Nokia lumiya 950 specifications. Mobile device batteries differ in their capacity and technology

Lumia 950 is a new product, announced in October 2015, a flagship smartphone from Microsoft, originally designed to work with Windows 10. In addition to impressive features, the company has prepared surprises that amaze even the most sophisticated users. In Russia, sales started at the end of November, but so far the smartphone is available only by pre-order. Its cost is 45 thousand rubles. What it can boast of The review will tell you in detail about the characteristics and capabilities of the smartphone.

Appearance

The design of the Lumia 950 is not much different from today's expensive Android models. It does not claim to be the thinnest and lightest smartphone, but despite its large size (14.5x7.3x0.8 cm and weight 150 g) it fits comfortably in the hand.

The body is made of durable one-piece plastic, which overlaps the screen since version 3. For this model, the company has abandoned bright acid colors and opted for the classic and austere versions: black and white.

The back cover can be easily removed, revealing a microSD card and a nano SIM card located under the battery.

The location of the physical buttons has remained unchanged since the release of smartphones under the Nokia name - they are all located on the right side: first the volume button, below it - power on / unlock, closer to the bottom of the case - the camera button.

"Filling" Lumia 950

The characteristics of the smartphone confirm its right to the title of "flagship". The six-core Snapdragon 808 processor with an integrated Adreno 418 graphics card is clocked at 1.82 GHz. RAM as much as 3 GB.

But there is also a significant drawback: the smartphone heats up noticeably after half an hour of active use.

The built-in memory of the smartphone is 32 GB, this moment it can be expanded with memory cards up to 200 GB.

The model has a 3000 mAh battery, which is more than enough when comparing the performance of the closest competitors. But Windows 10 is not yet as debugged as the G8, because with active use the battery barely lasts for 1 day.

But there is good news: a new cable for USB-C charging charges the battery from 0 to 100% in just an hour and a half.

The smartphone has two excellent cameras - the main 20 MP with triple LED flash and the front 5 MP, which can easily replace many digital cameras.

Display

Of course, this is the pride of the Lumia 950.The 5.2-inch AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 16: 9 and a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels is even better than the iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S Plus. Brightness and richness of colors allow you to work with your smartphone even in bright sunlight.

The model supports "one-handed" mode - the active screen area is reduced to such a size that all functions are easy to reach with one hand.

Interface

Windows 10 Mobile, with its tiled design, shows itself in all its glory on the large and bright display of the Lumia 950. The flawless operation of the hardware components allows the smartphone to work quickly and without freezing.

The tiles can be set in 3 sizes, and they stack nicely and orderly into one common start screen.

A significant drawback is the limited number of applications for the relatively new OS. Maps are also inferior to their iOS counterparts and even the original Nokia Maps.

At the moment, reviews of real buyers are not available on the Lumia 950, since the smartphone went on sale only at the end of November, and in some countries it will have to wait until mid-December (exact dates vary depending on the specific state).

In addition to the aforementioned advantages and disadvantages of the smartphone, experts who were provided with a model for beta testing noted the following disadvantages:

The processor power and screen size do not take away the importance of its main function - making calls. And here the manufacturer has just failed: the sound quality from the interlocutor is mediocre, with a noticeable echo. But the microphone works flawlessly.

Camera app - Microsoft Camera, replacing Lumia Camera 5.0, is still pretty damp and lacks many useful functions which have long been present in Nokia's software.

Step into the Future

Lumia 950 can scan the retina of the eye (the function has acquired the name Windows Hello) to unlock the smartphone. But so far this option has a significant drawback - the procedure takes some time. it works much faster on models of the same class, but, in truth, it does not have such an impressive effect as a retina scanner.

And the Continuum operating mode allows you to use your smartphone as personal computer... With the special Display Dock accessory, which looks like a regular USB hub, you can connect to the Lumia 950 external monitor, TV with HDMI port, mouse and keyboard (be sure to also connect USB-C in order to provide power to the device itself). Thus, by launching Word or Excel on your smartphone, you can conveniently work with a document on a large screen.

Of course, the technology has flaws - for example, wireless mouse and the keyboard is difficult to connect using Bluetooth, the smartphone does not charge in the process, since all the energy goes to power the Display Dock and others.

But in any case, this is an interesting addition for active people who often have to solve work tasks "on the go".

The difference between the Lumia 950 and 950XL smartphones

The two new letters in the model name hide not just minor differences in characteristics or additional features network connection. Lumia 950XL is not really a smartphone anymore, but rather a phablet (a device that combines a smartphone and a tablet). It has a 5.7-inch OLED display and more powerful processor- eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810. The problem with overheating, noticeable on the 950 model, is eliminated with the help of a liquid cooling system. The price of a phablet is about 50 thousand rubles.

Outcomes

The Lumia 950 is a groundbreaking model that propels us towards blurring the line between a smartphone and a full-fledged computer. However, the difference between them is still far from the final disappearance. Ardent fans of smartphones from Microsoft will be delighted, and users who are less accustomed to them will find it difficult to cope with the software flaws that are still present. Number Windows users 10 will not be long for some time, so in case of difficulties and questions, Google and even specialized forums are unlikely to help you. But if you are ready for potential difficulties for the sake of the opportunity to personally touch the progress - go for it.

The device has a processor with a frequency of 1.8 GHz, Adreno 418 video chip and 3 GB random access memory... This is quite enough for all common tasks, but the flagships under the control of others operating systems even more powerful. But, as we will show later, the Lumia 950 is the only smartphone that can cope with cooling the Snapdragon 808 under full load.

The device works under Windows control 10 Mobile. Its interface will be familiar to users Windows Phone 8.x, but its internals are closer to the "desktop" Windows 10. In addition to the aforementioned "Continuum" function, there is the ability to continue working with some of the few applications on the Windows 10. An interesting novelty is the Windows Hello biometric identification system, which is the first (among all platforms) now has a retina scanner support. It was Lumia 950 and 950 XL users who had the chance to be the first to try this technology, as if descended from the screens of spy films. The scanner works in the infrared range and responds quickly, but does not always reliably cope with low light or scanning through glasses.

Unfortunately, the performance of Windows 10 Mobile devices is not easy to assess in cross-platform benchmarks. Instead of OpenGL, DirectX is used here, which clearly does not do well with GFXBench tests. In the Linpack test, on the contrary, the result is high. Only the BaseMark test results are more or less comparable, where the lag roughly corresponds to the expected difference in processing power of the device. Performance is also difficult to measure consistently. internal memory, but according to BaseMark OS II, it is relatively high.

In everyday use, the device seems excessively fast and does a great job of everything.

Lumia 950 is like the first ball for Microsoft. No more excuses, no more hiding behind the Nokia name. And besides, this is the first smartphone with the long-awaited mobile windows 10. Expectations are higher than ever - on the one hand. On the other hand, this is almost the last chance to jump on the departing train of the big smartphone race. Although, maybe the chance has already been lost and this is just agony? Be that as it may, the device is very interesting and very ambitious.

Lumia has always been different from others - not only because of the special operating system, but also a set of characteristics: the predecessor model, Lumia 930, stood out, in particular, with a striking design and support wireless charging... Lumia 950 is also special - it features an infrared camera that identifies the owner by the eyes, and Continuum function... Otherwise, this is a classic top-end smartphone of 2015: 5.2-inch AMOLED with Quad HD-resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of permanent memory with expandability, 20-megapixel main camera and 5-megapixel front camera, USB Type-C.

It is worth saying that, in the manner of the iPhone or Xperia Z5, there are two modifications of the older Lumia: the "regular" one, which we are talking about, and the "big" one, with Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, a 5.7-inch screen, an enlarged battery and a slightly different design ... Otherwise, they are the same smartphones.

⇡ Specifications

⇡ Appearance, ergonomics,WindowsHello

Usually the flagship model becomes the face of everything lineup, and each manufacturer tries to design its main smartphone so that everyone gasps. Glass, metal, fine lines, gold, silver. But all this is not about the Lumia 950 - the smartphone was created as if according to Nexus patterns, with an eye on the maximum practicality. Perhaps someone will like it, but many users will be surprised to see a rather nondescript device for 45-50 thousand rubles in the window. And, in fact, there are no color variations - the body can only be black or white. Quite boring, the Lumia 930 looked a lot more interesting.

Microsoft Lumia 950, front panel: above the screen - front camera, light sensor, earpiece and infrared camera for retinal recognition; under the screen - a microphone

The front panel is covered with tempered glass. Microsoft uses the word "polycarbonate" to describe the material used for the back cover. It sounds, perhaps, better than "plastic", but in fact it does not differ - we are talking about a group chemical elements used for a wide variety of needs, from making CDs to greenhouse cladding. Plastic is plastic. It is not slippery here and seems to be resistant to dirt, but this is not entirely true - the surface collects greasy stains well: they are not very noticeable, but they can also be rubbed off with difficulty.

Dimensions Microsoft Lumia 950 - 145 × 73.2 × 8.2 mm, weight - 150 grams. Quite a medium-sized smartphone: it fits into a pocket without any problems and is easy to operate with one hand - this is a great advantage. I wouldn't be tempted by the extra half-inch of the XL version and go for the 5.2-inch variation if I decided to buy the Lumia 950.

Of external features first of all we note additional key activating the camera and releasing the shutter, an infrared camera, the eye of which is visible only during the reading of the iris of the eye, and an unusually located - on the front panel - a spoken microphone.

Microsoft Lumia 950, top: 3.5 mm headphone jack

The main speaker is placed on back cover, and this is not the best solution: the sound is muffled if the smartphone is lying on something soft. However, the volume is sufficient so that this does not cause problems and you hear a call in such a situation. The quality of the loudspeaker is usual; it is impossible to come up with any epithets for it.

Microsoft Lumia 950 right-side: volume rocker, power key and camera shutter key

The keys are made of plastic and have a convenient size and travel.

The back cover is removable, there is a battery and two slots for SIM cards under it - one of them is aligned with a slot for a microSD memory card.

The infrared camera performs the same function here as the fingerprint scanner on other smartphones - authentication. It allows you to scan the iris of your eyes and is only used to quickly unlock your smartphone. And to create a "wow" effect, of course.

Until Windows system Hello fights off claims with a Beta sign, but there is nothing to complain about: it works quite correctly, recognizes the user in about 4 cases out of 5. With two amendments: if you wear glasses, you have to take them off, and in low light the system can tell you, what I did not find on your face, you have to enter your PIN. For my taste, the fingerprint scanner is more convenient: there are almost no restrictions (you just need to take off your gloves in the cold), there is no need to bring your smartphone to your face (which looks stupid), it works faster on new smartphones. But from the general mass Lumia stands out, it is necessary to admit it.

⇡ Windows 10 Mobile

Some kind of revolutionary changes, a complete transition to new style in comparison with Windows Phone 8.1 did not happen: the same tiles, the same logic of working with the interface. The key advantages and disadvantages of the system remain the same, but there are many changes in the details.

Completely redesigned notification bar: redesigned, 16 shortcuts quick access, it became more convenient to use it. The transparency of the tiles can be adjusted up to complete shutdown borders - in this form, the menu already resembles desktop Windows with its icons. The background image can be put on top of the tiles, or fill the entire screen. The application menu hasn't changed much, except for special section for newly installed applications - you don't have to search for them in the list, they are displayed at the top.

The options menu has been changed due to the grouping of settings in the style of desktop Windows, it has become more convenient. In general, this smooth reworking of Windows Phone with the introduction of details from the "large" version of the OS is a red thread throughout Windows 10 Mobile - I think, over time, the desktop and mobile version will become more and more like each other. In the meantime, these are still completely different operating systems.

Let's go back to the changes. The keyboard can be scaled and moved around the screen, and a fashionable function for entering text without lifting your finger from the screen has been added. Finally, a full-fledged file manager- Windows Phone system somehow existed without it for many years. It is included in the set standard applications which also includes One Drive, alarms, operating system tips and a calculator that has turned into something monstrous - right down to the programmability.

I've always been attracted to Windows smartphones. In such phones, you were provided with a clear, overwhelmingly simple interface, which could not be said about devices on iOS and Android.

That is why, I was greatly disappointed with the release of Lumia 950 with Windows 10: the operating system did not show all the promised trump cards. The electronic filling was not so bad, but the software did not make a very pleasant impression. Especially disappointing was the Continuum application, which, according to the idea, should turn your smartphone into a semblance desktop computer, but it really only shows Microsoft's toothlessness when it comes to competing with the iPhone and Android.

Yes, the phone got a great screen. Yes, his camera takes fairly high quality pictures, especially in low light. I can even safely close my eyes to the plastic case of the Lumia 950, because the gadget has a microSD slot and a removable battery - which you will not find in the daytime with fire, in many modern smartphones with an iron case. Voice assistant Cortana also looks preferable to Apple's Siri in my opinion.

Microsoft Lumia 950 - Review of the new flagship from Microsoft

However, when it comes to scoring the operating system, things don't look so rosy anymore. Mobile payments, unlimited access to applications, extensions for software - all this in Windows 10 looks as unattractive as in previous versions OS from Microsoft. I sincerely hoped that Windows 10 smartphones would gain a significant advantage over other platforms with the Continuum option, which promised to add productivity. In fact, alas, this did not happen.

Lumia 950 Sales Start Date and Price

The cost of a regular Lumia 950 will be $ 550 without being tied to any mobile operator... There will also be a larger version of the smartphone, the Lumia 950 XL, with a 5.7-inch screen, which will start shipping at the end of 2015.

Continuum in Lumia 950: Smartphone turns into PC (TV)

What if your smartphone could double its functionality and also learn to fulfill the role of a desktop computer? This is the idea behind the Continuum option. This is exactly what Windows 10 smartphones should have set apart from phones on other platforms - on Android and iOS this is not yet the case.

How do you turn your phone into a PC? Connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to your Lumia, and use a desktop monitor or TV screen as your main display. The idea sounds tempting, but there is one "but".

Connect your smartphone to big screen there are only two ways, and both options are not so simple. In the first case, the TV to which you are connecting must have support for the Miracast video standard, which will allow wireless signal transmission from your smartphone to the TV screen via installed application Continuum. In the second case, you can make the connection more reliable. by wire using Microsoft Display Dock, which will cost $ 80 (you will also need additional cables).

The idea looks pretty tempting, but there were some inconveniences. First, you need special features and a set of special cables, including HDMI and USB Type-C cords. A wired or wireless keyboard and mouse are optional as the connected screen can be controlled from the smartphone display.

So when using Microsoft documents Office keyboard shortcuts did not work, so all the text formatting work you have to do using the toolbar or the mouse drop-down menu. For example, the functions of quick copy and paste using keyboard shortcuts did not work during my testing, which noticeably slowed down the work with text.

It should also be noted that when typing quickly, the cursor on the screen began to slow down, which also significantly complicated and slowed down the work with the text. In general, I repeat, Microsoft's idea of ​​creating a hybrid smartphone-PC looks tempting, but its implementation is very lame, and I would still prefer a traditional laptop when working on large projects and complex tasks.

Other Windows 10 Software in Lumia 950

In addition to Continuum, Windows 10 has a host of other advanced features. For example, if others modern smartphones endowed with a fingerprint scanner, then Microsoft decided to endow its iris-scanning smartphone with a software called Windows Hello, which had already been used in Surface tablets. This option recognizes the owner of the smartphone by scanning his eyes, which, like fingerprints, are unique and inimitable for each person. In terms of speed and convenience, iris-scanning software looks no better than fingerprint scanning. At the same time, the accuracy and correctness of eye scanning depends very much on the quality of illumination. In short, this is a unique way to access your smartphone data, but not always the best one.

Windows 10 gave the Lumia 950 a cleaner, cleaner look in every menu, from operating system settings to theme choices. In the app store, everything is in its place, although, as mentioned above, it lacks a variety of programs (when compared with the Android and iOS stores). I also liked the ability to turn off the screen by double-clicking on the navigation bar (alas, a similar double-click does not turn it back on), and the option to download offline maps, especially if you are heading out of town, where Mobile Internet not so good, and sometimes not at all.

Lumia 950 Achilles Heel: Number of Apps

If for the most part Windows capabilities 10 are tempting (or promising), then all operating systems for mobile phones from Microsoft, there was and still is one big drawback: the small number of applications available.

For example, Google refused to support this platform, which means that it is not possible to work with such popular services all over the world as Gmail, Google Maps, Google Drive, Google docs(or rather, the services will be available, but only through a browser). Despite the fact that Microsoft has put a lot of effort into creating alternative software, like OneDrive, for people who have been working with Google services this is a significant drawback.

At the same time, Microsoft managed to get hold of such popular applications as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagramm, Twitter. At the same time, it should be noted that updates, as a rule, for Windows applications phones arrive with a great delay, as developers give more preference to Android platforms and iOS.

Lumia 950 Design: Good Old Plastic

You don't need to have seven spans in your forehead to notice: appearance The Lumia 950 leaves a lot to be desired. The body of the phone is made of plastic, which in principle we should get used to. Although, on the other hand, last year's Lumia 930 / Icon had completely metal case... At the same time, Lumia 950 received a removable battery and a slot for expansion memory cards microSD. The novelty will be sold in white and black, all sorts of exotic shades - such as lime, red or orange - are not available for the new Microsoft smartphone.

The 5.2-inch screen size allows you to comfortably hold the phone in your hand and have full control over it. The Lumia 950 has a dedicated camera button, which I liked because you can double-tap to open the capture app even if the smartphone's screen is in lock mode. By clicking again, you can already take a picture.

USB Type-C is still a unique and new connector, which makes the Lumia 950 a very special phone in this regard.

Lumia 950 camera

Microsoft decided not to change their camera app too much, which, in my opinion, is more of an oversight. Photos are obtained good quality in almost all light levels, however, manual adjustment can sometimes be difficult as not all options are intuitive.

The Lumia 950 is capable of shooting 4K video, but video is recorded at 1080p by default. I really liked manual setting macro mode, also in the camera application you can set up timer shooting, as well as set the continuous shooting mode. In addition, you can create so-called "Live Photos", which are 100% analogous to Live Photos in iPhone 6s.