Microsoft Lumia 640 XL review

The Lumia 1320 was ever a more budget targeted, large screen phone. And those who bought it largely adored information technology. Fast frontward to Mobile World Congress 2022. Now with Microsoft doing its thing, there's a successor to the Lumia 1320. A new, affordable, large screen Windows Phone.

And with the new phone comes a new moniker: Forty. And that stands for exactly what you think it does. The Lumia 640 XL is in many ways like to the Lumia 640, only bigger. And in some cases, amend.

What you'll like:

• Great value for money.
• A complimentary year of Office 365
• Good quality cameras
• Large display complete with Glance screen
• Skilful bombardment life

What you lot won't like:

• Internal storage is pretty low
• No wireless charging every bit standard though in that location are contacts underneath
• Some weirdness with on-screen buttons interfering with apps

Near this review

This review has been written based on time spent with an Italian CV device in the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland. Information technology's the single-sim, non LTE version. The UK CV will be the unmarried-SIM, LTE version.

Video easily-on

Nether the hood

The specs

• Windows Telephone 8.1 Update ii with Lumia Denim
• Windows 10 Prepare
• Colors: Matte cyan, orange and blackness, also as both matte and glossy white
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226), 1.ii GHz quad-core processor
• v.7" Hd (1280x720, 16:9) IPS LCD, 259 PPI, Glance screen, Corning Gorilla Glass iii, Sunlight readability enhancements
• 1GB RAM
• 8 GB internal mass memory + up to 128 GB Micro SD & 30GB gratis OneDrive cloud storage
• Rear photographic camera: thirteen MP AF, 1080p @ 30 fps video (continuous autofocus), Wink: LED, Lumia Camera 5.0 (with Dynamic Flash, HDR)
• Front camera: HD 5 MP broad angle, 1080p video
• Connectivity: BT 4.0, microUSB2.0, Micro SIM, A-GPS+GLONASS, BeiDou, DLNA, Screen cloning with Miracast, WLAN 802.xi b/thou/due north/
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Magnetometer, Proximity, Ambient Low-cal Sensor, SensorCore
• Bombardment: 3000 mAh (BV-T4B) removable battery
• Weight: 171 grand
• Size: 157.nine 10 81.5 x 9.0 mm

The hardware

The smaller Lumia 640 is an iteration on the blueprint front from that which came earlier it. The Lumia 640 XL has a lot in mutual in its overall look with its smaller sibling. From the front, camera placement bated, they're very much alike. 1 big, one not then big.

And like the Lumia 640, the internals used by Microsoft aren't anything to shout near, either. In fact, the bones hardware is identical. There's a Snapdragon 400 CPU, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a microSD carte du jour slot. The brandish has the same resolution as the Lumia 640 while bumping the size by 0.vii-inches, leading to a noticeable drop in PPI. If you look at the two side-past-side, it's impossible not to notice that the smaller display is visibly sharper.

Around the dorsum, the Lumia 640 Xl boasts a hint of the Lumia 1520 with the manner the camera hump looks. The 13MP shooter with Zeiss lens is a step up from the 640, likewise with its 5MP front end-facing counterpart. Nosotros'll await at both a little further along.

For such a large phone, you'd exist forgiven for expecting a sealed back. That'south not the case, though, and pulling off the replaceable back comprehend opens upwards the 3000mAh removable battery, microSIM card slot and microSD carte du jour slot. Oh, and it has the black accent buttons too which looks great. Peculiarly on the orangish one nosotros have here.

1 criticism I practice take is the lack of a physical photographic camera shutter button

The matte end on the orange is a welcome affect, every bit frankly, a glossy phone this size would be a bit of a slippery fish to hold on to. It's big, but not too big. 1 criticism I do have is the lack of a physical photographic camera shutter button.

Sure, Microsoft reserves those for the Pureview devices. Merely, I think that needs to alter. As nosotros'll run across after on, the camera on the Lumia 640 Xl is pretty handy, and you're going to want to apply it quite a lot. Merely a telephone this size is crying out for that physical push button. The whole experience simply isn't that comfortable on a display this size.

That might not exist an effect for many others. Merely information technology'south worth pointing out. But on the whole it's another solid, dependable, if a trivial uninspiring attempt again from Microsoft. Definitely mid-range hardware, just with a price to match. With an RRP of £219, again Microsoft has an extremely capable device without a hefty price tag. Compare to what the competition is doing, and that cost looks even more enticing.

More than: vii things to know about The Microsoft Lumia 640 Forty

Update 2!

The software - Windows Phone 8.1 Update two on board

Despite the contempo 'rollout' equally part of the Windows 10 preview for phones, the Lumia 640 Twoscore is one of the offset phones to officially have Windows Phone eight.ane Update ii loaded upward. While a lot of what'due south important in Update 2 is nether the hood, there are also a few forward facing features we can see.

One of the more than lauded features included is the 'remote kill switch' as it's then often called, now required past law in the U.S. It's no doubt played a large part in Update 2 even existing. But elsewhere the Settings app has had an organizational refresh, there are some mild visual tweaks and a few handy trivial features that are going to exist useful to some.

All nearly Update 2

Update 2 is the very latest version of Windows Telephone 8.ane. While information technology's a modest upgrade overall, information technology does bring some important features with it, including the so-called 'remote kill switch.' Discover out everything correct hither.

• Windows Phone 8.1 Update 2 - Everything you need to know

The software - everything else

Aside from Update 2, it's pretty much business concern as usual on the Lumia 640. It comes with the latest Lumia Denim firmware and all the goodness that brings. Which, like the Lumia 640, also includes the Lumia Camera five awarding.

Before the launch of the Lumia 640 and 640 Twoscore, Lumia Photographic camera 5 had been exclusive to Microsoft's higher stop, Pureview camera phones. The camera on the Lumia 640 XL isn't Pureview, merely it's nevertheless pretty skillful. And it benefits profoundly from the additional features provided by Lumia Camera five.

Otherwise, in that location are a couple of pre-loaded items, one of which is the Fitbit app. Microsoft and Fitbit have a pretty skilful relationship these days, but the Lumia 640 Xl isn't 1 of the phones offered with a free Fitbit Flex. But you lot tin delete information technology if yous don't want it, at least.

One issue that I have seen during testing this phone is some conflict between the on-screen buttons and in-app content. It'southward tough to describe exactly, and information technology doesn't happen all the time, but I'll describe an easily imaginable situation. In the Windows Primal app, the very last comment sometimes won't exist fully visible because of the on-screen buttons. Information technology never happened on the Lumia 640, so I'1000 about inclined to believe it's something that's happening with apps scaling upwardly to the larger display.

Productivity

Office 365

Worth highlighting on its own, the Lumia 640 XL along with the 640 marks the first time Microsoft has given away a free ane-year subscription to Part 365 with one of its smartphones.

Such an offering has been commonplace on pocket-size Windows 8.1 tablets for some time now. It's perhaps less useful on a phone, especially given the electric current state of Function on Windows Phone. Just since you get bundled Skype calls, 1TB of OneDrive storage and access to the Office desktop apps as function of it, it's zippo to turn your nose up at.

The links below volition guide you through what it is you're getting, and how you go most getting it.

• What is Role 365?
• How to get your free Part 365 subscription on the Lumia 640

A model for everyone

Connectivity - Dual SIM, LTE or not

One of the most amazing, nevertheless easily forgotten features of the Lumia 640 Twoscore is its connectivity. In that location are single and dual-SIM versions for unlike parts of the world, that's cypher new. What is new is the availability of a dual-SIM LTE model. Remember, the Lumia 640 40 is a mid-range device with an affordable toll. And yet in some locations it'll take two LTE SIM cards. That's still a rarity in smartphones in general. At this cost point, unheard of right now.

But non everyone wants that. And not everyone wants or can go LTE support. As such the Lumia 640 comes in variants with or without both of these options. We've got the Italian CV here with unmarried-SIM and no LTE.

Aside from the option, performance is as proficient as you go on whatever Lumia smartphone. Nosotros've had no problems locking onto and maintaining a 3G connection, though bear in listen this review unit isn't matched to the market we're testing information technology in.

Hopefully we'll get to spend some time with an LTE version at some point in the future and update on performance and battery life.

Shutterbug

The rear camera

The rear camera is one of the stand out features of the Lumia 640 XL. It'south a 13MP, Zeiss lens unit, and fifty-fifty on a phone of this size we get a noticeable hump on the rear. Smartphone cameras are e'er improving, but considering the price point that this phone hits, its camera is fifty-fifty more amazing.

As with the Lumia 640, the 640 XL is living proof that having a skilful smartphone camera doesn't take to cost the world.

Until at present, Microsoft has reserved Lumia Camera 5 for its very best camera phones. The likes of the Lumia 930, Lumia 1520 and Lumia 830 (in certain regions) all have it, just those are all Pureview. The Lumia Photographic camera app has always been more capable than many equivalent stock apps on competing platforms, offer a level of transmission control not found everywhere. Lumia Camera 5 adds the much-praised, Rich Capture, feature, to help you take more than exciting photos. And the Lumia 640 XL makes the about of that.

The Lumia 640 Xl captures great particular in the images. You lot become less problems with white balance with everything set to auto than on the Lumia 640. Image quality is ameliorate than its smaller stable mate, simply the 640 XL isn't any quicker at taking and processing.

But information technology's a pretty bang-up all round camera. Low low-cal performance is strong (with the usual limitations in mind), as has and so frequently been the instance on Lumia phones. Stick Rich Capture on, snap away, and leave the rest to the phone. You're not going to be disappointed.

A tale of three Lumia Camera apps

Lumia Photographic camera 5 isn't the simply Lumia Camera app in town. In that location's actually three, and each one applies to a different phone in the lineup and has dissimilar features depending on the hardware? Confused much?

• Lumia Photographic camera: A tale of 3, very confusing apps

Selfie-tastic

The forepart photographic camera

I of the other hardware bumps the Lumia 640 40 gets is a higher resolution forepart-facing photographic camera. Yous'll be capturing your selfies at a respectable 5MP and your self, er, videos at 1080p. Non world chirapsia, just very expert given the toll bespeak of this phone.

On the 640 XL, the forepart facing camera is in the heart of the telephone. So that means whether you lot're using it portrait, or tilted left or right in mural, yous're going to become well framed shots.

Moving pictures

Recording video

The Lumia 640 Xl also does a decent job at recording videos, too. The rear camera will shoot at 1080p at a continuous 30fps with auto-focus. You won't be shooting any blockbusters on it, simply for capturing those coincidental clips and stuff to share with social media it does pretty well. The auto-focus is still a trivial aggressive, but less so than it is on the Lumia 640.

What we like about the front-facing photographic camera from the 640 also applies here. The quality of video is good and the microphone does a solid job even with some groundwork wind racket.

It can go all day (and maybe the next)

Bombardment life

Ane important fact to remember while we're discussing battery life is the version of the Lumia 640 Xl that nosotros have here. This is a European telephone, from Italy specifically, without LTE support. So in testing nosotros haven't been able to use the LTE model on our locally supported carriers.

Just, all that aside, the battery life is pretty stellar. The combination of 3000mAh and a 720p display leads to existent globe utilise that tin can stretch to two days. Naturally dependent on what you're doing.

The usual suspects such every bit using the camera a lot volition have a hit on the battery, but largely using the Lumia 640 XL is ane of relative comfort over ending your day without hunting for a charger. And for nearly people, getting through the day is the important thing.

It'll too be a comfort to the business organization focused buyer, a target market whom Microsoft is partly pushing towards with the 640 Twoscore. Even with some pretty intensive use draining the power earlier the end of the working day should be pretty tough.

And it's removable. And then you lot can always carry a spare.

Show me the money

Pricing and availability

The Lumia 640 Xl is on sale already or very soon in a number of markets across Europe and Asia. The RRP from Microsoft is around £219 though that will vary from market to market, and it's on auction in the UK from April 28.

What is important to mention is that the Microsoft Store is probably the most expensive place y'all'll find i to purchase. Third-party retailers and carriers will always be worth checking out in the search for deals. The Lumia 640 was available in the UK about immediately with potent discounts over the Microsoft Store pricing, and so there's a practiced chance the aforementioned will apply with the 640 XL.

At the time of writing in that location's no concrete information on a U.S. launch..

Summing upward

The lesser line

If you want a large-screened Windows Phone, at that place aren't many options for you right now. You could get the much older Lumia 1320 or jump for the higher-finish Lumia 1520. The Lumia 640 Forty isn't a high-end telephone, there's no other way to say that. If you want the high-res screen and beefier internals, the Lumia 1520 is still the merely option (if you can find ane, that is) at this kind of size.

The Lumia 640 XL is an pick for anybody

But, all things considered, the Lumia 640 XL is incredible value for coin. The remainder of price, feel and the excellent rear camera produces something that Microsoft should be proud to take boosting its lineup. There will be more devices in the future for large screen fans, I'grand sure, merely as with the regular Lumia 640, the 640 XL is an selection for everyone. Solid hardware, good features, great price. And information technology won't exist long before y'all'll become it under £200, either. But, for more of the people, the Lumia 640 might still turn out to exist the better pick. The Twoscore is pretty big, only information technology's also comforting to know that there'due south a smaller choice which is almost identical bar the cameras.

With the 640 phones, Microsoft has laid downwards a pretty bold benchmark. This is the center of its pack. Nosotros haven't yet seen what Microsoft is going to exercise with what stands in a higher place these in the range, but we're getting ever more excited to see what'due south next. When the mid-range is this good, the future starts looking much brighter.

To see some elements of this review please visit m.windowscentral.com in the browser on your mobile device

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-lumia-640-xl-review

Posted by: vanhoutenmiteraid.blogspot.com

Share this post