Nokia Lumia 630 - Review

The Nokia Lumia 630 was an entry-level Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone aimed at users who wanted a simple, affordable, and colorful device. It was available in both single SIM and dual SIM versions, while users who wanted LTE could look at the closely related Nokia Lumia 635.

Windows Phone 8.1 on a budget

The Lumia 630 was one of the first devices to arrive with Windows Phone 8.1, and that made it feel more modern than its modest price suggested. The update added the Action Center, quick toggles, customizable Start Screen backgrounds, new tile sizes, Cortana, Quiet Hours, SD card app installation, and a swipe keyboard.

That software polish mattered. Even with only 512MB of RAM, the Lumia 630 felt responsive in everyday use. Apps opened reasonably quickly, scrolling was smooth, and the interface rarely felt like it was struggling.

Hardware and design

The Lumia 630 followed Nokia’s familiar design language with a colorful removable shell, clean front glass, and sturdy matte plastic finish. It was available in black, white, orange, green, and yellow, giving users more personality than most budget phones of the time.

The phone used a 4.5-inch ClearBlack IPS display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Around the body, you got volume controls and a power button on the right, a 3.5mm headphone jack on top, and a microUSB port on the bottom.

Microsoft removed the need for mandatory hardware navigation keys with Windows Phone 8.1, so the Lumia 630 used on-screen controls instead. That made the front cleaner and allowed the buttons to rotate with the interface.

Display quality

The 4.5-inch ClearBlack display used a 480 x 854 resolution, which worked out to 218 pixels per inch. It was not especially sharp by modern standards, but it was good for the price at the time.

Colors looked pleasant, viewing angles were solid, and outdoor visibility was one of its better qualities. The lack of an ambient light sensor meant brightness had to be managed using Windows Phone’s Low, Medium, and High brightness profiles.

Camera

The Lumia 630 came with a 5MP autofocus rear camera. There was no LED flash and no dedicated camera key, but Nokia Camera was included out of the box and gave users access to manual-style controls including white balance, focus, ISO, shutter speed, and exposure.

In good lighting, the Lumia 630 could capture some of the better photos in its class. Nokia’s image processing helped the modest sensor produce usable daylight shots, though indoor and low-light photos showed noticeable noise.

Video topped out at 720p at 30fps. It was acceptable for casual clips, but still images were clearly the stronger part of the camera experience.

Connectivity

The Lumia 630 was available in single SIM and dual SIM versions. Users who needed LTE had to choose the Lumia 635 instead, which was otherwise very similar.

• Lumia 630 — GSM and HSPA connectivity with up to 21Mbps download speeds.
• Lumia 630 Dual SIM — Dual microSIM support with dual standby.
• Lumia 635 — Added LTE Cat 3 support with up to 100Mbps download speeds.

Other connectivity features included Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS with GLONASS, and FM radio with RDS.

Software features

Windows Phone 8.1 was the real star of the Lumia 630 experience. The Action Center finally gave Windows Phone users a proper notification area with quick toggles, while Cortana brought Microsoft’s voice assistant to the platform.

The phone also shipped with Lumia Cyan, which included Nokia-specific improvements and apps. These included Nokia Camera, Creative Studio, Storyteller, HERE navigation, and several imaging-related tools.

• Action Center added notifications and quick settings.
• Cortana introduced Microsoft’s personal assistant experience.
• Windows Phone Store gained automatic app updates.
• Microsoft Office gave users Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote support.
• HERE apps made navigation one of the Lumia line’s strongest advantages.

Microsoft also included its Bing app suite, including Travel, Sports, Finance, Food & Drink, Health & Fitness, and News.

Everyday performance

The quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor helped the Lumia 630 feel quick for basic tasks. Calling, messaging, web browsing, social apps, and navigation all worked well. Microsoft’s optimization helped hide the limitations of the hardware better than many Android phones in the same class at the time.

The biggest limitation was the 512MB of RAM. It was enough for normal use, but some heavier games and apps either performed poorly or were not available at all.

Storage and battery

The removable rear shell gave access to the 1830mAh battery, microSIM slot, and microSD card slot. Support for microSD cards up to 128GB was a major advantage, especially since Windows Phone 8.1 allowed apps to be installed on external storage.

Battery life was respectable for the class. The modest display resolution, efficient chipset, and well-optimized software helped the Lumia 630 last through normal daily use.

Final thoughts

The Nokia Lumia 630 was clearly designed to bring Windows Phone 8.1 to the masses. It launched at a reasonable price, delivered smooth performance, and offered a better software experience than many budget rivals of its time.

It was not perfect. The missing front camera, LED flash, proximity sensor, and USB cable in the box were frustrating omissions. But for users who wanted an affordable Windows Phone with a colorful design, expandable storage, and reliable everyday performance, the Lumia 630 made a strong case for itself.