The one-of-a-kind "Sharp Aquos Crystal" with edgeless, bezel-free display has recently been launched, whereas the budget-friendly, dual-SIM Nokia Lumia 730 was released in September. Readers who are interested in the Nokia Lumia 730 or the Sharp Aquos Crystal should check out this comparison.

Display, Design And Size

The Sharp Aquos Crystal features a 5.0-inch TFT display packed with 720 x 1,280 pixels resolution and 294 ppi pixel density. Meanwhile, the Lumia 730 comes with a relatively smaller 4.7-inch OLED display, but the resolution is the same with that of the Sharp handset. This combination translates to a pixel density of 316 ppi.

When it comes to exterior, the Sharp smartphone features the brilliant edgeless display. This means that the gap bordering the periphery of the screen from the back panel is virtually non-existent. The edgeless display technology makes the screen look as though it extends or flows to the corners of the smartphone.

If this is not interesting enough, the handset also features slim-bezel count affixed on a plastic chassis. In addition, the Aquos Crystal smartphone comes with a brilliant screen-to-size ratio of 78.26 percent, while other flagship devices only feature 70 percent, Phone Arena reports.

Meanwhile, the Lumia handset is a replica of its predecessor Lumia 720 in more ways than one. From the polycarbonate chassis to the angular edges, the devices are identical. Although Lumia 730 is a budget-friendly device, Nokia used quality materials to construct the handset. The phone also provides good grip and is comfortable on the hands, according to Know Your Mobile

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The back panel is also removable and "swappable," and many of the optional covers come with a colourful, glossy finish. Nonetheless, potential buyers should note that the dedicated camera button on the handset is missing in the Lumia 730. Therefore, only the power and volume rockers fill the side of the phone, observes Know Your Mobile.

In terms of size, the thickness and weight of Lumia and Sharp devices are 0.34-inch and 130 g and 0.39-inch and 141 g, respectively. Therefore, the Lumia 730 is lighter and thinner than the Sharp handset.

Hardware, Software And Memory

Both phones are powered by the same quad-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400) Cortex-A7 processor, clocked at 1.2 GHz. While the Aquos Crystal is backed with 1.5 GB RAM, the Lumia 730 only has 1 GB. Moreover, the Lumia 730 runs on Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1, while the Aquos Crystal runs on stock Android v4.4.2 KitKat OS. However, there is no information available yet on the possible upgrades. In terms of memory, both devices are equipped with 8 GB of internal storage and microSD card slot expansion of up to 128 GB.

Camera And Battery

While the Aquos Crystal sports a good 8 MP rear-facing camera with LED flash, the Lumia 730 features a 6.7 MP primary unit with the notable Carl Zeiss lens and LED flash. In addition, the Sharp Aquos Crystal houses a 1.2 MP unit at the front, whereas the Lumia device comes with a surprisingly good 5 MP snapper. Moving on to battery configuration, the Lumia 730 is backed by a Li-Ion 2,200 mAh unit, while the Aquos Crystal is backed by a Li-Ion 2040 mAh unit.

Misc

1. In contrast to the flagship device of Nokia, Lumia 830, the Lumia 730 will not receive the "Lumia Denim" update straight out of the box. Nevertheless, the phone will get the software update by the end of 2014.

2. To achieve the edgeless display, Sharp had to move the light/proximity sensor, notification light and the secondary camera unit to the tail-end of the screen. Plus, there is no earpiece on this phone. The company used a direct wave receiver instead in place of the earpiece. The whole handset vibrates to produce sound aided by bone conduction technology.

3. Both handsets are equipped with Bluetooth v4.0, microUSB and Wi-Fi support. Notably, the Aquos Crystal supports 4G LTE, while the Nokia handset doesn't. Plus, the Lumia 730 supports dual-SIM, whereas the Aquos Crystal doesn't.

Price

The Sharp Aquos Crystal (8 GB, 4G LTE) variant can be purchased for US$149.99 (translates to 170 AUD) from Boost Mobile. On the other hand, the Nokia Lumia 730 handset (8 GB, dual-SIM) is priced at US$240 (translates to 273 AUD).

Also Read:

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2. Google Nexus 6 vs. Motorola DROID Turbo - Two Killer Motorola Handsets' Showdown - [Read]

3. BlackBerry Classic (aka Q20) With QWERTY Keyboard And 10.3 OS To Be Released In December - [Read]

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