Microsoft now carries Lumia 535 Windows Phone, but should you get it?
Microsoft announced Lumia 535 back in mid-November 2014, but the software giant is only now making this entry-level Windows Phone available through its online and brick and mortar stores in US. Lumia 535 is offered unlocked, without any carrier markings.
Lumia 535 is one of the eight unlocked Windows Phones that are available on Microsoft Store, but, even though it is an entry-level offering, it is not among the least-expensive offerings.
Microsoft sells Lumia 535, in black, for $149. For the money, prospective buyers can also get a BLU Win HD, which comes with a higher-resolution screen, dual-SIM capability and higher-resolution main camera (8 MP instead of 5 MP).
Lumia 535 tops it with a higher-resolution front camera (5 MP instead of 2 MP). The core specs are shared: 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot (128 GB for Lumia 535, 32 GB for Win HD), and 5-inch display.
Win HD is also available in a variety of colors, including gray, orange, pink, white and yellow. And for $50 more there is also a 4G LTE version, which will deliver a better experience while browsing or streaming.
The best bang for your buck looks to be Yezz Billy 4.7 which, even though has a smaller 4.7-inch display, its screen is of the HD variety (resolution of 720 by 1,280), has the same processor and RAM, just as much internal storage and also a microSD card slot, higher-resolution main camera (8 MP instead of 5 MP), dual-SIM support on top, and it only costs $99 at the moment.
If you want a Windows Phone that is even cheaper, there is the AT&T version of Lumia 635 for just $49. On T-Mobile, you can go for a Lumia 530 for $49 or Lumia 435 for $70. For Sprint there is no cheaper dedicated option, and neither is there for Verizon.
Basically, if you have your heart set on an unlocked Windows Phone that does not break the bank, you might want to go with the better-specced Blu HD or the cheaper Billy 4.7. I should point out that Microsoft mentions that unlocked Windows Phones will not work on CDMA networks, like Sprint and Verizon have. If you are fine with using AT&T's network, the $49 Lumia 635 is hard to beat as is the $49 Lumia 530 for T-Mobile.
On a different note, when Microsoft photoshopped Lumia 535 next to a grid of app icons for its online store listing, the software giant showcased the Android version of Vine, with the stock Android navigation buttons, on its screen.
