Got myself the 650, should I get the 950?

[Robindjuret]

I decided to finally try out "Windows Phone" after several years of eyeing the platform. I had decided to buy a Windows phone once the 930 was released. It seemed like it was gonna be the WP flagship everyone was waiting for. When it arrived it received horrible reviews and I, at the last moment, decided to stick to Iphone. Then the long wait for the 950 began. Was this gonna be the device that would finally get me to switch from iPhone (which I had been using since the 3GS)? Well, the reviews for this phone were also horrible. Should I really risk wasting the money on this device? Months of ambivalence ensued, and then all of a sudden the 650 was released. This seemed like the perfect compromise. A cheap phone that I could buy and evaluate the platform. So I did and here are my thoughts:

TLDR

I actually have no problem with the so called app gap. What annoys me most when coming from iOS are the little things. Like not being able to tap the top screen to immediately scroll right back up. Swiping gestures to go back and forth. Fast access to music controls through the Control Center. All these things are probably gonna be added to the WP10 in due time. However, there is one thing that worries me. But I'm not sure if this has to do with the hardware. That's why I'm here is this forum. So here goes; When I navigate the 650 and switch between apps it takes so long for it "resume" apps. It drives me crazy coming from the Iphone 5S. it's not just the slowness of starting apps. It is also the lag when swiping. On the iPhone it feels like the screen is glued to your finger with 0 ms lag. On the 650 there is like a little lag all the time. Is this just due to the slow processessor of the 650? Would all these problems go away if I bought the 950?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Joedels]

Well the 950 does perform better and you would have less loading screens, but I'm not sure it will ever be as smooth as an iPhone. Though I don't own the device myself, I've tested it in a few shops.

 

[Timbre70]

This is the characteristics of windows phone. Even on high end devices like 1520, you get this character (flaw) too.

Same thing with their pc.

 

[Zulfigar]

I have a 950 XL and I actually don't remember the last time I saw the "Resuming..." screen.

By the way, about media controls, there's two ways of getting them. If the screen is off, press one of the volume buttons and they'll be at the top. If the screen is off, turn it back on and, again, they'll be at the top. I'm not sure if Microsoft will change this or not, honestly. About swiping back and forth, if you're talking about the browser, it's in the Redstone builds, will be available for everyone else in July. Then the top of the screen to scroll back up, yeah, that isn't there, but can always put in feedback in the Feedback Hub.

 

[realwarder]

I have a 950 XL and never see resuming. Got it all the time on my 830 but the 950 has enough RAM to make it entirely go away.

Have to say the 950 makes Windows 10 feel like it is clearly meant to feel - smooth and fast. Much more refined.

 

[humzahyaz]

The music controls are always there when you press the volume up or down button and with the anniversary update they will be on your lock screen as well.

I had the Lumia 620 and Temple Run would take forever to load. I would compare it with iPhone and think whether WP platform considerably lags behind. However, with the 950 it takes within a second for the game to load. That's been the bane of WP platform. People buy budget phones and compare it with high-end iPhones and Android phones. Honestly, I have used Android and iOS (vicariously), and I feel so glad every day to use the Windows platform. The one year that I was without WP, I was miserable and couldn't wait for Lumia 950 to be released to go back to WP (my job had imposed a Samsung Galaxy on me and I dearly missed WP).

 

[anthonyng]

I get resuming on my 950XL, not on fresh boot mind you...... I seem to get it when I just leave everything open and some apps I use aren't well optimized and seem to cause some grief. Like they are in background and listed in the apps running list or something.

The apps that seem to cause me a little bit of annoyance are whatsapp, Edge (with lots of tabs opened up), IM+ .... but really depends how much I'm actually on them.

If I actually close them out, it seems to be a lot better.... it doesn't affect their notification performance either.

 

[neodk]

I do not believe the 950 is worth it at this point. The 650 is a low cost of entry model that provides end users with a relatively painless way of examining the Windows 10 platform. What it lacks in specs it tries to make up in looks and economy. If you just need a device that handles PIM, browses the web, snaps photos, sends texts and makes/receives phone calls this would be a reasonable device for many. If you stick with Microsoft applications, you will arguably have a better end to end experience than when you install third-party programs.

I had a 650 for about two days before I noticed scratches on the camera lens which led me to worry about the integrity of the device. Upon further inspection I noticed more damage that made me decide to get rid of the phone and go to a 640 XL. The one feature I returned for, the better camera, isn't as good as I remembered it. But now I'm stuck with the 640 XL for a year, maybe longer. Don't ask, it's a long story.

 

[Timbre70]

That is the problem when they try to create a thin profile phone. The cam protrudes. And here's the scratches. I love how they put the cam on 920.

 

[neodk]

That is the problem when they try to create a thin profile phone. The cam protrudes. And here's the scratches. I love how they put the cam on 920.

Yes but the camera protrudes on other devices and is far less fragile. Nonetheless, it's a $200 device. I can't complain ​too much.

 

[Timbre70]

Yes but the camera protrudes on other devices and is far less fragile. Nonetheless, it's a $200 device. I can't complain ​too much.

Yes, my 535 lens scratched too. But not 920.

 

[Orlando Parkinson]

Dude... Stick to the iphone

Posted from Windows Central's Universal App, Windows 10 (Lumia 650)