Nokia Lumia 928 vs. Lumia 920: A Detailed Showdown

The Nokia Lumia 928 and 920 were flagship Windows Phones, representing the pinnacle of Nokia's smartphone efforts. Both offered premium designs and the Windows Phone experience, but subtle differences set them apart. This comparison dives deep into their features to help you decide which one was the better choice.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Lumia 920 edges out the 928 thanks to its superior display visibility in sunlight and slightly better camera capabilities. While both offer excellent battery life and performance, the 920's overall package makes it the marginally better option, especially for outdoor use.

PHONES
Phone Names	Nokia Lumia 928	Nokia Lumia 920

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - RM-821, RM-820
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - RM-821, RM-820
4G bands	4, 13 - Verizon	1, 3, 7, 8, 20 - RM-821
EDGE	-	No
GPRS	-	No
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat3 100/50 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat3 100/50 Mbps
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE
	1, 3, 7, 8, 20	4, 17 - RM-820 (AT&T)

Launch
Announced	2013, April. Released 2013, May	2012, September. Released 2012, November
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	133 x 68.9 x 10.1 mm, 92.8 cc (5.24 x 2.71 x 0.40 in)	130.3 x 70.8 x 10.7 mm, 99 cc (5.13 x 2.79 x 0.42 in)
SIM	Micro-SIM	Micro-SIM
Weight	162 g (5.71 oz)	185 g (6.53 oz)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 2	Corning Gorilla Glass 2
Resolution	768 x 1280 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~332 ppi density)	768 x 1280 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~332 ppi density)
Size	4.5 inches, 57.6 cm2 (~62.9% screen-to-body ratio)	4.5 inches, 57.6 cm2 (~62.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	AMOLED	IPS LCD
	PureMotion HD+ ClearBlack display	PureMotion HD+ ClearBlack display

Platform
CPU	Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait	Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 Plus	Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 Plus
GPU	Adreno 225	Adreno 225
OS	Microsoft Windows Phone 8, upgradable to 8.1	Microsoft Windows Phone 8, upgradable to 8.1

Memory
Call records	-	Yes
Card slot	No	No
Internal	32GB 1GB RAM	32GB 1GB RAM
Phonebook	-	Yes

Main Camera
Features	Carl Zeiss optics, xenon flash, panorama	Carl Zeiss optics, dual-LED flash
Single	8 MP, 1/3.2", 1.4µm, AF, OIS	8 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/3.0", AF, OIS
Video	1080p@30fps, stereo sound rec.	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	1.3 MP	1.3 MP
Video	720p@30fps	720p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	4.0, A2DP, EDR, LE/ aptX after WP8 Denim update	4.0, A2DP, EDR, LE/ aptX after WP8 Denim update
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Radio	No	FM radio
USB	microUSB 2.0	microUSB 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, hotspot

Features
Browser	-	No
Games	-	No
Java	-	No
Messaging	-	SMS
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Battery
Charging	Wireless (Qi)	Wireless (Qi)
Music play	Up to 80 h	Up to 67 h
Stand-by	Up to 606 h (2G) / Up to 541 h (3G)	Up to 400 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 11 h 40 min (2G) / Up to 16 h 20 min (3G)	Up to 17 h (2G) / Up to 10 h (3G)
Type	Li-Ion 2000 mAh, non-removable (BV 4-NW)	Non-removable Li-Ion 2000 mAh battery (BP-4GW)

Misc
Colors	Black, White	Black, Gray, Red, Yellow, White
Price	About 380 EUR	About 210 EUR
SAR	1.44 W/kg (head) 1.38 W/kg (body)	1.08 W/kg (head) 0.91 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.88 W/kg (head)	0.70 W/kg (head)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -82.5dB / Crosstalk -80.7dB	Noise -78.9dB / Crosstalk -75.0dB
Battery life	Endurance rating 41h	Endurance rating 44h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1065:1 (nominal) / 2.107:1 (sunlight)
Loudspeaker	-	Voice 61dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 65dB

OUR TESTS
Audio quality	Noise -82.5dB / Crosstalk -80.7dB	Noise -78.9dB / Crosstalk -75.0dB
Battery (old)	Endurance rating 41h	Endurance rating 44h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1065:1 (nominal) / 2.107:1 (sunlight)
Loudspeaker	-	Voice 61dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 65dB

Nokia Lumia 928

Slightly more compact design
Refined aesthetics
Wireless Charging (Qi)

Slightly weaker camera
Lower sunlight display visibility
Older model

Nokia Lumia 920

Excellent sunlight display visibility
Slightly better camera
Wireless Charging (Qi)
Slightly better battery life

Larger size
Older model
Less compact than 928

Display Comparison

The Lumia 920 boasts a significantly better display in direct sunlight, with a contrast ratio of 2.107:1 compared to the 928's. Both have a nominal contrast ratio of 1065:1. While both are AMOLED displays, the 920's sunlight readability is a key advantage. The 928's screen is slightly smaller, which some may prefer for one-handed use.

Camera Comparison

The Lumia 920 generally has a slight edge in camera performance. While both offer Photo/Video capabilities, the 920's optics and image processing algorithms were considered slightly superior, particularly in low-light conditions. The 928's camera was still very good, but the 920 consistently produced slightly better results.

Performance

Both devices share the same Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 Plus chipset and dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU. Performance is virtually identical in everyday tasks and app usage. Don't expect blazing-fast speeds by today's standards, but they were competent for their time.

Battery Life

Both phones offer impressive battery life, with endurance ratings of 41h and 44h respectively. The Lumia 920's slightly higher rating suggests a marginally better battery, but real-world usage will likely show minimal difference between the two.

Buying Guide

The Nokia Lumia 928 is a good choice for users prioritizing a slightly more compact design and a refined aesthetic. The Lumia 920 is ideal for those who need excellent outdoor visibility and a more robust camera system, even if it's a bit larger.