Build Quality - Creaking around bottom edge of phone

kwill

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Let me preface this post by first saying that I love everything about my new 950 XL. Could the build quality or premium feel have been a little better? Yes. But, I understand the reasons why the phone was constructed the way it was.

However, because of this, some of the "fit and finish" is susceptible to a cheap feel. And it's noticeable on the lower, bottom part of my phone. There's a very minute gap in between the back cover and screen, internals, etc. component. Because of this, if I grab the phone (when it's laying down) from the bottom part to where it's squeezed between my fingers, there's a creaking sound from the plastic having a little give. I took the back cover off and took a look at the little hinges that grab the rest of the phone, and I don't see any noticeable difference between the sides and bottom part. Anyone else noticed this? Just grab your phone near the bottom and squeeze it between your fingers to see what I'm talking about.
 

coolbreeze78

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It's a plastic phone. Very durable and resilient, but not stunningly beautiful and crafted with precision. It's a tool to accomplish tasks and plastic is the best material for this purpose, IMO.

Just the way it is. My XL exhibits the same qualities. It's just the plasticity construction, not a defect in build quality. Nature of the materials and such.
 

DeathMoJo

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I have the creak, once i tossed on a case you couldn't notice it anymore.

I am hoping once i get my Mozo cover that all will be well. :)
 

kwill

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It's a plastic phone. Very durable and resilient, but not stunningly beautiful and crafted with precision. It's a tool to accomplish tasks and plastic is the best material for this purpose, IMO.

Just the way it is. My XL exhibits the same qualities. It's just the plasticity construction, not a defect in build quality. Nature of the materials and such.

I get that it's plastic as have been every Lumia that I've had. Albeit, the back wasn't removable on any of them, so I'm sure that makes a difference. I just expected less tolerance in the give on the fit of the back plate to keep it from feeling "cheaper" than expected.

I think the phone needs to have some give in that area due to that being where the back cover snaps off initially.

This definitely makes sense. I'd rather it not be so easy to pry off honestly, since it's not too hard now.

What color? My black one doesn't, but my father's white one has the issue your describing.

Mine is white also. This could just be the slight tolerance levels in manufacturing when the white plates came down the line : ) I actually wonder if they'll make a slight tweak in manufacturing once they realize it has some give.

The creaking I had it since my nokia Lumia 925, and MSFT Lumia 640 I guess the quality has been the same since.

Didn't have either of those phones, but nice to know it's been similar on at least one similarly built phone (the 640).

I have the creak, once i tossed on a case you couldn't notice it anymore.

I am hoping once i get my Mozo cover that all will be well. :)

I have a case coming also and I'm sure that the snugness of it will keep the two parts pressed firmly together. However, I rarely use a case as I love the build of my phones and prefer them naked (like my ladies). lol The case is only for certain situations, events that I'm attending that are crowded and there's a chance of it being knocked out my hand, golf course just in case it falls out of the cart, etc.

I will say that I'm planning on getting the white leather back from Mozo, and I'm interested to see how their construction is as for fit and finish tolerances.
 

DeathMoJo

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I get that it's plastic as have been every Lumia that I've had. Albeit, the back wasn't removable on any of them, so I'm sure that makes a difference. I just expected less tolerance in the give on the fit of the back plate to keep it from feeling "cheaper" than expected.



This definitely makes sense. I'd rather it not be so easy to pry off honestly, since it's not too hard now.



Mine is white also. This could just be the slight tolerance levels in manufacturing when the white plates came down the line : ) I actually wonder if they'll make a slight tweak in manufacturing once they realize it has some give.



Didn't have either of those phones, but nice to know it's been similar on at least one similarly built phone (the 640).



I have a case coming also and I'm sure that the snugness of it will keep the two parts pressed firmly together. However, I rarely use a case as I love the build of my phones and prefer them naked (like my ladies). lol The case is only for certain situations, events that I'm attending that are crowded and there's a chance of it being knocked out my hand, golf course just in case it falls out of the cart, etc.

Don't get me wrong, sad to see the build quality like this but by allowing the SIM slots, sd card and removable battery having a cover that comes off makes it harder to be more secure. I can say i love the solid feel of my old HTC One M8 but like the option to change out the looks with different backs.
 

ceraf

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Happens with my 950 XL Black as well.

I'm a little disappointed for having spent a whopping $960 CAD (includes tax), but I can see why they went with this design:
- Removable back cover...especially for a more bendable and light plastic one
- Doesn't feel as "rugged" as it could be IMO, but at least it's lighter than a 920...maybe to save on materials cost?
- Main focus is likely going to be Windows 10 Mobile...which is still needs work if I'm honest

Overall, I think I'll keep my 950 XL over the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium that was just released in Canada.
 

kwill

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Yeah, all in all, I'm still completely satisfied with the phone. Cost was one thing (even though it comes in lighter outright than other platforms flagships), so it weighs on my feelings. Just the plastic could've been thicker like the plastic used on he 1520. I've had every Surface that's been released (have SP4 now) and each Band. So, you come to expect a certain quality. Even though the 1st Band wasn't the best as for durability, it still had a certain quality to it. Others confirming the same was really all I was looking for, and that question has been answered. I do hope more backs come out along with the Mozo backs that will have a more premium feel to them.
 

DeathMoJo

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I would agree that the back should have been thicker or at least more "solid." I like the feel of the phone but that piece is rather flimsy and don't like that it gives a little even when snapped on.

Anyone with a Mozo cover have any issues with it?

I do look at the price though and it does come in cheaper than most other flagships. Regardless, it seems almost every phone has some kind of build issue or quirk.
 

kwill

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Mine's horrible, there's no way I can deal with it on a daily basis. Waiting till they get replacements in store to get it swapped out.

Made a YouTube video of mine:

Holy crap, that is pretty bad! Mine isn't that loud. If it was, I would for sure be getting exchanged. I definitely think it's worth MSFT taking a look into and making some slightly more solid and durable backs with thicker hinge pieces that catch the frame. I want to keep the original back on (love the logo and matte finish), so I would like them to come up with something. It wouldn't cost them much to catch this early, make some changes to the manufacturing (to use a thicker plastic) and offer to replace them for people before too many of them are out in the wild. The back reminds me of some of the knockoff shells that would come from China for the 1520. You could hold them up to light and obviously see the difference in thickness by how much you could see through it.
 

david90531

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I've noticed it maybe once or twice today, but it's definitely nothing major. Overall the build quality of this phone surpass my expectations by far. Doesn't feel much like a plastic phone and my friends were all shocked when I took the back cover off, they all thought it was a unibody phone
 

david90531

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Mine's horrible, there's no way I can deal with it on a daily basis. Waiting till they get replacements in store to get it swapped out.

Made a YouTube video of mine:
http://youtu.be/yspH-NtLGFE

That is horrendous! Sounds like the case is not even snapped on properly. Definitely a faulty back cover/casing. Good luck with the replacement unit. I hope something like this is not too common, they should have better quality control than this.
 

Hmoll1

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Ok, so I realize I shouldn't have to do this on a brand new $650 phone... but, I just cut some strips of paper, perhaps 3/4" x 1/8" and placed them in the bottom corners of the open phone, that was face down. I closed the phone and its now tight as a battleship. No creaking. None.

I used the thin paper from some Black Friday advertisement.
 

kwill

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Ok, so I realize I shouldn't have to do this on a brand new $650 phone... but, I just cut some strips of paper, perhaps 3/4" x 1/8" and placed them in the bottom corners of the open phone, that was face down. I closed the phone and its now tight as a battleship. No creaking. None.

I used the thin paper from some Black Friday advertisement.

Yeah, you're definitely right that you shouldn't have to do something like that to stop the creaking. I thought about doing something similar and actually just place some in the middle by the sd card. It didn't stop the creaking from the sides. Do you have a pic of how you placed yours?

This is exactly what I mean, MSFT could've placed some glued down pieces of spongy material that would've prevented the creaking and would've appeared to be much more elegant and normal.

EDIT** So, I worked out a pretty decent (and not terrible looking solution). I used some double sided adhesive that I had laying around from my 1520 screen repair. I cut two thin strips and placed one as close to the bottom as possible and then one right above the whole in the case for what I believe is the microphone. I left the piece of paper covering the adhesive on the top part after applying the two strips so that it wouldn't stick to the back when I take it off. All in all, it seems to be working perfect and something like this would've been easy enough for them to add to the manufacturing process of these backs.
 
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moc426

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Mine creaks too. It's cheap. Getting a clear rubber case tomorrow, will see how that works out. Mozo back covers are too expensive, if they were sold in the US direct, maybe I would get it.
 

ordivergens

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Mine creaks as well. However, I noticed that it is not the back cover that makes the noise. It is the plastic area right above the CPU and heatpipe. If I push that area, with the back cover off, I can hear the noise... I fixed it with some paper... IMG_20151128_162554356.jpgIMG_20151128_163328331.jpg
 
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