Can Microsoft gain a foothold in the smartphone game? The Lumia 950 XL makes a strong case for the company.
After a failed "marriage" with Nokia, Microsoft decided to continue the Windows mobile-powered Lumia line alone and has released a range of handsets.
As its key features, Trusted Reviews noted that the Lumia 950 XL has a 20.1-megapixel PureView camera, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa core processor, 3GB of RAM, 5.7-inch AMOLED screen, QHD display and, of course, an operating system that runs Windows 10 mobile.
If those are any indications, this particular handset from Microsoft is on par with the current rival models from other manufacturers.
Operating System
Those looking for an alternative to the iOS or Android can give Windows 10 Mobile a shot because as reported, the Windows 10 is a massive upgrade to the previous generation and adds a number of cool new features that will help convince users to switch to Microsoft.
As noted, it runs the same core code as the desktop version of the OS, thereby making it easy for developers to create applications that will run smoothly on both the PC and smartphones.
Display
As reviewed by Alphr, with a humongous screen that is AMOLED powered, expect to see bright, crisp graphics on the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL.
The device looks very sharp to look at as it features a pixel density of 518ppi in a 5.7-inch display. All in all, it offers great contrast and a good color accuracy by covering 99.4 percent of the sRGB color spectrum.
Design
This is where it gets a bit disappointing because although it's quite in the same standard as other phones, critics said that it looks a bit bland.
The phone lacks any obvious design features and the polycarbonate is said to be not as robust as the past colorful Lumias. Also, the plastic casing can be a bit flimsy.
Camera
Arguably, this is the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL's biggest and greatest feature. As described, the PureView camera technology has always been the line's selling point because with more than 20 megapixels at your disposal, you'll be sure to get great photos even at low light settings.
WMpoweruser compared the phone's camera versus the Samsung Galaxy S6 EDGE and found out that Microsoft's flagship managed to produce better pictures overall.
Overall Performance
With additional two cores compared to the Lumia 950, the XL version definitely produces faster computing powers.
However, the XL is a bit pricier than its "basic" counterpart, leading to pundits to ask if the $100 price increase is worth the slightly faster performance.
In conclusion, the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is a step in the right direction for the company, offering solid performance and a top-notch camera. If you want a good alternative to your usual iPhones and Galaxy phones, the Lumia line is definitely worth checking out.
