Slim Nokia Lumia 1520 has 6-inch HD screen, 20MP camera, quad-core (hands-on) 

 Bigger isn't always better, but it is in the case of Nokia's 6-inch Lumia 1520, which Nokia unveiled on Tuesday at Nokia World in Abu Dhabi. Slimmer and lighter than you'd expect of a supersize handset, the 1520 brings the goods: a 1080p HD display, a 20-megapixel camera, and a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.

 

In fact, the 1520 -- along with its more scaled-back cohort, the Lumia 1320 -- represents a couple of firsts: Nokia and Microsoft's first phablets, and the first devices to ship with Microsoft's updated Windows Phone OS, which includes a new three-column interface for extra-large phones and a few extra tidbits. The 1520 is also the first handset for both Nokia and Windows Phone to embrace a quad-core CPU.

We got to go hands-on with the surprisingly sleek device, and here's what we found.

Design and build
The first thing you notice when laying eyes and hands on the 1520 colossus is that it's a lot lighter, slimmer, and sexier than many a phablet. Nokia clearly worked hard to keep the 1520's depth a svelte 8.6 millimeters (0.3 inch), which safely steers it clear of past criticism of the chunkiness of the company's smartphone line (like the Lumia 920, and 820 series, for instance).

As you turn the sharp-cornered rectangle around, you'll also see that Nokia extended its mindfulness about keeping the phone design trim and lean to the camera. Though it's a 20-megapixel camera, the mount only protrudes a bit from the back, surrounded by a sloped-up lip. The whole thing is about the size of a quarter. Nokia switches out the Xenon flash of its Lumia 1020 camera workhorse for a dual LED flash here, partially in an effort to watch the 1520's waistline.
The 1520 -- which comes in glossy red, matte black, matte white, and yellow colors (I saw it in red and black) -- handles well for its size. Proportionally, it feels tall rather than squat, though the device is still far too massive for my hands and I had to stretch my fingers uncomfortably to try to perform some tasks one-handed. Of course, my hands are on the smaller side, and size is a matter of personal preference anyhow.
Unlike some other phones of this size, the Lumia 1520 has no software provisions for one-handed operation. That isn't necessarily a bad thing; I'm not convinced that those modifications work so well anyhow. On the other hand, the touch-sensitive targets are larger, so you'll have a good chance of hitting what you want anyhow.
Not to drum it home, but the size really can't be ignored, especially for those who are on the fence about investing in a smartphone this big. I will say that it stuck out halfway from my back pocket, and even more from the front pocket. It did, however, fit better in the front or back pocket of a man's loose slacks, and I could see it sliding into the internal pocket of a blazer. Likewise, there's plenty of room for a 1520 in a satchel or purse.