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Lumia 640 release date is set for April 7

Microsoft Lumia 640 pre-order goes live in the UK

Microsoft launched the Lumia 640 and the Lumia 640 XL at the MWC 2015 show this week, to pretty positive opinions from journalists and tech enthusiasts. The two mid-range phones aren’t much to look at, but they get pretty neat prices and will be easily upgradable to Windows 10 once the new software is released. Currently, they are still running the latest version of Windows 8.1 with Lumia Denim on top, but by the time we transition intro Summer, the Lumia 640 and 640 XL should both be upgraded to Windows 10, alongside the other Windows smartphones launched during the MWC 2015.

The Lumia 640 is now up for pre-order in the UK and it gets a rather decent price of $258, approximately. For a mid-range smartphone that gets the latest and greatest software treatment straight from Microsoft, many find that price rather acceptable. Even though people were hoping to see high-end flagship Lumia smartphones at the MWC 2015 show, Microsoft has unveiled that those won’t be happening until Windows 10 for Phones is done and released. That release date is estimated for this Summer, but sources say it could get delayed to Autumn. Since Microsoft is pretty well ahead in the development of Windows 10, Spartan browser and Cortana integration, not to mention its new integration software that will work like Pushbullet does now, many think that the release will be speedy and timely.

The Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL are good mid-range phones which have already received good reviews, thanks to the intricate software integration that they come with. Spec-wise, they’re not anything to write home about, but thanks to Microsoft’s software solutions ranging from OneDrive to Nokia Here Maps and Bing, not to mention the neat features Lumia Denim introduces to smartphones, these mid-range phones can be good aquisitions for those who are not in need of flagship devices that will drill holes into their pockets. The Lumia 640 didn’t shine at the MWC, because mid-range releases were overshadowed by the massive hype around the HTC One M9, Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve attention.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwY04RcMBAA

The pre-order for the Lumia 640 is now open on the Microsoft Store and on MobileFun, so you can place your order right now. Delivery times and release date is estimated for April 7, 2014, so there is a lot of time that we have to pass between ordering the phone and actually getting it delivered. Since there are no major releases scheduled ahead of April this year, as far as we know, if people are looking for a mid-range smartphone running Windows, the Lumia 640 is their best shot right now. The Lumia 640 XL is a bigger version with a larger display which suits those who prefer phablets. Let’s see what these phones actually bring forth to the users, shall we?

The Lumia 640 boasts with a 5 inch display that has a 1280*720 resolution  which adds up to 294 ppi pixel density. It isn’t the best display you can get at the moment, and the resolution could have been a bit better, but the phone overall handles itself well and you won’t be having trouble with outdoor visibility or viewing angles, but there might be a few pixels shining through here and there. The heavy lifting is done by a Snapdragon 400 CPU, backed by 1 GB RAM and 8 GB internal storage, with an additional microSD card slot available for expansion if necessary. The juice is supplied by a 2500 mAH battery, which promises up to 17.5 hours talk time on 3G. although we will have to put battery life to a test. The camera setup is modest, as the main camera gets an 8 MP sensor and that’s about it. Nope, there’s no front camera.

After reviewing the Lumia 640 specs, do you think the phone is worth $258 ? Or do you think you’d be better off with a different mid-ranger? There’s a lot of choice in mid-rangers when it comes to Windows 8.1, including the Lumia 735, Lumia 830 or even the Lumia 435. Those are either a bit more expensive or cheaper than the Lumia 640 and 640 XL, but they all have front-facing cameras and specs similar to what you’ve seen above. It remains up to you which Windows phone suits you best, which has the best bang for buck and which is the best mid-ranger.

About Egon Kilin

My life-long dream has been to test out every gadget on the market! Considering the fact that I've rapidly destroyed almost every gadget I've had so far, I'm not inclined to owning something, so my ideal outcome would be to have a different gadget each month. I'm really into smartphones, wearables and tablets and I love Playstation and Xbox, I'm sure I'll beat you at your own game (after a month of training... or two)

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