It’s time to get back to the Microsoft mobile OS and see how it’s been doing since we last left it. It’s been over a year since we last reviewed a Windows Phone device and this time we’re checking in with a Windows 10 Mobile unit. This model is the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL and it’s priced at around $459. We’re also playing with a Display Dock Continuum accessory, up for sale on the Microsoft Store for $99.
The Lumia 950 XL was launched last fall with the Lumia 950 and comes inside a big and flat box, that only includes the charger (with USB Type C cable), a separate USB Type C cable and a manual. No trace of headphones. The dock has the exact same accessories and it’s a big heavier than expected, at 230 grams. Meanwhile, the phone is a bit more compact than I would have predicted, at 165 grams.
It measures 8.1 mm in thickness and packs a 5.7 inch Quad HD AMOLED screen, plus a Snapdragon 810 CPU and 3 GB of RAM. There’s also 32 GB of storage here, a 3340 mAh battery and a main 20 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss and Pureview optics. One of the standout points of the camera is the triple LED flash, while the selfies are taken care of by a 5 MP shooter.
Lumia 950 XL also offers extra security, courtesy of an iris scanner, while at the bottom we find an USB Type C port. Since this phone runs Windows 10 Mobile with Continuum, we also have the Display Dock for testing. Courtesy of this accessory, we can turn the phone and a monitor and keyboard into a fully functional PC, also with mouse in tow.
You can work on full screen versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Word and the dock brings two USB Type C ports, a HDMI port, DisplayPort, two USB 2.0 ports and an USB 2.0 with high current. We look forward to testing it, as well as the high end camera on the device. You can find an updated price here in the meantime.
