Review: Nokia Lumia 625

The bigger the screen, the better. That seems to be the standard thinking among manufacturers these days when it comes to smartphones. And over the past few years, we've seen diameters gradually creep upward – sometimes to ridiculous proportions.

While it may not compare to the likes of a Samsung Galaxy Mega, the 4.7-inch Lumia 625 world phone is still one of the larger-screened phones in Nokia's lineup. It's too bad all that real estate only showcases the phone's shortcomings.

First problem? This WVGA screen has a resolution of 800 x 480. Stretched across 4.7-inches, that translates to a dismal 201 ppi (pixels per inch). For comparison, the Galaxy S4 has a density of 441 ppi.

The 625 also lacks Nokia's ClearBlack display technology, which is featured on some more recent Lumia models. The result is that the 625 can't offer the same vividness, contrast, and deep blacks found on phones like the 920 and 925.

Even the main camera is a disappointment. It has a middling 5-megapixel sensor with a f/2.4 lens that produces noisy photos even at moderate lighting levels. Things get even worse when using Cinemagraph and Smart Camera image software. While they're supposed to let you apply advanced processing to your photos, on the 625 the software becomes virtually unusable in any situation other than super bright outdoor settings.

Inside, the 625 comes with a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage. A microSD slot means you can add up to 64GBs of memory, but Windows Phone 8 doesn’t let you install applications on memory cards. You’ll have to get by with those 4.85GBs left on the phone by the operating system.

Not that the Windows Phone Store gives you much of an incentive to download tons of apps. While Nokia has announced the upcoming releases of Path, Flipboard, Vine, and other applications that were missing, there are still some pretty glaring omissions – like Instagram, for instance.

The fact is while the Lumia family has grown to now include 12 members, the 625 doesn't really add a single unique design or usability element to the mix. The rectangular polycarbonate shell has rounded edges and flat tops just like all the other handsets. The phone does have 4G chipset inside, making the 625 the most "affordable" LTE Lumias on the market. But considering that U.S. customers are still going to be buying an unlocked version for around $300, that really doesn't mean much here.

Ultimately, Nokia has made a puzzling decision with the 625. The company has literally provided more room for users to find fault with a phone that wasn't designed to be all that impressive to begin with.

WIRED Offline HERE Maps and Drive+ Navigator. Cheapest Windows Phone with 4G connectivity.

TIRED Bulky and heavy, with a low quality display. Disappointing camera performance. The worst Lumia to date.

Maurizio Pesce is the technology editor at Wired Italia. Follow him on Twitter.