Sections
- Page 1 Microsoft Lumia 640 Review
- Page 2 Software and Performance Review
- Page 3 Camera Review
- Page 4 Battery Life and Verdict Review
Microsoft Lumia 640 – Battery Life
Considering that it’s providing juice for a lower-power, affordable phone, the 2500mAh battery in the Lumia 640 could be considered high-capacity. The 2550mAh battery of the Samsung Galaxy S6 with its Quad HD display only offers 2% more.
Microsoft’s stated talk time for the Lumia 640’s battery of 17.5 hours for 3G and up to 26.5 hours for 2G was reflected in our experience with this phone. The battery barely moves when idle and when used for standard tasks such as internet browsing or listening to music it falls about 3-5% per hour. Video hits that battery a little harder, using up about 7-10% for every hour watched, while gaming does the most damage and can drain as much as 20-25% in only half an hour.
Even with its large HD screen and 4G connectivity we managed to get two days out of the 640 without power saving. Unless we were actively trying to run the battery down we were never caught short and in desperate need of a charger during our time with it.
It’s a bonus that the 640 has a removable battery, giving the option to pack spares for travelling or camping. Particularly for this class of phone, the Lumia 640 has a generous battery. It’s a bigger unit than the one in the popular Moto E 2, which lasted at least 1.5 days with its 2390mAh battery.
Should I buy the Microsoft Lumia 640?
The Lumia 640 is one of the most capable affordable phones currently available, which is why we gave it a TrustedReviews award at this year’s Mobile World Congress.
Its specs alone make it a good choice, but Microsoft has gone a step further by offering a free year’s subscription to Office 365 Personal. The added extras of having Microsoft Office tools, a terabyte of cloud storage and free Skype calls makes the Lumia 640 significantly more compelling.
Microsoft has also confirmed that the 640 will get the long-awaited Windows 10 update towards the end of this year, so it will benefit from the best of the company’s additional features and could feel like a new phone again.
You may also want to consider the Moto E 2
Verdict
With Office 365 Personal thrown in for free, plus a good camera and a solid battery, the Lumia 640 is one of the best-value phones around right now.
How we test phones
We test every mobile phone we review thoroughly. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly and we use the phone as our main device over the review period. We’ll always tell you what we find and we never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Trusted Score
Score in detail
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Performance 8
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Camera 7
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Design 8
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Battery Life 9
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Value 9
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Software 9
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Calls & Sound 7
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Screen Quality 8
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
