Display and Processor
Both the handsets are almost identical when it comes to display size as they are given standard 4 inch screens. The Lumia 530 has a FWVGA resolution of 854×480 pixels totaling to 245 ppi pixel density, whereas Lumia 525 comes with a WVGA resolution of 480×800 pixels that translates to 233 pixel resolution. Moreover, the latter is an IPS LCD panel that is protected with a scratch resistant glass as well making it better. In terms of raw hardware, the Lumia 530 has an upper arm with a 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor. On the other hand, the Lumia 525 employs a 1 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus. When it comes to multi-tasking, the Lumia 530 arrives with 512 MB of RAM, whereas the Lumia 525 features a betterRAM capacity of 1 GB that makes it relatively better.
Camera and Internal Storage
On the photography department, both the Lumia 530 and Lumia 525 are average performers with only a 5 MP rear camera lack of a front-facing selfie snapper. However, of the duo the Lumia 525 is better with auto focus and HD 720p video recording capability. Again, in terms of storage the Lumia 525 scores well with 8 GB of internal storage space that can be expanded externally by another 64 GB. Whereas, its competitor bundles only 4 GB of native storage that can anyways be extended up to a whopping 128 GB. Moreover, Microsoft is providing 15 GB of OneDrive storage space to the Windows Phone 8.1 devices alleviating the low storage issues to some extent.
Battery and Features
Both the handsets incorporate the same 1,430 mAh battery, but it is rated to deliver up to 10 hours of talk time, 528 hours of standby time and 51 hours of music play in the Lumia 530. And, it is claimed to pump in up to 10.5 hours of talk time, 336 hours of standby time and 48 hours of music play in the Lumia 525. While the Lumia 525 is based on Windows Phone 8 platform, the Lumia 530 is powered by the latest Windows Phone 8.1 operating system. Otherwise, both the handsets are packed with the usual set of connectivity features such as 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC.
Key Specs
Comparison
On the pricing front, the Lumia 530 and Lumia 525 are priced reasonably but, the former appears to lag behind when it comes to specifications. It lacks the IPS panel for good viewing angles, whereas the Lumia 525 with increased storage capacity and auto focus takes advantage. However, the Lumia 530 runs on the latest version of the operating system that adds new features such as Nokia Drive+ supporting international navigation.
