Is Lumia 640 still good?

[FFugue]

I was thinking about buying a Lumia 640 to replace my Lumia 1020 that's getting old and has a couple of bugs that can make it unreliable for work. I know the 640 isn't the best phone out there, but I'd like to have a cheap phone that works well while I wait for... maybe... a Surface Phone... if it ever exists.

I could also buy an Android phone, but the only way to get an Android phone that's updated to the last version of the operating system would be to buy a new one and I'd have to pay 500$ plus 20$ extra every month, and I don't want to do that right now for a phone running an OS I don't like.

Which is why I was thinking about the Lumia 640. I could get it on Amazon Canada for 150$ Canadian. Is this a good price? It's the only place I can find it in Canada.

What I'm wondering is how good it runs with Windows 10 Creators Update. I want to make sure it's less buggy than my old Lumia 1020. Also, I need to use Messenger for work and it's been discontinued a couple of weeks ago on Windows Phone 8... It's still available on Windows 10 Mobile right?

 

[LumPhile]

I was thinking about buying a Lumia 640 to replace my Lumia 1020 that's getting old and has a couple of bugs that can make it unreliable for work. I know the 640 isn't the best phone out there, but I'd like to have a cheap phone that works well while I wait for... maybe... a Surface Phone... if it ever exists.

I could also buy an Android phone, but the only way to get an Android phone that's updated to the last version of the operating system would be to buy a new one and I'd have to pay 500$ plus 20$ extra every month, and I don't want to do that right now for a phone running an OS I don't like.

Which is why I was thinking about the Lumia 640. I could get it on Amazon Canada for 150$ Canadian. Is this a good price? It's the only place I can find it in Canada.

What I'm wondering is how good it runs with Windows 10 Creators Update. I want to make sure it's less buggy than my old Lumia 1020. Also, I need to use Messenger for work and it's been discontinued a couple of weeks ago on Windows Phone 8... It's still available on Windows 10 Mobile right?

I can tell you that my 640, on CU, is virtually trouble free: Not absolutely, but virtually. There are a few minor annoyances, but no show stoppers.

Messenger seems to be badly coded, and operates poorly on all Windows Mobile devices. If it's a must-have app then perhaps you'll need something more powerful than the 640

 

[pidjones]

Messenger works better on my 640 than on my Android (admittedly WAY old OSs) devices. That said, I hate Messenger, and avoid it if possible. The 640 is a good PHONE, however. Other apps are secondary to me.

 

[BethlehemSteel]

I have been using the 640 for a couple of weeks now. Solid phone and I have never had any issues with messenger. In fact I tried the 650 out, but after a few days went back to the 640. Just a solid little phone.

 

[FFugue]

Thanks everyone for the replies!!! I just ordered one! Lets hope it arrives before my 1020 dies!...

 

[greedo_greedy]

Coming from a Lumia 1020, the 640's camera is just not up to snuff.

Since Windows Mobile's future is pretty unsure now, getting the best out of Windows 10 Mobile is recommended. (From my perspective.)

If you can find a Lumia 950 XL then go for that. At least the camera is much closer in terms of quality.

 

[andrew bainbridge]

'resuming' and 'loading' with WhatsApp all the time now - even with interop tools memory expansion, which i think doesn't actually work.

 

[FFugue]

Quick update, I received my 640 about a week ago and so far it works great!

I haven't had any problems with Messenger. Facebook sometimes takes 2 tries to open correctly, but it's still better than on my 1020. The battery is amazing compared to my 1020. With my 1020 I was always running out of battery before the day was over, now I end my day and I still have 40% battery left. The camera isn't perfect, but it's still good enough for my use (I take way less pictures than I used to when I first bought my 1020). Also, on my side Whatsapp isn't crashing all the time as it used to on my 1020 and the connection to the desktop app is always working (I often had to leave the app open on my 1020 for it to work on the desktop). Also, Windows 10 Mobile is really good!

So overall, not a perfect phone, but for the price it was definitely worth it. Thanks everyone for the replies!

 

[kashgohel]

@FFugue, glad you chose the phone. I have been in your exact situation with the Lumia 1020 to 640 swap, and am quite happy with the Lumia 640. Its a light phone, and especially useful for me as an architect as it has very straight edges, so the compass, gyroscope and spirit level apps work wonders in confirming that furniture or walls are straight.

That being said I think the only issue I have with it (posted a question about this in the forum) is that now it is twice that there is a lag in the keyboard. When typing the wrong keys get pressed like the screen is hypersensitive. But hopefully its just a one-off case and not the general trend.

 

[kashgohel]

Oh and my parents simply love the UI, and have bought the same phone to use. They say its better than any android they used before.

 

[FFugue]

That being said I think the only issue I have with it (posted a question about this in the forum) is that now it is twice that there is a lag in the keyboard. When typing the wrong keys get pressed like the screen is hypersensitive. But hopefully its just a one-off case and not the general trend.

I'm actually having the same keyboard problem once in a while. It's will lag a little and if I write too fast it will skip some letters. But it's only happening maybe once or twice a week and only lasts a minute so it's not too bad.

My main problem with the keyboard is that the french keyboard is really bad compared to the one on Windows Phone 8.1. On 8.1 it would give me guesses that actually made sense for what to write next, and the flow keyboard worked great, I could write whole text messages without having to look at my phone, but now on 10, I don't know why, it often gives me really stupid words, some of which don't even exist, and the flow keyboard (the keyboard where you trace words, not sure if it's called the flow keyboard) is even worse, most words it gives me don't make any sense and most of the time the word I'm trying to write isn't even displayed in the suggestions.

 

[anon(50597)]

I'm actually having the same keyboard problem once in a while. It's will lag a little and if I write too fast it will skip some letters. But it's only happening maybe once or twice a week and only lasts a minute so it's not too bad.

My main problem with the keyboard is that the french keyboard is really bad compared to the one on Windows Phone 8.1. On 8.1 it would give me guesses that actually made sense for what to write next, and the flow keyboard worked great, I could write whole text messages without having to look at my phone, but now on 10, I don't know why, it often gives me really stupid words, some of which don't even exist, and the flow keyboard (the keyboard where you trace words, not sure if it's called the flow keyboard) is even worse, most words it gives me don't make any sense and most of the time the word I'm trying to write isn't even displayed in the suggestions.

I reverted my 640 back to 8.1, I think it runs better on it.

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

 

[PerfectReign]

Got my wife one a few months ago to replace her dying SGS4. She uses facebook, messenger, and IE. So far, she's happy. I offered her our younger son's Galaxy On5, but she's happy. She could care less about most apps.

 

[kashgohel]

and the flow keyboard (the keyboard where you trace words, not sure if it's called the flow keyboard) is even worse, most words it gives me don't make any sense and most of the time the word I'm trying to write isn't even displayed in the suggestions.

Haha I rarely use the flow keyboard unless I am typing proper english messages with my left hand (am right handed). And I think the issue with your keyboard (all keyboards so to speak) is that when you type too fast the software thinks you are swiping as opposed to typing. So the flow-keyboard software takes over and connects all letters between the two you typed (e.g. s and p would pick d, f, g, y, u, i, o) and construct a word totally irrelevant to the message.

If you dont use the flow keyboard much you can consider disabling it? Might stop the lagging.

 

[BethlehemSteel]

How has the experience been so far with your new 640?