Microsoft Lumia 950, 950 XL: 8 new features

Microsoft’s new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL smartphones are finally official, making the competition at the top-end of the segment more intense. Do the smartphones have enough distinguishing features to create a separate identity for themselves and lure buyers away from the new iPhones, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P and Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note 5? We take a look at the 8 new features of Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL...

1.               

Windows Hello

Microsoft wants to dump passwords with Windows 10, and its Windows Hello platform is a step towards that. The new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL smartphones can track your eye using the integrated iris scanner to identify the user and unlock the device. No need to place your thumb on the fingerprint sensor here.

2.

Continuum

One of the key features of Windows 10 is Continuum, which allows the new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL to act as a desktop. You just need to connect the smartphones to a monitor, keyboard and mouse using the official Microsoft Display Dock and all the Windows 10 universal apps will adjust the resolution to fit the external display.

3.

Water-cooled processor

Microsoft has chosen the Snapdragon 810 processor for the Lumia 950 XL smartphone. However, the processor is known for its heating issues, which is why the company has used a water-cooling system to dissipate the heat. Microsoft has not revealed how this setup works in the smartphone, which is the first one in the world to feature this type of technology.

Lumia 950, which is powered by the Snapdragon 808 chipset, does not have water-cooling technology.

4.

QHD display

For the first time, Microsoft has used a QHD display in its Lumia line of smartphones. Both Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL sports 1440x2560p resolution, which pack four times the pixels compared to a HD panel.

The highest display resolution for a Windows Phone handset till now has been Full HD (1080x1920p) only.

5.

More RAM

With Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, Microsoft has used 3GB RAM in smartphones for the first time. This, coupled with the new processors, would mean that the two smartphones will beat last year’s model by a mile and compete easily with the Android phones and iPhones of 2015.

6.

Better cameras

Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL feature the same camera setup: 20MP PureView camera on the back and 5MP selfie in the front. The rear camera has Zeiss lens, records 4K videos, and features optical image stabilization. Additionally, the phones have triple-LED flash for better low-light photos; Microsoft says the three-LED flash setup will not wash out the colours in the photos.

7.

Bigger batteries

Compared to last year’s models, Lumia 950 (3,000mAh) and Lumia 950 XL (3,340mAh) have much bigger batteries, thus the two will last longer on a single charge.

8.

USB Type C

USB Type C is another new feature of Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, and will ensure fast data transfer and quick-charging. Microsoft claims that it will be able to provide 50% of battery with just 30 minutes of charge.