Nokia Lumia 525 specification sheet leaked; confirms upgrade to Lumia 520

By Rich Edmonds
last updated

The Nokia Lumia 525 is a rather mysterious Windows Phone, but more details on the Lumia 520 successor are beginning to emerge. We recently looked at the handset passing certification in china (coupled with the above renders - since removed) and now full specifications alongside a press render have been published on the Chinese website, Baidu.

Rum: 7

As previous rumours have speculated, the Lumia 525 (codenamed "Glee") is believed to have 1GB of RAM (an upgrade to the Lumia 520), as well as a dual-core 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU, 4-inch IPS LCD WVGA (800x480) display, 5MP rear shooter and 8GB internal storage with microSD support. A 1,430mAh is said to power the product.

Lumia 525

As one can see with the above render, we're looking at a device which shares a similar look to the Lumia 520. We expect to see the Windows Phone to be available in a variety colours when official announced. Would you be looking forward to such a device launching?

Source: Baidu, via: Ubergizmo

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

137 Comments
  • It's a very good budget phone! I'm a fan of the 520. Nice device.
  • Very good indeed, and yes, I am very interested in this device.. I most likely wouldn't be getting one for myself, but we know how good this device can be for WP market share.. It needs to be on every carrier, and in all stores, in the US, and China, this time around. This device needs to be EVERYWHERE❗❗❗ WalMart, Best Buy, Target, MCDONALD'S DAMNIT❕❗❕❗
  • :D
  • I want to see a 525 display at Super Cuts❗
  • Don't forget Burger King. Damn I really fancy Burger King now, I hate myself.
  • LOL.. You fat ass.
  • I wish I was... I eat and eat and never get any fatter. Everyone thinks I'm anorexic but I eat like a pig.
  • DJ Qualls skinny❔How old are you❔Because I used to be like that until I got older.
  • I fail to see what that has to do with the question... Then again, one might contemplate why fast food is being discussed on a technology related news site.
  • LOL❕..
  • LOL
  • This is not a dating website... Get a room, or get a profile at blackpeoplemeet com
  • LMFAO❕ Watch it sucka❗❗❗ :-)
  • I have no good comeback for that...
  • You could tell him to go to one of those Indian dating sites where your date has the right to throw a IED up your ass if they don't like you...
  • I tried to avoid saying anything that might cause racial or other conflicts.
  • You worried hit the lights is going to say something? LOL
  • What about NIST❕ We all know he's,,, "a man lover"... But, he's still my boy..:-):-)
  • I try not to offend people, there is no point causing conflict on the internet since it would probably never be resolved.
  • You're right.. Sorry about that.. But, I'm not deleting it.. Lol❕
  • Rodney.. You've got it all wrong.. We, Indians don't involve ourselves in terrorist activities.. :P
  • Yeah, ok.. LOL❕
  • Yes, I thought you meant Pakis. Indians do not involve in terrorist activities (other than Sikhs), we rather get hit :|
  • Really❔
  • Yessssss Hungry Jacks! That's BK in Australia. So much better than Maccas
  • Schlubadub, I wish I had thought of your username. Very good choice.
  • Thanks :)
  • I'm so hungry now... Damn.
  • Me too!
  • Do they still have the large veggie burger? I used to eat those things like chicken nuggets when I lived in Melbourne. God! I miss living upside-down.
  • Haha yeah, they do. I just stick to the Aussie Burger... it's basically a Whopper + beetroot + egg + bacon. Mmmm :)
  • Any idea on the pricing? I'm assuming its gonna be similar to the current 520?
  • It might cost a bit more than the 520. I'm guessing 10% more.
  • it should the same price as when the 520 first released. the current 520 can now go on a even lower prise point.
  • I'm thinking 20 % or more..they've doubled the RAM
  • Yeah, expect to see a slight bump, but we'll have to see.
  • Cool if tmo gets it, it will b a good backup.
  • I bet the price stays the same. Watch❕
  • I hope pricing is the same as 520 when it was released.  But I am really hoping for a front-facing camera.  Throw in a gyroscope and digital compass, and it would close the feature gap with the 620. If that's not in the cards, then price the 525 at around $100 US, and an update to the 620 with the same size scren at $150.  The 625 number is already taken for a budget large-screen model.  But a 621 that has the same gorgeous dual-shot shells as the 620 would be killer, just a bump in screen size to match the 520. Yes, I'm very partial to the 620... it's a gorgeous device that has all the key features found on higher models (just lower spec).
  • We now have small and budget (520/525), smaller and slightly shinier (620) and all flavours of large, from large but budget through huge and midrange via large and midrange or high end to huge and high end. What's missing to me is small and mid range, and small and high end. I would like to see a 620 size phone with a bit more oomph - I know a lot of people who are put off by large phones, who want a small phone without sacrificing on features too much. So keep the 620 at the size it is but bump the feature set, and maybe also make a 7 or 8 series in under 4". Nokia are usually quite good at this, filling out the range with a phone for every taste, so I hope they'll manage it even if MS take over.
     
  • Is it suported with glance screen? Because 520 has no glance screen.
  • I think the Glance screen is only for the Nokia phones with AMOLED screens, since they us less power when displaying black. With a normal LCD it would just drain power since the whole screen would be lit up.
  • 920 has ips LCD and it has glance enabled.
  • nope...my LCD 920 uses it.
  • Wrong.
  • Bong.
  • I hope it will.
  • 1gb ram is really needed for modern phones. I have an 820 and my mom has a 720; i can really see the difference.
  • would you please share the differences here..
  • One of them can remember more than the other before having to write it down.
    Same with the phones :)
  • Well said Robert Grant, well said indeed.
  • It's always resuming the apps when I'm switching between them.. More often than a 1Gb lumia.. That's the difference.
  • So, what makes it a music centric phone? Or its just an upgrade to the 520? Hmm..
  • What?
  • You could see a certain accesorry shipped with the handset (headphones) or possibly a deal with Nokia Music, etc.
  • What about the "guru"❔❔
  • I think that whenever you compare two phones, as in this case the 520 and 525 you should include a table with specs to make things easier for the readers :)
  • EVERYONE EVERYONE ! Rich knows something we don't :P get em! lol Yeah sounds about right, keep everything about the 520 in place, bump up the specs to match low end phones in 2014 and throw in a music player/accessory like the GURU and you have a global winner.
  • Line 3.1??? Why cant upgrade??? I have 3.0 someone know something.
  • Not really. I'm moving from my temporary 520 to a high-end Lumia
  • my lumia 520 is my first lumia and the only one i can afford i am looking forward to the 525 and hav ebeen for a while but this page is making me less interested seems not much has been changed :( i realy hope there is a 16gb version maybe that would make me sold
  • I seriously doubt that there will be more than a 8gb version because this is supposed to be a ultra budget device, and super low price point is the goal.. That's why they added expandable memory.
  • 1gb ram!!!! Impossible!!!
  • I'm interested to see how well it sells, but I won't be getting one myself. What I really want is an Avoid Traffic feature in Nokia Drive+. That will make me completely satisfied with this 1020.
  • Please explain more about this "avoid traffic feature". That sounds interesting.
  • It's exactly what it sounds like. Just figures out what roads are conjested and sends you on a different route.
  • I wanted to hear it from your boy up ⬆here.
  • It's exactly what it sounds like. It figures out what roads are congested and sends you on a different route.
  • I like the change route feature in, dare I say, Google maps.. You just grab a position and slide it where it needs to be..
  • Performance should be similar to the 1320
  • No, the Lumia 1320 has a 1.7 GHz processor (faster than 920), this has 1 GHz.
  • For some reason your name reminds me of R2D2...
  • I thought they both have the SD400 and 1GB ram
  • You are correct they both have the new Snapdragon 400 but they have different SKU's The 1320 has a "Up to 1.7 GHz dual-core Krait 300" whereas the 525 would have the lower "Up to 1.2 GHz dual-core Krait 200" which is the same as the 625 btw.
  • not really. 1320 CPU is more powerful I think, and 2 GB memory and larger internal SD, much better
  • The only difference between Lumia 520 & 525 is ram (512 mb & 1000 mb)
  • That's a huge difference❕ Twice as much❕❗❕❗
  • ANDDDDDD new generation of Snapdragon is more battery efficient. ^^
  • Does the camera have flash or the screen have clear black?
  • 1gb ram and 1 dual core processor..hmm..processor should be about 1.2 or 1.4 ...if this is true..
  • I fail to see why it has to be 1.2 or 1.4, so please do elaborate.
  • Extending will definatly help the performance..but those point differences of processor speed sometimes make huge difference..
  • Current 520 is 1Ghz and it runs just fine.
  • I want to sell my 520
  • For 1520❔
  • For any higher Lumia
  • I hope that you are blessed with the 1520..
  • I do too. I want a 929
  • Thank you. This Phone is awesome
  • Other sites are reporting this will be bundled with the guru. Fact or fiction?
  • 8gb of internal memory? I need 16gb.
  • I NEED 1000GB FOR MY CORN VIDEO'S DAMNIT!!!!!
  • I need more for my gloryhole.com downloads.
  • You're not shy in your comments are you rodneyej?
  • I guess not. I never thought about it..
  • We're all different.
  • It has expandable memory. In my view, that's the right way to go for Nokia to keep costs down.
  • I agree.
  • Absolutely. This is supposed to be a budget phone, and 8GB + SD card is the right way to go.
  • Yes, but it would be better if apps could be stored on the SD card instead of in the Phone's memory. This would make the need for more storge less compelling.
  • This is the cheapest Lumia there is. I'm surprised they even upgraded the RAM to 1GB, though it is a welcome upgrade. I thought they'd just put a little better screen (better anti-glare, anti-smudging coating) and a larger battery. The 520 battery is smaller than it can be, there's a rubber spacer holding it in place.
  • I bet they increased it because a lot of the entry level Android phones have 1gb of ram..
  • Wonder if my color shells from the 520 will work..
  • Which carrier is getting this?
  • Perfect Xmas gift for my mother.
  • Picked up a 521 for my mom a Best Buy last week for her birthday and she's loving it over her old LG Mytouch from T Mo.
  • If 1GB RAM = WP 8.1, I think I will buy this one for my mother! :)
  • 1GB of RAM is a good thing to add, but if that's all, then im kind of disappointed. I don't think the RAM alone will be enough to capture people who for whatever reason wouldn't buy the current 520. Nokia should add a differentiating feature like dual SIM. Otherwise, what's the point?
  • discontinue the 520 and replace with this 525? make complete sense
  • Looks nice, but needs better battery and camera.
  • Its a budget phone, you can't expect the world of it.
  • Exactly, that's what the 620 and 720 are for. But I think they should be putting a front-facing camera into these. Doesn't need to be great quality/expensive, but I imagine it stops a lot of people picking this up.
  • Well said.
  • WTF??? This budget phone gets a SD slot but not the High end phones. Damn you NOKIA!!!!
  • High-end phones have more built in memory so (in theory) don't need an SD card.
  • You talk theory. I'm talking reality. I filled up my 32GB 920 and had to always delete stuff. That's very frustrating.
  • Well I did put it in brackets. I did the same with my 920 but I think that's the exception rather than the rule. You can't please everyone and I guess Nokia decided that keeping it out and making a better looking phone was more important than pleasing the small amount of people who would fill up that space. It's not like Apple, Samsung and all the others don't do the same thing.
  • plz don't stock pron on your phone -_-
  • I don't get why there's no LED flash. The only upgrade I saw was the double of RAM memory.
    I'm only interested in seeing the "musical" specs that are supposed to make this phone special.
  • Its a CONSPIRACY!!!
  • If it's really an upgrade to the 520 Nokia should call it 530... otherwise naming convention will be an even bigger mess than it already is.
  • Great specs for a budget device hands down
  • Nice phone, but I would not replace my 520 with it.  When I updrade, it will up a couple of notches, depending upon what is available, at the time.
  • Me too... come to think of it, that's probably the strategy here. Nokia wants us to upgrade to something nicer and slightly more expensive, not to another entry-level budget phone. Not bad thinking, I guess. :)
  • I am very excited about this phone. Looks like a very good update to the 520. Idon't plan on buying it, but this looks like it will be able to continue the 520's mission of being a great entry level WP device. I hope the 525 will get us even more users than its predecessor did :D
  • If only they offered a high end phone in this size.
  • I REALLY wish they had added even a VGA front-facing camera. I think Skype and selfies without having to use a mirror would be two nice selling points for the feature-phone crowd this is supposedly aimed at... would almost rather have that than 1GB of RAM If there was a choice. Other than that, this is a nice little refresh for a phone that has already proven itself a winner (I have the 521 and am really happy with it - except the lack of the front-facing camera :)).
  • Would be nice if it would have a flash, a front facing camera, and more than 8 Gb internal memory (thanks to the other storage issue).
  • I have used Lumia 520, if I would like to choose Windows Phone again I think I will choose Lumia 1320.
  • so after all, windows phones future versions are about ram, not processing power, since the first benchmark give hint at the inferior power in the snapdragon 400 vs the s4 in eg. the lumia 1020. initially i was afraid buying a lumia 1020 could be a bad idea since its sporting an old processor that was introduced to windows phones a year ago and even longer before of that for android hardware. seems that the 1 gig of ram in this new lumia is the new minimum specification for updates and mainstream apps. sad day for all the people who own the "higher" end phones 620 and 720, these phones were pretty cool.
  • "seems that the 1 gig of ram in this new lumia is the new minimum specification for updates and mainstream apps"   Do you have any examples of that? A few games and photo apps so far is all I know of. Which are the "mainstream apps" you're referring to?
  • right now almost any app runs on 512 mb. only very powerful apps require 1gb. i can think of an transition to a minumum of 1gb of ram for these kinds of apps that require 512 mb now.
  • 1gb ram and backlit capacitive buttons
  • That seems to be quite the device.  Hopefully the 8xx devices will be updated soon.  I wouldn't mind an updated Nokia Lumia 815.
  • Still no flash? How much can that cost?
  • That's all there is ? I wouldn't even bother to release that, it's just the 520 with more RAM. By the way: don't count on a budget device to have 1GB (maybe next year). Lumia 620 vs 625 is different so I expect that 525 will be slightly tweaked i.e. will have a better display, flash camera, front facing camera (or LTE for $190).
  • this is a solid phone and the processor & RAM upgrade are great. I get that it is a budget model but would have liked to see it upgraded to LTE, that was the only thing holding me back from the 520 so still the same for 525. Is there still hope it will be there?