Lumia 950 vs Lumia 950XL

[phelme]

I'm getting the 950. Although the XL looks amazing, I don't think it will stay as cool as people think.

just an FYI, based on Michael Fisher's comments on yesterday's Pocketnow podcast, none of the 808 phones he's been using feel any less cool than the 810's. Not sure if he's had any shutdowns due to heat though.

podcast

(around 37:15, where he starts talking about 950's battery life)

I may just cool my jets for a while and wait for the 950 to fall under $500 and for early kinks to be worked out.

 

[ShinraCorp]

It's probably because this is the revision Snapdragon 810 instead of the original that overheats by itself... but hey I'm guessing that's why they're doing a "liquid cooling" system anyway.

 

[Musicman247]

I am one of those brick and mortar people that have to touch it before I buy it. It sounds like the MS Stores will have the XL while AT&T will only have the 950. So the question is where can I go to touch and fondle these phones at the same time?

The Microsoft Store will have both this coming Thursday. Or Friday if your store isn't open on Thanksgiving.

 

[Captpt]

I may just cool my jets for a while and wait for the 950 to fall under $500 and for early kinks to be worked out.

I checked out the 950 today at my AT&T store and they had it listed for $598??? I thought it was suppose to be $549?
Have to say I liked the 950, it was fast, smooth, responsive, camera loaded from sleep to shoot in less then 2 seconds hitting the camera button and liked the changes made from WP 8.1. Didn't realize Edge was going to be the only browser, thought they'd have IE too like Windows 10 on my SP3..
Of course AT&T showed it it's typical love, there were no big announcement displays for it, a white one was stuck on the wall in the middle of a bunch of Android phones and to add insult to injury it was stuck in some kind of "loading" loop, I asked the Sales Rep about it and he just scratched his head and said we have another over next to the Surface Pro tablet which was a black one and the one I played with.. When he came over he asked me if I liked it and if I wanted one I said I did but wanted a XL and asked him when will they be getting the XL, he tried to look it up on his iPad and finally said they have no idea but he'd guess next year BUT he did say it should be much better then the 950 because the 950 is pretty much just a "basic" phone where the XL will have all the bells and whistles... Ummm on that note I left lol...

 

[StevoPhilo]

I checked out the 950 today at my AT&T store and they had it listed for $598??? I thought it was suppose to be $549?
Have to say I liked the 950, it was fast, smooth, responsive, camera loaded from sleep to shoot in less then 2 seconds hitting the camera button and liked the changes made from WP 8.1. Didn't realize Edge was going to be the only browser, thought they'd have IE too like Windows 10 on my SP3..
Of course AT&T showed it it's typical love, there were no big announcement displays for it, a white one was stuck on the wall in the middle of a bunch of Android phones and to add insult to injury it was stuck in some kind of "loading" loop, I asked the Sales Rep about it and he just scratched his head and said we have another over next to the Surface Pro tablet which was a black one and the one I played with.. When he came over he asked me if I liked it and if I wanted one I said I did but wanted a XL and asked him when will they be getting the XL, he tried to look it up on his iPad and finally said they have no idea but he'd guess next year BUT he did say it should be much better then the 950 because the 950 is pretty much just a "basic" phone where the XL will have all the bells and whistles... Ummm on that note I left lol...

I don't get why he didn't try to convince you to get the 950. He probably didn't know much to bother so he just said YEA XL bells and whistles!!!!

I wouldn't want to do this to the ATT employee, but I would've put him on spot and asked him, "Oh yeah? Like what?"
He may decide to be a bit more honest from that point on.

 

[Ed Boland]

you make some great points but I could have sworn wifi/HD calling was something that is turned on the back in on your account by ATT at least that is what they did on my account, I have been using a Nexus 6p which is unlocked and not carrier branded and the wifi/HD calling is there in the settings so I think this is a feature they add to the account once it is there as long as the phone can do it you would get it. If the 950 has this ability the XL will too.

You're correct, though WiFi calling and AT&T's "HD voice" are two different things. They both are features that have to be enabled on the carrier end.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I checked out the 950 today at my AT&T store and they had it listed for $598??? I thought it was suppose to be $549?

$549 is for the unlocked version from Microsoft. But it costs money to add bloatware, set up internal processes to delay updates, deny premature unlock requests, etc.. You didn't think they would give you all that for free did you? LoL

Actually I think its just gouging WP enthusiasts. MS has said these phones are for the loyal enthusiasts. Loyal enthusiasts is coincidentally marketing speak for "not price conscious". Add in that they are the only carrier to sell them and they know there are lots of people who live beyond their means and have to make payments or don't even know you can get phones anywhere but your carrier. Perfect storm for overcharging. I kind of wish I had more AT&T stock.

 

[david90531]

Around the corner is like a month away. The surface phone (which nobody has any real definitive proof of) is no where close to being released that soon. And if the 950 sales flop, it definitely won't be released. MS has provided a flagship finally, don't throw that away for a possible prototype mystery device that is assumed to be coming out relatively soon. Not getting onboard with the 950s is a sure fire way of guaranteeing we don't see a surface phone ever.

Amen to that. I thought about waiting for a Surface Phone but I've waited 3 years for this and 950 XL is a rock solid beast phone so I'll take it!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Amen to that. I thought about waiting for a Surface Phone but I've waited 3 years for this and 950 XL is a rock solid beast phone so I'll take it!

Don't worry. Surface phones aren't keeping almost anyone from buying a 950.

Its like on the bike scene. I complained bitterly for years that I wasn't going to replace my early '70s vintage Sears 106cc because I was waiting for Honda to sell a MotoGP bike for the street.

Then when Honda announced the $200k RC213V-S, I panicked......... until I realized I could tell people I heard there was going to be an even better one next year and I had to wait for that. Whew!! Close one!!!

Same thing with the Surface phones.

 

[Robert Hall2]

I am going for the XL. I am not due for an upgrade from EE until June with my 930. My wife would never have agree to me getting this phone until then. But as luck would have it, she dropped my beloved 930 and the lower screen cracked and killed the phone. Now out of guilt she has agreed to let me pay for an early upgrade and get the phone I have been longing for. Now I just have to wait until December 8th to get it. Having to use my crappy galaxy work phone until then.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[coolbreeze78]

I checked out the 950 today at my AT&T store and they had it listed for $598??? I thought it was suppose to be $549?

Yeah, it's a racket. I asked the AT&T guys straight up (yesterday) WHY the same phone is $50 more at AT&T. They said the prices are the same. Promptly corrected them, they just stared at me.

Nope, walked out. It's corporate mongering at it's best.

 

[phelme]

I'm getting the 950. Although the XL looks amazing, I don't think it will stay as cool as people think.

you might want to look at the 950 threads, as it's no cucumber either (as in, "cool as a...." oh never mind :winktongue.

 

[easyejl]

I'm still having a tossup on this. Have a 1020 right now, so either is a bunch bigger. But I've had true monsters before, including the first windows phone the G1000 pic included for comedy. I don't plan to use the continuum dock either, so it coming free with the XL isn't a benefit. I'm sort of leaning 950 (unlocked from MS even though i'm an AT&T subscriber), as the extra battery of the XL is going to get eaten up by the non-useful extra cores in its processor, so that part is a wash. Seems like the only real world difference is the screen size and the 1020's screen has been fine for me.

Anything I'm missing?

 

[WoodyPWX]

Bigger form factor usually means better heat dissipation and lower chance to cover antennas. The 950xl also have FM radio, Gorilla Glass 4 instead of 3, different button layout and better design imho

 

[Nazir Taib]

I have the same dilemma. In Malaysia both phone come bundle with display dock and 32gb micro SD card class 10. Is it worth to cash more to get Lumia 950xl or 950 is already enough.