After about two months on the streets, Microsoft Lumia 640 is starting to receive some deep discounts. Priced at about half its MSRP in some cases, cost concerns have faded for those looking for a mid-tier smartphone, but the question of its utility remains. That question will have different answers for different people, but a roundup of critical reviews can make it easier to answer.
The Lumia 640 fits squarely in Microsoft's strategy of delivering its third-place mobile OS, Windows Phone 8.1, with an affordable price to the masses. It is powerful enough to at least pose a threat to flagship phones from rivals. That said, the Lumia 640 is undoubtedly a budget, mid-tier smartphone.
Speaking of Specs
There's an 8MP camera on the Lumia 640's back and a 0.9MP chat cam on its face, positioned above its 5-inch display. The Lumia 640's display, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, has a standard HD resolution of 1280 x 720 with a pixel density of 294 pixels per inch.
The Lumia 640 is driven by a quad-core 1.2GHz and is fitted with 1GB of RAM. It has 8GB of storage space, but consumers should expect roughly half of that to be consumed by the Windows Phone 8.1 OS and its native apps.
The Cries of the Critics
Bearing what has now become a standard display and screen size for budget phones, the Microsoft Lumia 640 outshines the Lumia 435 and holds up well when compared to the more expensive Samsung Galaxy Alpha, Trusted Reviews' Jon Devo noted.
"Used outdoors on a bright day the Lumia 640's screen is visible, albeit a little on the dark side," wrote Devo. "Putting the brightness up to 'high' doesn't do a great deal to solve the issue either. If you're watching any dark videos you'll really struggle to see what's going on."
After impressing CNET's Andrew Hoyle with the rich and defined outdoor pictures it snapped, the Lumia 640 proved just as capable indoors.
"Overall, the Lumia 640's camera is excellent for the small amount of money it costs," Hoyle wrote. "Sure, it doesn't have the pin-sharp quality of phones like the Galaxy S6, but it costs a fraction of the price. The camera is certainly among the best you'll find in the budget market."
As far as performance is concerned, TechRadar's Sean Cameron found the Lumia 640 to be responsive and capable.
"Whatever I threw at it, the device mostly took it in stride," noted Cameron. "Games such as Subway Surfers, Sparkle 2 and Timberman ran without a hitch."
