A week ago I compared the relatively small, brand new £350 Pixel 4a to the favourite Lumia 950, with quite a bit in common - now I do the same at a larger scale to the 4a's sister device, the (still mid-priced) 4a 5G, more equivalent in feel and size to the larger 950 XL. The Pixel 4a 5G goes get several component upgrades, mind you, over the smaller 4a, see the specifications below, and ends up hitting the sweet spot for most people, I think. Just the lack of Qi charging stands between this device and perfection at the price. Video review coming very soon!
What happens to a media-specialising smartphone when its OS runs out of steam? I explore this in 'pimping' the 2017 IDOL 4 Pro, one of my favourite devices, into limited but effective action in late 2020. A super screen, premium build, superb wired audio, and loud stereo speakers all impress. Who cares about the rest of the world? (I've left the original early 2019 comments in place, for interest!)
It's true that I've done a fair number of shootouts that include Google Pixels in the past - and the hardware here is the same as the main camera on the last few generations - but the software continues to be tweaked and, besides, the Pixel 4a is brand new to the UK (and compared generally to the Lumia 950 here), so why not pitch it against the natural single-lensed competitor from the Windows world? Neither of these camera set-ups are as flexible as the triple-lensed solutions available elsewhere, but they both still take great as-is photos...
Yes, yes, the Google Pixel 4a was released a couple of months in the USA, but it's only today that the device is hitting Europe, hence the timing of this feature. In theory it's a decent match for a Lumia 950 owner, having a great single camera, similar size and feel in the hand, and 3.5mm audio jack. On the downside, there's no Qi charging or Continuum desktop, but you do also get Android 11 out of the box and support until 2024, plus a larger display, way faster chipset, and lovely stereo speakers for media.
I last gave some smartphone choices in February 2020, but a lot has changed in the last seven months! I've pitched this as my top picks for smartphones to replace a Lumia 950/930 or perhaps an IDOL 4 Pro or Elite x3, going forwards into 2021 as Windows 10 Mobile is now long unsupported and as services gradually start to wind down. I've tested just about everything on the market and here's my updated verdict in terms of functionality, future viability, and value for money. Four of the five are new from the last selection!
There's a saying in the fashion world that if you wait long enough then almost anything will come back into fashion again. And, although the actual Lumia 950 (and XL) were launched in 2015, enough time has passed that, even at their original launch prices, you could see quite a few competitive advantages if such smartphones were launched today - yes, at the tail end of 2020. Here's my tongue-in-cheek marketing material for your enjoyment and thought provocation...
The POCO X3 (NFC) - to use its full title - is the mid-range smartphone of the moment, offering flagship features in most cases, at under £200 (for the 64GB version), brand new and inclusive of VAT, in the UK. It's a stunning phone and I featured it last week in a head to head with the Lumia 950 XL, by way of something AAWP-relevant to compare it to. But imaging was an unknown at that point. So, how good is a £200 2020 Android phone's camera system compared to the champion/classic from 2015?
In the fourth 'gentle hacker' guest post from Nico, from Italy, he switches away from flagships and looks at older and lower end Lumias which struggle with the latest Windows 10 Mobile builds - WP8.1 is no longer practical, but what about a halfway house? What about sticking with 'Threshold', the very first W10M build from the end of 2015? It turns out that there's a sweet spot here where more apps and services work for these less capable devices. But as usual, put on your geek hat for best results!
It's brand new and it sets new boundaries for high specifications and low price in the smartphone world. £199 (inc VAT) for the 'POCO X3 (NFC)' in the UK is all it costs to get something which all but competes with other smartphones costing three times its price. But where are the compromises, if any, and how does this Android newcomer compare with the classic Lumia 950 XL, still the benchmark for many here on AAWP?
Guest writer Nico brings us a retrospective specs and user experience comparison of the three Windows 10 Mobile 'flagships'. My favourite was the Alcatel, despite some imaging misses, because I just love the screen contrast and colours, and the stereo speakers - but here's Nico's take, borne of personal experience of all three (I - Steve - don't have an Elite x3 anymore, sadly)... Which of the three (or four, depending on how you count) is/was your favourite?
