Disappointing 950 review on Cnet!

[Jack Neill]

I dunno. I've been a WP fan since the beginning, but I really can't find fault with anything she said. I mean, she says she actually likes the phone but the ecosystem itself is just lagging so far behind that it's hard to recommend it.

- Boring but good hardware. Yup
- OS still has too many rough edges. Yup
- No payments system. Yup
- App gap. Yup

Could not have said it better

 

[btgusto]

I went to ATT today to see it and hold it. I literally had to look twice at it because I thought it was the 640. I took my 640 out and compared the phones. There is very little difference in the look and feel of the 640 and 950. Other than the ring around the camera and the speaker grill, I don't see much difference. Windows hello is the only reason I would get this phone. Continuum is not a incentive for me. BUT I would prefer keep using my 640 with insider builds until next year. Next year is make or break for me and windows phones. Surface phone designed by Panos??? We'll see. Judging by Panos kind of glossing over the phone at the last reveal I don't think MS wants this phone so why would I. Plus, to release a phone at the end of 2015 without a payment system is just foolish and borderline lazy. I mean, when you going to start competing in the phone market?

 

[runamuck83]

I went to ATT today to see it and hold it. I literally had to look twice at it because I thought it was the 640. I took my 640 out and compared the phones. There is very little difference in the look and feel of the 640 and 950. Other than the ring around the camera and the speaker grill, I don't see much difference. Windows hello is the only reason I would get this phone. Continuum is not a incentive for me. BUT I would prefer keep using my 640 with insider builds until next year. Next year is make or break for me and windows phones. Surface phone designed by Panos??? We'll see. Judging by Panos kind of glossing over the phone at the last reveal I don't think MS wants this phone so why would I. Plus, to release a phone at the end of 2015 without a payment system is just foolish and borderline lazy. I mean, when you going to start competing in the phone market?

A payment system isn't something you can just slap together ... Besides its not something most people are actually using yet

 

[Pusta1122]

A payment system isn't something you can just slap together ... Besides its not something most people are actually using yet

I agree, if you look at how many people are actually using Apple Pay and Android Pay more then once or as a main form of payment the numbers are not great. I would prefer for Microsoft to get it right instead of rushing to launch it.

Overall I have had the 950 for two days and have had no issues. I love the phone and really like the look. I usually place a cover on my phone so the plastic didn't bother me. Plus if Microsoft was to use metal I am sure people would just say they are copying Apple. The Iris scanner is working great and is pretty fast. I calibrated it a few different times and in different light levels till I found it works best for me. I hope when it comes out of Beta it will be a little faster??this is just my two cents.

 

[drmodify]

Hey it's their opinion fair enough I guess, if someone rated it a 4/10 then that means war

well 7 hour onscreen time, that is a wow for me, no android except Oneplus one or iOS have come that far..

oh yeah 5110 24 hours on screen time hehe

 

[Bradleykinz]

Hey it's their opinion fair enough I guess, if someone rated it a 4/10 then that means war

well 7 hour onscreen time, that is a wow for me, no android except Oneplus one or iOS have come that far..

oh yeah 5110 24 hours on screen time hehe

Wow!! Do you have most of the apps disabled to run the background to get that 7 hours or no?

 

[odin09]

To quote the summary paragraph of Daniel Rubino's review:

"However, its ho-hum design and meager app selection will keep switchers at bay leaving just enough to satisfy the die-hard Microsoft fans."

He doesn't like it. Moreover, he has the same criticisms of it that the other reviewers do. So yeah, I see a pattern.

This post is complete nonsense! Rubino does like the phone and is comfortable using it as a daily driver.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

This post is complete nonsense! Rubino does like the phone and is comfortable using it as a daily driver.

Rubino is also a die hard Windows man. Thing is, her review does state the facts. The app gap is still an issue and for a lot of people that is enough to make them jump straight on the nope train to **** that ville. Me however, I'm planning to buy the Lumia 950 (XL too big, went back to my 920 from my 930 and prefer that size), just getting a dual sim variant in the UK is proving to be a pain.

 

[Great deal]

lets be honest here...the 950 and XL are NOKIA technology, MS are clearing out the cupboard and no doubt numerous Microsoft phones are in different stages of development. Whenever the 'Surface Phone' is anounced it will have to be with a technology that makes people take notice (they really dont care about the success or failure of the 950, you could tell by the way Panos described them at with an off the shoulder remark at the announcement last) I believe MS have to release Surface Phone with something like a revolutionary new battery technology, that works and leaves others behind.

As for 950/XL - 7/10 is fair for what they are. OS is buggy, I wear glasses and if there are issues with recognition then it is 100% useless (can anyone with glasses confirm or deny 950 has issues) as for benchmarks, well im not surprised either, MS havnt gone all out (understandably) and the OS is not ready for prime time, the 950/XL is a public testbed to get the OS straightened out, were still 6 months to a year away from something we can all feel very very happy with, MS know that and certainly are committed and have the resources to eat up any loss between now and then. Windows 10 universal apps will also have been developed in that time frame so less of an app gap issue.

 

[Lawrence Schweitzer]

No issue with iris scanner while wearing glasses. It's fantastic in fact

 

[coradux]

Nokia technology with liquid cooling from Surface? This is nonsense. Also is nonsense to review a phone and taking away points for the OS. 1 point should be taken away because of the lack of the 3D Touch screen, maybe in GUI isn't that useful but I am playing Freeblade on my iPhone 6s and it's awesome, something truly ahead of all other phones. But it should take back one point for design because it feels great in the hand comparing with the iPhone which is slippery and feels too heavy for its dimensions or comparing with my Lumia 930 which because of the aluminum sasi sometimes heats very bad and it's uncomfortable to hold on the hand.

 

[rollindice]

I've also noticed slight similar talk from Yahoo's review http://news.yahoo.com/microsoft-lumia-950-review-the-future-of-214316372.html

 

[Prince Pusey]

I agree with cnet. Not because it have so much specs, it needs a functioning OS and varieties apps options. Only then will windows be truly respected by others.

 

[Hoekie]

Well, there are quit some positive reviews too? So?
I feel a lot are glass half full/empty reviews. Trying to make a postive or negative twist. In this case it's glass half empty. Any phone can get a glass half empty review. Including Android en i phones. Point is: you make up your own mind and not just believe reviews. Actually user experience is most important. I for one really see no flaws, so that makes a Lumia 950 a GREAT phone. I see a lot of flawes on Android and i phones.
Glass half full review: Surprise fan review: Lumia 950 | Microsoft Devices Blog

 

[Great deal]

Do you know how long it takes to make a mobile device, from design to delivery? Then look at how long it takes for a company to migrate to another company especially the size of Nokia. Do you know how long it takes to allign systems, processes, software, hardware, people from one to another? All the while NO development is happening from either party due to restrictive covenents and laws. You cant seriously expect the 950 to be a 100% Microsoft designed device can you? if you do think that is the case then you are mistaken.

Nokia technology with liquid cooling from Surface? This is nonsense. Also is nonsense to review a phone and taking away points for the OS. 1 point should be taken away because of the lack of the 3D Touch screen, maybe in GUI isn't that useful but I am playing Freeblade on my iPhone 6s and it's awesome, something truly ahead of all other phones. But it should take back one point for design because it feels great in the hand comparing with the iPhone which is slippery and feels too heavy for its dimensions or comparing with my Lumia 930 which because of the aluminum sasi sometimes heats very bad and it's uncomfortable to hold on the hand.

 

[Matt Bee]

Anyone who think this device is awesome is hallucinating !!

 

[LumiaWorld]

MS should've used the McLaren design for these phones. That is also a Nokia design, right? Even though they cannot push the 3D Touch feature on that thing, I'm pretty sure they can still use its design. I really can't understand why MS chose such designs for the 950 and 950 XL. Are they purposely destroying their mobile business? LOL

 

[Keith Wallace]

"Google Android lover review a Windows phone is beyond me"

Because nothing needs to be reviewed from the blinders of a fan bias. If they had a WP fan review it and give it a 9, would that be acceptable? No, because that's a pro-MS bias muddying the waters of objectivity just the same. That's why I was so pleased with the Windows Central review, Daniel repeatedly attacked things both as a WP fan and a general consumer, and I think he nailed both perspectives.

Still, CNet's not a great site for objectivity or intelligent journalism in the first place. 7/10 isn't bad, and it's probably what the 950 deserves. It might be a well-written article, but I honestly don't care. I know the reality of these phones better than the writer, no question, and the folks I know who would consider this phone will ask me, not CNet, so this review affects me in no way.

 

[Krystianpants]

I went to ATT today to see it and hold it. I literally had to look twice at it because I thought it was the 640. I took my 640 out and compared the phones. There is very little difference in the look and feel of the 640 and 950. Other than the ring around the camera and the speaker grill, I don't see much difference. Windows hello is the only reason I would get this phone. Continuum is not a incentive for me. BUT I would prefer keep using my 640 with insider builds until next year. Next year is make or break for me and windows phones. Surface phone designed by Panos??? We'll see. Judging by Panos kind of glossing over the phone at the last reveal I don't think MS wants this phone so why would I. Plus, to release a phone at the end of 2015 without a payment system is just foolish and borderline lazy. I mean, when you going to start competing in the phone market?

An article did a break down of time spent on everything and me they actually spent quite a lot of time on the phone during the event. People just failed to see that.

 

[Krystianpants]

And please stop talking about surface phone. It's confirmed it will be a lower spec business phone and new Lumias will come as flagships. They will have the snapdragon 820. No one knows what the business phone will be like. My guess is it will tie in heavily with enterprise windows and offer insane security.