Microsoft Lumia 950 XL review: The Master Chief

07 December, 2015
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL, the long-awaited comeback of the Windows phone phablet, is eagerly anticipated by every fan of the brand. It makes use of one of the best hardware around and it’s the perfect demo platform for all newly introduced Windows 10 Mobile features.

Sort by:

  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • 0Ut
  • 09 Dec 2015

vhh, 08 Dec 2015This phone didn't have double to wake screen, ,, big mess f... moreDouble Tap was reintroduced whit the last update a week ago. You are clueless.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • 0Ut
    • 09 Dec 2015

    [deleted post]Haters don't put any effort it seems.
    I bet you also think you are extremely smart.

    1. The design is subjective.
    2. Cheap materials? how do you know exactly? It's not like aluminum or glass are expensive.
    3. Panorama is available for any Lumia phone, you are clueless.
    4. Battery life is already better after the last Windows 10 Mobile update and will improve even further. Also the phone as quick charge, wireless charging and replaceable battery. How many phone have all those 3 nowadays?
    5. That is not the phone's problem.

      • N
      • NechPech
      • 9LB
      • 09 Dec 2015

      vhh, 08 Dec 2015This phone didn't have double to wake screen, ,, big mess f... moreYes it is a big mess.
      Just like iPhones don't have that feature either; hence low sales for iPhone.

        • D
        • AnonD-474417
        • SH{
        • 09 Dec 2015

        Lumia 950 and 950 XL are biggest failures this year.

        Nobody will buy butt ugly, cheap looking phones

        Design from 2012, screen bezels from 2009

          • D
          • AnonD-42534
          • 6u6
          • 09 Dec 2015

          darkich , 09 Dec 2015Continuum looks like an ultimate useless gimmick. Watch ... moreNo comparisons at all. Go study more about continuum.

            • A
            • Aadrian
            • Yek
            • 09 Dec 2015

            A true flaghip, great phone with all the specs and features you need. It would be nice if gsmarena would review the Mozo back covers as well. With the leather backs the Phone looks much better than the standard plastic covers.

              • D
              • AnonD-474417
              • SH{
              • 09 Dec 2015

              1. Ugly design, looks like entry level. Plastic is not flagship material
              2. Very big bezels, not flagship style
              3. Top specs and some interesting details like iris scanner and water cooling. Bravo for that.
              4. Windows AppStore lagging behind but you have basic stuff. No problem there
              5. My prediction - it will not sell because of outdated design. Just look, for example, Huawei Mate S and this?

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • YTd
                • 09 Dec 2015

                Onur, 09 Dec 2015no it is not. With continuum you can still use your phone t... moreHave u use tha phone

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • M7Y
                  • 09 Dec 2015

                  yann, 08 Dec 2015Dude, my old year and half back Nokia 930 have 4 mics with ... moreJust like when Microsoft/Nokia first introduced high sensitive screens so that gloves can be used. They thought that if you have gloves on, they would have to free their hands, remove the glove, then use the phone to unlock, the put the glove back on again. Iris scanning is much more efficient. I saw an ad where an iPhone user's hand got stuck in the sink and couldn't unlock the phone cause he's wearing gloves. Couldn't call for help. For me, this makes sense.

                    • D
                    • AnonD-249778
                    • t7X
                    • 09 Dec 2015

                    I think the lumia team did a good job for software wise and maybe some of the hardware. But this is the last high-end phone of them (Lumia team). Coz Panos panay and his surface team is incharge to the next MS high end smartphone. The SURFACEPHONE

                      • P
                      • Peace
                      • tCQ
                      • 09 Dec 2015

                      Here's something you guys might like to do: use a phone with a different OS as a daily driver for two months. Yes, two months. No ifs, no buts, no excuses - two months. And three things should happen:

                      (1) You'll be surprised at what you're capable of learning (if you've taken psychology classes, you probably have an idea why) - trust me, it works, except if you have a legitimate learning disability. (2) You also would have walked a mile in someone else's shoes, and hopefully be more open-minded and receptive. And (3), you are now in a proper position to make informed comments about the OS - because you would already been well adapted to it.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • M7Y
                        • 09 Dec 2015

                        AnonD-362866, 09 Dec 2015Exactly there are more people on earth with less money you ... moreIts not just because they don't have the cash, but businesses would prefer Microsoft Office Applications than Pages or Numbers. Even if you install Office in OS X, you won't be able to run VBA. You can install VM but who are you kidding, you're still running Windows. For personal use and media consumption, the Mac is a good option. I've had an iMac and MacBook, but couldn't find anything to do but browse the web and sync my iPhone. Bootcamp brought it to life.

                          • D
                          • AnonD-110785
                          • vGt
                          • 09 Dec 2015

                          Very poor score on battery test....Really not worth the money...In India...RIP Lumia 950...and XL

                            • D
                            • AnonD-249778
                            • t7X
                            • 09 Dec 2015

                            AnonD-362866, 09 Dec 2015Don't you know microsoft is huge in india and other develop... moreSurfacebook>Macbook

                              • D
                              • AnonD-249778
                              • t7X
                              • 09 Dec 2015

                              darkich , 09 Dec 2015Continuum looks like an ultimate useless gimmick. Watch ... moreMaybe after 10 years and its a laggy one if connected in a larger screen

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • M7Y
                                • 09 Dec 2015

                                darkich , 09 Dec 2015What "different apps" ? Had you paid attention to what ... moreDo a normal miracast if you want to use non-UWP apps. With multi-window, that'll come.

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-474053
                                  • L5I
                                  • 09 Dec 2015

                                  look for what the phone like a fool ?, mmm ... varies in view, and that modernity is intended to have no physical contact at all, so the footprint tends to disappear, moreover, is something already as common as going for coffee. lumia retains good and innovates, other brands are all the same, there is no difference between them.

                                    • d
                                    • darkich
                                    • gIP
                                    • 09 Dec 2015

                                    Onur, 09 Dec 2015no it is not. With continuum you can still use your phone t... moreWhat "different apps" ?

                                    Had you paid attention to what I wrote, you'd see that I wasn't mentioning the UI layout but strictly what you can *do* with the OS.
                                    You cannot run multiple windows on Windows continuum, nor can you use all apps you have on the phone..and you *can* do that on Android connected to the monitor.

                                    As for the your so called "dpi", keep in mind that things have changed since THREE YEARS AGO, (Note 2 rendered the OS at 800p if I'm not mistaken ) and Android now scales to high PPI flawlessly, and upcoming devices will support 4K mirroring.

                                      • M
                                      • Mike Ty
                                      • X{h
                                      • 09 Dec 2015

                                      AnonD-362866, 09 Dec 2015Exactly there are more people on earth with less money you ... moreWindows is superior to Mac (Trice more powerful - easy to get - got lot of software - got lot of games - easy to assemble - easy to repair ...........................) . What people is saying is that Mac has beautiful UI compare to Windows but this is relative because I prefer the UI of Windows. People is saying that Mac is easy to navigate compare to Windows but this is relative because I think that there is no Mac user that can execute things faster than I do with Windows. Am a kind of SHORTCUT MASTER. I do not think Mac will be better than Windows these days. Maybe after 200 years but I won't be in this world anymore.

                                        • O
                                        • Onur
                                        • pkn
                                        • 09 Dec 2015

                                        darkich , 09 Dec 2015Continuum looks like an ultimate useless gimmick. Watch ... moreno it is not. With continuum you can still use your phone to run different application. In that video you can't. Not to mention awful resolution or dpi of apps.