Microsoft Lumia 550 slows down how to fix it. How to get rid of slowdowns in your smartphone on Windows Phone

Look first review of the real "sale" Microsoft Lumia 550 . This is not a prototype like the Lumia 950 XL ( And overview of user recognition by iris of Windows Hello with Iris), shown in Microsoft Lumia 550 review - this is the final version of the hardware, only with Windows 10 Mobile not updated before release. But the experience of using it for a week leaves the most pleasant impressions.Microsoft Lumia 550 is a budget smartphone model of the Lumia line , which will cost about 140 euros and its sales will begin in December 2015. For those who want a bug-free, lag-free smartphone with long battery life and a convenient and easy-to-use Windows OS -Microsoft Lumia 550 is a great solution . Trust me, Microsoft Lumia 550 is worth the money.

What can we say -testing the touch screen for sensitivity to touches and finger movements of the Microsoft Lumia 550 passes with a bang 😉 This review/test of Microsoft Lumia 550 - proof of the normal operation of the touchscreen in the Microsoft Lumia 550. So - there’s no need to remember about the problematic screen of the Lumia 535 and transfer the problems of the 535 to the “successor” - the Lumia 550 has no problems with the touchscreen 😉

In this series - - with the most popular representatives on Windows Phone -how Asphalt 8 Airborne, GT Racing 2, 4x4 Offroad Rally, Beach Buggy Racing work on Lumia 550 .

According to subjective feelingsAfalo26 all tested games on the Lumia 550 work perfectly, no lags were noticed, the screen is sensitive and no glitches were noticed 😉

According to subjective feelingsAfalo26 All these tested games on Lumia 550 show excellent speed, the screen is sensitive and no glitches were noticed 😉 we especially appreciated the heating of the phone during the game - we didn’t notice any particularly hot zones, the phone was just warm 😉 Except that Brother in Arms 3 crashed at the end, but this is no longer a problem with the Microsoft Lumia 550 or The OS is Windows 10 Mobile, and the well-known “bugs” of Brother in Arms 3 itself, for which everyone mercilessly criticizes it...

According to subjective feelingsAfalo26 All These RPG games work great on the Lumia 550 , the screen is sensitive and no glitches were noticed 😉 we especially appreciated the heating of the phone during the game - we didn’t notice any particularly hot zones, the phone was just warm...

And speaking of conclusions aftertesting Minecraft Pocket Edition on Lumia 550 - according to subjective feelingsAfalo26 - just like in the conclusions with previous toys -Minecraft works great on Microsoft Lumia 550 , the screen is sensitive and no glitches or lags were noticed, especially according toAfalo26 - in comparison with his previous phone, everything “flies” Specially appreciatedMicrosoft Lumia 550 heating up while playing Minecraft - we didn’t notice any particularly hot zones; the Lumia 550 was still just warm during the game, as in previous tests.

How such a video was filmed in practice -you can see it in this photo - (don’t forget to log in to FB), and for those who write in the comments to such videos like “why are you filming handheld? So you can’t see all the quality!” - I repeat once again - I shoot video in such conditions in which 99% of users will use these phones when shooting - i.e. - they will shoot handheld, and not from a tripod or, especially, a stabilizer 😉

And don’t forget to turn on the comparison video from all 4 phones - Microsoft Lumia 550, Microsoft Lumia 640 / 640XL, Nokia Lumia 730 - in 1440p mode - you will see the video almost “as is”. The sound in this video is taken specifically from the recording track of the Microsoft Lumia 550.

For those who want to enjoy comparisons in more detail and “mix” individual episodes themselves, original fragments from all cameras are also on the channel, here are direct links:

test video with Microsoft Lumia 550:

test video with Microsoft Lumia 640:

test video with Microsoft Lumia 640 XL:

test video from Nokia Lumia 730:

So the test includes available paid and free video players for Windows Phone 8.1/Windows 10 Mobile - these are MoliPlayer Pro, VLC, Best Player, MKV Viewer, xVideo Player, Video Explorer, CCPlayer. You will be able to evaluate their ability to “digest” certain video formats, and, most importantly, to support hardware H.264 decoding, which is now found in the weakest processor in the Snapdragon series - Snapdragon 210, installed in the Microsoft Lumia 550.

Personally, I use MoliPlayer Pro on my Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile phones - this is how it happened historically, plus it has network playback capabilities and work with the DLNA protocol. For those who want to play videos at home from any device to any device using DLNA, I highly recommend watching my other videos with a story, .

But I somehow unexpectedly also liked MVK Viewer , which I accidentally found while searching for "something new for MKV". He is in free and paid versions for Windows Phone and “regular” Windows 8.1/10.

To understand whether the Microsoft Lumia 550 has become more productive compared to its predecessors, seesimilar tests of working with video from other Windows phones and short instructions for working with video in Windows Phone - how to convert, how to upload video to your phone.

Watch, draw conclusions - choose Microsoft Lumia 550 (or other Lumia phones - what and how to choose from - see the video “which Windows phone Lumia series to choose ” and comparison of video cameras of different Lumia -https://youtu.be/_7UfNaFBiZU?list=PLB5YmwQw0Jl-zubRvXm3Yi0lOMDzxvMna ), choose the video player that suits you.

I used Microsoft Lumia 550 all these 3 weeks as one of my main phones (together with Nokia Lumia 730 ). Why TOGETHER and not INSTEAD? Because the Microsoft Lumia 550 has only one slot for a SIM card, which, as for me, can be called its only disadvantage (for those who need these 2 cards). Personally, I use dual SIM only on business trips outside the European Union - in this case, my Lumia 730 had one “native” O2 SIM card and a card from a Ukrainian operator (for local calls and the Internet). The rest of the time, one SIM card is enough for me, but I know a lot of people who “save” by calling from different cards 😉 Although, as for me, you just need to earn more so as not to count pennies 😉

But let's get back to Microsoft Lumia 550 review - all these 3 weeks of use (and periodic load tests and games) the phone behaved perfectly. No freezes or OS bugs were noticed on the Lumia 550, no “missed” calls, “lost” SMS, etc. - everything on the Lumia 550 worked like clockwork.

And it worked on battery power for quite a long time - in “normal” use mode - calls for an hour and a half a day, constantly checking email via WiFi or 3G (I never turn off WiFi), reading mail upon arrival (and I receive up to 200 letters a day ) and reading documents/websites that were sent by mail - with all this, the Microsoft Lumia 550 works on a single charge from the morning of one day until the evening of the next day.

The performance of the OS and interface is also at the level, as shown by numerous tests - both synthetic and load gaming - you can also get acquainted with them in . At the same time, the vexed issue of heating the phone did not go beyond the concept of “warm”. Of course, maybe I should have played games on the Microsoft Lumia 550 for hours - but this was not part of my plans - I still work and in general - if you want to play on the go - buy yourself a portable game console - for example, this JXD S5800 or this NVIDIA Shield . Anyway -Microsoft Lumia 550 shows excellent performance for its hardware and its price.

My relationship with Windows Phone-based smartphones is a strange one. My first encounter with Lumia phones was . After a couple of days of use, cursing everything in the world, I gave this phone to our author Alexander Tobolin with the words: “I can’t use this.”

However, after some time I used it for quite a long time (about a month and a half), this smartphone left a positive impression. An excellent camera, a decent screen and good battery life made me very happy then. As they say, God loves trinities, and this time I got my hands on the Lumia 550. Read on to see what came of it further in the review.

Microsoft Lumia 550 Specifications

Equipment

Here Microsoft is in its repertoire; the kit contains nothing except a smartphone, pieces of paper and a charger. Many may say “yes, this is a budget smartphone, that’s normal.” I don’t argue that you can do without the same headphones, because many people don’t even open them after purchase, but a USB cable costs a penny, why not put it in the kit?

Design and ergonomics

The Lumia 550 looks like a typical representative of this line. A simple, yet quite stylish phone. The body is made of polycarbonate plastic and there are only two cover colors to choose from: black and white. Yes, my dears, you can forget about colored lids in this model.

The front camera peephole looks at us in front, and in the upper right corner there are proximity and light sensors. The microphone and speaker are located under a metal mesh, which is embedded between the glass and the plastic frame.

Hardware buttons have found their place on the right side. Just above is the smartphone unlock button, and directly below it is a paired volume key.

On the bottom there is a microUSB port, and on the top there is a 3.5 mm audio jack.

At the back you can find the logo, main camera lens, LED flash and speaker grille.

The back cover is quite easy to remove and gives access to the battery and connectors for SIM and memory cards.

Display

Microsoft Lumia 550 is equipped with a 4.7-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. The density is 315 ppi. As for me, for a smartphone based on Windows Phone, 720p resolution is ideal - for the tiled interface of the system you don’t need more.

I was really pleased with the screen. The viewing angles are decent, the minimum brightness is also at the proper level.

The maximum brightness was disappointing - in bright sunshine it will clearly not be enough. Another disadvantage is the lack of an oleophobic coating on the screen; fingerprints immediately remain on the display. This is quite forgivable for a budget smartphone, and this problem can be solved by gluing a matte film or additional glass; fortunately, buying them is not a big problem.

Performance and Software

One of the mysteries shrouded in darkness for me is this: why did Qualcomm release the 200 series of Snapdragon processors? But if the answer to this question is not very exciting, then the question “why did Microsoft engineers shove this processor into the Lumia 550” tormented me all the time I was using this smartphone. No, for example, in Moto E with a screen resolution of 540x960, Snapdragon 200 will still stretch the system. But installing a screen with HD resolution in the Lumia 550 practically ruined the performance.

The smartphone is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 210 processor with an operating clock frequency of 1.1 GHz. The Adreno 304 accelerator is responsible for the graphics part. The RAM in the Lumia 550 is 1 GB, although in devices based on Windows 10 Mobile you can generally forget about RAM, which we will discuss below. There is 8 GB of permanent memory and it can be easily expanded with a microSD card.

As a person who is usually far from the Windows Phone ecosystem, I constantly heard rumors that Windows 10 Mobile would be radically changed, and that it would also revolutionize the entire technology world with its Continium feature. I can’t say anything about the latter, since the Microsoft Lumia 550 simply doesn’t have it - this is a budget smartphone, don’t forget. As for the changes... there are a minimum of them, but there are several times more bugs.

"Why you should criticize the new Windows 10 Mobile:

damp and glitchy in places
There are still few USEFUL and CONVENIENT applications
Twitter client hasn't been updated for 3 years
most other apps are the same
few passionate developers due to lack of demand (consumers)
few consumers due to lack of normal applications and sustainable ecosystem
There are not so many changes compared to version 8.1, but there are significantly more glitches
this unfortunate beta version was rolled out as a ready-made solution for consumers"

In fact, if you use the Lumia 550 only with basic functions like making a call, writing an SMS, taking a photo of something, then this is a pretty good smartphone. But once you install at least a couple of applications and do something in them, don’t expect optimal and fast performance from this smartphone. A trivial example - when typing a message in the VKontakte application, the symbols appeared about 2 seconds after I pressed the buttons on the keyboard. Or, for example, the phone simply did not want to download applications from the Store - neither rebooting nor canceling-confirming the download helped.

Regarding my words that RAM can be neglected - so it is. Whether you have 3 GB of RAM, as in the Lumia 950, or 1 GB, as in our case, Windows 10 Mobile still unloads applications from the system. During my time using the Lumia 550, I simply hated the "Resume" message.

“I took a few pictures, looked at the results in the gallery, turned on the player to listen to music, remembered that I wanted to send one photo to a friend, I try to return to the gallery through the multitasking menu - it opens again and crashes. This kind of devilry happens with enviable consistency, so nothing There can be no multitasking when working with Microsoft Lumia 950. Re-opening browser tabs, restarting applications and the “Resume” message will become your eternal companions.”

Camera

A 5 MP camera is already standard for budget Lumia smartphones, as well as for budget smartphones from other manufacturers. In addition, the Lumia 550 has a camera equipped with a flash, which the Lumia 630 did not have.

The photos are quite decent, as for a budget smartphone; if there is good daylight, you can get good pictures. And, of course, in its absence, strong noises begin to appear.

The maximum resolution for shooting video with the main camera is 720p at 30 frames per second.

The 2 MP front camera is quite suitable for photographing yourself and talking on Skype (if the system allows it).

Autonomy

Everything is very sad with her. The Microsoft Lumia 550 has a removable battery with a capacity of 2100 mAh and in the operating mode “always on 3G, sometimes checking social networks, a couple of pictures and surfing the Internet via Wi-Fi,” the smartphone will last a daylight hours, or even less. Personally, PowerBank has become an indispensable companion when using this device.

conclusions

Would I buy this smartphone for myself? To be honest, no. I wouldn’t buy a smartphone based on Windows 10 Mobile at all, since the system is still completely raw. Okay, to be honest and love Windows on smartphones, for almost the same money (about $140) you can buy a Microsoft Lumia 640, which has a more powerful processor, a larger battery and fewer glitches.

Prices in online stores

It is possible to display similar models if this one is not in the catalog for your region.

There is an opinion that the mobile version of the Windows operating system is very unfinished, constantly slows down, or some elements do not work correctly at all. Users also constantly complain that there are not enough applications in the market.

Personally, I have a neutral attitude towards Windows OS and do not use this product. However, I believe that there should be more competition in the market, because where there is competition,
there is an increase in quality. I wrote this introduction before the device came into my hands. Let's see if the review of the Microsoft Lumia 550 can persuade me to become a lot of people who don't like Windows Phones, or if the negative opinion about such devices is still imposed.

So, let's go!

Lumia 550 was announced in October 2015. It began going on sale two months later and finally filled store windows at the beginning of 2016. At the time of writing this review, the phone costs $139.

I took the smartphone from friends at the local store Vsesvit.Biz. Neither I nor they are interested in advertising specific devices, so the review will be as subjective as possible.

width - 68 mm;
height - 136 mm;
thickness - 1 cm;
weight - 142 g.

Design

The smartphone is made of plastic and comes in two colors: black and white. The black version of the back cover has a matte finish, which gets dirty more than white, and fingerprints remain as if from greasy fingers. This can be seen in the photo below.

I had a white version of the smartphone for review. The white cover has a glossy finish and fingerprints are less visible.

The back cover is in the form of a bathtub, in Nokia style. The case does not play, it is assembled well, just like the entire Lumia series. Nokia designers once successfully came up with their original form of device, which Microsoft uses to this day. The sides and back are one whole cover, the volume buttons and the power/lock button are built into the cover.

There are no physical or touch buttons on the front panel, and the area under the display does not provide any functional value. Above the display there is a speaker, recessed into the body (over time, small debris will get there), a front camera, a light sensor and the Microsoft inscription. The back cover bears the manufacturer's logo, which will most likely be erased over time.

Around the front panel there is a side protruding by a millimeter, which allows you to lay the device face down without fear of scratching the front glass.

CPU

Inside is a budget quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 (1.1 GHz) processor. It copes well with the operating system requirements of the latest version of Windows 10 Mobile. This processor series was created for budget devices with basic capabilities. The video processor in the Lumia 550 is Adreno 304, which is sufficient for the screen in this device. This processor is enough for communicating on Skype and playing games.

On the device you can play modern 3D games, which can be found in the official market. Asphalt 8 and Modern Combat 5 were launched and ran without much stuttering on low graphics settings. When collecting information before the review, most bloggers assured that the Microsoft Lumia 550 is not intended for games, but this is not entirely true. You can play on a smartphone if you are not picky about unnoticeable graphics slowdowns.

The smartphone heats up a little, but within acceptable limits.

Memory

The device has 1 GB of RAM, which is typical for a smartphone in this price category.

The built-in memory is 8 GB of which the system occupies 2.5 GB. This volume is sufficient for the operation of the device. You can install the basic necessary applications, a few games, and still have a dozen photos and a couple of videos left.

If you like to shoot a lot, listen to music and store a lot of games, then a MicroSD card slot with the ability to expand memory up to 128 GB will come to your aid.

Battery

Inside is a removable 2100 mAh battery. The manufacturer claims that the maximum operating time on the Internet using the Wi-Fi module is 10 hours. The maximum time for continuous video playback is 7 hours... and similar lies.

I tested Lumiya 550 and got the following result: in playback mode
video on Youtube.com (this is 50% of the working time), games (20%), Internet surfing (30%),
The smartphone worked for only 4 hours 25 minutes. The screen, of course, worked without interruption all this time. This is the usual performance of the average smartphone in this price category. Manufacturers usually claim two and sometimes three times more, which is far from reality.

The smartphone also consumes a lot of power in standby mode. Therefore, if you set an alarm, make sure that there is at least 15% charge, otherwise the phone may die and the alarm will not work.

Camera

There are two cameras in the Nokia Microsoft Lumia 550. They take decent photographs, although they lack detail. For social nets to chill in front of the Pushkin monument or take a photo of sushi are quite enough. I was pleased with the shot of the car in motion, which was not blurred and turned out clear when shooting in normal automatic mode. An example of this photo is below.

Click on the photo to see it in full size

The main camera shoots at a resolution of 5 megapixels, the front one at 2 megapixels. The main camera has a regular, single-LED flash. Another example of a photo taken with the main camera:

The shooting took place, as you can see, in cloudy weather. Photos will be much better in sunlight. Below, for your attention, is a photo taken with the front camera from an outstretched arm.

Click to enlarge

The main camera shoots video in HD resolution. The frame rate is an unremarkable 30 per second. Video example:

The camera, or rather its software, has a trick. Before taking a photo, a second of video is recorded and it turns out something like a live photo. When looking through photos in the smartphone gallery, all the photos come to life a little, and then freeze in the picture. However, after downloading the photo to another device or posting it on the Internet, the effect disappears. Pretty interesting.

Display

The display in the Microsoft Lumia 550 smartphone is 4.7 inches (11.8 cm). HD screen resolution is 1280 by 720 pixels. The pixel density is 315 ppi - this is a good indicator. The human eye can see a single pixel at a density of less than 320 ppi. The LCD display is made using IPS technology. The viewing angles are good, although there is no OGS production technology here, that is, there is a small air gap between the glass and the matrix. This affects the picture for the worse, but there is one plus: if you break the display, you can only replace the outer glass, and you won’t have to change the screen matrix.

The front glass does not have an oleophobic coating; fingerprints and stains are very visible.

Among the features of the display, there is a proprietary Glance function, which, when the screen is locked, leaves the clock, date and presence of notifications visible. The brightness of the information display is adjusted automatically, depending on the ambient lighting.

The same feature recently appeared on flagship models from Samsung and LG. To see the time, date or notifications, you do not need to activate the entire display and this, according to manufacturers, saves battery. Perhaps, with AMOLED display technology, this is true, since individual pixels can light up there, and unused pixels will not consume the battery. In LCD technology there is no such possibility, and if even a few pixels are lit, the rest of the Lumia 550 screen is also used and drains the charge. Therefore, in order to use such a display of the clock and notifications, the smartphone (in order not to waste a lot of charge) has to glow very dimly, and in order to see the clock you will have to strain your eyes significantly.

In general, the screen cannot be called a good and weak side of the smartphone.

Connection

There are no complaints about the connection in the smartphone. The smartphone has one SIM card slot in nano-sim format. The processor allows you to receive data in 4G LTE networks.

Sound

The Lumia 550's audio speaker is located at the back. Nothing special can be said about him. The most ordinary speaker, which will be enough to hear the call melody, nothing more. It is impossible to listen to music through it due to high frequencies and lack of bass.

OS and software

Perhaps there is something to be said here, since the Microsoft Lumia 550 smartphone has the latest version of the operating system from the software giant Microsoft - Windows 10 Mobile. Many expected it to fix all the bugs; they expected Microsoft to finally release a mobile version of its operating system that would not lag and would take pride of place in the wearable electronics market. But that did not happen.

The operating system is still slow and even freezes in some places.

If you purchased a new device, then the first thing you will have to do is update the system, since the version out of the box works poorly, to put it mildly. The update will take about 20 minutes.

Cons of the OS

Windows 10 Mobile comes with the new Microsoft Edge browser, which is unable to open multiple tabs correctly and quickly. If you minimize the browser to background programs, when you return, the browser will begin to reload all tabs. And the point here is not a lack of RAM. 1 GB per eye.

Applications take a relatively long time to launch. Don't think so. What am I talking about some minutes, no. Everything is much better, but let me give you an example, because we are talking about everything in comparison. For example, the official Lumia 550 store takes a long time to open, at least 8 seconds. Whereas in Android Play Market it loads in 3 seconds. This is approximately the ratio in which other applications and the entire system in general work.

I would like to note that there are still fewer applications in the official store than in Android or iOS. I couldn't find the popular game Dead Trigger. I couldn't find any official Youtube app either. It is known that Google, the owner of the Youtube video hosting service, sued Microsoft in 2013 to remove the application of the same name from the Windows Phone Store and from all devices where the application was already installed. The reason for this was the application’s ability to download videos, which was not acceptable for Google’s policy. Since then, nothing has changed and no normal application has appeared. There is a third-party application that allows you to open the mobile version of YouTube through a browser. In fact, this is not an application, but a shortcut with a link.

I also encountered a problem when registering for my account. See how it happened in the video review at the end of this article.

The Microsoft Lumia 550 smartphone comes pre-installed with Yandex services. The search from the Russian search engine is installed directly into the panel with control buttons (below in the photo). On the sliding panel (which steals screen space and is slightly annoying) you will find: a back button, which also calls up minimized applications (if pressed for a long time); in the center is the Home button with the Microsoft logo; and the third button (according to Windows, very useful) - calling the Yandex search application.

Pros of the OS

Cool interactive tiles

I liked the pre-installed Shazam application, which determines by the sound what music is playing, displays the artist, album, song title, and simultaneously reproduces the words of the song in text form along with the singer. The words are highlighted simultaneously with the performer's pronunciation. The Shazam app works well and without any slowdowns. Using it, I thought that at least Microsoft had done something well, but it turned out that they did not develop this application.

Pros and cons of the Microsoft Lumia 550 smartphone

good body;
a good camera for its price category;
availability of 4G support.

buggy operating system;
one SIM card;

Smartphone suitable:

for fans of the Windows Mobile operating system;
those who want to purchase a relatively inexpensive smartphone with a camera and display that are acceptable for its price;
people who often search for some information on the Internet (there is 4G);
sloth from the cartoon Zootopia.

Review from Mobcompany about the Microsoft Lumia 550 smartphone

If you read the introduction, then I didn’t know what opinion I would have after reviewing the Microsoft Lumia 550 in 2016. Perhaps I would like to have a device with an alternative operating system on board in the form of Windows Mobile, since I think that everything is learned in comparison. If you had more time to read and I had more time to write, I would describe in detail all the disadvantages and shortcomings of the operating system in this smartphone, of which there are a lot. But I think that's enough. The hardware in the Lumia 550 is quite enough for all the necessary, basic needs in 2016. There are no specific complaints about the device itself. Microsoft Lumia 550 is a nice budget smartphone with normal budget specifications.

Has my smartphone given me a negative attitude towards Windows phones? The answer is no, the smartphone did not persuade me to become an ardent fan of such devices. The mobile version of Windows 10 is slow and constantly lags, but, in my opinion, it should exist and develop.

Microsoft Lumia 550 video review

My second video review. So far filmed on an amateur camera. I hope I write better so far. what I shoot with. Leave any opinion about the review in the comments, I will be glad. I hope my works will allow you to make the right choice when buying a smartphone.

Against the backdrop of the new flagships Lumia 950 and 950 XL, many might not have noticed the appearance of another device running Windows 10 Mobile. This is about Microsoft Lumia 550 LTE, the first budget smartphone to run the new operating system. And we are sure that he will become much more popular than his older brothers. Why? Yes, because it costs almost 5 times less than the 950 and 950 XL models, and lately the price has been the decisive criterion when choosing a phone.

We bring to your attention a review of the Lumia 550, in which we will look at the strengths and weaknesses of the smartphone and draw a conclusion about the advisability of purchasing it.

Design

In our opinion, the Lumia 550 is the most beautiful budget smartphone among all the devices in the line. Smooth lines and the absence of unnecessary details make the appearance of the case harmonious, but discreet. If you like minimal design, you will share our opinion.

The body is made of polycarbonate, a traditional material for budget models. You won't find any metal inserts here.

The white version of the smartphone comes with a glossy back cover, while the black version comes with a matte back cover. The cover is removable, so you can order a new bright panel in the company store or from third-party manufacturers.

Removing the back cover gives you access to the battery, as well as the nano SIM and MicroSD card slots. The smartphone supports cards with a capacity of up to 128 GB, and given that the built-in memory is only 8 GB, you will certainly take advantage of this opportunity. By the way, unlike Android, in Windows 10 you can throw any applications, games, music, photos and videos onto the card.

Dimensions and weight

The Lumia 550 measures 136.1 x 67.8 x 9.9mm and weighs just 142g.

Since the smartphone is quite small, it is very convenient to operate it with one hand. Thanks to the one-handed control mode in Windows 10 Mobile, you can easily access any icons on your desktop.

All buttons are located on the right side of the case. You'll find a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top and a Micro USB jack on the bottom. The left side of the phone is traditionally empty.

It is worth noting that there is no physical camera shutter button, but this is a common occurrence for devices in the lower price range.

Display

Lumia 550 is equipped with a 4.7-inch display with a resolution of 1280 × 720 and a pixel density of 315 ppi.

To be honest, we did not expect such good image quality from this budget phone. The colors are bright, the picture is clear, the viewing angles are quite wide, and small text is easy to read. This is perhaps the best display among all entry-level models in the Lumiya line.

Among the minuses, it is worth noting that the screen surface is very easily soiled, on which fingerprints will always be visible.

Performance and battery

Considering that this is a budget model, it is not surprising that it is equipped with an entry-level Snapdragon 210 processor and 1 GB of RAM.

Do you think it's slow? Not at all. Microsoft did their best and well optimized Windows 10 Mobile for weak hardware.

Of course, the smartphone does not work at lightning speed and will slow down in heavy games and resource-intensive applications, but it copes with light tasks very well.

If you want a powerful filling, you will have to pay much more than 10,000 rubles. And for top models, such as these, you will have to pay from 45,000 to 50,000 rubles.

As for the battery, the capacity of 2100 mAh is enough for a whole day of active use of the device. From personal experience, we can say that after charging the smartphone to 100% in the morning, we actively used it all day: listening to music, playing games, surfing the Internet, turning on navigation. In the evening the charge level was 11%. We can conclude that with moderate use, the battery should last for two days without recharging.

We think this is a good result!

Connection quality

One of the main advantages of the Microsoft Lumia 550 LTE lies in its name and lies in its support for 4G networks. Internet access in 3G and 4G networks is very significant, in favor of the latter. To feel this, you need to try to download a large file or video on each of the networks. We tried it and liked it. In 4G networks, Internet pages load very quickly, and you can watch videos without waiting for them to load. The main thing is that the tariff is suitable, with a large amount of free traffic.

Based on the quality of calls, we can say the following: we hear our interlocutors perfectly, and they hear us perfectly. And nothing else is required when making calls.

Camera

The 5-megapixel camera is nothing special, but considering the price of the smartphone, this is not surprising. It takes good pictures and, thanks to the LED flash, allows you to take pictures in the dark. It won’t turn out to be a masterpiece, but it will work for capturing interesting moments or important information.

We invite you to look at examples of photographs.

In daylight (click on thumbnail to enlarge)

At night without flash

At night with flash

In addition to photos, the Lumia 550 camera shoots video at 720p resolution at 30 frames per second.

Bottom line

Microsoft Lumia 550 is a good opportunity to join the world of Windows 10 Mobile for little money. In general, for its price, the smartphone has good technical characteristics and allows the operating system to work smoothly and without brakes. All applications included in the kit work without any complaints.

In addition, the Lumia 550 is the most affordable smartphone from Microsoft with 4G support, so if high Internet speed is very important to you, then be sure to consider purchasing this model.

However, when buying this phone, remember that it is a budget phone, so don't expect high performance and great features from it.

Lumia 550 is the most affordable smartphone running Windows 10 Mobile and the most affordable device in the Lumia line with 4G Internet support. Several months have passed since its release, so its owners have already formed a certain opinion.

We analyzed about 60 reviews of the Lumia 550 and highlighted the main advantages and disadvantages of this phone. We hope that after reading the generalized review, as well as the review and comparison of the Lumia 550 with other models, you will be able to make the right choice whether to buy or not buy this smartphone.

Pros of Lumia 550

fast 4G internet
compact size
high-quality assembly
good display
good camera ( for a budget smartphone)
Supports memory cards up to 200 GB
holds a charge well
free Office (Outlook, Excel, Word, OneNote, PowerPoint)
the system is regularly updated
energy-saving screensaver where all notifications are displayed
there is a call recording function
removable battery ( if so, you can replace it with another one)

Cons of Lumia 550

unfinished Windows 10 Mobile OS
Sometimes the menu slows down
easily soiled display
The screen is covered with plastic and not glass
few applications compared to Android ( but everything you need is there)
Some games and applications are slow ( but Lumia 550 is not intended for them)
gets hot when using heavy applications
few accessories

These are the advantages and disadvantages of the Microsoft Lumia 550 noted by the majority of owners in their reviews. We would like to add that, thanks to the fact that updates for Windows 10 Mobile are released with enviable regularity, the smartphone will soon get rid of slowdowns in the menu and errors during system operation.

What can be concluded based on reviews of the Lumia 550? We think that this is a worthy device, with good technical characteristics and excellent capabilities (of course, for its price). Most of the disadvantages indicated by the owners are either a disease of all smartphones running Windows 10, or a consequence of the budget model.

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