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Compare 4 products

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Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
Apple iPhone 4S
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BlackBerry Bold 9900 Mobile Phone
BlackBerry Bold 9900
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Nokia Lumia 520 Mobile Phone
Nokia Lumia 520
Close
Nokia Lumia 521 Mobile Phone
Nokia Lumia 521
Available colors
Editiorial reviews
18
4.2 out of 5
10 user ratings
5 stars
40 %
4 stars
50 %
3 stars
10 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
18
3.7 out of 5
9 user ratings
5 stars
11 %
4 stars
44 %
3 stars
44 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
19
3.4 out of 5
7 user ratings
5 stars
14 %
4 stars
71 %
3 stars
0 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
8
8 editorial reviews
Check out our review of the Nokia Lumia 521; one of the most popular Windows Phone 8 smartphones of the year.Read more
Popular Hardware and Tech site AnandTech has reviewed the Nokia Lumia 521, available exclusively on T-Mobile in the US .Their view reinforces just how good a deal the handset is, and how effective the Windows Phone OS can be on low-end handsets.Read more
The Nokia Lumia 521 for T-Mobile is a good smartphone for a great price, as long as you don't mind Windows Phone's lack of apps.Read more
Read editorial reviews
User rating
37
4.3 out of 5
37 user ratings
5 stars
48 %
4 stars
35 %
3 stars
16 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
35
4.1 out of 5
35 user ratings
5 stars
42 %
4 stars
28 %
3 stars
25 %
2 stars
2 %
1 stars
0 %
38
4.2 out of 5
38 user ratings
5 stars
39 %
4 stars
39 %
3 stars
18 %
2 stars
2 %
1 stars
0 %
39
3.9 out of 5
39 user ratings
5 stars
15 %
4 stars
58 %
3 stars
23 %
2 stars
2 %
1 stars
0 %

Hardware

Operating systemApple iOS 9BlackBerry 7Windows Phone 8.1Windows Phone 8
CPU clock speed1.0 GHz1.2 GHz1.0 GHz1.4 GHz
CPU coresDual-coreSingle-coreDual-coreDual-core
CPU modelApple A5 APL2498Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8227Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8227
GPU modelPowerVR SGX543Qualcomm Adreno 205Qualcomm Adreno 305Qualcomm Adreno 305
RAM memory512 MB768 MB512 MB512 MB

Display

Screen size3.5 in2.8 in4.0 in4.0 in
Touchscreenyesyesyes
N/A
Number of colors16.7M16.7M16.7M16.7M
Panel typeLCDLCDLCDLCD
Resolution960 x 640 px640 x 480 px800 x 480 px800 x 480 px
TechnologyIPS TFT
N/A
IPS TFTIPS LCD
Pixel density326.0 ppi287.0 ppi233.0 ppi235.0 ppi
Dual screen supportnonono
N/A
Scratch resistant displayyes
N/A
yes
N/A
HDRnonono
N/A
Multi touchyes
N/A
yesyes

Rear camera

Primary sensor size1/3.2"
N/A
1/4"
N/A
Primary sensor resolution8.0 Mpx5.0 Mpx5.0 Mpx5.0 Mpx
Video recordingyesyesyes
N/A
Highest video resolution1920 x 1080 px1280 x 720 px1280 x 720 px1280 x 720 px
Maximum FPS at the highest resolution30.0 fps
N/A
30.0 fps
N/A
Maximum FPS (regardless of res.)30.0 fps
N/A
30.0 fps
N/A
Max resolution (highest frame rate)1920 x 1080 px
N/A
N/A
N/A
Autofocusyesyesyesyes
Digital zoomyesyes
N/A
N/A
Face detectionyes
N/A
N/A
N/A
Geo-taggingyesyesyesyes
HDR Captureyes
N/A
N/A
N/A
LED Flashyesyesyes
N/A
Panoramayes
N/A
N/A
yes
Touch focusyes
N/A
yesyes
Digital Image Stabilization
N/A
yes
N/A
N/A
Primary lens aperture
N/A
N/A
2.4 f2.4 f
Optical zoom
N/A
N/A
4x4x

Storage

Internal storage
  • 16 GB
  • 32 GB
  • 64 GB
  • 8 GB
8 GB8 GB
N/A
Memory card readernoyesyesyes
Types of memory card supportedNo memory slot
  • microSD
  • microSDHC
  • MMC
microSDmicroSD
Maximum card storage
N/A
32GB64GB64GB

Design

Colour of product
  • Black
  • Silver
  • White
  • Black
  • Silver
  • Black
  • Blue
  • White
  • Yellow
White
Material
  • Aluminum
  • Glass
  • Steel
Steel
  • Glass
  • Plastic
N/A
Water resistantnonono
N/A
Shock resistantnonono
N/A

Dimensions

Height4.54 in4.53 in4.72 in4.88 in
Width2.31 in2.6 in2.52 in2.52 in
Depth0.37 in0.41 in0.39 in0.39 in
Weight4.94 oz4.59 oz4.37 oz4.37 oz

Sensors

Accelerometeryesyesyesyes
Proximityyesyesyesyes
Digital compassyesyesyes
N/A
Ambient light sensoryesyesyesyes
Gyroscopeyes
N/A
yes
N/A

Connectivity

Dual sim supportnononono
Sim card sizeMicro-SIMMini-SIMMicro-SIMMicro-SIM
DLNA certifiedyes
N/A
no
N/A
Bluetoothyesyesyesyes
Bluetooth version4.02.1 EDR4.03.0 HS
Bluetooth profile
  • A2DP
  • AVRCP
  • A2DP
  • AVRCP
  • A2DP
  • A2DP
  • AVRCP
N/A
Bluetooth codecSBC
  • AAC
  • SBC
N/A
N/A
NFCnoyesno
N/A
Charging connection
  • Apple 30-pin
  • Lightning
USBUSB
N/A
Headphone connection3.5 mm3.5 mm3.5 mm3.5 mm
Video outputManufacturer specificNoNo
N/A
USB version
N/A
2.02.0
N/A
USB On-The-Go (OTG)
N/A
N/A
no
N/A
Type of USB connector
N/A
N/A
N/A
Micro-USB

Cellular

Wireless network (Wi-Fi)yesyesyesyes
Wireless networking standard
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
N/A
Data transmissionHSPA+HSPA+HSPA+HSPA+
Navigation systemGLONASSA-GPSGLONASSGPS
2G GSMyesyesyesyes
GSM frequencies
  • 850 MHz
  • 900 MHz
  • 1800 MHz
  • 1900 MHz
  • 850 MHz
  • 900 MHz
  • 1900 MHz
  • 2100 MHz
  • 850 MHz
  • 900 MHz
  • 1800 MHz
  • 1900 MHz
  • 850 MHz
  • 900 MHz
  • 1800 MHz
  • 1900 MHz
3G UMTSyesyesyes
N/A
UMTS frequences
  • 850 MHz
  • 900 MHz
  • 1900 MHz
  • 2100 MHz
  • 800 MHz
  • 850 MHz
  • 900 MHz
  • 1700 MHz
  • 1800 MHz
  • 1900 MHz
  • 2100 MHz
2100 MHz
  • 850 MHz
  • 1700 MHz
  • 1900 MHz
  • 2100 MHz
CDMA frequences
  • 800 MHz
  • 1900 MHz
N/A
N/A
N/A
4G LTEnoyesnoyes
Mobile hotspotyes
N/A
yes
N/A

Battery

Replaceable batterynoyesyes
N/A
Battery typeLithium ionLithium ionLithium ionLithium ion
Battery capacity1432.0 mAh1230.0 mAh1430.0 mAh1430.0 mAh
Standby time200.0 h288.0 h360.0 h400.0 h
Talk time8.0 h6.0 h14.0 h9.0 h
Fast chargingnonono
N/A
Wireless charging nonono
N/A

Often compared with Apple iPhone 4S

Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
Samsung Galaxy S3
AppleiPhone 4S
SamsungGalaxy S3
Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
Samsung Galaxy S2
AppleiPhone 4S
SamsungGalaxy S2
Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
Samsung Galaxy S5
AppleiPhone 4S
SamsungGalaxy S5
Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
Apple iPhone
AppleiPhone 4S
AppleiPhone
Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
BlackBerry Bold 9900
AppleiPhone 4S
BlackBerryBold 9900
Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
Apple iPhone 4
AppleiPhone 4S
AppleiPhone 4
Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
Apple iPhone SE
AppleiPhone 4S
AppleiPhone SE
Apple iPhone 4S Mobile Phone
HTC One X+
AppleiPhone 4S
HTCOne X+

Often compared with BlackBerry Bold 9900

BlackBerry Bold 9900 Mobile Phone
BlackBerry Q10
BlackBerryBold 9900
BlackBerryQ10
BlackBerry Bold 9900 Mobile Phone
BlackBerry Classic
BlackBerryBold 9900
BlackBerryClassic
BlackBerry Bold 9900 Mobile Phone
BlackBerry Bold 9780
BlackBerryBold 9900
BlackBerryBold 9780
BlackBerry Bold 9900 Mobile Phone
Apple iPhone 4S
BlackBerryBold 9900
AppleiPhone 4S
BlackBerry Bold 9900 Mobile Phone
BlackBerry Curve 9320
BlackBerryBold 9900
BlackBerryCurve 9320
BlackBerry Bold 9900 Mobile Phone
BlackBerry Bold 9700
BlackBerryBold 9900
BlackBerryBold 9700
BlackBerry Bold 9900 Mobile Phone
BlackBerry Bold 9930
BlackBerryBold 9900
BlackBerryBold 9930

Often compared with Nokia Lumia 520

Nokia Lumia 520 Mobile Phone
Nokia Lumia 521
NokiaLumia 520
NokiaLumia 521

Often compared with Nokia Lumia 521

Nokia Lumia 521 Mobile Phone
Nokia Lumia 520
NokiaLumia 521
NokiaLumia 520