Hands-on Experiences with the 950XL

[RaRa85]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

I'm so pumped. My Saturday was wide open and now I have filled it with this great outing to the Microsoft kiosk in my area. I just called them today after the Windows Central article this morning about the stores having live demo units of the new products in the stores. The lady didn't mention them having the Lumia 950 so I'll be playing with the 950XL and Surface Book. I don't think they have the Surface Pro 4 just yet. I really hope T-Mobile gets the Lumia 950 although I like the camera hump of the 950XL better. I vowed not to buy another unlocked phone but if I do it will be for one I am sure to keep for two years or more. Not quite there yet but we'll see.

Sent from my D6616 using Tapatalk

 

[tale 85]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

Will somebody put a Microsoft store on wheels and send it here, I wanna play too!

 

[Marcin Dabrowsky]

Very interesting design with that camera overhang. I kind of like that. Saves space.

Yes I thought it may make the battery difficult to remove but everything seems tight and easy to remove.

One thing that popped out at me is how cheap and rather difficult to remove the back was. Super easy to put back on though.

I imagine myself getting several different backs to go with whatever mood I'm in on a given day.

Well done msft. Build cheap to price right and provide customizable options with accessories is a win win.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[mmcpher]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

The Iris Scan looks promising. It's funny (and perhaps indicative of bias?) to see some of the commentary in the tech press about the Iris Scan, basically speculating that it won't work or that you'll have to somehow boggle your eyes or place the phone right up to your eye socket. . . . And when the speculation is corrected, they suggest that if it takes more than a blink it will be an affront and entirely unworkable. It seems to me that the Iris Scan is potentially less cumbersome than a finger print scan. Is it as secure? Can you simply turn it off? I like Windows Hello a lot, but I've survived without it so far. I think the resistance to the idea of an Iris Scan is sometimes part of the overall bias against MS. You have people actually arguing that having to look at the screen is somehow awkward or burdensome, when it is instead the very thing you would and will be doing anyway when you pick up your handheld.

 

[xrs22]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

Will somebody put a Microsoft store on wheels and send it here, I wanna play too!

Right!! I'd have to drive about 2 hours away to a Microsoft store...laaaaaame!

 

[narv]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

One thing that popped out at me is how cheap and rather difficult to remove the back was. Super easy to put back on though.

The sales rep showed me how to take the back off using the USB charger slot and applying pressure there. Seems pretty easy to get off and put back on.

So you can't customize the expanded menu? Again I never used WP10. If not then yeah that's pretty lame with that rogue icon sitting top left.

No you can't customize it. If you look close at the demo that WinCentral posted on the 6th of the 950 XL when they pulled the action bar down it's the same.. that one stray icon in the top left corner.

 

[narv]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

The Iris Scan looks promising. It's funny (and perhaps indicative of bias?) to see some of the commentary in the tech press about the Iris Scan, basically speculating that it won't work or that you'll have to somehow boggle your eyes or place the phone right up to your eye socket. . . . And when the speculation is corrected, they suggest that if it takes more than a blink it will be an affront and entirely unworkable. It seems to me that the Iris Scan is potentially less cumbersome than a finger print scan. Is it as secure? Can you simply turn it off? I like Windows Hello a lot, but I've survived without it so far. I think the resistance to the idea of an Iris Scan is sometimes part of the overall bias against MS. You have people actually arguing that having to look at the screen is somehow awkward or burdensome, when it is instead the very thing you would and will be doing anyway when you pick up your handheld.

Well no matter what MS does it will be bad... I think they should have both options to be honest. finger print and iris scanner. since Windows Hello supports finger print scanners. But I know they want to move towards iris scanning as a whole. And if they offered FP scanning then people would use it instead of the iris scanning and there would be no "progress". but I think MS in their effort to push boundaries don't always realize that people aren't always ready for that.. and since apple isn't doing it..can't be good! (that's sarcasm for those who couldn't tell..)

 

[Muessig]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

Well no matter what MS does it will be bad...

Loving the positivity :wink:

 

[narv]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

Loving the positivity :wink:

hah! I was talking more from a "how the tech media will view it" from the post I was replying to.. I am a HUGE MS fan haha

 

[MikeSo]

I went and checked it out today at the Microsoft Store. Incredibly nice device. Even though it's 0.7" bigger screen than my Icon, it didn't feel much bigger. It's thinner than the Icon and maybe because it's bigger but not heavier it feels easier in the hand. I have small hands but had no issue operating it one-handed. Display looked fantastic, as did the fit and finish of the device in general.

It was smooth as butter and fast, opened the few apps I tried (Office, browser, settings, camera) instantly. Not sure if the x546 build of W10M is responsible for some of that or if it's all on the hardware, but it was plenty fast.

I pre-ordered a white one. Not sure if I'll actually buy it - the viability of the ecosystem and lack of apps is still an issue. But I probably will, and figured I'd add a pre-order so MS can at least gauge interest.

 

[feereless]

wait wait. someone put a verizon sim in? which sim slot? there are two
maybe one is dedicated towards cdma towers and the other gsm towers?? they did say it had two radios...

 

[o4komodo]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

The sales rep showed me how to take the back off using the USB charger slot and applying pressure there. Seems pretty easy to get off and put back on.

I would have assumed you used that little slit at the bottom left (probably where one of the mics are)

No you can't customize it. If you look close at the demo that WinCentral posted on the 6th of the 950 XL when they pulled the action bar down it's the same.. that one stray icon in the top left corner.

Wow that's... pretty lame. I always assumed you could fully customize the action bar (in expanded mode). I hope they release an update where this is possible. That stray icon really is annoying.

 

[jvanlew]

After playing with it at my local Microsoft Store, I pre-ordered it. I'm actually returning my iPhone 6s Plus today (today is the last day of the 14 day return!) so I can get this 950 XL when it drops. I loved the way it felt. It is super light but even with the poly back, it felt very sturdy and the buttons felt rigid. The buttons actually felt identical to my Lumia 830 buttons.

It was running WinMo 10 Build 10546. I played with the camera and took some 4k and 1080p 60FPS videos and while the recording of the videos was a little laggy (probably beta camera software related), the playback was pristine for both. The girl I spoke to was pretty knowledgeable and even quoted Legere's tweet this AM about carrying the 950 line. She also said that they likely won't work on Verizon at this point in time. Things could obviously change before release but they don't have CDMA support. Take that for what it's worth

Coincidentally, I also pre-ordered two Band 2s for me and my wife.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Good feedback so far. How's the screen looking compared to the 1520? I know, completely different screen technologies and resolutions and even sizes but the 1520 has the best screen ever put in a Windows Phone.
And is there any creaking with the back?
How do the curved corners feel?
And does the screen feel nice under hand?

 

[ttsoldier]

These phones remind me of the 535... Looks cheap.

No Microsoft store where I am.. Hope it has a premium feel...

In this video... I find the OS looks very sluggish when he is navigating through the photos, pressing back etc. There is one part of the video where there is a super long delay after he presses the back button. Hopefully when the OS RTMS it will be a lot smoother.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pPMYFOy3No

 

[narv]

Good feedback so far. How's the screen looking compared to the 1520? I know, completely different screen technologies and resolutions and even sizes but the 1520 has the best screen ever put in a Windows Phone.
And is there any creaking with the back?
How do the curved corners feel?
And does the screen feel nice under hand?

I can't comment to the comparison to the 1520, but I picked up the 640XL that was sitting next to it and it was a clearer picture. I assume it would be clearer since it has a higher resolution. WinCentral did a comparison at: How does the new Microsoft Lumia 950XL compare to the Lumia 1520 | Windows Central

I didn't really press on it or anything to see for sounds but the back fits pretty solid on there and flush with the phone. The phone felt great in the hand and the screen did as well, much better than my 920 does (which has a slight "rub against glass" feeling). It just overall felt and worked smoothly.

 

[Sedp23]

I'm going to try to go to the Microsoft store here in Chicago and see if they have it at the Oak brook store maybe tomorrow

 

[TexasLabRat]

Re: My Experience with the 950 XL

The Iris Scan looks promising. It's funny (and perhaps indicative of bias?) to see some of the commentary in the tech press about the Iris Scan, basically speculating that it won't work or that you'll have to somehow boggle your eyes or place the phone right up to your eye socket. . . . And when the speculation is corrected, they suggest that if it takes more than a blink it will be an affront and entirely unworkable. It seems to me that the Iris Scan is potentially less cumbersome than a finger print scan. Is it as secure? Can you simply turn it off? I like Windows Hello a lot, but I've survived without it so far. I think the resistance to the idea of an Iris Scan is sometimes part of the overall bias against MS. You have people actually arguing that having to look at the screen is somehow awkward or burdensome, when it is instead the very thing you would and will be doing anyway when you pick up your handheld.

Everyone's just waiting for Apple to "invent" it.

 

[worldspy99]

I am going to the Store down in Woodland Hills tonight and will report back tomorrow

 

[bo_woods]

I also was able to get my hands on a 950 XL.... I likeit aesthetically much more than my 1520.. Not only does it look better IMHO, but some design elements of the 950 are actually logically better.

• Flat Display (screen protectors can go edge to edge now)
  
• Rounded Corners (More comfortable and ergonomic in hand)
  
• Smaller Bezels (believe it or not the bottom and side bezels are actually very small)
  
• Removable Back Shell (Looks Seamless and removes need for exposed sd/sim slots , Allows removable battery, and easily exchangeable shells for different colors and finishes. There are apparently even 3rd party backs that have an aluminum rim, which'll pretty much give it the style of a 930 or 830 for those ppl who loved polycarbonate to death when Nokia did it with the 1520 but all of a sudden say its not premium when MS does it)
  
• Speakers at the top mean my hand won't cover it up when I'm holding the device (I admit front facing speakers would be nicer, but I guess these devices are better off without them as ppl here would just ignore the grace of front facing speakers and instead direct hate at "the big bezels" due to them)