[Lumious]

The Lumia 650 is a phone that has quietly been in the background amid the sea of rectangular glowing slates of glass we call smart phones. I am an avid Windows Phone user with the 950 XL being my daily driver for the past 8 months. When i saw the price drop on Amazon for 650 for only $150 dollars i thought I would give it a try. My goal was to use it here and there as a work phone and drop the sim in as needed to keep my 950 XL pristine.

After one month of daily use i have to say this device has met and exceeded my expectations to a point where the 950 XL sits in drawer now. Spec wise the 950 XL blows this phone out of the water but I am going to list some points that show why the 650 is an ideal phone to use in form and function.

• The 650 is a super thin and light. At 122g it is by far the lightest phone i have ever held.
• The 5.7" display of the XL is nice but i find 5.0" to be the perfect size to reach anywhere on the screen without fumbling and manuerving the phone in my hand.
• Aluminum. The silky smooth aluminum side finish with chamfered edges makes it feel great in the hand and look premium too!
• The back cover can still be replaced to give the phone a different appeal with Mozo back covers.
• Tap To Pay is something that only the 950 and 950 XL can pull off in the Windows ecosystem and thankfully the 650 too.
• The MS logo on the back is in-set and wont chip off like the stickers on the 950/XL phones.
• Great battery life. Despite the low specd battery, whatever the combination of processor and resolution, this thing gets a lot better battery life than my XL.
• AMOLED screen like the 950 XL looks gorgeous and is really hard to tell the fact that it ONLY has an HD display (720P)
• And the best feature of all in my opinion is the white facing front screen. This is something that is usually looked over. The front of this phone is the ONLY Lumia that is white and it looks premium like an iPhone but even nicer!

If you are looking a different phones within the Windows 10 Mobile ecosystem i highly recommend the Lumia 650. It's performance, functionality, and looks at a very low price point make it the best bang for the buck available right now!

[ttsoldier]

The Lumia 650 is a phone that has quietly been in the background amid the sea of rectangular glowing slates of glass we call smart phones. I am an avid Windows Phone user with the 950 XL being my daily driver for the past 8 months. When i saw the price drop on Amazon for 650 for only $150 dollars i thought I would give it a try. My goal was to use it here and there as a work phone and drop the sim in as needed to keep my 950 XL pristine.

After one month of daily use i have to say this device has met and exceeded my expectations to a point where the 950 XL sits in drawer now. Spec wise the 950 XL blows this phone out of the water but I am going to list some points that show why the 650 is an ideal phone to use in form and function.

• The 650 is a super thin and light. At 122g it is by far the lightest phone i have ever held.
• The 5.7" display of the XL is nice but i find 5.0" to be the perfect size to reach anywhere on the screen without fumbling and manuerving the phone in my hand.
• Aluminum. The silky smooth aluminum side finish with chamfered edges makes it feel great in the hand and look premium too!
• The back cover can still be replaced to give the phone a different appeal with Mozo back covers.
• Tap To Pay is something that only the 950 and 950 XL can pull off in the Windows ecosystem and thankfully the 650 too.
• The MS logo on the back is in-set and wont chip off like the stickers on the 950/XL phones.
• Great battery life. Despite the low specd battery, whatever the combination of processor and resolution, this thing gets a lot better battery life than my XL.
• AMOLED screen like the 950 XL looks gorgeous and is really hard to tell the fact that it ONLY has an HD display (720P)
• And the best feature of all in my opinion is the white facing front screen. This is something that is usually looked over. The front of this phone is the ONLY Lumia that is white and it looks premium like an iPhone but even nicer!

If you are looking a different phones within the Windows 10 Mobile ecosystem i highly recommend the Lumia 650. It's performance, functionality, and looks a very low price point make it the best bang for the buck available right now!

Thanks for the detailed write up.

I have a 640 now and for $150.00 I am seriously considering getting the 650.

How is the performance on the AU? Smooth? A lot of "Resuming" and "loading" screens?

[patcherd]

Nice review of the 650. I agree 100%. It is by far the best looking of the Lumia's with the Microsoft name on it. Other than it's looks it is a worthy phone over the 640.

I have the 650 and 640 XL and from a side by side comparison for speed they are nearly tie,.... with the 640 only slightly faster overall.

The 650 holds it's own very well against the 640/XL in performance and speed and will get updated for longer as it just came out this year and the 640/XL is a year older.

There are several comparisons on metro tube of the 650 and 640/ XL for anyone considering one over the other.

Both the 650 and 640XL are fine devices and I will probably keep both until more devices arrive from other OEM's that are worthy upgrades to the Lumias. Let's hope so.

[romant56]

I got mine from Cricket for just over $100. I agree with everything stated here, but another great feature is that low price. I never worry about my phone, because even if it did break I could just buy another one or two or five and still be under the price of an iPhone.

Also, I switched to Cricket because Verizon stopped selling any new Windows phones. My monthly bill is now $35 for three gigs of data - which is all I need.

[Sedp23]

How heavily do u use your phone? The low specced battery is why I got the 640 XL over the 650

Sent from mTalk

[patcherd]

I watch videos on metro tube often so I will use the 640 more than my 650 because of the better battery in the XL. I am a pretty heavy user when I am not working, but I kind of flip flop between both phones. Thank the LORD JESUS I have the blessings that I do.

[Lumious]

How heavily do u use your phone? The low specced battery is why I got the 640 XL over the 650

Sent from mTalk

id say im on average user, nothing too crazy but not light either.

[Rich Edmonds]

I have to agree. I really like the Lumia 650. For the price, you get a truly decent handset.

[RSB54]

thanks for your feedback, but that just makes me more perturbed that the L650 is not available for ATT US (does not have proper LTE bands). I want this phone so bad as replacement for my 635 ):

[Jakoh]

• The 650 is a super thin and light. At 122g it is by far the lightest phone i have ever held.
• Great battery life. Despite the low specd battery, whatever the combination of processor and resolution, this thing gets a lot better battery life than my XL.
• AMOLED screen like the 950 XL looks gorgeous and is really hard to tell the fact that it ONLY has an HD display (720P)
• And the best feature of all in my opinion is the white facing front screen. This is something that is usually looked over. The front of this phone is the ONLY Lumia that is white and it looks premium like an iPhone but even nicer!

If you are looking a different phones within the Windows 10 Mobile ecosystem i highly recommend the Lumia 650. It's performance, functionality, and looks a very low price point make it the best bang for the buck available right now!

I highlighted what i would like in a phone:
Screen to weight ratio.
Battery life
camera
screen
and looks.

I wonder if 650 has the best "Screen to weight" ratio. Iphone 5 was lighter but it was only 4".
Is the camera as good as the 640xl?

[mhc48]

Agree completely. I wrote months ago that the 650 which I had bought as a backup to use for the summer on the water, had totally supplanted my much higher spec-ed 930.

[Krystianpants]

I do think the 650 definitely looks better than the 950 XL.

I did play around with one and I had issues with the following:

*Gaming performance was not great and I game a lot. Everything else was pretty decent, scrolling sometimes didn't appear that smooth. But that was before anniversary update.
*No continuum. I use this as my main day to day pc and have my pc dedicated to gaming.
*screen: size and resolution. While it may look nice I can tell the difference in resolution quite easily. Though most people who look at it without comparing won't be bothered. But if you compare you can pick the higher res one out easily and that makes it a noticeable difference. I think that 5.5+ screens should be 2560x1440 and 4.7-5.2 should be 1080p and anything under 720p. I think with Amoled you need to use the highest resolution to help with the pentile arrangement that causes white edges to show little colored pixels. I do notice this on lower resolution screens. It catches my eye at times in the right setting. Most people won't notice unless they really focus on it up close.

I think the phone got a bad rep because the specs/price combination. But honestly most phones go down in price after launch. I think MS has played around in the phone world a bit and now is taking a breather to get a premium brand right. Surface is a premium brand so they can't screw it up or they risk ruining the surface name. Even if it doesn't sell much as long as it is premium it will fit the brand.

[RumoredNow]

Is the camera as good as the 640xl?

On paper at least, I would say not. 640 XL gets more mega-pixels and Zeiss lens.

The 640 XL isn't in the mix, but maybe this shootout will help you decide: http://forums.windowscentral.com/dev...oto-g-3rd.html

[Alphie Kemzie]

Probably one of the best but not the best, features like wireless charging which was available for 820 and others , double tap to wake screen are some of the features that should have been present.
But apart from that, great phone compared to other competitors with the same hardware and price range.
Games run smoothly, compared to lumia 640 (I experienced some few lags) but with 650 they run very well even with high graphics in games like Asphalt 8.
It looks amazing, light and a great camera

[Eri Ferdyan Asyari]

How's the video output from 650? Is it any good?

[iJohnnyCash]

So many fans of mid series of lumia but Microsoft decide to stop it and maybe to have a flagship per one or two years (I mean the Surface Phone).

Mieh...
I don't want to buy a android phone .-
I love my L650 and loved my L1320.
I hate my second moto G...

[920Walker]

Leaving AT&T for Cricket was the best thing I ever did. I'm usually on WiFi and don't use my mobile as a hotspot so the drop from their LTE speed to Cricket's 8 MB/s was unnoticeable to me. I lost the baked in VVM initially with my old 920 on Cricket but got it back with the 650 and no more Resuming. Also, cut the monthly bill from $80 to $35. The build quality is perfect for the price but felt too thin in my hand so opted for a TPU case. Loving this device.

Pros:

• Battery lasts longer than 920
• Improved call quality on both ends
• Visual Voice Mail
• 16GB and SD card slot (better than 8GB on 640)
• WDRT and factory resets start at W10
• 5MP FFC
• No resuming, I'm not much of a gamer on mobile devices though
• Thin and light even with TPU case
• $130 at Cricket, Locked for 6 months, price has fluctuated to cheaper if switching from other carrier
• Deezer Premium for $6/month on Cricket
• OLED, deep blacks and Glance screen
• No partially eaten fruit logo on device

Cons:

• 720P Resolution, not very noticable unless phone is in your face
• No Double Tap to Wake or camera button
• Won't double as hand warmer in Winter like 920 does. Keeping the 920 for that, as it's still a wonderful device.

Another Pro, no duck face when taking selfies.

[breaker119]

Very glad I stumbled on this thread. My L925 just can't cut it anymore, and though I hate hate hate to give up my camera button I need to get a new phone to run Win10 and revert the 925 to 8.1 and put it back to other uses.

I will be buying a 640XL or 650. I'm very interested in the XL size as I've never had a phablet, and I plan to jump on Insider immediately with the 640XL. The negatives for 640 XL are that it's not native Win10 and the clock is slightly slower than 650. I'm interested in the 650 because of the price (950 and 950 XL are just too expensive) and that it's native Win10. The negatives for the 650 are mostly the camera - lower res, smaller sensor, and smaller aperture.

So forum - guide me. Which do I buy? 640XL or 650?

[RumoredNow]

650, enable DNG and post process special pics.
http://forums.windowscentral.com/gui...mia-phone.html

Probably a good all-around solution in 650 and you can squeeze out some more potential from the Camera. As things age, built for W10M makes more sense by the day.

Although 640 XL does have a lot of very ardent fans.

[AbhiWindows10]

L640XL is a good phone but the 650 betters it just because it's new ! That means support will be there for longer when compared with the XL.
Also many people have asked about the camera. The camera in the 650 (both front and back) are actually great !! The software post processing brings out really beautiful and clear pictures and not to forget, the camera is FAST.
You can easily shoot 10-12 pics on the Anniversary Update before the app says 'saving...' and doesnt allow more shooting, which is great !

Video - 'Just' 720p isn't a good way to market this beaut. The videos are again really good ! It's clear enough to view even on a 1080p display.

Originally posted by RumoredNow
650, enable DNG and post process special pics.
http://forums.windowscentral.com/gui...mia-phone.html

Probably a good all-around solution in 650 and you can squeeze out some more potential from the Camera. As things age, built for W10M makes more sense by the day.

Although 640 XL does have a lot of very ardent fans.

[AbhiWindows10]

Performance is definitely so much better than with TH builds.
Very rare loading screens (mostly only with WP8/8.1 apps though.
A great phone overall.

And one thing people don't mention is that the flashlight in all x50 phones comes on INSTANTLY compared to older Lumia's.

Originally posted by ttsoldier

Originally Posted by Lumious
The Lumia 650 is a phone that has quietly been in the background amid the sea of rectangular glowing slates of glass we call smart phones. I am an avid Windows Phone user with the 950 XL being my daily driver for the past 8 months. When i saw the price drop on Amazon for 650 for only $150 dollars i thought I would give it a try. My goal was to use it here and there as a work phone and drop the sim in as needed to keep my 950 XL pristine.

After one month of daily use i have to say this device has met and exceeded my expectations to a point where the 950 XL sits in drawer now. Spec wise the 950 XL blows this phone out of the water but I am going to list some points that show why the 650 is an ideal phone to use in form and function.

* The 650 is a super thin and light. At 122g it is by far the lightest phone i have ever held.
* The 5.7" display of the XL is nice but i find 5.0" to be the perfect size to reach anywhere on the screen without fumbling and manuerving the phone in my hand.
* Aluminum. The silky smooth aluminum side finish with chamfered edges makes it feel great in the hand and look premium too!
* The back cover can still be replaced to give the phone a different appeal with Mozo back covers.
* Tap To Pay is something that only the 950 and 950 XL can pull off in the Windows ecosystem and thankfully the 650 too.
* The MS logo on the back is in-set and wont chip off like the stickers on the 950/XL phones.
* Great battery life. Despite the low specd battery, whatever the combination of processor and resolution, this thing gets a lot better battery life than my XL.
* AMOLED screen like the 950 XL looks gorgeous and is really hard to tell the fact that it ONLY has an HD display (720P)
* And the best feature of all in my opinion is the white facing front screen. This is something that is usually looked over. The front of this phone is the ONLY Lumia that is white and it looks premium like an iPhone but even nicer!


If you are looking a different phones within the Windows 10 Mobile ecosystem i highly recommend the Lumia 650. It's performance, functionality, and looks a very low price point make it the best bang for the buck available right now!

Thanks for the detailed write up.

I have a 640 now and for $150.00 I am seriously considering getting the 650.

How is the performance on the AU? Smooth? A lot of "Resuming" and "loading" screens?

[mhc48]

Maybe just a tad less my favorite phone, now that the latest Fast Ring build 14926 can't be installed on it. Hopefully that will be fixed soon.

[Timbre70]

Does it has blue light filter?

[ttsoldier]

Performance is definitely so much better than with TH builds.
Very rare loading screens (mostly only with WP8/8.1 apps though.
A great phone overall.

And one thing people don't mention is that the flashlight in all x50 phones comes on INSTANTLY compared to older Lumia's.

Saw a comparison video on youtube where the 640 started up faster than the 650.

How instant is instant? Maybe a RS thing?

[AbhiWindows10]

That was with a very old build on the L650 btw. :) Things have improved now.