We tested Microsoft’s most affordable Windows Phone handset

Apr 14, 2015 15:31 GMT  ·  By

As far as its mobile efforts are concerned, Microsoft has been mostly about budget models in the last few months, and the Redmond-based software giant has released several devices that aren’t exactly supposed to compete with Android and iOS flagships, but to help gain market share.

Lumia 435, launched on January 14, is currently the most affordable device in Microsoft’s lineup of phones and is supposed to set a new low in terms of pricing in the Windows Phone world. The device is available for only €69 ($75) and comes with Windows Phone 8.1 with Denim pre-installed.

Microsoft’s Lumia 435 is by no means developed to target the high-end market and might be considered by many people out there just a bad joke in a world where most companies struggle to bring out luxurious models that can be easily mistaken for pieces of art.

There’s no doubt that Lumia 435 is not designed for the typical iPhone lover who’s ready to spend a fortune just because it’s cool, and is addressed to customers who really put functionality over looks.

This new member of the Windows Phone family is definitely surprising and appealing to those looking for smartphone capabilities in a very affordable package, so in order to see what Lumia 435 has to offer, we took it for a month-long ride as our main driver. Read on to discover our findings.

Design - Not really a piece of jewelry

If you’re the owner of a flagship phone, be it powered by Android, Windows Phone or iOS, the first time you see the Lumia 435, you might start laughing. But just give it some time and you will discover that its bulky design wasn’t supposed to impress you with its looks, but with functionality.

Lumia 435 follows the same design cues as the majority of Lumia devices on the market, and looks very similar to the other models currently up for grabs. It comes in a variety of colors, including white, black, green, and orange. While the black version does seem to be a bit dull, the colored models look quite nice and could easily become a head turner just because they are out of the regular.

One of the problems with this rather simple design is that there’s almost no grip, so if you’re like us and drop your phones on a daily basis, expect the Lumia 435 to spend more time on the ground than in your hands.

Durable as a brick, light as a… smaller brick

The good thing about this is that the case seems to be extremely durable, so drop it as often as you can and it still won’t break. Obviously, it all depends on the surface you drop it on, but the Lumia 435 seems to outstand really severe shocks without any visual impact on its case.

The device measures 118.1 x 64.7 x 11.7 mm and has a weight of 134.1 grams. Just like most other Lumias, it has a microUSB charging port at the bottom and a 3.5 mm audio jack at the top. Thanks to its dimensions, it’s easy to carry around, even if you have small hands.

Overall, the Lumia 435 does not excel in terms of design, but it’s the functionality that impresses. It just does its job and nothing more. And the customer segment it’s addressed to should really appreciate this.

Display and camera - What you pay is what you get

The Lumia 435 comes with a 4-inch capacitive display with a resolution of 480x800 pixels and features two different cameras, one on the back and one on the front, which is pretty surprising, given the fact that we’re talking about the most affordable Windows Phone device on the market.

Lumia 520, which was until recently the cheapest Windows Phone model as well, comes with just a rear-mounted camera, so Microsoft has managed to offer a front unit too this time, thus making the device a little bit more appealing to those who like to take selfies all day long.

But neither the rear camera nor the front one is impressive. The rear unit is a 2.0-megapixel camera capable of shooting photos at a resolution of 1600x1200 pixels and videos in 480 at 30 fps, so it’s pretty clear that you won’t take any picture that could become a piece of art with this device. The front camera shoots in VGA resolution, so your selfies won’t look as good as you might expect.

Don’t even think about shooting photos in low-light conditions

There’s no doubt that Lumia 435 is not in any way supposed to replace your point-and-shoot camera, so the handset is only helpful when trying to capture a moment when no other device is around. You won’t create any wallpapers with it because colors seem to lack any good contrast and color intensity, but it’s still good enough for video calls.

As far as photos in low-light conditions are concerned, don’t even think about this. The Lumia 435 has no flash and the camera barely sees in poor light, so unless you have the perfect conditions, all your photos might look like the drawing your kid made when they were in kindergarten.

The display won’t impress anyone who has used a smartphone in the last five years, and sometimes tends to respond very slowly. Colors are not that bad, but the overall quality seems to be below the one of the Lumia 520. In terms of brightness, you will barely see anything on the screen in sunlight, but it’s just perfect indoors.

Microsoft Lumia 435 camera sample
Microsoft Lumia 435 camera sample

Power and performance - How slow is too slow?

When talking about power and performance, it would really be a good idea to mention its price once again. This phone costs €69 ($75), so it’s obvious that you shouldn’t have any high expectations.

The device comes with a dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex A7 CPU with a Qualcomm MSM8210 Snapdragon 200 chip and Adreno 302 GPU, while also featuring 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage. It also comes with support for microSD cards of up to 128 GB.

Lumia 435 is not a productivity workhorse, but you shouldn’t call it a brick either. It’s reasonably fast when shooting photos, browsing the web, or sending emails, but it gets significantly slower when doing all of these at the same time.

Think of it as a very basic smartphone. If you don't really need to be productive on the go, Lumia 435 could really come in handy, but if you do want to install tens of apps and use them at the same time, it’s better to avoid it.

Connectivity - Dual SIM for the win

Since it’s a smartphone that runs Windows Phone 8.1, the Lumia 435 comes with the typical connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, and a microUSB port. It supports both GSM and HSPA.

But what sets it apart are the dual-SIM capabilities. The Lumia 435 can work with two different SIMs at the same time and lets you use and configure them independently at any time.

Two SIMs, two contacts sections, two messaging menus

When using two SIMs, the phone displays two different message and phone icons on the Start screen, one for each SIM, so it’s easy to access and stay in touch with contacts for either number.

Cellular signal for the two SIMs seems to be just as strong as for a single SIM, and battery life is indeed affected when both are connected, but not in a significant manner. You can use one of the SIMs for data connections, and the other one for calls and messaging exclusively, which makes the device quite a good companion on the go.

Battery - It gets you through the day

Microsoft installed a 1560 mAh battery, and even though it could seem really small in a world where manufacturers struggle to offer bigger batteries for longer autonomy, it’s still enough to offer at least decent performance.

Keep in mind that Lumia 435 is not a productivity workhorse and the somewhat limited quality of the display and its CPU and battery isn’t quite a critical part of the device.

Here are our average figures in single-SIM and dual-SIM modes with 3G data on and Wi-Fi connection enabled (medium usage with email, Twitter, and half an hour of browsing every day):

Single SIM - 32 hours per charge Dual SIM - 26 hours per charge

Obviously, these figures could be different if you’re a heavy user, but in most of the cases, the battery should last enough to get you through the day.

Windows Phone 8.1 and fully upgradeable to Windows 10

Lumia 435 comes with Windows Phone 8.1 with Denim from the very beginning and features the same capabilities as the majority of other devices currently sold by Microsoft do.

You can use the 435 for the same things as any other Windows Phone handset, but it still lacks more advanced capabilities, such as Glance Screen, which continues to be available on more expensive devices (but not on Lumia 930).

What’s more important is that the Lumia 435 comes with Denim from the get-go, so there are Cortana, live folders, and all the other features included in Windows Phone 8.1, but in addition, you also receive plenty of camera improvements and Lumia Camera.

The 435 will be fully upgradeable to Windows 10 when the new OS becomes available, and thanks to the fact that it has 1 GB of RAM, it should enjoy most of the capabilities of the new software.

Windows Phone 8.1 on Lumia 435
Windows Phone 8.1 on Lumia 435

The Good

Lumia 435 is the basic smartphone that’s there when you need it. It doesn’t do many advanced things, but it comes with the essentials, which sometimes is just what you want if you’re not the kind who needs to carry a small PC in your pocket.

The device is extremely affordable and seems to be very durable, so you won’t cry your eyes out if you lose it or drop it on the ground. For 69 euros, this is quite the best deal, but you need to think this out twice because there are several affordable Androids within the same price range.

However, you need to think of it as an ancient phone with smartphone capabilities. It's just like the old Nokia, but smarter, and we all know how useful those ancient phones proved to be.

The Bad

Lumia 435 doesn’t excel at anything. Basic is the word that describes it best. Truth is, it does come with dual-SIM support, which is most likely the ace up its sleeve, but it still lags behind other affordable models in terms of cameras and display.

The rear 2.0-megapixel camera can be used for taking photos when no other camera is around, but otherwise, you might forget it’s there. If the light is not good enough, the quality of the photo is just horrible.

The front VGA camera is good enough for video calling, but as a word of advice, try not to move when video chatting with someone on Skype because the phone could get slower, the audio quality could be affected, and the video might freeze every few seconds.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a cheap smartphone, this is it. If you’re looking for something more stylish, more unique, and more powerful, look somewhere else. In essence, it’s a phone for young people. Or for those who feel young.

The Lumia 435 is the kind of device that soccer moms would buy for their kids to let them know when they’re late to pick them up from school. It’s that phone that you can drop and lose without kicking yourself just because you didn’t spend a fortune on it.

A cute phone for your offspring that gets the job done. Just like a MINI Cooper. Not as powerful as a Mercedes, but jaunty and joyful to make you feel young and cheerful.

This little device is the perfect opportunity to try Windows Phone at a very affordable price and could really serve as a backup phone whenever you need it.

So if you’re the type of responsible parent who doesn’t want to buy their kid an iPhone but still wants to keep in touch with them, the Lumia 435 is really worth a chance.

Our Rating

looks 3
build 2
speed 2
battery 3
calls 3
camera 1
video 1
apps 2
screen 2
signal3

final rating 3

Microsoft Lumia 435 (84 Images)

Microsoft Lumia 435 front view
Microsoft Lumia 435Microsoft Lumia 435 front camera
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