Nokia Lumia 1520 vs Microsoft Lumia 950 XL

Windows Phones with less powerful dual core processors run consistently and quickly because of the excellent software optimization of Windows Phone. As a result the 1520 with the first quad-core processor for Windows Phone runs just as smoothly but quicker.

The 1520's display is pretty close to perfection. The screen is 1080p with a dense PPI of 367. Colors are bright and vibrant. The display is super sensitive and can be used with gloves. The viewing angles are fantastic and the whites are truly white. The colors (temperature and saturation) can even be adjusted in Nokia's color profile application. The display is also protected by Gorilla Glass 2. Lastly Nokia's ClearBlack technology allows for better outdoor readability with built-in polarization filters.

The camera on the 1520 is fantastic even if it is a little bit overshadowed by the 41 megapixel camera on the 1020. The camera uses Carl Zeiss optics and has OIS (optical image stabilization) for photos in low light conditions and minimal vibration during videos. Image capture responsiveness is somewhat slow but the overall image quality is excellent. Nokia's camera apps also offer powerful levels of manual control and even RAW support.

The massive size of the Lumia 1520 allows for a massive, 3400 mAh battery. As a result the 1520 easily makes it through the day but because of it's powerful specifications any more would be difficult. Unfortunately though the battery is non-removable.

The 1520 comes with either 16 or 32GB of internal storage but also for MicroSD card support. With the upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update applications will also be able to be installed on the MicroSD card.

The 1520 supports wireless charging with the optional accessory cover.

The 20MP camera does a really good job in all lighting conditions. For low light shooting, it uses a triple color flash, and allows you to adjust the flash brightness after you take pictures. OIS also helps steady the phone, additionally improving low light shooting as well as video stabilization. Speaking of video, the 4 mic recording setup means audio captured will be crisp and high quality. Lastly, the 2 stage dedicated camera button can act as a shortcut to launch the camera, and pressing it down half way focuses the picture much like a regular point-and-shoot camera.

Windows 10 for mobile is the newest OS for Windows Phones. It makes a lot of improvements, but the two headlining features are Continuum and Windows Hello.

Continuum is a feature available in Windows 10 mobile that allows you to hook up a keyboard, mouse and monitor (through a $100 accessory) and use your phone as a computer.

Windows Hello uses an infra-red iris scanner to verify you, and unlocks the phone. This is more secure than a fingerprint scanner, but also takes about a second longer (and you need to be close to the device).

The removable battery is a nice touch that so many phones are lacking. It also provides a SD card slot to add more storage, and keeps another less common feature: wireless charging.