Can Apple’s 2011 iPhone 4S Beat Nokia’s 2013 Lumia 920?

If you're shopping for a new mobile device, then you could be a little overwhelmed by all the hand-sets on offer. There really are thousands of great new mobiles to choose from on the market these days. You're going to be spending a fair chunk of change on your new phone, at least a few hundred pounds, so you obviously want to know that you're getting the best deal and good value for money. And since most of us only shop for a new phone around once every two years or so, you're going to have to live with your final decision for quite a while. Many of us have given up the added expense of a home land line phone, meaning that a reliable mobile is a must too. So how are you supposed to choose between all these phones? You could spend a little time doing the research yourself. But that's going to be time consuming and not exactly fun. Or, you could let us do the research for you instead. We've looked at some of the best mid-range mobiles on the market and pitched them in head to head battles. This allows you to easily compare phones and to know which is best. Interested in the two models that we're looking at today? Then read on to find out more about which one we think is the best buy for your money.

The Two Phones...

We've got two big name phones for you today. The first is an iPhone, one of the best-selling mobile models on the current market. iPhones are powerful and sleek machines, but a new top of the line iPhone 5S is going to cost you a bundle. That's why we're looking at the iPhone 4S, a solid middle of the market model that still has a lot to offer. Nokia are another big brand on the mobile market, known mostly for their high end Windows business phones. But there are affordable Nokia alternatives. We're looking at the Nokia Lumia 920, it's not a flagship phone, but it is again a solid mid-market device that retails for a very fair price. And speaking of price, how much are you going to be paying for these mobiles?

The Cost...

If you're looking for iPhone deals on SIM free hand sets you're going to be paying around three hundred and fifty pounds for the iPhone 4S. On the other hand, if you want iPhone deals on contract phones, then take a look at offers from O2. They'll give you the iPhone 4S for no money down on a £27 a month contract. For the Nokia Lumia 920 you're going to be spending around four hundred pounds for the SIM free hand set, so it's a little more expensive. If you want a contract phone with a mobile service operator, then you should check out Vodafone. They'll give you the Nokia Lumia 920 again for zero cash down, this time on a £29 a month contract. Not too much of a price difference, but an extra few pounds might make a difference in the features that you get...

Why You Should Get the Nokia Lumia 920...

The Nokia Lumia 920 does have some solid advantages over the iPhone 4S, though it is a bit more expensive. You do get a faster processor, since the Lumia runs a 1500 MHz model over the Apple's 1000 MHz model. That makes the Lumia faster, more powerful and more responsive to input too. The Lumia's screen is a big four and a half inches, making it bigger than the iPhone's three and a half inch screen. That extra screen space means a better video and web page viewing experience for you, but it also means that typing on the pop up on screen keyboard is a lot easier and more comfortable. It's also a much better quality display. Sixty per cent higher screen resolution on the Nokia makes it brighter and better defined to look at. The Nokia model is also 4G capable. This means that you can get faster mobile internet speeds, downloading and opening web pages more quickly and streaming video more smoothly. However, you will need a specific 4G data plan from your mobile operator to take advantage of this, otherwise your phone will simply connect over standard 3G networks by default. Finally, the camera is a little higher resolution too. The 8.7 MP camera, as compared to the standard 8 MP cam on the iPhone, will mean that you capture just a little more fine detail and get better quality pictures. So the Lumia is superior in a couple of big ways, that faster processor and large screen size is going to be pretty hard for the iPhone 4S to beat...

Why You Should Buy the iPhone 4S...

The iPhone 4S does beat the Nokia Lumia 920 in a few categories though. If you often use a Bluetooth device such as a hands free set for the car, then the iPhone is a better choice since it runs Bluetooth 4.0 rather than the older 3.0 version on the Nokia. The newer version means faster data transfer and that your phone uses less battery power when connecting. And speaking of battery power, the iPhone has the better battery life. It averages around fourteen hours of active talk time per battery charge cycle, versus just ten hours on the Nokia, so you'll need to charge your phone much less often. Given the smaller screen size it's not surprising that the iPhone is around forty per cent smaller than the Lumia, but it's about ten per cent thinner too. Plus, it's lighter, weighing in at just 140 grams versus the Lumia's 185 grams. That makes the iPhone slightly more portable. And finally, there are simply more app options with an iPhone. The iPhone App Store has about nine times more apps and games available for download than the Windows Phone Marketplace.

Which to Buy?

Not too tough a choice here. Despite some nice advantages on the iPhone 4S, the faster processor and bigger screen on the Nokia Lumia 920 just make it a better buy.

Phil Turner had been trying to find out about iPhone deals for a while. He soon got the information he needed when he remembered how useful sites like uSwitch are.