comes in a range of bright colours (yellow, green and orange, as well as black or white) and you can swap covers to suit your mood, but unlike the 630 the casing has a glossy finish rather than matte.
It has the same less-than-HD 4.5-inch screen as the 630, which delivers a resolution of 854x480 pixels (214ppi). It's not super-sharp but for most tasks the lack of HD resolution isn't too much of a hindrance -- pictures, videos and web pages tend to look a little softer, but not overly lacking in detail.
Processor and performance
The quad-core 1.2GHz processor backed by 512MB RAM may not be the fastest, but it proved to be fairly smooth in operation, strolling around the latest Windows Phone 8.1 interface reasonably quickly, although it did occasionally take a little time to dwell on opening some apps. Our AnTuTu benchmark test gave it a score of 11,417, which is quite a jump from the Lumia 620 for instance, and puts it close behind the likes of the Lumia 1020.
Microsoft's Cortana personal assistant, designed as a rival to Siri and Google Now, is on board but not yet activated for the UK, though it's been getting some pretty good reviews in the US. It's expected that this should be happening sometime over the summer though. There's 8GB of memory on board, which is the minimum acceptable amount these days, and you can add up to 128GB via microSD card, plus you get 7GB free online storage with OneDrive from Microsoft. The battery held up fairly well, giving us a good day and a half of steady use.
Photography
The 5-megapixel camera has no Carl Zeiss lens like the pricier Lumias but it does come with a large f/2.4 aperture, autofocus and several settings, including downloadable camera apps like Nokia Refocus, which allows you to add depth to your pics by changing the focal point. There's no flash or dedicated shutter button (you'll need to press the screen to take a pic), but it's capable of taking some okay photos so long as you're careful with your light.
Disappointingly though, there's no forward-facing camera for video calls.
Conclusion
The Nokia Lumia 635 is a solidly built workhorse of a phone that may not have an HD screen like the similarly priced Moto G, but does its bit to make up for it with extras like Microsoft Office and free online storage, as well as Nokia's music and sat-nav extras. Choosing between the 635 or the 630 will simply depend on whether you want and need 4G speeds.
Software: Windows Phone 8.1
Processor: Quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400
Memory slot: Yes
Display: 4.5in ClearBlack, IPS LCD, 854x480 pixels
Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Ports: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
Camera: 5 megapixel with auto focus, 4x digital zoom; VGA front-facing camera with F2.8 lens
Video playback: 3G2, 3GP, MP4, WMV, AVI, M4V, MOV
Audio playback: MP4, AAC, MP3, M4A, WMA, 3G2, AMR, 3GP, ASF
Radio: Yes
Battery: 1,830mAh
Size: 130x67x9mm
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
