The embargo on the new Nokia Lumia 900 has apparently been lifted and the reviews are hitting everywhere. I've read many of them and this review by Joshua Topolsky over on The Verge strikes me as very well done.

I really like the UI in the Microsoft Windows Phone 7 operating system, and if I was wasn't so deeply entrenched in the iOS system, it would be the next place I'd look when making a phone purchase. There's an elegance to the design that's really very nice. It's clear they've gone a different route than iOS and Android and it's very refreshing. There's much about this new flagship phone that appears problematic, but one thing stood out in the review. It concerns the screen.

On the other hand, I'm disappointed by the display on the Lumia. Besides being lower in resolution than competitive devices (new Android phones at 1280 x 720 and the iPhone at 960 x 640), I felt colors were far too saturated. This is a pretty common problem with AMOLED screens, but the issue seems pronounced on the Lumia 900 thanks to the starkness of the Windows Phone interface. Combined with the lower resolution display (which is particularly notable with white text against that black background), the effect is jarring.

Here you have Nokia's best effort to become relevant in the smartphone business and they design, manufacture and ship a phone with a 4.3" display and a resolution of 800 x 480. That can't possibly be a good user experience. We're quickly moving to a retina world in display technology. Apple has completed the transition across their mobile line with the iPhone, iPod Touch and most recently, the new iPad. As a user of both a retina iPhone and iPad, let me tell you, this matters more than words can explain. Picking up either device is visually satisfying. Looking at anything else feels immediately outdated and very much like a product from yesterday.

Microsoft and Nokia are running very far behind Apple and Google in the smartphone race. They need to gain new customers and convert some current users during direct comparison shopping in cellular stores. Let the battle continue to rage on what the best size screen is. On this one thing there can be no argument, pixel density is king. The Lumia 900 losses handily here despite the fact it's the newest competitor.