I'm interested in updating my HTC 8X with a new Windows Phone. I'm based in Canada, so the Microsoft Store has a few options available to me. The two I'm most interested in upgrading to are the Blu Win HD LTE, and the new Lumia 650.
Both the phones are $200 unlocked and dual-SIM, but there are several differences between them that have made my decision difficult.
To start with, the Blu Win HD LTE has several differences from the Lumia, some appealing, and some not. It has a Snapdragon 410 processor, presumably a bump up from the Snapdragon 212, a bigger 2500mAh battery than the Lumia's 2000mAh, the rear-shooter can take 1080p, while the 650 maxes out at 720p, 1GB RAM, and microSD storage. It also has a much more vibrant design than its more staid competition: it seems to be thinner, has a much more grippable shape, and comes in several fetching colours, including a Microsoft Store-exclusive shade of bright blue (I'd prefer to get it in orange, but that colour's not available). The phone also comes with much more in the box: a silicone case, a screen protector, some not-crap looking earbuds, and other such goodies.
However, then there's the Lumia 650. It has 16GB of built-in storage, as opposed to the Blu's 8GB, its battery is removable, unlike the Blu's, its OLED display is bound to be much better than the Blu's cheaper IPS, NFC, and supposedly, its microSD slot can accept a much higher capacity card than the Blu. It also has greater LTE compatibility, able to understand Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8, as opposed to the Blu's 4, 7 and 12. And even though its design is more conservative, it is a much handsomer phone, with its aluminum trim, soft-touch back, and rounded rectangle shape. It's also apparently lighter, and even though it looks thicker, it's actually thinner. And even though all that's in the box for it is a charger and USB cord, the phone's going to have all the Lumia software treats Microsoft keeps to themselves, such as Glance.
On my HTC 8X, it was mostly used for day-to-day tasks, like web browsing, checking my bank, a little bit of Skype and messaging, and so on. I gamed on it a little bit, but nothing particularly intensive, so the anemic processor might not be a problem. I'm also looking forward to bumping up to Windows 10, with its Universal apps and better OS integration. I just hope that some of my choice Windows Phone 8.1 apps, like my banking app, still work.
So, to sum: the Blu Win HD LTE has a slightly beefier processor and other specs, and potentially better value, but the 650 has greater compatibility and hardware design. There's also the question of future-proofing: considering how randomly Microsoft drops support for third-party phones, the Lumia 650 might have a better time keeping up with updates than the Blu (though I don't know how much they'll tax that processor). I'm also not entirely certain there's such a vast difference between the Snapdragon 410 and 212, because even though the former is a bigger number, it's also a year older. It might not be a simple matter of numbers here.
Though these phones are my frontrunners, there's some other phones I'm mildly considering. The Lumia 550 seems like a curious companion to the 650: it mostly just seems to be the 650 with most of its specs cut in half (8GB, 5MP rear camera, Snapdragon 210 instead of 212), I'm frankly not sure why it was made. It's also only $10 cheaper, so I'm not considering it that strongly.
However, over on Amazon, the Blu Life XL is available for $189, and has many of the same features as the Win HD LTE, including Snapdragon 410 processor, similar screen size and resolution, dual-SIM, the same extras I get with the Win HD LTE, and so forth. But in other ways, it has a leg-up on both the Windows Phones I'm considering: 2GB RAM, 13MP rear camera, LTE 2/4/7/12/17, removable battery, and so on. Further up the range is the Life One X, with an octa-core processor, 1080p screen, Gorilla Glass, and other niceties, still within my $200 budget.
But, these phones are all running Android 5.1. I've been burned by Android a lot in the past, and even with 2GB RAM and octa-core processors, I can't expect these phones to have the same buttery-smooth performance I've had on Windows Phone. These phones are luring me towards them with a siren song of beefy specs and good looks, but I could easily get trapped in their stuttering, clunky ecosystem that might ditch me on upgrades faster than I can say "Marshmallow". Not an appealing prospect.
Anyway, in short: which is the better option, the Blu Win HD LTE, or the Microsoft Lumia 650? What could I expect from either option?
Both the phones are $200 unlocked and dual-SIM, but there are several differences between them that have made my decision difficult.
To start with, the Blu Win HD LTE has several differences from the Lumia, some appealing, and some not. It has a Snapdragon 410 processor, presumably a bump up from the Snapdragon 212, a bigger 2500mAh battery than the Lumia's 2000mAh, the rear-shooter can take 1080p, while the 650 maxes out at 720p, 1GB RAM, and microSD storage. It also has a much more vibrant design than its more staid competition: it seems to be thinner, has a much more grippable shape, and comes in several fetching colours, including a Microsoft Store-exclusive shade of bright blue (I'd prefer to get it in orange, but that colour's not available). The phone also comes with much more in the box: a silicone case, a screen protector, some not-crap looking earbuds, and other such goodies.
However, then there's the Lumia 650. It has 16GB of built-in storage, as opposed to the Blu's 8GB, its battery is removable, unlike the Blu's, its OLED display is bound to be much better than the Blu's cheaper IPS, NFC, and supposedly, its microSD slot can accept a much higher capacity card than the Blu. It also has greater LTE compatibility, able to understand Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8, as opposed to the Blu's 4, 7 and 12. And even though its design is more conservative, it is a much handsomer phone, with its aluminum trim, soft-touch back, and rounded rectangle shape. It's also apparently lighter, and even though it looks thicker, it's actually thinner. And even though all that's in the box for it is a charger and USB cord, the phone's going to have all the Lumia software treats Microsoft keeps to themselves, such as Glance.
On my HTC 8X, it was mostly used for day-to-day tasks, like web browsing, checking my bank, a little bit of Skype and messaging, and so on. I gamed on it a little bit, but nothing particularly intensive, so the anemic processor might not be a problem. I'm also looking forward to bumping up to Windows 10, with its Universal apps and better OS integration. I just hope that some of my choice Windows Phone 8.1 apps, like my banking app, still work.
So, to sum: the Blu Win HD LTE has a slightly beefier processor and other specs, and potentially better value, but the 650 has greater compatibility and hardware design. There's also the question of future-proofing: considering how randomly Microsoft drops support for third-party phones, the Lumia 650 might have a better time keeping up with updates than the Blu (though I don't know how much they'll tax that processor). I'm also not entirely certain there's such a vast difference between the Snapdragon 410 and 212, because even though the former is a bigger number, it's also a year older. It might not be a simple matter of numbers here.
Though these phones are my frontrunners, there's some other phones I'm mildly considering. The Lumia 550 seems like a curious companion to the 650: it mostly just seems to be the 650 with most of its specs cut in half (8GB, 5MP rear camera, Snapdragon 210 instead of 212), I'm frankly not sure why it was made. It's also only $10 cheaper, so I'm not considering it that strongly.
However, over on Amazon, the Blu Life XL is available for $189, and has many of the same features as the Win HD LTE, including Snapdragon 410 processor, similar screen size and resolution, dual-SIM, the same extras I get with the Win HD LTE, and so forth. But in other ways, it has a leg-up on both the Windows Phones I'm considering: 2GB RAM, 13MP rear camera, LTE 2/4/7/12/17, removable battery, and so on. Further up the range is the Life One X, with an octa-core processor, 1080p screen, Gorilla Glass, and other niceties, still within my $200 budget.
But, these phones are all running Android 5.1. I've been burned by Android a lot in the past, and even with 2GB RAM and octa-core processors, I can't expect these phones to have the same buttery-smooth performance I've had on Windows Phone. These phones are luring me towards them with a siren song of beefy specs and good looks, but I could easily get trapped in their stuttering, clunky ecosystem that might ditch me on upgrades faster than I can say "Marshmallow". Not an appealing prospect.
Anyway, in short: which is the better option, the Blu Win HD LTE, or the Microsoft Lumia 650? What could I expect from either option?
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