Nokia Lumia 2520 hands-on: Does this 10.1″ Windows RT 8.1 tablet deserve your attention?

Compelling Windows RT devices are hard to come by, but Nokia is hoping to buoy those slim pickings with the Lumia 2520, its first ever tablet. Nokia’s entry to the tablet market marks a new chapter both for its own ambitions and Microsoft’s struggling touch-optimized tablet platform. The Lumia 2520 runs Windows RT 8.1, which was released recently alongside the Surface 2 to help fix some of the problems with the original release.

We went hands-on with the device at Nokia World in Abu Dhabi to give you some first impressions.

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First impressions:

Nokia’s first attempt at creating a tablet is commendable, but hardly revolutionary. The Lumia 2520’s 1080p display is beautiful to look at and Nokia’s now infamous assortment of bright colors is refreshing, given the plethora of white, silver and black slabs prevalent at the moment.

The power keyboard cover doesn’t feel as elegant as the Touch Cover 2 or Type Cover 2, launched recently alongside the Surface or Surface 2, but it’s a robust kickstand that should appeal to those who regularly work at a desk or table.

The keyboard is nice to type on, with some reassuring travel and auditory feedback for each key. In our brief testing period, the trackpad was innacurate and unresponsive at times though; you’ll probably have a better time navigating Windows RT 8.1 using the Lumia 2520’s high-resolution touchscreen.

Tablets aren’t known for their photography prowess and from a spec standpoint, Nokia doesn’t appear to be upending that trend with the Lumia 2520. The device is kitted out with a 6.7-megapixel camera on the rear and a more lackluster 2-megapixel snapper on the front. A far cry from the Lumia 1020, that’s for sure.

Given that Microsoft will be bringing Nokia’s device team in-house next year, it’s surprising to see the Finnish company release a competitor to the Surface RT and Surface 2. With the number of Windows RT devices at the moment though, perhaps that’s not a problem. Visually at least, the two should be able to co-exist on store shelves quite happily this winter.