As you're aware of the alternatives, we have no qualms recommending the Lumia 810. If you're wanting to snag the phone right away, however, you should prepare to swallow a bitter pill, because we don't expect its $150 price tag to last far beyond the holiday season.

The Nokia Lumia 810 makes for a practical smartphone choice, but if you're looking for something thin and light, the HTC Windows Phone 8X is one better option.

In the end, Nokia has created another real winner for the Windows Phone 8 universe as a whole. The Nokia Lumia 920 may be just that little bit better ... but the 810 takes care of the user who doesn’t want to take a monster out of their pocket every time they need to make a call.

Overall, we feel the Lumia 810 is a solid handset that has a lot to offer. It's zippy and responsive, and Windows Phone 8 has some cool new features that should catch your eye. In addition, the Lumia 810 has a price tag ($49 - $99 on contract) that's friendlier to your wallet.