Microsoft Lumia 950

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Reviews for the Microsoft Lumia 950

70% Microsoft Lumia 950 review
Source: Techradar Archive.org version
The Lumia 950 proves that there's a lot going for Windows 10 Mobile, though also a lot of work to be done. Its best trick is that it blows up to desktop-like proportions with Continuum, but it sorely needs apps. Dedicated Microsoft fans and willing beta testers need apply.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 04/01/2016
Rating: Total score: 70%

80% Microsoft Lumia 950
Source: Gadgetspeak Archive.org version
While I have seen Windows Phones in the past the new Lumia 950 is the first for a while. In theory, as a Windows desktop user of various versions from 3.1 to 10, this should make me feel right at home after those initial problems we all face with a new phone.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/23/2016
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 80% performance: 80%

Testing: Microsoft Lumia 950 Smartphone
Source: Tested Archive.org version
The Lumia 950 is a good phone. It's technically better than any previous Lumia. I like it. But, I don't love it like my Lumia 930. That was a charming device with a wow factor, just like the Lumia 920 before it. The 950 on the other hand feels like a work in progress more than anything else. And of course, the app situation on Windows hasn't gotten much better.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 02/28/2016

60% The dawn of Windows 10 Mobile
Source: Pocket Lint Archive.org version
The Microsoft Lumia 950 doesn't feel like a glittering showcase of the future of Microsoft mobile devices. It's a poor cousin to the Surface, something that seems adequately conceived rather than brilliantly executed. Its strengths are that camera and the £419 asking price, but Windows needs to go Surface-style pro in the phone market to take on the burgeoning competition.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 02/16/2016
Rating: Total score: 60%

65% Microsoft Lumia 950 Phone Review
Source: T Break Archive.org version
The Lumia 950 is the first Windows 10 mobile device and it does a good job with the specs and the camera. But the design is uninspiring which, in today’s day and age, will turn many people off. Also, Windows 10 needs to be optimised more on the mobile, especially when working with third party apps. Universal apps is a good direction and might help close some of the app gap that the Windows platform suffers from but it might be a while before more apps are developed using this new standard. Lets hope Microsoft is ready with a truly flagship device when that starts to roll in.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/26/2016
Rating: Total score: 65% price: 70% performance: 65% features: 80% workmanship: 60%

60% Microsoft Lumia 950
Source: It Pro Archive.org version
The Microsoft Lumia 950 isn’t a bad phone, just a very average one. Both the software and hardware have lost much of the aesthetic distinctiveness that helped set Microsoft’ previous mobile efforts apart from the competition. Other aspects such as battery life and performance are nothing to shout about, while others, such as the camera, are spoiled by iffy software design.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 01/20/2016
Rating: Total score: 60%

77% The phone for Windows fans (and no one else) [UPDATE: Now with more XL!]
Source: Pocketnow Archive.org version
Outside that context, though, the Lumia 950 does very little to earn its $600 price tag. It bears some of the least aspirational industrial design we’ve seen this year, and it struggles with the very fundamentals of the smartphone experience, like shooting video and checking email (email!). When you realize you can get a Nexus 6P or last year’s iPhone for less, those shortcomings really start to stand out. As the Windows 10 ecosystem grows, we may eventually see a day where a Windows-powered smartphone has a place in pockets other than Microsoft’s devoted following. But today is not that day. The Lumia 950 is a smartphone for the fans. All others –for now– need not apply.
Comparison, online available, Long, Date: 12/22/2015
Rating: Total score: 77% features: 79%

60% Microsoft Lumia 950 review
Source: Gadgets Now Archive.org version
The Lumia 950 packs in some pretty cool features - not least that gorgeous screen and decent spec sheet - but it never quite feels as nice as a premium handset should. The plastic finish is in stark contrast to the asking price, and it feels some way away from the likes of Apple, Samsung and HTC on the quality front. As with previous Lumias, though, the biggest issue for lots of people is the Windows eco system. We love the fact it's easy to use and looks good, but with a lack of apps, variety or flexibility, it still feels like a backmarker when compared to the best phones.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 12/18/2015
Rating: Total score: 60%

60% All the joy of Windows 10 Mobile, for better or worse
Source: T3 Archive.org version
Upon first handling the Microsoft Lumia 950, we weren't really sold, and that comes from long-time Lumia admirers. However, after a while testing the device, things began to click. With a great camera and a lovely screen it is certainly very nice to use, even if it won't turn heads.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 12/17/2015
Rating: Total score: 60%

80% Microsoft Lumia 950 review
Source: V3.co.uk Archive.org version
The Lumia 950 has a gorgeous display, great camera and slick performance, but it's hard to overlook the lack of apps that continues to plague Microsoft's mobile operating system, and it will struggle to drag buyers away from Google and Apple.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 12/16/2015
Rating: Total score: 80%

Microsoft Lumia 550 review
Source: GSM Arena Archive.org version
The Microsoft Lumia 550 is a low-cost smartphone and it looks like one. There's little on the outside to suggest you're dealing with an important milestone in smartphone history such as Windows Mobile 10. So, no big story behind the Lumia 550 - just the next installment in Redmond's entry-level lineup. Great things ahead for the platform but the budget handsets will not get a piece of Continuum. Not right now anyway. But to be fair, this should not be held against a phone that genuinely tries to build on a proven formula and ticks the right boxes in terms of user experience and build quality, at a very competitive price.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 12/14/2015

Spearheading Windows 10 Mobile
Source: Hot Hardware Archive.org version
The Microsoft Lumia 950 is a very nice smartphone, though it is not without its faults. Performance during real-world usage scenarios is great. Windows 10 Mobile doesn’t require a ton of horsepower, so all animations are smooth and fluid, touch response is great, apps and web pages load quickly, and in general things feel snappy overall.
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/10/2015

70% Windows 10 for phones is here with Continuum and Universal Apps
Source: Tech Advisor Archive.org version
Windows 10 has arrived on smartphones and we're not exactly blown away. Loyal Windows and Windows Phone users will appreciate features like Universal Apps and while Continuum appears to be a real wow features, it requires a lot of extra equipment. The OS is buggy, too. The Lumia 950 itself offers some decent hardware, namely the screen, inside an uninspiring design. Unless you're set on the OS, there is a lot better on the market and for less money.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 12/07/2015
Rating: Total score: 70% price: 70% performance: 60% features: 80% workmanship: 70%

77% Microsoft Lumia 950 Review: the phone for Windows fans (and no one else)
Source: Pocketnow Archive.org version
It bears some of the least aspirational industrial design we’ve seen this year, and it struggles with the very fundamentals of the smartphone experience, like shooting video and checking email (email!). When you realize you can get a Nexus 6P or last year’s iPhone for less, those shortcomings really start to stand out. As the Windows 10 ecosystem grows, we may eventually see a day where a Windows-powered smartphone has a place in pockets other than Microsoft’s devoted following. But today is not that day. The Lumia 950 is a smartphone for the fans. All others –for now– need not apply.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 12/04/2015
Rating: Total score: 77%

60% Microsoft Lumia 950 review
Source: Trusted Reviews Archive.org version
I wanted to like the Lumia 950, and even Windows 10 Mobile, but even after spending a frustrating week with the handset, I can't quite figure out who it's for. Maybe I'd recommend it to someone still in possession of an older Windows 8.1 phone wanting something new, but even then I’d suggest trying something that runs iOS or Android instead. This isn’t a phone worthy of its £450 price, especially when you consider that the Nexus 6P comes in at the same price. It feels cheap, and Windows 10 Mobile brings with it far too many compromises. With the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S6 available for around £350, why would you plump for the Lumia 950?
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 12/03/2015
Rating: Total score: 60% price: 50% performance: 80% mobility: 70% ergonomy: 40%

A week with the Microsoft Lumia 950: Not yet ready for enterprise customers
Source: Zdnet.com Archive.org version
After I pulled the Lumia 950 XL from the box, I thought the hardware would be what most concerns me. It turns out I am satisfied with the hardware, even if it is a bit plain, while the software greatly concerns me. I've been running buggy early test versions of Windows 10 Mobile on my Nokia Lumia 830, which by the way is a device with excellent fit and finish, but figured Microsoft had things worked out with the shipping version of the software on these two new Lumia models. That doesn't seem to the case and I'm a bit worried about the core software performance at the moment. If Microsoft truly wants to compete for enterprise customers and satisfy its fans with the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, then it needs to jump on the core software gaps and work to make Windows 10 Mobile as fluid and stable as Windows Phone 7 and 8 were over the last few years.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 12/03/2015

Deep-dive review: Microsoft's Lumia 950 phone introduces mobile Windows 10
Source: Computerworld.com Archive.org version
Will the Lumia 950 will help Microsoft gain mobile market share? The answer is: Not likely. According to Gartner, Windows Phone captured only 1.7% of smartphones shipped in the third quarter of this year, and the analyst firm doesn't expect Windows 10 to change that. From a hardware perspective, the Lumia 950 is a decent phone that doesn't quite measure up against its more slickly designed competitors from the iOS and Android ecosystems. But no one will be buying this phone for its hardware. Instead, Microsoft is probably hoping that its new OS will be the big draw.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 12/03/2015

Microsoft Lumia 950 review
Source: GSM Arena Archive.org version
So far we've shared some overwhelmingly positive impressions with you throughout the review and indeed, we're quite happy with most aspects of the Lumia 950. It's got a clean and sturdy design, powerful hardware, a top-notch camera and the best mobile Windows OS yet. Windows Hello and Windows Continuum are also two unique features. Granted, it's not all sunshine and roses in the Lumia 950 garden. The camera app seems rather slow in taking snaps and saving them on the flash storage. There is also the issue with the questionable battery life. Windows Continuum, innovative as it is, also didn't turn out to be as groundbreaking as the initial presentations suggested.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 12/02/2015

60% Microsoft Lumia 950 review
Source: Stuff TV Archive.org version
The Microsoft Lumia 950 is among the first Windows 10 phones. And it proves that while the system has some neat parts, it just isn’t anywhere near as polished as Android Marshmallow or iOS 9. It’s clunkier, it’s buggier and the apps/games selection is, as ever, poor in comparison.Looks and build quality are also pretty disappointing for a fairly pricey flagship phone. I get the feeling the Nokia-era Lumia leaders would have done better. This is a phone that will get better with updates. But you need patience, and it affects real core elements like sharing photos and using the browser. Still, we can’t argue with the quality of the display or camera’s photos. Both are world-class.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 11/30/2015
Rating: Total score: 60%

70% Microsoft Lumia 950 Review: In Depth
Source: Recombu Archive.org version
There's a lot to like about the Microsoft Lumia 950. It's well built, offers a lot of freedom in the form of expandable storage and a removable battery and the operating system is familiar yet more capable. Not only that, the addition of Continuum paints a future where your smartphone becomes your computer, as opposed to an accompaniment. In a world that still predominantly uses Word, Excel and PowerPoint, that is a huge move ─ and one that makes Apple seem behind the times. But we can't help but feel the Lumia 950 is a stop-gap device before the unannounced 'Surface Phone' or something grander. It's relatively cheap for a flagship but the exterior design and materials reflect that, while Windows 10 needs some spit and polish to make it more stable and user-friendly. Get yourself a good SIM-free rolling contract and the Lumia 950 will prove to be one of the most affordable flagship experiences around, but those who take the plunge should expect to be patient while Microsoft irons out the creases.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/30/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%

68% Not a flagship, but a first step
Source: Engadget Archive.org version
The Lumia 950 is the first phone to run Windows 10 Mobile, a revamped software platform that aims to make Windows Phones do more than ever before. Both have promise -- the former with its great camera and super high-res screen, the latter with stand-out features like Continuum and Windows Hello.
Single Review, online available, Very Long, Date: 11/27/2015
Rating: Total score: 68%

60% Is Microsoft's first Windows 10 phone good enough?
Source: PC Pro Archive.org version
The Microsoft Lumia 950 is a tricky phone to pigeonhole. Because it’s a Windows smartphone and not Android or iOS based, it will appeal in different ways to different people, so I’m going to give it two verdicts here.My first set of conclusions is for all you Windows Phone fans. For those who’ve been waiting more than a year for Microsoft to finally release a flagship worthy of the name, the Lumia 950 will be manna from heaven. For everyone else, the Lumia 950 will be a mere passing curiosity, a handset that looks interesting but ultimately one that misses the mark in too many ways. That isn’t so much the fault of the limited app store any more, but rather the wider issue of smartphone accessories that won’t work with Windows 10 handsets. Things like fitness trackers, Bluetooth speakers, smartwatches, smart home automation gadgets: they’re increasing in number and, increasingly, being sold with only iOS and Android app support.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/26/2015
Rating: Total score: 60%

70% Microsoft Lumia 950 Review
Source: Phone Arena Archive.org version
Getting straight to the point, the Microsoft Lumia 950 isn’t a device that will convert hardened iOS or Android users to Windows 10 – more so considering the top-quality performances we see in other high-end smartphones. Rather, it’s a phone ideal for the Windows fan – you know, for those who are increasingly becoming weary of using older devices like the Lumia 930, 1520, or Icon. Essentially, it’s a bridge smartphone to help tide them over in the meantime, until something bigger, more ambitious comes to fruition. At the same time, the Lumia 950 could be a suitable device for those who are looking for a different experience or those who are just making the move to a smartphone.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/24/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%

70% Windows 10 Phone Meets PC
Source: Tom's Guide Archive.org version
The Lumia 950's design may not be anything to write home about, but the device itself proves that Windows phones are now better able to compete with devices powered by Android or iOS. The 950 performed just as capably as some of the leading flagships from Apple, Samsung and Google. It's the first handset to showcase Windows 10 on a phone, and does so admirably.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/20/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%

60% Microsoft Lumia 950 (AT&T)
Source: PC Mag Archive.org version
The Lumia 950 smartphone shows how Microsoft can integrate the mobile and desktop experience, but it also shows how the company is way behind iOS and Android in third-party support.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/20/2015
Rating: Total score: 60%

70% Continuum makes it the first flagship for Windows 10 Mobile
Source: PC World Archive.org version
The Lumia 950 is one of the first phones to combine Windows 10 Mobile, Windows Hello, and support for Continuum, along with the traditionally strong Lumia cameras.
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 11/20/2015
Rating: Total score: 70%

Foreign Reviews

89% Microsoft Lumia 950 Dual-SIM
Source: Computerbild - Heft 11/2016
Single Review, , Length Unknown, Date: 06/01/2016
Rating: Total score: 89%

87% Microsoft Lumia 950
Source: Stiftung Warentest - Heft 5/2016
Single Review, , Length Unknown, Date: 04/01/2016
Rating: Total score: 87%

Das Lumia 950 im März 2016
Source: PocketPC DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 03/20/2016

Microsoft Lumia 950 im Urlaub: Windows 10 Mobile im Intensiv-Test
Source: Teltarif DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 02/04/2016

80% Microsoft Lumia 950 Im Test
Source: Cyberbloc DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/19/2016
Rating: Total score: 80%

Microsoft Lumia 950
Source: Allround-PC.com DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/30/2015

91% Microsoft Lumia 950
Source: PC Welt DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/22/2015
Rating: Total score: 91% performance: 92% features: 95% display: 94% mobility: 80%

Lumia 950: Microsoft-Smartphone im 4K-Aufnahme-Test
Source: Mobicroco DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 12/18/2015

90% Microsoft Lumia 950
Source: Inside Handy DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/15/2015
Rating: Total score: 90%

89% Laptop im Hosentaschenformat
Source: Netzwelt DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/14/2015
Rating: Total score: 89% features: 100% mobility: 80% workmanship: 70%

Schau mir in die Augen
Source: Futurezone.at DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/07/2015

Das Windows 10-Smartphone
Source: Turn On DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 12/07/2015

Microsoft Lumia 950 & Lumia 950 XL
Source: PC Welt DE→EN Archive.org version
Comparison, online available, Medium, Date: 11/16/2015

Comment

Model: The Microsoft Lumia 950 is a powerful device with slightly more compact size than the Lumia 950XL. It runs Microsoft Windows 10 for a seemly transition from computer to smartphone. The design is also similar to its larger brother with similar build quality and color options with either black or white finishes. The 150 g smartphone comes with rounded edges and a textured back panel allowing for a comfortable grip. Display on the Microsoft Lumia 950 is a 5.2 inch AMOLED panel with 564 PPI, which produces stunning clarity and contrast also partly due to the ClearBlack technology. On-board is a Snapdragon 810 chip which combines a dual-core Cortex-A57 and a quad-core Cortex-A53.

Supporting hardware comes in the form of 3 GB of RAM, an Adreno 418 GPU and 32 GB internal storage. The storage capacity can be expanded with a microSD card. The Microsoft Lumia 950 matches the Microsoft Lumia 950XL in terms of image capture performance as it has the same 20 MP, Carl Zeiss optics shooter and a similar 5 MP front camera. Other features on the smartphone consist of Bluetooth 4.1, A-GPS, an FM radio module, NFC, and a USB 3.1 Type-C connector. The Microsoft Lumia 950 is powered using a Lithium-Ion battery rated at 3000 mAh.

Qualcomm Adreno 418: Integrated graphics card that supports OpenGL ES 3.1 and DirectX 11 Feature Level 11_1 (with hardware tessellation). Compared to the Adreno 420, the performance of the 418 is about 20 percent slower (at 600 MHz).

Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.

808 MSM8992:

High-end ARM SoC with 6 CPU cores (2x Cortex-A57 and 4x Cortex-A53) and an Adreno 418 GPU. Manufactured in a 20 nm HPM process.

5.20":

It is a very small display format for smartphones. You should by no means be mis-sighted and you will generally see very little on the screen and only have a small resolution available. In return, the device should be very small and handy.

Microsoft:

Microsoft smartphones and tablets have been tested since 2012. There are many reviews with average ratings. The reader's interest is quite given, but the market share is not big enough for the Top 5 smartphone manufacturers (as of 2016).

72.57%: This rating is poor. More than three quarters of the models are rated better. That is rather not a purchase recommendation. Even if verbal ratings in this area do not sound that bad ("sufficient" or "satisfactory"), they are usually euphemisms that disguise a classification as a below-average laptop.

» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

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