Review: Lumia 950 XL
Tech
January 15, 2016 17:07
At present there are three devices on the market that run on Windows 10, the Lumia 550, the Lumia 950 and the Lumia 950 XL. We have seen the last model.
Appearance
The Lumia 950 XL has a 5.7 inch screen and is therefore considerably in size. Moreover, the device is 8.2 mm thick. So what you're really in your hands. Striking detail is that you can remove the back. You do not see that a lot more lately. The advantage is that you can replace the battery. Moreover, there are additional rear edges available in a variety of colors and patterns so you can personalize the device.
Further falls in the back of the large round lens. Microsoft emphasizes that, that the photography seriously. This is evident from the dedicated camera button on the side of the device with which you call the camera directly when the device is in sleep mode. A little above the camera button, there are three buttons. Strangely, the choice to place the on / off button between the volume buttons, so if you want to quickly turn the volume down run the risk of turning off the device.
The bottom of the device is the USB-C connection. The advantage of this new standard is that the plug and port are symmetrical so you plug the wrong way can put into the port. A drawback may be that with microUSB cables can not be connected to the device. The new standard makes sure the battery will charge faster. Also, the port can be used for data transfer such as video.
Inwardly
That goes fast charging is fortunate, because the battery of 3340mAh keeps struggling a full workday. Evildoers resemble the Windows 10 system and otherwise super bright 5.7 inch screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and a pixel density of 518 ppi.
The device runs on a 2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with eight cores. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage memory which can be expanded via MicroSD.
Camera
At the rear is a 20 megapixel camera on the front and a 5 megapixel one. Photos are of good quality. The colors are fairly faithfully and detail is fine. Like earlier Lumia phones, the camera app on the option Living Pictures. This option, active by default, means that the camera actually makes a video. The photograph is a brief excerpt which gives the effect that moves the photo. Apple now also offers this option under the name Live Photo's.
The camera also allows video in 4K resolution to record at up to 30fps Full HD is 60 fps.
The
detailed specifications can be found here
Continuum
One of the most remarkable features of Windows 10 is Continuum. This option ensures that the mobile device with the same programs can handle as a Windows 10 PC. In conjunction with the Microsoft Connect Display Dock enables the Lumia 950 XL on a screen and then applications such as Word, Excel or Outlook on the full screen can be displayed. Only had to connect a wireless keyboard to your phone and it looks like you're sitting behind a 'real' PC.
Continuum sounds very convenient, but the practice is disappointing. Only a handful of apps from Microsoft itself can cope with Continuum. Moreover, I wonder if you are going to use the function. Business users have next to their smartphones at least a tablet with them, but often they do not go without a laptop on stage.
Windows Hello
Another nice gimmick is Windows Hello. The Lumia 950 XL has a built-in iris scanner which unlock the phone via facial recognition. This worked very smoothly for me while I was wearing my lenses. With spectacles went on the occasional wrong. Fingerprint Technology refuses frequent service, especially if your fingers are a little wet.
Windows 10
Windows 10 is built on the mobile to provide the same experience as on the computer. Thanks to the framework Universal Apps for Windows developers only need to create one app for both smartphone, desktop and Xbox One. Microsoft therefore hopes that the number of apps for Windows 10 is increasing, but so far there is little evidence of this. The gap with Android and iOS remains very high.
The lack of new apps remains the biggest problem for Microsoft. There appear more and more devices and services that can be controlled via an app and many have only one app for iOS and Android.
On some teething after, is the system further little to criticize. Just like the Windows Phone system is very intuitive. The tiles have remained, however, it is now possible to adjust its transparency, so that the background is good or bad visible.
With Windows 10, Microsoft also introduces a new browser. The Edge browser works fine and provides the ability to synchronize bookmarks and reading list of mobile devices and PCs. Remarkable is the choice of Microsoft to put at the bottom of the address line, while in almost all other browsers just at the top of the screen.
The music service is new. Groove Music offers for € 10 per month, the ability to stream unlimited music. Furthermore, it is possible to copy music from your PC via the app, music add to One Drive and Music to buy in the Music Store.
To play the music, the music files are on my files are to be put in a special music folder. Succeed on the unit not to move the mp3 files to the Music folder in OneDrive. On the computer it is very easy to drag the files into the Music folder and I see them right back into the correct folder on my mobile and I can play them.
Not only the music service is occasionally wrong. Although Windows 10 offers excellent opportunities, the system seems not quite well tested. There are still some strange errors, so stop apps sometimes it just like that. Microsoft the system with frequency of provides for updates so that it is expected that it will be more stable in the course of time.
Price and similar devices
The Lumia 950 XL has a price tag of € 699. For € 100 less is the smaller brother the Lumia 950 available. This handset with a 5.2 inch screen has almost the same specifications. One piece is the cheaper Lumia 550 (€ 129). This device, which has a 4.7 inch screen, running on Windows 10. You get value for your money. The screen is excellent and with the 5 megapixel camera to shoot pictures are fine. However, the device is a bit slow and limited the app offerings. Users who like to try out the latest apps, better opt for Android (Huawei Nexus 6P, 32GB, from € 649 / Samsung Galaxy S6 edge 32GB, from € 600) or iOS (iPhone 6 16GB, from € 749 / iPhone 6S Plus 16GB, from € 859).
Conclusion
On the hardware of the Lumia 950 XL is little to criticize. The screen is of excellent quality, just like the camera. The iris scanner is a nice extra. This applies in my eyes for Continuum. Nice that you can put into your mobile and PC, but who is going to do? The biggest problem remains the OS. On some teething problems after Windows 10 works fine, but for the phones to be successful, it is of utmost importance to get developers so far as to make massive apps for Windows Mobile. I see that unfortunately did not just happen.
- Microsoft since the launch of Windows Mobile 2000 operating in the mobile market. A formula for success has been for years no longer. Windows 10 PC and mobile, the company hopes to make the turnaround. Is that going to work?
At present there are three devices on the market that run on Windows 10, the Lumia 550, the Lumia 950 and the Lumia 950 XL. We have seen the last model.
Appearance
The Lumia 950 XL has a 5.7 inch screen and is therefore considerably in size. Moreover, the device is 8.2 mm thick. So what you're really in your hands. Striking detail is that you can remove the back. You do not see that a lot more lately. The advantage is that you can replace the battery. Moreover, there are additional rear edges available in a variety of colors and patterns so you can personalize the device.
Further falls in the back of the large round lens. Microsoft emphasizes that, that the photography seriously. This is evident from the dedicated camera button on the side of the device with which you call the camera directly when the device is in sleep mode. A little above the camera button, there are three buttons. Strangely, the choice to place the on / off button between the volume buttons, so if you want to quickly turn the volume down run the risk of turning off the device.
The bottom of the device is the USB-C connection. The advantage of this new standard is that the plug and port are symmetrical so you plug the wrong way can put into the port. A drawback may be that with microUSB cables can not be connected to the device. The new standard makes sure the battery will charge faster. Also, the port can be used for data transfer such as video.
Inwardly
That goes fast charging is fortunate, because the battery of 3340mAh keeps struggling a full workday. Evildoers resemble the Windows 10 system and otherwise super bright 5.7 inch screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and a pixel density of 518 ppi.
The device runs on a 2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with eight cores. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage memory which can be expanded via MicroSD.
Camera
At the rear is a 20 megapixel camera on the front and a 5 megapixel one. Photos are of good quality. The colors are fairly faithfully and detail is fine. Like earlier Lumia phones, the camera app on the option Living Pictures. This option, active by default, means that the camera actually makes a video. The photograph is a brief excerpt which gives the effect that moves the photo. Apple now also offers this option under the name Live Photo's.
The camera also allows video in 4K resolution to record at up to 30fps Full HD is 60 fps.
The
detailed specifications can be found here
Continuum
One of the most remarkable features of Windows 10 is Continuum. This option ensures that the mobile device with the same programs can handle as a Windows 10 PC. In conjunction with the Microsoft Connect Display Dock enables the Lumia 950 XL on a screen and then applications such as Word, Excel or Outlook on the full screen can be displayed. Only had to connect a wireless keyboard to your phone and it looks like you're sitting behind a 'real' PC.
Continuum sounds very convenient, but the practice is disappointing. Only a handful of apps from Microsoft itself can cope with Continuum. Moreover, I wonder if you are going to use the function. Business users have next to their smartphones at least a tablet with them, but often they do not go without a laptop on stage.
Windows Hello
Another nice gimmick is Windows Hello. The Lumia 950 XL has a built-in iris scanner which unlock the phone via facial recognition. This worked very smoothly for me while I was wearing my lenses. With spectacles went on the occasional wrong. Fingerprint Technology refuses frequent service, especially if your fingers are a little wet.
Windows 10
Windows 10 is built on the mobile to provide the same experience as on the computer. Thanks to the framework Universal Apps for Windows developers only need to create one app for both smartphone, desktop and Xbox One. Microsoft therefore hopes that the number of apps for Windows 10 is increasing, but so far there is little evidence of this. The gap with Android and iOS remains very high.
The lack of new apps remains the biggest problem for Microsoft. There appear more and more devices and services that can be controlled via an app and many have only one app for iOS and Android.
On some teething after, is the system further little to criticize. Just like the Windows Phone system is very intuitive. The tiles have remained, however, it is now possible to adjust its transparency, so that the background is good or bad visible.
With Windows 10, Microsoft also introduces a new browser. The Edge browser works fine and provides the ability to synchronize bookmarks and reading list of mobile devices and PCs. Remarkable is the choice of Microsoft to put at the bottom of the address line, while in almost all other browsers just at the top of the screen.
The music service is new. Groove Music offers for € 10 per month, the ability to stream unlimited music. Furthermore, it is possible to copy music from your PC via the app, music add to One Drive and Music to buy in the Music Store.
To play the music, the music files are on my files are to be put in a special music folder. Succeed on the unit not to move the mp3 files to the Music folder in OneDrive. On the computer it is very easy to drag the files into the Music folder and I see them right back into the correct folder on my mobile and I can play them.
Not only the music service is occasionally wrong. Although Windows 10 offers excellent opportunities, the system seems not quite well tested. There are still some strange errors, so stop apps sometimes it just like that. Microsoft the system with frequency of provides for updates so that it is expected that it will be more stable in the course of time.
Price and similar devices
The Lumia 950 XL has a price tag of € 699. For € 100 less is the smaller brother the Lumia 950 available. This handset with a 5.2 inch screen has almost the same specifications. One piece is the cheaper Lumia 550 (€ 129). This device, which has a 4.7 inch screen, running on Windows 10. You get value for your money. The screen is excellent and with the 5 megapixel camera to shoot pictures are fine. However, the device is a bit slow and limited the app offerings. Users who like to try out the latest apps, better opt for Android (Huawei Nexus 6P, 32GB, from € 649 / Samsung Galaxy S6 edge 32GB, from € 600) or iOS (iPhone 6 16GB, from € 749 / iPhone 6S Plus 16GB, from € 859).
Conclusion
On the hardware of the Lumia 950 XL is little to criticize. The screen is of excellent quality, just like the camera. The iris scanner is a nice extra. This applies in my eyes for Continuum. Nice that you can put into your mobile and PC, but who is going to do? The biggest problem remains the OS. On some teething problems after Windows 10 works fine, but for the phones to be successful, it is of utmost importance to get developers so far as to make massive apps for Windows Mobile. I see that unfortunately did not just happen.
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