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The Nokia Lumia 635 adds 4G connectivity to the already decent Nokia Lumia 630 package. But it also adds an extra bit to the price tag, which is a considerable amount at this entry level.
That brings the Lumia 635 within range of far better-equipped Android phones, and makes it less easy to recommend.
We liked
The Nokia Lumia 635 is all about offering 4G connectivity at a low price, and it does that with Nokia's customary entry-level flair.
As only the second phone to ship with Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box, the Lumia 635 had a certain feeling of importance and exclusivity. That's since worn off, but the new OS itself brings some notable improvements like Action Centre.
While similarly priced Android phones may have better specs, none have the premium feel and general cohesiveness of this Nokia effort.
We disliked
The addition of 4G has nudged the Lumia 635's price up a little, but as a percentage of the Nokia Lumia 630's price it's quite considerable.
Now pitched up against a range of more powerful Android phones, the Lumia 635 is trickier to recommend.
I also can't fathom why Nokia has left off a front-facing camera. Given the youth audience the Lumia 635 is likely aimed at, taking away the ability to take selfies seems like quite the oversight.
Verdict
The Nokia Lumia 635 is nigh-on identical to the Nokia Lumia 630, only with the addition of 4G connectivity. But the resultant bump up in price carries things in the wrong direction.
All of a sudden, comparisons to similarly priced Android phones become less flattering, and a case for buying the Lumia 635 becomes tougher to make.
The Lumia 635 remains a decent all-round phone, though, with a level of build quality that outshines anything else at this price point and a fresh new Windows Phone 8.1 OS.
First reviewed: July 2014
