• Windows Phone Area
• On October 11, 2015

Microsoft bets on productivity

A few days ago, Microsoft finally announced the long-awaited flagship Windows 10 phones – Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL. While these new phones should definitely attract many Windows fans, let’s see how Lumia 950/950XL stand up against some of the Android flagships – Galaxy S6 Edge and Nexus 6P.

All four models have unique and distinctive designs, but Microsoft has used polycarbonate, while Samsung and Google offer a metal unibody. The approaches are different and each has some advantages and disadvantages. For example, many users may think that the polycarbonate is not so premium, but it gives them the opportunity to replace the battery, use a MicroSD, and even swap the original back with some of the awesome third-party back covers from Mozo Accessories.

In terms of specs, all phones offer top-end hardware with some variations. The screens are AMOLED with 2560×1440 pixels, which is excellent. Windows (Phone) is famous with its ability to run well on less powerful hardware, but this time Microsoft has included two of the latest Qualcomm chipsets inside the phones – Snapdragon 808 & 810, both coupled with 3GB of RAM. The S6 Edge and Nexus 6P also use high-end processors and the same amount of RAM.

Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL come with replaceable batteries and support for microSD cards, up to 2TB, whereas S6 Edge and 6P are sealed and don’t have expandable storage. At the same time, both Lumias have 32GB of internal storage, while the competition has optional 32, 64 or 128GB.

The Lumia phones include the new USB Type-C connector, Fast Charging and Wireless charging. Galaxy S6 Edge includes an old USB 2.0 connector and Wireless charring support, while the Nexus 6P has USB Type-C, but doesn’t support wireless charging.

A major difference between the Windows 10 and the Android phones can be found in the biometrics used for authentication. The high-end Android phones use fingerprint sensors, while Microsoft’s new Lumia phones include a military-grade security thanks to a feature called Windows Hello and the Iris Scanner.

Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL also have some extra features which are not available on the Android devices. The Glance Screen shows important information and notifications on the AMOLED display at a glance, without draining the battery. Windows Continuum allows you to connect the phone to a Display Dock, larger screen, keyboard & mouse, and turn the phone into a PC that runs Universal Windows apps.

Other unique features of the Lumia phones are liquid cooling technology and four HAAC microphones for great audio sound. In the imaging department, we are yet to see samples from the new Lumia 950 & 950 XL, but there’s no doubt that these smartphone cameras will be good enough, and probably better than the rivals.

What do you think about the Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL? Let us know in the comments below!