Windows Phone Lumia 900 vs Galaxy Note: A Hands-On Comparison

Interface and customization

The reviewer liked Windows Phone Metro tiles, which show counts of missed calls, messages and other alerts on the home screen without opening a notification shade. The texting app also joins Facebook chat and Live Messenger. In the reviewer’s view this is one of the fastest ways to move through social services, and an Android phone can only imitate it.

Customization was the weak spot. Sounds, wallpapers, themes and the home screen are mostly locked down, much like an iPhone. The reviewer gave the Lumia a point for ease of use and fast handling of messages, but called its lack of customization unacceptable for someone who needs to personalize a phone. Menu speed was equal to top Android phones despite weaker hardware, which the reviewer partly credited to the lack of options.

Apps and games

The Windows Phone market held an estimated 70,000 apps, including clones. Many Google apps were missing: Google Maps, Google Talk, YouTube and Google+. The YouTube app was a shortcut to the mobile website, with the address bar visible. The reviewer found good apps hard to find and described many as crudely built.

On the plus side:

• Pre-installed carrier and manufacturer apps on the Lumia were easy to remove, unlike on the Note.
• Xbox Live integration allowed arcade games, play with friends online, and messages and invites from the Xbox 360.

For app quality and selection the Note won clearly. The reviewer noted that neither phone matched the iPhone for games.

Hardware, screen and camera

The Note roughly doubles the Lumia on paper. For everyday navigation you would not notice, but with large apps, games and multitasking the Lumia’s weaker engine shows.

	Lumia 900	Galaxy Note
Screen size	4.3 inch	5.3 inch
Resolution	480 x 800, 217 ppi	800 x 1280, 285 ppi
Camera	8 MP	8 MP

The Lumia screen showed jagged text edges and slightly off colours at low brightness. Its photos had an orange or red tint in medium to low light and some shutter lag. The Note camera was faster and clearer.

Battery and price

The Lumia lasted a little longer out of the box, but its unibody means the battery cannot be swapped, which the reviewer disliked. In daily use, longer life won the point for the Lumia. At the time the Note cost around $700 and the Lumia around $500, and the reviewer said the lower price reflects the hardware but might suit average users.

Summary

• Interface: Lumia, with a caveat about customization.
• Apps and games: Note, apart from Xbox Live.
• Screen and camera: Note. The low resolution was a Windows Phone 7 limit, which the reviewer hoped Windows Phone 8 would address.
• Battery: Lumia.