If there was one thing that was missing in the Nokia Lumia lineup, it was dual-SIM support. The drought has ended with the Lumia 630, an entry-level smartphone from Nokia that holds two firsts to its credit – it's the first Windows Phone dual-SIM device, and also the first to run the very latest version of the OS, i.e. Windows Phone 8.1. Here's how this notable device fares when it comes to real-life usage...
2. Colourful, trademark Lumia design
• The Lumia 630 features
the iconic Lumia design
and quality build
materials
• The plastic back panel is
removable, and sports a
matte finish that doesn’t
scratch easily
• Despite its 9.2mm profile,
it’s lightweight at 135g
• Onscreen controls in
place of Windows
hardware keys
3. Low on pixels, but high on brightness
• The 4.5-inch IPS display has a middling resolution of 854 x 480
pixels, translating into a pixel density of 217ppi
• The screen isn’t the sharpest we’ve seen on a budget handset,
but viewing angles are good, and so is sunlight legibility
• It’s responsive, but not as buttery smooth as we’d like
4. Lone 5MP camera just about does the job
• Say goodbye to selfies. You only get a 5-megapixel
primary camera, that too without a flash
• You have a choice of two camera apps – Nokia
Camera and the default WP camera app
5. Good for daytime shots, but not much else
• The default camera app
has a close-up mode
that’s great for macros
• Shots taken in daylight
are fine to use, but low-
light images are grainy
6. Windows Phone 8.1 packs in a lot…
• The Lumia 630 is the first
device to ship with Windows
Phone 8.1
• The new update brings a host
of new features, like Action
Center for notifications, the
ability to add start screen
wallpapers, Skype integration
in the dialer and a Swype-like
Word Flow keyboard
• Driving Mode turns off all
notifications except calls and
texts when you’re driving
7. …more than you can imagine
• Cortana is a digital voice
assistant, but is a US-only
feature as of now (still
accessible with a bit of
fiddling) Ask her to perform
basic tasks, or engage in
mindless banter
• Quiet Hours is the WP
equivalent of Do Not Disturb
on iOS
• In Windows Phone 8.1, you
can install apps on an SD
card. Head over to Storage
Sense to tweak settings
8. Not to mention what Nokia adds in
• The Lumia 630 comes with
the Nokia Cyan update,
bringing a host of extras to
WP 8.1
• Nokia Storyteller, Camera
and Creative Studio are part
of the package
• The Smart Dual-SIM feature
lets you forward calls
between SIMs
• There’s also SensorCore, a
software that can track
activity, accessible via the
Bing Health & Fitness app.
9. Plenty of pre-loaded apps too
• The Lumia 630 comes with its
share of preloaded apps.
• From Microsoft, you get
Outlook, Office, OneDrive and
OneNote
• Xbox Video, Xbox Music and
Podcasts are new WP8.1
additions
• Nokia’s suite includes MixRadio,
HERE Drive and Maps, Xpress,
Cinemagraph and Photobeamer
• There are a few third-party apps
too, like BoxTV, Flipkart eBooks,
Evernote, LINE, Paytm, PicsArt
and Facebook
10. A zippy processor, but not enough RAM
• The Lumia 630 gets a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, paired with
512MB of RAM and Adreno 305 graphics
• The phone is fine for regular use, but some apps take a while to load
• Games like Asphalt 8 play without a hitch, with no lags or heating issues
• There’s 8GB of internal storage, out of which just under 4GB is available
11. Battery that easily lasts a day
• The phone is fuelled by a
1,830mAh battery
• Using both SIMs, it easily
lasted us an entire day
• The Battery Saver app
shows you which apps
are consuming energy,
and lets you manage
which ones run in the
background
• You can activate the
Battery Saver mode to
prolong use when you’re
low on juice
12. At a glance
• 4.5-inch, 854 x 480 pixels (217
ppi)
• 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm
Snapdragon 400 processor
• Adreno 305 GPU
• 512MB RAM
• 8GB internal storage with
microSD slot
• 5MP primary camera
• Windows Phone 8.1
• 1,830mAh battery
• Dual-SIM, 3G, Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth, GPS, micro-USB 2.0
13. -
• No front camera or
flash
• No proximity or
ambient light sensor
• Average display
resolution for its price
• Limited 512MB of
RAM
Pros and cons
+
• Quality build
• Smart dual-SIM features
• Latest Windows Phone
8.1 software
• Nokia SensorCore for
activity tracking
14. Price: Rs 11,500
Pricing and verdict
“Where the Lumia 630 lacks in hardware, it makes up
for in software. Packaged with all the goodies that
Windows Phone 8.1 brings, and adding Smart dual-
SIM and SensorCore to the mix, it has the potential to
replace the Lumia 520 as the highest-selling Windows
Phone handset.”