Microsoft Windows 10 for traditional personal computers was introduced last summer. The manufacturer's persistence in offering free updates to users of some older versions has resulted in 200 million activations as of the beginning of this year, according to Microsoft. When creating this product, the company focused, among other things, on the smartphone and tablet market, so the update mobile version in a certain sense, it can be considered one of the editions, and not an independent product. Of course, we are not talking about complete compatibility, since the hardware platforms are different, but there is already some progress towards creating universal applications. By the way, let's mention one more edition - Windows 10 IoT Core, running on Raspberry Pi 2 and some other microcomputers. True, here we are talking more about internal unity than a user interface.

However, the end user internal organization operating systems are usually not interested. Moreover, we have been hearing stories about a “single ecosystem” for more than a year from different companies offering the market their universal solutions. At the same time, if you look in the direction of Apple and Google, then their implementations are already familiar to the market and do not raise serious questions. And here is Microsoft's path with desktop adaptation operating system on mobile devices continues to look controversial.

The first real products with Windows 10 Mobile were the Microsoft Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL and Lumia 550 smartphones, announced on October 6 last year. The two new devices of the 900 series are clear flagships in terms of their technical specifications, and the third is designed to defend positions in the budget segment.

In this article we will get acquainted with the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM, let's try to evaluate in practice some of the announced new features of Windows 10 Mobile, as well as what and who may be interested in these solutions. Note that for the local market, the company decided to partially translate the name of the device, and in our case it sounds like this - “Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM Cards”.

Before proceeding to the test, we note that the manufacturer provided us with a slightly unusual sample. The software considered the device to be a Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM model, but in fact there was only one SIM card slot under the back cover. We did not find devices with such a configuration either in Russian or on the American site (except for some mentions in early announcements). So further we will assume that the model with the name indicated in the title of the article was tested, and the second slot was simply forgotten to be installed. There is, of course, a chance that such confusion could affect some of the test results, but we do not have another device, and there is nothing to compare with.

Characteristics of the smartphone Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, 2 GHz, 8 cores, 64 bits
• GPU Adreno 430
• Operating system Microsoft Windows 10 Mobile
• Touchscreen 5.7″, AMOLED, ClearBlack, WQHD 2560×1440
• RAM 3 GB
• Inner memory 32 GB
• Support for microSDXC memory cards up to 200 GB
• Two Nano-SIM SIM cards
• Communication 2G GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G WCDMA (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz), 4G/LTE (bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 38, 40)
• Data transmission GPRS, EDGE, HSPA+ (up to 42 Mbps), LTE (Cat 4, up to 150 Mbps)
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4/5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.1, BLE, NFC
• Navigation A-Glonass, A-GPS
• Compass, position sensor, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, barometer, gyroscope, magnetometer
• FM radio
• Cameras: Primary 20 MP (1/2.4″, autofocus, flash, 4K video), secondary 5 MP (Full HD video)
• USB Type C connector for PC connection and charging (with Display Port support)
• Standard 3.5mm headset jack
• Removable 3340 mAh battery
• Dimensions 152×78×8 mm
• Weight 166 g

The smartphone uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 platform, which is also found in devices such as the Google Nexus 6P, HTC One M9, LG G Flex2 and OnePlus 2. The chip has eight cores running at 2 GHz. It is difficult to say how much such performance will be in demand on this platform, but it will probably not be superfluous for a high-resolution screen and the Continuum function.

The manufacturer indicates that the device has 3 GB random access memory. Recalling the experience of working on a microPC with an Intel Atom SoC with 2 GB of memory, we can say that this is a completely reasonable option. One gigabyte would obviously not be enough, and the number three looks much more interesting in the characteristics.

The device is equipped with 32 GB of flash memory, of which about 25 GB is available to the user on the new smartphone. Additionally, there is a slot for memory cards with support for the SDXC standard, so that if necessary, you can easily increase the space available for files. Both storages provide work with a computer when cable connection via the MTP protocol.

On the screen, Microsoft decided not to save, which is quite expected for flagship model. It has a diagonal of 5.7″ and uses an AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2560×1440 (WQHD). As with the processor, in our opinion, there is no urgent need for such a large number of pixels. But in this case, we can talk about 515 ppi.

Please note that due to the high resolution, the original screenshots that will be used later in the article can be quite large - up to 4 MB.

Display closed protective glass Corning Gorilla 4 and also features ClearBlack technology, familiar from recent Nokia products, which dramatically improves visibility in bright ambient light. We also note the presence of a sensor for automatic brightness control. The screen has a special coating, so it does not get dirty during operation, and it is not difficult to clean it.

The Adreno 430 graphics controller supports the DirectX 11 interface and is also capable of decoding modern video codecs such as H.264 and H.265.

The smartphone supports 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation networks. And for LTE, support for almost a dozen bands is declared. The original model has two Nano-SIM card slots that work in Dual Standby SIM mode.

The device is equipped with a dual-band wireless Wi-Fi controller supporting 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards. At the same time, some sources note the presence of MIMO technology, which may mean the installation of two antennas and a higher speed. It may be required when working with wireless displays. There is also a Bluetooth 4.1 adapter with BLE support and NFC technology.

For navigation, you can use GPS and Glonass. The set of built-in sensors consists of light, proximity, orientation, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, barometer and magnetometer sensors. The smartphone also has an FM radio that works with connected headphones that act as an antenna.

This is one of the few devices that has a USB Type C connector for charging and connecting to a computer or docking station. In addition to a much more convenient design and increased reliability, the implementation of this port provides video signal transmission via the DisplayPort protocol. As for speed, USB 3.1 support is announced and USB mode Dual Role (work not only as a client, but also as a host).

The main camera of the smartphone has a 20-megapixel 1 / 2.4 ″ sensor and supports autofocus. The flash is equipped with multiple LEDs for more natural lighting. The specifications also mention PureView technology, the Zeiss brand, optical system of six lenses and stabilization. The camera can record video in 4K format with a resolution of 3840 × 2160. The front camera is traditionally more modest - 5 megapixels, video up to Full HD.

Given the format of the device, the installation of a high-capacity removable battery - 3340 mAh - is quite expected. Of course, there is no special meaning in the possibility of replacing it for a long time. Moreover, installed USB port Type C can provide fast charging speeds (however, Qualcomm Quick Charge is most likely not in this device), and for added convenience, the smartphone also supports Qi wireless chargers.

According to its formal technical characteristics, the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM may well claim a place in the upper segment - it has a powerful platform, an excellent screen, 4G / LTE, an interesting main camera module, modern wireless interfaces and standards, USB Type C and a good battery.

That's just the Windows operating system immediately displays it in a separate category. Still, if the user is ready to spend money on a top-end smartphone, he expects an appropriate level from its software filling. Moreover, in this case, it is still more confusing, since this is practically the only model with latest version Microsoft Mobile OS.

Perhaps, this time we will not compile a table of potential competitors. Suffice it to say that Huawei, LG and Samsung have similar Android-based models in terms of basic characteristics (and cost). So the smartphone considered in this article is clearly in a very dense group of competitors.

Equipment

This device was provided for testing by the manufacturer without retail packaging. Judging by the description on the site, a charger, a user manual and a USB Type C to USB 3.0 cable are provided with the smartphone in a standard cardboard box.

Note that the power supply (model AC-100E) in this case has a built-in cable, which is not surprising given its parameters - 5 V 3 A. The thickness of the cables, which is 4 mm, is also surprising.

Qi wireless charging and Microsoft Display Dock are available as optional accessories. At the time of writing, the charger was not available for order. The description of the device notes support for Bluetooth LE and NFC. When paired with a smartphone, the panel can act as an indicator of events, as well as remind you of the need to recharge the battery. And the Microsoft Display Dock is used to connect a smartphone to standard computer peripherals - a monitor and USB devices (in particular, a keyboard and mouse), which we will discuss in more detail later in the article.

Appearance and usability

The smartphone, unlike many other models of the Lumia series, is offered in only two versions color design- white and black. A dark apparatus took part in the testing. The overall dimensions of the smartphone case are about 152×78 mm. The thickness of the main part of the device is 8 mm. The camera block protrudes by about a couple of millimeters. Weight with installed card memory and SIM-card - 166 g.

The design is quite traditional for the Lumia line and in the main elements differs little from many smartphones on the market. But still, we note the strict style with flat ribs and well-chosen corner radii and the shape of the back cover. The latter has a matte surface and goes to the side faces. The combination of its material, size and weight of the device is quite comfortable. In the hand, the smartphone lies comfortably (of course, as far as possible for such a screen diagonal). The device has a special one-handed control mode, which is activated by holding the central button. But the implementation is not very good. For example, we failed to call the numeric keypad for dialing a number in it, and we also failed to view the latest messages in SMS correspondence.

The entire front panel is covered with a single glass. Its background is black for both dark and light design options. It does not have fashionable "roundings" along the edge, as well as protruding sides. Instead, the rim made of dark matte plastic acts as the third element accessible from the outside, which does not differ in surface texture from the back cover. The gap between them is almost imperceptible and during testing the dust did not collect in it.

The side margins of the screen are about 3.5 mm. In the block above the screen, having a height of 14 mm, there is a speaker grill, a front camera window and additional sensors necessary, in particular, for the implementation Windows features Hello. The device is not equipped with LED indicators for notifications or status.

The smartphone does not have a dedicated panel for the main touch navigation buttons. They appear on a special strip at the bottom of the screen. If necessary, for example, if the application has controls in this place, the block can be hidden by swiping up. The repetition of this movement returns it to its place. The field under the screen has a height of about 11 mm and you can see only the opening of the speaking microphone on it.

The smartphone has four hardware control buttons. All of them are on the right edge and have a glossy metal finish. A little above its middle, we see a block of volume keys, between which there is a lock button. Due to the fact that the latter is set a little lower, it is quite convenient to use them, and you can get used to it quickly.

Below is a dedicated two-step button to launch the camera app. Even from the locked state, you can quickly take a photo with it.

Instead of the now-standard fingerprint sensor, Microsoft is offering Windows Hello technology, which is currently in beta, to provide additional convenience for user authentication. It allows you to use special hardware components on the front panel of the smartphone that scan the iris of the eye to verify the user's identity.

There are no controls on the left edge of the device. In the center of the upper end there is a standard 3.5 mm minijack for connecting a headset.

At the bottom we see a USB port of the new standard - USB Type C. Its design is much better suited for modern mobile devices - the port is symmetrical, so it's easier to connect a cable, it supports higher exchange rates and higher charging current. In addition, a video signal can be output through it.

At the top of the rear panel of the device there is a protruding circle with a diameter of 25 mm, which houses the main camera unit - a lens and an LED flash. Its main part is covered with black glossy plastic, and along the contour and around the flash there are metal inserts. When assembled, the side of the lid itself is slightly higher and protects the camera unit.

Above the camera and symmetrically at the bottom of the panel, we see five still noticeable dots. The far right ones are holes and probably additional microphones are installed behind them.

To the left of the camera, there is another grill that covers the main speaker. And approximately in the center of the panel placed a stylized logo of the operating system.

The smartphone has a removable back cover, under which there is a battery and slots for Nano-SIM and memory cards. The battery can also be pulled out, which in any case will be required to install SIM cards. The slots are spring-loaded, it is quite convenient to use them.

Note that on the cover itself, on the reverse side, there is an NFC antenna (in the upper part, around the camera) and a receiving element of the wireless charging unit. This reduces the chances of producing a replacement part other than the base colors. The lid, made of dense and flexible plastic, is fastened with traditional latches. There was a slight backlash on the device used in the test.

Smartphone design can hardly be called original or unusual. Rather, we can talk about a combination of corporate-working style and practicality. It is convenient to use the device - the thickness for such a diagonal is comfortable, and the buttons are located in the right place. Separately, we note a dedicated button for taking pictures. Given the unusual interface of the operating system, it will clearly be in demand.

Screen

Screens with resolutions exceeding Full HD are increasingly found in modern mobile devices. Moreover, not only leading manufacturers, but also smaller companies can afford it.

The Lumia 950 XL has a 5.7″ screen (about 117×71mm) with a resolution of 2560×1440 (WQHD), which corresponds to 515 ppi. It is made using AMOLED technology and supports ClearBlack technology for improved readability in bright ambient light. In the advanced settings of the smartphone, you can select a color profile or manually specify the color temperature, hue and saturation.

The touch sensor supports at least ten touches, and the screen is covered with Corning Gorilla 4 glass. Subjectively, and taking into account the not very sunny weather these days, it is no worse than the previously tested top Nokia Lumia models. Well, as for the resolution, it is almost impossible to see individual points even with a look armed with a magnifying glass. So for a more careful study, we will use precise instruments.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Microsoft Lumia 950 XL, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen on the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is only slightly lighter (brightness in photos is 111 versus 106 on the Nexus 7) and doesn't have a pronounced tint. Note that reflections from bright objects on the screen of the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL have a pale bluish halo that is slightly more pronounced laterally. The ghosting of reflected objects on the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the screen layers. Due to the smaller number of borders (glass-air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better with strong external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, even better than the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.

When displaying a white field in full screen and with manual brightness control, its maximum value was 290 cd/m², the minimum was 7 cd/m². You also need to take into account the fact that in this case the smaller the white area on the screen, the lighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will always be higher than the specified value. For example, when outputting white on half of the screen and black on the second half, the maximum brightness with manual adjustment rises to 320 cd/m². However, this is still not very much, therefore, even taking into account good anti-reflective properties, readability during the day in the sun will be at the borderline level. Automatic brightness control works according to the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front speaker slot). You can make adjustments to how this function works by moving the brightness adjustment slider. Next, for the three conditions, we present the screen brightness values ​​for the three values ​​​​of this setting - for 0%, 50% and 100%. In complete darkness in automatic mode, the brightness decreases to 6, 11 and 21 cd / m², respectively (normal), in an office lit by artificial light (approximately 400 lux), the brightness is set to 50, 160 and 280 cd / m² (darkish - just right - bright, which corresponds to the specified correction), in a bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) - rises to 330 cd/m² regardless of the position of the slider. This value is slightly higher than the maximum for manual adjustment. In general, the result of the automatic brightness adjustment function is as expected. At any brightness level there is a significant modulation with a frequency of approximately 243 Hz. The figure below shows brightness (vertical axis) versus time (horizontal axis) for several brightness settings:

The presence of modulation can be seen in a test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply by rapid eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, such flickering can cause increased fatigue. Note that in the settings there is traditionally an option, the inclusion of which allegedly improves readability in bright light. And it is also traditionally not clear what this setting actually changes, since when it is activated, the backlight brightness does not change, and visually nothing changes on the screen either, even in bright external light, even in the dark.

This screen uses a Super AMOLED matrix - an active matrix on organic light emitting diodes. A full color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B), but there are twice as many green subpixels, which can be referred to as RGBG. This is confirmed by a fragment of a microphoto:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

On the fragment above, you can count 4 green subpixels, 2 red (4 halves) and 2 blue (1 whole and 4 quarters), while repeating these fragments, you can lay out the entire screen without gaps and overlap. For such matrices Samsung introduced the name PenTile RGBG. The manufacturer considers the screen resolution based on green subpixels, on the other two it will be two times lower. The location and shape of the subpixels in this variant is similar to the variant in the case of the screen and some other newer devices from Samsung (and not only) with AMOLED screens. This version of PenTile RGBG is better than the old one with red squares, blue rectangles and stripes of green subpixels. However, some uneven contrasting borders and other artifacts are still present. However, due to the very high resolution, they have minimal effect on image quality.

The screen is characterized by excellent viewing angles, although the white color, when deviated even at small angles, acquires a slight blue-green or pinkish tint, but the black color is just black at any angle. So black that the contrast parameter in this case is simply not applicable. For comparison, here are photos in which the screens of Microsoft Lumia 950 XL (profile Standard) and the second comparison participant, the same images were displayed, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to approximately 200 cd / m², and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K. White field:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture (profile Standard):

In this case, the camera does not cope well with registering an image that has a not quite typical spectrum. Visually, the color reproduction is good, the color saturation is normal, the color balance of the screens is slightly different. There is too much pink in the photo and the saturation is too high. The photo above was obtained after choosing a profile Standard in the screen settings, there are four of them:

In profile Additionally Color rendering can be adjusted using the color temperature, hue, and saturation sliders:

Leave a profile for now Standard and look at the image at an angle of about 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen. White field:

The brightness at an angle on both screens has noticeably decreased (in order to avoid strong darkening, the shutter speed is increased compared to the previous two photos), but in the case of the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL, the brightness drop is much less pronounced. As a result, with formally the same brightness, the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL screen visually looks much brighter (compared to LCD screens), since the screen mobile device often have to look at least at a slight angle. And a test picture:

It can be seen that, despite the blue-green shift in the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL, the colors, in general, did not change much on both screens, while the brightness of the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is noticeably higher at an angle.

Switching the state of the matrix elements is almost instantaneous, but at the on edge (and less often off) there may be a step about 17 ms wide (which corresponds to a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz). For example, the dependence of brightness on time looks like this when moving from black to white and vice versa:

The modulation interferes a little with distinguishing the step and leads to registration artifacts (negative emissions). In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to plumes trailing behind moving objects, but in normal use it is difficult to see these artifacts. On the contrary, dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are distinguished by high clarity and even some “twitchy” movements.

The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows. In fact, there is a blockage in the shadows for a couple of shades, but this does not affect the image much. The fitting exponent is 2.04, which is slightly lower than the standard value of 2.2, while the actual gamma curve deviates slightly from the power law:

Recall that in the case of OLED screens, the brightness of image fragments dynamically changes in accordance with the nature of the displayed image - it decreases for images that are generally bright. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) most likely does not correspond slightly to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential grayscale output almost on the entire screen.

Color gamut in profile case Standard(and it is selected by default) is close to sRGB:

When choosing a profile Additionally You can move the saturation slider. When saturation is increased to the maximum, coverage increases:

And when the setting is reduced to a minimum, it decreases:

The spectra look consistent, the components are well separated:

Or mixed together:

Note that on screens with a wide color gamut without proper color correction, normal images optimized for sRGB devices look unnaturally saturated. It's good that it's in the profile Standard coverage is almost equal to sRGB. The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is almost equal to the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the color temperature and ΔE change little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since the color balance does not matter much there, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

Change anything using the adjustments in the profile Additional, it makes no sense, and it won’t work better (we tried). It is not clear why there is this page with settings at all, apparently, a tradition.

Let's summarize. The screen has good anti-glare properties, but has a borderline maximum brightness, so the comfort of using the device outdoors on a sunny summer day can be questioned. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. It is permissible to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works quite adequately. The advantages of the screen include a very good oleophobic coating, as well as sRGB color gamut and color balance close to standard (at default settings). At the same time, let's recall the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color (if nothing is reflected on the screen), excellent white field uniformity, noticeably smaller than that of LCDs, and a drop in image brightness when viewed from an angle. The disadvantages include modulation of the screen brightness. Users who are particularly sensitive to flicker may experience fatigue as a result. However, overall the screen quality is high.

Sound

The main speaker is located near the camera on the rear panel. Its grille does not overlap when the smartphone is placed on the table with the screen up. Its maximum volume is average, we expected more from such a large model. When listening to music, there are practically no low frequencies. There is no distortion caused by overloading even at maximum volume.

When headphones are connected, listening to music becomes much better, but in general, the sound even in this case seemed to us not the most successful. To partially correct this situation, you can try to use the built-in equalizer, which has several presets and a custom setting.

Moreover, it works independently for the main speaker and for headphones. Note that the smartphone supports automatic detection of the connection of headphones or a headset, and through the "Accessories" program, you can configure the autorun of the necessary programs.

The speaker provides high quality in telephone conversations. Its maximum volume is sufficient for relatively noisy places, and there is no distortion in this case either.

The microphone hole for phone calls is located right on the front panel under the screen. This allows you to ensure high quality work even in conditions of external noise. It was not possible to determine the presence of special noise reduction technologies using additional microphones.

Two of them, as we wrote above, are located near the ends on the rear panel. They are used, in particular, when recording videos. The manufacturer talks about the presence of Lumia Rich Recording technology and four microphones, but we did not find the latter. Perhaps it is located next to the conversational speaker.

Do not forget about the vibrating alert. Like most modern devices, it will be useful mainly for meetings or other similar situations. There are few chances to feel it in the outer pocket of outerwear, or even more so in a bag.

Camera

The smartphone is traditionally equipped with two cameras. The main one has a matrix of 20 megapixels and is equipped with a 1 / 2.4 ″ sensor. It has a flash of three LEDs (the same unit can be used for illumination) and supports autofocus. It also claims to use PureView technologies and optical stabilization. The maximum resolution of the received photos is 4992 × 3744 (19 MP, 4:3) and 5344 × 3008 (16 MP, 16:9). Video camera can record in formats up to 4K inclusive. The front camera has a 5 MP matrix and can provide a resolution of 2592×1936 (5 MP, 4:3) and 2592×1456 (3.7 MP, 16:9). In video recording mode, it provides support for the Full HD format (there is also a 2208 × 1242 frame option in the settings). Recall that the smartphone has a dedicated two-stage camera button, which is very convenient.

The Windows Camera program is installed as a regular application. It has no additional shooting functions, except for the timer. On Windows, it is suggested to use third-party photo applications for this purpose. You can view their catalog in the store directly from the regular program.

The utility provides two modes of operation - simple / automatic and professional. In the first case, when taking pictures, the user can only control the flash and turn off automatic selection of optimal parameters.

The second option is much more interesting - here you have access to setting the white balance, manual focus, ISO selection, shutter speed and exposure compensation. In addition, Zoom is implemented by vertical movement on the screen. Taking into account the possibility of recording pictures in DNG format, this allows us to talk about the professional use of a smartphone for photography.

When switching to the front camera, only the white balance, ISO, shutter speed and exposure compensation in professional mode remain.

There are relatively few parameters in the program. For photos, you can set the long-press shutter function, image format and resolution, framing grid display, and focus illuminator. Some of the options related to the camera are configured in other places, in particular, where files are stored, recording images in the OneDrive cloud, using coordinate information.

	Excellent working out of details on all plans.
	Even indoors good attention to detail.
	Good field and plan sharpness.
	Oddly enough, even the color of the sky is not so bad.
	The text is well done.
	You can make out the number of the nearest car through the stop glass.
	With night shooting, the camera copes relatively well.
	In difficult lighting conditions, the camera copes quite well.
	The number plate of the closest car is distinguishable.
	Flash close-ups work well for the camera.
	The camera does just as well without a flash.
	Good detail work even in difficult lighting conditions.

It looks like Lumia engineers have managed to significantly increase the resolution compared to the latest models without losing any quality. Even in Lumia 1520, really good pictures were obtained only when shooting at 5 megapixels. Here we see excellent field and plan sharpness at almost full resolution. The camera adequately copes with all subjects at the level of a good compact. As a result, the camera will perfectly cope with documentary and artistic shooting.

Before recording movies, you can adjust their resolution and frames per second, and turn on digital stabilization. During shooting, you can use the flash LEDs, as well as the slow motion mode. In the advanced version, focus adjustment, white balance setting and exposure compensation are available. For the front camera, there are only the last two options. Slow motion in this case only works at 1280×720 resolution and records a file without sound at a bit rate of about 9 Mbps and 30 fps, while the actual number of frames per second is 120 (four times slowdown).

The smartphone model in question is one of the few that uses two microphones on the rear panel (even for the front camera) when recording videos. Of course, we would not talk about the effective transmission of a stereo panorama, but the recording really turns out to be two-channel. The codec and its parameters are quite typical for mobile devices - AAC LC, stereo, 192 kbps, 48 ​​kHz, regardless of the video mode and camera.

For the main camera, frame formats from 1280 × 720 to 3840 × 2160 are supported, and the frame rate can be 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps (in 4K - a maximum of 30 fps). The front camera provides a more modest set - 720p30, 1080p24, 1080p30 and 2208 × 1242 format with 24 and 30 fps.

Clips are recorded in standard MP4 format with H.264 codec for video and AAC for audio. The parameters of some options and links to sample entries (size is from 6 to 130 MB) are shown in the following table.

Format	Video	Examples
Main 720p24	1280×720 AVC [email protected], 24 fps, ≈6 Mbps	, ,
Main 720p60	1280×720 AVC [email protected], 60 fps, ≈16 Mbps	,
Main 1080p24	1920×1080 AVC [email protected], 24 fps, ≈14 Mbps
Main 1080p30
Main 1080p60	1920×1080 AVC [email protected], 60 fps, ≈36 Mbps	, ,
Main 2160p24	3840×2160 AVC [email protected], 24 fps, ≈40 Mbps
Main 2160p30	3840×2160 AVC [email protected], 30 fps, ≈52 Mbps	, , , , ,
Front 720p30	1280×720 AVC [email protected], 30 fps, ≈8 Mbps
Front 1080p30	1920×1080 AVC [email protected], 30 fps, ≈18 Mbps
Front 1242p30	2208×1242 AVC [email protected], 30 fps, ≈24 Mbps

Overall, I liked the quality of the video. Perhaps this is one of those rare cases when watching a video from a smartphone on a computer monitor differs little from the photos taken on it.

Software

The smartphone is running a mobile operating system Windows systems 10. At the time of testing, taking into account installed updates it had version 1511 with build number 10.0.10586.107. Devices on this platform rarely make it to our lab, so it's hard for us to tell you in detail what exactly has changed or been added in new versions. software. Therefore, we will describe the impressions of a short work with the current firmware.

There may be various notifications on the lock screen. You can choose a set of programs that will work with it. Of course, there is also the possibility of a background image.

The desktop has a familiar interface with "live" tiles, the set, location and size of which the user can change. In this case, the field can be scrolled in a vertical direction if all the selected programs do not fit on one screen. A maximum of six tiles of the minimum size can be placed in one line on this smartphone, and nine to ten rows vertically. This supports the grouping of tiles into groups (folders), which can help to clean up when using a large number of programs.

Long press on the back button brings up the list running programs, presented as previews of their current screens. Four of these icons fit on the desktop, and you can scroll through the list in a horizontal direction. In addition to a quick transition to desired application, this function allows you to close programs.

A status bar is overlaid at the top of the screen with information about connections, icons for some types of notifications, battery status, and a clock. Swiping from it opens a list of quick mode switches, as well as expanded notifications. Here we see the battery percentage and the current date.

To go to complete list programs need to be swiped main screen left. The list goes in one column grouped by the first letter of the program name. With the Russian interface language installed, Cyrillic comes first, and then English letters. Scrolling through the list can be quite tedious, so there is a search field at the top of it.

The total number of pre-installed programs in the firmware is about five dozen. Among them are such utilities traditional for smartphones as a clock, a calculator, contacts, weather, a voice recorder and, of course, the phone itself and messages. Note that as an alternative to the last two services, the manufacturer offers Skype. At the same time, Skype Video is also on the list as a separate program.

Of the multimedia services, there is a program for servicing the camera, a photo gallery, an image editor Lumia Photo Studio, a music player "Music Groove" with online subscription support, "Movies and TV" perform the function of a video player, FM radio has a clear purpose from the name. Shazam is also preinstalled on the device.

The main web browser is Microsoft Edge. Set office programs consists of mail and Outlook calendar, text editor Word, Excel for spreadsheets, PowerPoint for presentations, and OneNote for notes.

Additional software is purchased and installed through the standard "Store" catalog. And the "Wallet" will be able to help save various cards, tickets and other information, but only after installing special programs with its support (however, at the time of testing, there were no such programs on the link provided in the program).

"Explorer" allows you to view the list and manage files on the built-in disk and memory card. Do not forget about the integration of the device with the OneDrive cloud service.

For social network users, there are VKontakte and Facebook clients. We also mention the presence of the programs "News", "Finance", "Sports", as well as the search "Yandex", which will help you stay up to date. If you're a fan of console games, then the Xbox Live client might come in handy.

This platform uses its own branded Maps application. Recall that you can use offline maps, three-dimensional models of buildings, navigation with voice and traffic jams, and other functions.

The rest of the programs are service and reference, including Continuum, Accessories, Getting Started, Memory, Lumia Help + Tips, Data Transfer, Search, and others.

Note that after enabling and setting up a Microsoft account, the smartphone independently downloaded and installed several more programs, in particular Yandex.Money and Literes: Read!

The smartphone has many user-configurable settings and options. In the corresponding section we see ten groups. At the same time, the latter - "Advanced" - is responsible for the advanced options for this model relative to the basic operating system. In particular, this is the control of the display of information in monochrome mode in the locked state, the color profile of the screen, the equalizer, the management of SIM cards, and others.

Despite grouping and searching, it can be very difficult to find something specific, since in total there are more than six dozen items in the main nine groups. Interestingly, the most numerous of them is “Confidentiality”. In it, in particular, you can manage permissions for applications to work with certain functions (for example, the camera and microphone) and receive information (contacts, call log, etc.).

Of the little things we liked, we note the possibility of character-by-character navigation in four directions on the standard keyboard. But unlocking by tapping on the screen is clearly not enough, especially given the positioning of the model for business. Voice Assistant Cortana is currently not available in Russian.

More with features new version operating system for smartphones you can find on the manufacturer's website.

Telephone part and communications

Smartphone Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM supports three current generations of modern cellular communication. At the same time, the company decided not to divide models by supported frequencies according to regional characteristics and implemented everything in one model at once. According to the documentation, the device supports 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz for GSM, 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz for WCDMA, and the set of compatible bands for LTE includes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 , 12, 17, 20, 28, 38 and 40. We did not encounter any communication problems when testing the device in the network of the metropolitan operator Megafon. There is only one radio block in the smartphone. Due to the features of the tested instance described at the beginning of the article, we were unable to find out the details about working with two SIM cards. From the operator settings in the device, you can select the maximum network generation, APN settings and other standard options.

The speed of Internet access in the fourth generation network was impressive - several times we saw results of more than 80 Mbps per reception. So do not forget to enable the options for Internet traffic, otherwise a couple of runs of the Speedtest.net test can very quickly empty your wallet by several hundred rubles.

On the Russian website of the manufacturer in the characteristics of the wireless module there is no mention of support for the 802.11ac standard. However, the smartphone supports two bands, which is already good. Unfortunately, due to the peculiarities of the operating system, it is impossible to determine the actual parameters of the adapter. So we tried to learn them empirically by connecting to Asus router RT-AC68U which supports 802.11a/b/g/n/ac at speeds up to 1.3Gbps. The devices were located within the same room at a distance of about four meters. For testing, a specialized utility was used that implements scenarios for receiving and transmitting data in one stream between a mobile device and a computer in local network router. The results are shown in the following table.

Scenario	Speed
2.4 GHz transmission	51 Mbps
2.4GHz receive	89 Mbps
5 GHz transmit	86 Mbps
5 GHz receive	28 Mbps

Compared to previously tested devices, the numbers are very low. Note that a modern smartphone with a single antenna and support for 802.11ac is capable of showing more than 200 Mbps in similar conditions (the connection speed is 433 Mbps). It is unfortunate that the manufacturer failed to correctly implement the wireless controller, given that the Qualcomm platform rarely has problems with this. Maybe it's in regional restrictions or certifications. Or our sample was faulty.

The smartphone's wireless controller supports connecting wireless displays, but now it does so using Continuum technology, which we'll talk about later in the article.

Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM equipped Bluetooth adapter 4.1 with BLE support. This allows not only to connect headsets / keyboards / mice, but also to interact with today's popular fitness bracelets, smart watch and other gadgets. Standard profiles support audio devices, file sharing, input devices, and network access.

As we remember, Microsoft (Nokia) products are also interesting for their cards, which have good coverage and can be used offline. For their effective use, the smartphone has a signal receiver for GPS and Glonass navigation systems. Subjective testing in urban conditions showed that the system starts quickly, the reception is stable, and the accuracy corresponds to other models.

FM radio works with headphones as an antenna. The regular program provides for saving a list of favorite stations, displaying broadcast text information, as well as outputting sound to the main speaker. There is no possibility of recording the broadcast and direct input of the frequency. The reception quality can be assessed as average. The range of supported frequencies is from 87.5 to 108 MHz.

Performance

This section in the reviews of smartphones with Windows is not the first time it seems to us optional, if we talk about comparing different models with each other. There are relatively few devices in this segment and it usually does not make sense to choose them based on benchmarks, since there are more significant differences, including screen size and quality, the presence of two memory card slots, operating system version, and others. It is clear that in most computing tests, the Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM will be ahead of rivals from its camp - eight cores at 2 GHz leave no chance for anyone. In addition, of the devices that we tested, the closest model to performance is the Lumia 930 and we had it in our laboratory a year and a half ago. It has fewer cores, the screen has only Full HD resolution, Windows is “old” there - only version 8.1, and indeed it is Nokia. But there is nowhere to go, apparently this particular opponent will have to be put in the table.

The Windows platform is clearly not spoiled with useful tests, and then the operating system update arrived in time ... So, after studying the current situation, we left GFXBench for the graphics part and tests of the browser built into the firmware to evaluate the processor cores.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.

Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	77.72 mm (millimeters) 7.77 cm (centimeters) 0.25ft 3.06in
Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	141.35 mm (millimeters) 14.14 cm (centimeters) 0.46 ft 5.56in
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	10.87 mm (millimeters) 1.09 cm (centimeters) 0.04 ft 0.43in
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	190 g (grams) 0.42 lbs 6.7oz
Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	119.41 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 7.25 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Orange Green blue green Yellow Black White

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile technologies and data rates

Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.

SoC (System on a Chip)

System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.

SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Play MSM8225
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor.	45 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A5
Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 0 Cache (L0) Some processors have an L0 (level 0) cache that is faster to access than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such a memory is not only higher performance, but also reduced power consumption.	4 kB + 4 kB (kilobytes)
First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and much faster than system memory, and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes)
Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or RAM.	1024 KB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel.	2
Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1000 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The graphics processing unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 203
The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted.	768 MB (megabytes)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches.	5 in 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate Screen Width	2.57in 65.34 mm (millimeters) 6.53 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate Screen Height	4.29in 108.9 mm (millimeters) 10.89 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.667:1 5:3
Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail.	480 x 800 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail.	187 ppi (pixels per inch) 73 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number colors that the screen can show.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device.	64.98% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen.	capacitive Multitouch

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.

rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its rear panel and can be combined with one or more additional cameras.

Sensor size Information about the size of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer better image quality despite lower resolution.	3.6 x 2.7 mm (millimeters) 0.18in
Pixel size Pixels are usually measured in microns. Larger pixels are able to capture more light and therefore provide better low-light performance and a wider dynamic range than smaller pixels. On the other hand, smaller pixels allow higher resolution while maintaining the same sensor size.	1.389 µm (micrometers) 0.001389 mm (millimeters)
crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the size of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35mm film) and the size of the device's photosensor. The number shown is the diagonal ratio of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor specific device.	9.61
Svetlosila Luminosity (also known as f-stop, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the size of a lens aperture that determines the amount of light that enters the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Usually, the number f is indicated, which corresponds to the maximum possible aperture of the aperture.	f/2.8
Focal length Focal length indicates the distance in millimeters from the sensor to the optical center of the lens. The equivalent focal length (35mm) is the focal length of a mobile device camera that is equal to the focal length of a 35mm full-frame sensor that would achieve the same angle of view. It is calculated by multiplying the actual focal length of the mobile device's camera by the crop factor of its sensor. The crop factor can be defined as the ratio between the 35mm diagonals of a full-frame sensor and a mobile device sensor.	3.33 mm (millimeters) 32.02 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame)
Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape.	LED
Image resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, giving an approximate number of pixels in millions.	2592 x 1944 pixels 5.04 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record.	864 x 480 pixels 0.41 MP (megapixels)
Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording rate (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps.	30 fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera.	digital zoom panoramic shooting Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting

Front-camera

Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a PTZ camera, a cutout or hole in the display, a camera under the display.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.

Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, making it easier to discover and connect devices. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device.	3.0
Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols for faster data transfer, power savings, better device discovery, and more. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here.	A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) DUN (Dial-Up Networking Profile) FTP (File Transfer Profile) GAVDP (Generic Audio/Video Distribution Profile) HFP (Hands Free Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) HS

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.

Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours.	2000 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Li-Ion)
Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network.	16 h (hours) 960 min (minutes) 0.7 days
2G standby time The 2G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	720 h (hours) 43200 min (minutes) 30 days
3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network.	13 h (hours) 780 min (minutes) 0.5 days
3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	720 h (hours) 43200 min (minutes) 30 days
Characteristics Information about some additional features of the device's battery.	Removable
	Battery model: BN-02

It is unlikely that there will be at least one person in Russia who has not heard of Nokia mobile phones. Even after all the rights to the Finnish brand have been transferred to the American company Microsoft, there is no need for connoisseurs of these devices to switch to gadgets from other manufacturers. Currently, there are enough phones produced under the Nokia brand. Among them are presented as budget smartphones, and those that belong to the middle category.

A bright distinction modern models This company is a wide variety of colors of cases. The youth enthusiastically accepted this decision. Of course, the manufacturer did not abandon the classic options for white and black. They are most often chosen by respectable people. But for those who love the positive, blue, orange, green and yellow specimens are presented. Such color variety can be found in the Asha and Lumia lines. Having released the new model Nokia 1030 XL Dual Sim in the winter of 2014, the manufacturer did not change its style. What features does this smartphone have? Within the framework of the article, its characteristics will be considered in detail. Also, readers will find out what common malfunctions they may encounter when purchasing a Nokia branded gadget.

Equipment

Description of Nokia 1030 XL Dual Sim Let's start with an overview of the packaging and a set of accessories. The phone is packed in a branded box. Its design is characterized by a playful style that sets buyers on a positive note. On the front side there are several photos of the device. There is also the name of the smartphone.

We will not dwell on the box for a long time, but rather take a look inside it. There is a standard set. It includes: phone, battery, documentation (manual, certificate, warranty card), entry-level headphones and charger. Additional accessories manufacturer did not provide. They will have to be purchased separately. For example, there will be no problems with the choice of covers. They are presented in a wide range. Buying a memory card is also easy, the device supports a common format - micro-SD.

Design

Nokia 1030 XL Dual Sim is a model similar in appearance to the devices of the Lumia line. The body has a clear rectangular shape. Polycarbonate is chosen as the material for the back cover. The manufacturer completely refused roundness, and this visually increases the dimensions of the phone. Physical dimensions of the case: 141x78x10.9 mm. The battery cover is made in such a way that its side faces create a kind of frame for the front panel. It brightens up the dark color somewhat.

Mechanical control keys are displayed on one side face - the right one. Here are the volume rocker and the power/lock button. On the front side of the Nokia 1030 is the control panel. It is issued as standard - three touch keys. They are responsible for the following functions: return, search and menu. Directly above the panel is a large screen. Above it, in addition to the speaker, there are sensors and a front camera lens. The manufacturer has not forgotten about the logo, so it will not be difficult to determine whether it belongs to the Nokia brand.

The design of the back cover is unremarkable. Here all the elements are arranged according to the standard scheme. At the top are the flash and the main camera, at the bottom - an oblong hole output speaker.

Assembly

The case of Nokia 1030 XL Dual Sim at a cursory examination seems to be monolithic. This feeling is created due to the fact that the side edges of the back cover reach the front panel. However, it is not. The battery in the model is removable, so the developers provided access to it. The lid is not as easy to remove as we would like, but it will not be difficult to get used to it. If you pry it from the left side, then it will quickly succumb.

There are no comments on the build quality. During testing, the device performed well. No squeaks, backlashes and other extraneous sounds were found. Naturally, this pleased connoisseurs of the brand.

Those buyers who have not used Nokia smartphones before will have to get used to the shape of the case. Due to the lack of roundness, the device will need to be controlled with two hands.

Screen

The Nokia 1030 has decent screen specs. Although, according to many users, with a 5-inch diagonal, the resolution could be done even more. In this model, it is limited to 800x480 px. Naturally, this affects the level of detail in the image. Users will not be pleased with the pixel density either, it is only 187 ppi. Although the “squares” are not visible to the naked eye, this still affects clarity.

The indisputable advantage of the display is the IPS-matrix. This technology currently considered one of the best. Wide viewing angles, deep color reproduction - all this can be appreciated by the owners Nokia models XL Dual Sim RM-1030. The color depth is 24 bits. The display is capable of displaying more than 16 million colors.

The advantages include the presence of proximity sensors and ambient light. With the help of the latter, the brightness level is adjusted automatically, which allows you to comfortably use your smartphone outdoors even in sunny weather. Glare, of course, is, but the information on the screen is easy to read. The proximity sensor frees the user from endless phone locks. During a call, you just need to bring the device to your ear and it will automatically lock. Provided by the developers and screen rotation. When this option is activated, the modes will be switched automatically when the position of the device changes.

Camera

It is impossible to call the Nokia 1030 cameras a strong point, but they are not weak either. The main one is based on a 5-megapixel matrix. With its help, you can get photos with a maximum resolution of 2592x1944 px. Resizing is provided by the developers in the application settings. Poor lighting will not interfere with creating memorable shots. In such a situation, it is recommended to use the LED flash. It works in three modes: automatically, off and always on. If you need to enlarge the subject, you can use the digital zoom (4X). There are many important options in the application settings. It is worth noting that the developers have not forgotten about autofocus, which allows you to make the picture as clear and detailed as possible. It also has face detection, white balance, panorama and more.

The main camera also works in video mode. Recording is carried out at a speed of 30 fps. The quality of the videos is average. Resolution - 640x480 px.

The front camera is significantly inferior to the main one. It is based on a 2-megapixel sensor. The maximum photo resolution is 1886x1061 px. Selfies, of course, are not very good, but for video communication, its capabilities are quite acceptable.

Performance

The main criterion for choosing a smartphone is the level of performance. It is indicated not only by the characteristics of the processor, but also by the amount of RAM. Let's see what "stuffing" the developers used in the Nokia XL Dual Sim RM-1030. The first thing that advanced users pay attention to is the chipset. This phone model uses the Qualcomm trademark MSM8225 processor with two cores. What does it give the owners? In principle, the smartphone copes well with all everyday tasks. However, it is worth noting that the number of rows of the Snapdragon S4 Play processor is only 32 bits. Currently, the 64-bit system is already widely used, which means that users will face some limitations. The maximum frequency to which the computing modules are overclocked also indicates an insufficiently powerful platform. It is only 1000 MHz. The main processor is paired with an Adreno 203 graphics card.

The indicator of "RAM" also indicates modest characteristics. In this model, it is equal to 768 MB. Built-in memory is only 4 GB. You can expand it up to 32 GB using micro-SD drives.

operating system

The most interesting question asked by users in their reviews is what operating system is based on Nokia 1030 XL Dual Sim. It is worth noting that users will no longer see a clean Windows version phone. This smartphone running Nokia X Software Platform 1.1. What does she represent? Combining two popular "operating systems" - "Android" and Windows phone.

Icons on the desktop have a standard look. If necessary, the user can change their size and color. If some application does not fit, then it is easily removed. In addition to these features, the developers have provided for the installation of widgets on the main screen. The control panel has similar settings to Android devices. Here you can select the main SIM card, activate / deactivate wireless interfaces, turn on flight mode, and more.

Battery

What is the capacity of the Nokia 1030 battery? The manufacturer used a 2000 milliamp per hour battery in this gadget. Type by chemical composition - lithium-ion. Let's consider its possibilities.

• Standby - 720 hours
• The duration of the conversation is 13-16 hours.
• When using Wi-Fi - 6 hours.
• Music player mode - 37 hours

Such characteristics allow the user to expect to work up to two days on a single charge. A significant drawback is the lack of power saving settings, so it would be useful to purchase a portable battery ( power bank). You can charge your phone with either a mains charger or a USB cable.

Operation problems: common malfunctions

• If your Nokia 1030 won't turn on, don't rush to service center. The first step is to check the condition of the battery. If it is discharged, then you will need to connect it to the network and wait a few minutes. After that, it is recommended to hold down the power button for 5-10 seconds. If the phone does not show signs of life, then the help of a specialist will be needed. There are actually a lot of reasons for such a breakdown. It can be caused by software failures, getting the device wet, voltage drops during charging, careless handling.
• If the phone has stopped seeing the SIM card, then you will first need to eliminate the problems associated with it. To do this, you need to take another device and insert the card into it. If everything works fine there, then the reason is in the device. In this situation, it is recommended to immediately contact the service center, since it will not be possible to fix the breakdown on your own. The technicians will diagnose and find the problem. If you need to replace any parts, they will do the job without delay. For example, motherboard Nokia 1030 XL Dual Sim will cost approximately 1000 rubles, however, it should be borne in mind that spare parts are often installed not new, but used, but the owner is warned about this.
• If the user is unable to send messages from the phone, the first step is to check the short message center number. You can get it from the operator cellular network. If everything is entered correctly here, then the problems may be in the software. Most often, with such a malfunction, a phone firmware change is required.

Conclusion

So, the Nokia XL Dual Sim RM-1030 review has come to an end. In conclusion, let's say that the cost of approximately $200 is not very justified by the phone. Most likely, only connoisseurs of the brand will like it. Currently, budget smartphones from other manufacturers are much more functional and even more powerful, so the choice is yours.

Nokia XL is the company's alternative offering for fans of the Android operating system. An attempt by Nokia to take over another part of the smartphone market. Let's take a look at the Nokia XL user reviews, as well as the characteristics of experts, and try to determine based on them whether this company will achieve what it wants? What is good about this phone? How do those who have acquired and tested its capabilities speak of it?

About good

About Nokia XL reviews indicate that the phone on this operating system works stably - it does not freeze. Convenient to use. It has a clear interface and fits comfortably in the hand. When using, there are no slowdowns. All communications work perfectly. Reception and transmission of the signal is confident as in telephone networks communication, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. Has a good camera. The flash works great. The battery holds up well. Users also benefit from:

• big screen;
• decent power of the device;
• loud speaker;
• the ability to switch between SIM cards;
• front camera with Skype support.

About the bad

About Nokia XL, user reviews indicate that it does not sync with a PC. It is not possible to install applications on a memory card. The Android operating system has been stripped down. Few applications on the "Market". Heats up quickly and intensely. There are problems with opening the back cover.

About cost and operating system

XL is, one might say, the "big brother" X from Nokia. You can buy it on average for 7000 rubles. The device works on the basis of its own firmware, bringing the appearance of the interface closer to Windows Phone. This, of course, limits the possibilities and makes it impossible to access services from Google, including Play.

What's in the box?

The kit for the device includes:

• headset, unfortunately, without a call key;
• charger that connects to microUSB.

Nokia XL Dual, review: briefly about the main thing

The screen is made using TFT IPS technology and has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, or 187 dots per inch. The processor of the device is dual-core with a frequency of 1 GHz. RAM - 768 MB. The built-in memory of the smartphone is 4 GB. Dimensions - 41.4 x 77.7 x 10.9 mm. These Nokia XL characteristics say a lot, but do not allow us to appreciate this device.

Appearance

Allow you to explore the look of Nokia XL photos. The buyer is offered a wide variety of colors. It is possible to install a phone cover of a different color. The build quality of the phone can be called perfect. Given that it is collapsible, when you hold it in your hand, it is not felt. Thanks to the polycarbonate of which the body is made, the phone does not scratch, does not slip, pleasant and firm to the touch. Its front side is completely covered with glass. The five-inch display has an aspect ratio of 16:10. Directly above it is a peephole. There are also light and proximity sensors. Under the display, the manufacturer has placed touch keys.

At the bottom is a microUSB-connector. The top has a 3.5mm headset jack. The right end bears a polycarbonate volume rocker. Below it is a lock/on button.

In the middle of the rear panel is a camera eye, above which is a flash. There is a speaker in the lower back of the case.

An easy-to-remove cover hides the battery, dual-SIM slots and a microSD slot.

Ergonomics of the device

Ease of use of Nokia XL Dual SIM is ensured by its low weight - only 190 grams, well-thought-out button layout, rounded back cover. Despite its size, it fits comfortably in the hand. Its shape follows the shape of the palm. The rough body inspires confidence that the device will not slip out of your hand. The lock and volume keys fit comfortably under your fingers, which makes it possible to operate the device with one hand.

Screen

It is quite large and bright in this device. In general, pleasant, but still budget. Differs in high quality of execution, has a correct color rendition and rather wide viewing angles. I would like the pixel density to be higher, but this is quite enough so that the eyes do not get tired for a long time when working with the device.

The disadvantages include poor protection against glare. No matter how you turn the device, reflections cannot be avoided. The finger glides freely on the screen, which pleases with the fact that it does not get dirty much.

Interface

The most interesting thing about this device, of course, is its interface. In it (which may upset admirers of this software) there is very little left of Android. The firmware was developed based on outdated version this operating system. The new interface is called Fastlane, since there is practically nothing left of the old one. We must pay tribute to the developers - it turned out to be very simple and understandable and prettier than "Google".

The icons located on the poles have a multi-colored background. The screen can be scrolled down like a web page, which is visual, convenient and pretty. At the top is a search bar, using which you can easily search the Internet and open applications.

Swipe opens the curtain from the bottom up, in which you can switch between SIM cards, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, turn off the sound, etc. It’s bad that there is no flashlight icon here.

The only place that clearly indicates that this is still an "Android" is the settings menu. It is like all "Googlephones". The Fastlane interface, if desired, can be changed to another "launcher" - and the device will become more like an Android device. But it is not recommended to do this, since the installed one is adapted for this device and is much more convenient than the others.

There are no non-screen keys, which made it possible to give more space to the screen. There is only one touch key. A short press returns to the previous position, a long press takes you to the home screen (which, of course, is very convenient to use).

To say that the device flies means to lie, but the speed of its work is still very good. The device does not have long freezes.

Despite the fact that it is not tied to Google, use social networks, the device allows you to transfer photos. Although the device does not have Play market, all the usual applications can be found in the Nokia store.

The choice in it, of course, is not the same as in Google Play, but there are no various virus applications and garbage. And "Yandex.Store" provides almost everything you need for a not very demanding user. At the same time, the choice is better than that of Windows Phone.

Advanced users will certainly be disappointed. But they can solve all their problems by flashing the device.

Photo video

The advantages of all Nokias are their cameras. But you shouldn't rejoice too much, because this is still a state employee, and not a representative of the Lumiy line. That's why PureView isn't here.

The main camera is 5 megapixel. With its help during the day, you can produce quite good pictures. But already with artificial lighting, they leave much to be desired. The device has autofocus and flash. The flash is more for show, but the autofocus is quite good. Color rendition is clearly dull. The image is easily smeared, so you need to hold the smartphone firmly in your hands and do not take pictures on the go - nothing good will come of it.

The front camera is only good for what it is. But for those who do not need a high-quality image when communicating on Skype, it is quite suitable. But for a "selfie" on Instagram, it's better not to use it.

Wireless interfaces

Smartphone Nokia XL Dual SIM does not indulge in a variety of wireless technologies. The smartphone does not support either MIRACAST or NFC. Of course, like others, good wifi a gadget and, although outdated, but working stably without Bluetooth failures.

autonomy

The device can function for quite a long time without recharging. This is made possible by a rather capacious 2000 mAh battery, not a powerful processor and a low charge. Even the most active user is enough for a day.

Device in operation

Of course, it is not designed to play FullHD video. Not all 3D entertainment and heavy games will go with a bang, but everything else will be no problem.
Conversational speaker is good, which can not be said about the music. With a strong sound, noises are heard, so it is better to listen to songs with headphones.

Results from experts

pros:

• beauty of design;
• good build quality;
• excellent ergonomics;
• convenient and simple interface;
• two SIMs;
• long time battery life.

Minuses:

• no access to Google Play;
• insufficiently powerful processor for a wide monitor;
• low resolution;
• not very good front and rear cameras.

conclusions

About Nokia XL reviews indicate that this is a well-assembled device. Suitable as the first smartphone and those who are not very picky about this kind of devices, for which the size of the display, simplicity and clarity of the interface are important.

In general, having studied the reviews and characteristics of experts about Nokia XL Dual SIM, we can conclude that this device, despite its shortcomings (who doesn’t have them?), Has every chance of winning the love of a certain category of buyers and a part of the market for Nokia. We must give credit to this company - she tried. Than once again it did not disappoint its fans, providing a sufficiently high-quality and balanced device.

Nokia XL Dual SIM - the development of a line of budget mobile Nokia phones, the older brother of Nokia X, with a diagonal of 5 inches. The manufacturer added about one and a half thousand to the price and rolled out a device with a “stretched” diagonal, while leaving the same low resolution. At the same time, the dimensions of the device have increased significantly - the smartphone is uncomfortable in one hand. Unusual interface and redesigned Android - it's not so scary. However, the absence Play Market, in our opinion, this is a serious minus. Although, it seems that consumers have even learned to live and cope with installing applications not only through the Play Market.

The processor of the beginning of 2012 is not the most recent solution, and the increase in RAM from 512 to 768 MB looks, in our opinion, simply not serious. But now the smartphone has a front camera, and the main camera has been slightly improved in terms of characteristics - its resolution is 5 MP. The manufacturer also slightly tightened the battery life - a larger case made it possible to place a more capacious battery. However, its results are still significantly below the average for smartphones in general. Among the pluses, one can note only support for two SIM-cards, assembly of the case and a large number of colors for it. We do not recommend a smartphone for purchase, despite the low price. In our opinion, Nokia has done a little work on the bugs and for a small surcharge pulled up the characteristics of the device to the level of inexpensive Chinese smartphones.

Dimensions and weight - 3.8

The 5-inch Nokia XL Dual SIM smartphone is thick, wide, and in its width it rather corresponds to smartphones with a 5.2-5.5-inch diagonal. The thickness of the case reaches 10.9 mm. The device is heavy, its weight is 189 grams, it is only a little short of catching up with such heavyweights as Philips W6610 or Asus Fonepad 6.

Appearance reminded us of a flattened brick, it is inconvenient to hold and control it with one hand. The case is collapsible, the battery is removed. The smartphone is made of polycarbonate, the build quality is good for a cheap model, all parts fit snugly, nothing creaks under pressure.

It should be noted the variety of colors for the body: Nokia XL Dual SIM is available in bright green, orange, yellow, blue, black and white.

Screen - 3.1

The Nokia XL Dual SIM uses an IPS-matrix with a resolution of 800 × 480 pixels, a screen diagonal of 5 inches, a PPI value of only 187. Perhaps today, smartphones with a lower number of pixels per inch are no longer produced, only very cheap phones with a diagonal of 2- 3 inches have ppi below. The viewing angles are average, the brightness level is also average, for most cases it will be enough to read information. However, on a sunny day, reading information from the display is already much more difficult. Due to the low ppi, individual pixels are almost immediately noticeable. In our opinion, this display is far from the best for long reading and watching videos.

Viewing angles and color deviations of the Nokia XL Dual SIM display. As you can see in the test image above, the brightness drops off quickly when tilted, the display has a slight bluish tint, and the blacks fade into each other. With such narrow viewing angles, talking about a shift in colors when the display is tilted is almost meaningless. Read more about the test.

Camera

They decided to improve the Nokia XL Dual SIM cameras a little, if Nokia X had one 3 MP main camera, here the cameras were already pulled up to the level of a typical, budget model: 5 MP for the main camera and 2 MP for the front camera, plus they added a flash and autofocus. In terms of any functions, everything is typical, a standard set of settings. The maximum resolution for photos is 2592×1944 pixels, while video recording is 854×480 pixels, which is very small. But there is a tracking autofocus and a recording speed of 30 fps. Sound is recorded in mono. The front camera takes pictures at a resolution of 1600×1200 and shoots video at a resolution of 352×288, that is, in very poor quality. The manufacturer, of course, formally improved the main camera and added a front one, but the result is still unsatisfactory.

Photos from the camera Nokia XL Dual SIM - 2.3

Working with text - 5.0

The standard keyboard in Nokia XL Dual SIM can be called comfortable. It has a markup of additional characters, both in Latin and in the Cyrillic layout. You can quickly dial numbers - on the top row of keys, a number row is used as additional characters. Not only stroke input is supported, but also handwriting input. However, there is one significant disadvantage here - switching between languages. To do this, you have to hold down the spacebar and then select the desired language from a long list that has fallen out, this is not very convenient, which is confirmed by user reviews.

Internet - 5.0

The pre-installed standard browser surprised us with the “wealth” of its settings, you can delete personal data in them, save / not save passwords, and that’s it. With a double click, you can move away to the general view of the page or get closer to some area of ​​interest. But, apart from standard browser, Opera is preinstalled with reading mode, text autofit, etc.

Interfaces

Nokia XL Dual SIM supports common wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth (v3.0) and A-GPS. The device is capable of delivering Mobile Internet using Wi-Fi. The smartphone did without support for LTE and dual-band Wi-Fi. Everything works fine, only in our tests the GPS took a long time to determine its location.

The smartphone can work with two Micro-SIM cards, but alternately, since there is only one radio module in the device. There is a slot for microSD cards up to 32 GB and a Micro-USB 2.0 connector, without MHL and USB OTG.

Multimedia - 1.0

Preinstalled players support a limited number of video and audio formats. In our tests, the smartphone refused to play uncompressed FLAC audio, MOV and MKV video also played with great difficulty. Full HD video plays fine. True, the player does not support subtitles.

Battery - 2.2

We tested the Nokia XL Dual SIM in our two standard tests. The 2000 mAh battery (remember, Nokia X had 1500 mAh) showed not the best results: 4 hours 20 minutes in HD video mode at maximum brightness and about 27 and a half hours in music listening mode.

Performance - 1.6

The device uses a rather old Qualcomm MSM8225 Snapdragon S4 Play platform with a 1 GHz dual-core processor and an unusual amount of RAM - 768 MB, 3/4 of a gigabyte. The main processor is accompanied by the Adreno 203 graphics accelerator. In terms of filling, the manufacturer left everything as it was with Nokia X, increasing only the RAM, but did not become generous by a whole gigabyte, but added only 256 MB. With daily use, the device practically does not slow down and works, if not quickly, then normally.

The device performed poorly in synthetic tests: 7686 points in the AnTuTu benchmark and 2360 points in the 3D Mark benchmark. You will not be able to play demanding games, as there will not be enough RAM or processor power with a graphics accelerator.

Memory - 4.2

The amount of built-in memory in Nokia X Dual SIM is 4 GB, but only 1.11 GB is available to the user. But there is support for microSD memory cards up to 32 GB. The memory card is not hot-swappable.

Peculiarities

Nothing particularly new, compared to Nokia X, has not appeared: the same converted Android, stylized as Windows Phone. In fairness, it should be said that the launcher can be reinstalled, and the lack of Google services, and especially the Play Market app store, can only be partially compensated by downloading and installing any other stores. Many applications can be installed by downloading the corresponding APK file and extracting it on the phone, but applications that require registration in the Play Market will still not start. Among the features, one can also note the dimensions of the smartphone: the dimensions of the case are rather suitable for a smartphone with a 5.5-inch display. The interface also has not undergone any changes. In the presence of a desktop with application icons, "swipe" to the left or right, you will be taken to the list of recent activities, which simply stores everything that you have done on the phone recently.

Competitors

On the one hand, Nokia XL Dual SIM is one of a kind, large budget 5-inch smartphones are not so popular, at least among manufacturers, and Nokia XL almost exclusively occupies this specific niche. On the other hand, if you add one and a half thousand rubles, then you can already buy a version of the Lenovo P780 with 4 GB of internal memory, which will be much stronger in all respects, from the display, processor, cameras to the battery.

Don't want to spend more? There's the Explay Rio, also with dual SIM slots, almost half the price, slightly lighter, almost the same display and battery. Nokia XL noticeably outperforms it only in terms of cameras.

LG L80 is only a thousand more expensive, but you get 1 GB of RAM, two SIM card slots, a larger battery, and a lighter and thinner body. Nokia XL surpasses it only with a large number of megapixels in the front camera.