Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Review: The Windows 10 Mobile Flagship

Forget almost everything you've read about the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL up to this point. We know that's a bold statement, but bear with us here. Save for the phone's specifications, if there's one thing we've learned evaluating the 950 XL over the last few weeks it's that virtually everything from the OS to the camera app has been changed or updated very recently, and it has affected battery life, responsiveness, and browsing, among many other things. Information published about the Lumia 950 XL that's any more than a couple of weeks old is simply outdated.

It seems that Microsoft was tweaking a large number of elements and features in preparation for Windows 10 Mobile's "official" release on a wide range of devices. Sure, Windows 10 came pre-installed on the Lumia 950 series, but there have been major changes over the phones' relatively short lifespan.

In any case, we've been using the Lumia 950 XL as our daily driver for a few weeks now, in place of a L umia 1520, which had already been updated to Windows 10. We think we've gotten a very good feel for the phone and how it compares to previous-gen devices, and have our thoughts detailed on the pages ahead -- along with a slew of benchmarks, of course. If you're one of the select few contemplating a move to Windows 10 Mobile read on to find out if the Lumia 950 XL is right for you...

Software release: Windows 10CPU name: Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 Number of cores: Octal coreClock rate: 2000 MHzMass memory: 32 GBRAM: 3 GB Expandable memory card type: MicroSD User data storage: In device, OneDrive cloud storage, App and data storage on memory cardGSM: 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHzGSM max data speed DL: EGPRS 236.8 kbpsGSM max data speed UL: EGPRS 118.4 kbpsWCDMA network: Band 1 (2100 MHz), Band 2 (1900 MHz), Band 4 (1700/2100 MHz), Band 5 (850 MHz), Band 8 (900 MHz)WCDMA max data speed DL: 42.2 Mbps (Cat 24)WCDMA max data speed UL: 5.76 Mbps (Cat 6)LTE FDD network: Band 1 (2100 MHz), Band 2 (1900 MHz), Band 3 (1800 MHz), Band 4 (1700/2100 MHz), Band 5 (850MHz), Band 7 (2600 MHz), Band 8 (900MHz), Band 12 (700 MHz), Band 13 (700MHz), Band 20 (800MHz), Band 28 (700 MHz)LTE max data speed DL: 450 Mbps (Cat 9)LTE max data speed UL: 50 Mbps (Cat 6)Height: 151.9 mmWidth: 78.4 mmThickness: 8.1 mmWeight: 165 gDisplay size: 5.7 ''Display resolution: WQHD (2560 x 1440 )Display colours: TrueColor (24-bit/16M)Display technology: AMOLED, ClearBlackPixel density: 518 ppiDisplay features: Easy to clean, Orientation sensor, Wide viewing angle, Lumia Color profile, High brightness mode, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, Automatic brightness control, Sunlight readability enhancementsTouch screen technology: Capacitive multipoint-touch Replaceable battery: YesBattery capacity: 3340 mAhBattery voltage: 3.85 VCharging: Built-in wireless charging, Fast chargingWireless charging standard: Qi, PMAMaximum standby time: 12 daysMaximum talk time (3G): 19 hMaximum music playback time: 75 hMaximum Wi-Fi network browsing time: 11 hMaximum video playback time: 11 hDesign details: Exchangeable back coverOther user interface features: Glance screen, Tactile feedback, Voice commands, Voice dictation in edit fields User Input: TouchOperating keys: Volume keys, Camera key, Power/Lock keySensors: Ambient light sensor, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Barometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer, SensorCoreSIM card type: Nano SIM x 2AV connectors: 3.5 mm stereo headset connector, DisplayPort over USB-CCharging connectors: USB-CSystem connectors: USB-CUSB: USB 3.1, USB Dual Role Port (Gen1)Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.1Bluetooth profiles: Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) 1.2, Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) 1.3, Generic Attribute Profile (GATT), Hands-free profile (HFP) 1.6, Human Interface Device Profile (HID), Object Push profile (OPP) 1.1, Personal Area Network Profile (PAN) 1.0, Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP) 1.1, HID over GATT profile (HOGP) 1.0, Message Access Profile (MAP) 1.1NFC: Pairing, Secure NFC for payment, Sharing, TaggingWi-Fi: WLAN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO, Wi-Fi callWi-Fi hotspot: Up to 8 Wi-Fi-enabled devicesOther wireless connectivity: Screen projection

Price: $475 ( single SIM) - $625 (Dual SIM)  unlocked

If you're a regular HotHardware reader, you're no doubt familiar with the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL and its smaller cousin, the Lumia 950 (reviewed here). For those of you that may not be familiar with Microsoft's latest smartphones, the video above offers a good summary of their main features and design. We'll have many more details on the pages ahead, though.

The Lumia 950 XL's spec table is quite telling. This phone is packing some of the latest hardware available, including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 SoC clocked at up to 2GHz, 3GB of RAM, USB 3.1, a QHD AMOLED display, and a bevy of sensors. The particular device we'll be showing you here also has a dual-SIM setup, which could come in handy if you're a frequent traveler. With dual-SIMs, you're able to select which SIM to use on a per-call or per-text basis, presumably to prevent roaming or other charges carries are known for tacking on when outside of your designated service area.

Before we dig into the Lumia 950 XL, here's a look at what comes bundled with the phone. We're testing the dual-SIM variant here, but the bundle is similar for the single-SIM version. Included in the box -- along with the phone, of course -- is a basic lit pack, a USB-A to USB-C charge / sync cable, and a USB-C charger, with hard-wired cable. Unlike many other smartphones that include a a wall-wart with a USB port for charging, the charger included with the 950 XL is all one piece.

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