Windows 11 on Lumia 950 vs Lumia 950 XL

Forcing Windows 11 on nearly decade old phones? Hell yeah! Today I am going to be demonstrating what Windows Phone should've been. This is a comparison between Microsoft's greatest Windows Phones, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL and how they handle (or don't handle) Windows 11
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[Timestamps]
0:00 - The Hardware of the 950 and 950 XL
6:16 - Factory Reset Protection!
10:29 - Plugging them in
13:52 - The Windows 11 on Lumia Experience
22:12 - Lumia 950 vs 950 XL on Windows 11
40:41 - Paint Cocreator
42:46 - Installing a SIM Card
45:07 - Turning it into a desktop

[@nushnume]

Microsoft was really dumb for letting these go and not caring enough to pay developers to bring their apps on Windows. They had a lot of stuff even before Samsung did,wireless charging,could connect to a monitor just like Samsung's Dex,had USB C way before other phones at the time,the optimization was great and it would run butter smooth on 512mb ram,the Lumia 1020 which had one of the best phone cameras ever made.....I hope they will come back some day

[@Juanguar]

I think satya nadella the other day admitted that killing it was a huge mistake

[@nushnume]

@@Juanguar It's never too late to come back tho,especially for one of the richest companies in the world. They can easily hire Nokia or HTC to build their phones.

[@hectorvivis3651]

Meh. Now they let the whole phone hardware team, I think it's kinda too late. My bet is they just wait for Windows on ARM to just catch up and be reliable enouh to propose their Windows 11 S to manufacturers. Hell, they're deving a better interface for Steamdecks and the like that will probably even makes it easier for them to port their tings to phone-like devices. With the steady advance of folding devices, I'm actually quite excited for the "computer in a pocket" thing it can leads to. But with the kill of Metro UI, I definitely gave up on my hopes of seeing the Windows Phones I loved coming back. And I'm sad.

[@username-mb2qh]

Yeah ngl with the Metro UI being completely deprecated in Windows 11, the idea of a Windows Phone return doesn’t sound as appealing. I’ve never had a Windows Phone but I really liked the UI and I remember installing a custom launcher on my Android phone that replicates that home screen somewhat. Windows 11 honestly feels like a huge step back UI wise. Instead of keeping desktop and tablet oriented UI separate they are trying to make one UI do both and it ends up feeling lackluster at both. I think they had a much better approach in 8/10 (honestly the only issue was that 8 didn’t offer an option for a start menu and 10 downgraded the tablet UI, if they kept the Windows 8 UI and gestures for Windows 10 tablet mode it would’ve been the perfect combination).

[@AndroidFerret]

Everyone forgets what Nokia did

[@prototypBudgiE]

The holes are for microphones! Both phones have 4 microphones - 2 facing forward and 2 facing backwards, hence the holes on both the front and back of the phone. If you look close enough, where the holes are situated on the bottom of each device, the corresponding microphone is mirrored in the same position on the back of each device. The idea for this (and I can't remember what the feature is called) is so if you're recording a video, it uses the two rear microphones to capture much clearer audio for what's in front of you, whilst using the two front microphones to reduce wind noise / miscellaneous external noises when playing the video back. A ridiculously good feature that worked even better. Something smartphones of today could do with having.

[@mephilesthedark_604]

The reason the 950 might be faster in some cases could be because the XL is higher resolution and therefore putting more strain on the gpu

[@tubeyoucornishboi]

By that logic a 2006 macbook can be faster than 2023 one because of the same reason

[@mephilesthedark_604]

@@tubeyoucornishboi not necessarily, the chip in the xl is only marginally better than the base model

[@TheRandomMelon]

Interesting how "technically" such a small leap in terms of phone generations can just work wonders for this sorta thing! Awesome video as always Mr. frokfrdk

[@kisalkeheliya]

Thank for the video, waiting for this for days❤

[@_Hasboa_]

imagine usb-c being 9 years old and apple just now switches to it Crazy innovations apple

[@cheze_bun]

yes but sometimes having a universal charger isnt such a good idea, like you get your charger stolen more often, also over voltage, under voltage.

[@sharkuel]

@@cheze_bun that's some copium you are sniffing on there. lol

[@Epsicronics]

​@@cheze_bun my brother in christ all USB and lightning ports run on 5 volts, there's no such thing as over/under voltage. Better yet USB C is a variable voltage standard, a laptop can request the 20 volts at 100W it needs to charge, apple is just slow and stubborn

[@adilatif8345]

@@Epsicronicsand they were the first people to force it down our throats on the MacBooks with no ports

[@DaleDix]

They only switched because the EU made the. They had no intentions of otherwise.

[@XdB1Gz7StR4C7]

Great video. Very informative. Well done. :Đ

[@mibnsharpals]

The problem is that the fast cores on the 950 are not active, only the slow ones. In addition, the graphics output is not hardware accelerated. If these drivers and the CPU problem were fixed, both would run faster and more smoothly. Unfortunately, the 950 tends to overheat.

[@ballistik_coffee_boy]

love it! New sub here ; )

[@0dec0de]

😎nice video

[@andrei8847]

Bruhhh u and johnzoid are the best. Ur content is awesome

[@WINDOWSXP9013]

W video as always!

[@thatocelot879]

Finally. The legendary frokfrfilm is here.

[@Jski_playsRandomGames]

You are a great youtuber :)

[@user-vq3gd4tk1r]

Hi! Nice video. Do you have battery drain issue with 950XL even when phone is turned off?

[@srijitmondal5242]

The Hole is microphone on every Nokia device

[@user-qg2et7fs1x]

i really thought windows 11 on the Lumia 950 XL was gonna run so much more smoothly then the Lumia 950 because i saw how the start menu cleanly opened when frokfrdk swiped up

[@colesyaj_tech]

Just a question: Are you using Tiny 11 or Full Win on both? I'm using Tiny 11 on my 950 and it also shuts down by itself, if it's under 60% battery. I think windows shuts down if it detects the battery draining too fast. Never had the always restarting problem when charging after I switched from full win 10 to tiny 11. Also my always on screen barely works, it keeps freezing. Btw it turns red here after 10. Also idk what's up with the boot select menu, I have the same look as on your XL on my 950, idk why. Also keep up the good work!

[@user-zv3lj1ef7l]

The battery is WEAK, i had the same problem and bought a new battery and the problem went away.

[@echoingdespair]

I wonder if this could be somehow made into a cyberdeck now just for my own curiosity. Would make for a neat tiny arm computer to tinker with windows on arm with (I know its doable on the Pi but iirc it doesn't run close to well).

[@sadev101]

im dding a lil bluetooh keyboard same size as screen to make it a mini laptop... wouldnt put it on your arm . as it gets toasty while doing stuf with windows

[@bvd_vlvd]

The chaos I want is WSL on these bad boys

[@NicSonic-_-]

39:46 the flow free uwp app is an old app from windows 8.1 so it would still have the windows 8.1 charms bar menu options but stripped down.

[@SomeYTP]

Fact:This is frokfrdk’s longest video

[@sp0el]

Motorola tried this with Atrix over a decade ago, but it was very expensive. Atrix docks were pretty popular for Raspberry Pi for a while. Microsoft tried it with Continuum, but it was too limited. Samsung tries it with DeX (and Motorola has Ready For nowadays), but Android isn't very comfy to use in desktop mode and has no software aside for some creative workloads. And, again, Samsung only has it in premium devices. This should be a thing. But for whatever reason (not wanting to canibalize other market segments, maybe?) nobody wants it to really work. Sure, I can use a desktop mode in my Moto G100 for webbrowsing, maybe some light photo/video edits, writing a blog, commenting, but nothing I actually use for work is available on anything but x86 Windows or Mac. At this point I am pretty sure the big players will only start pushing it, if Apple does so. And, surprisingly, they kinda do on their tablets, but maybe only as an answer to DeX. But after they moved all their devices to ARM, there is no reason why basic iPhone couldn't boot to MacOS. Just give it USB-C display out. In forseeable future I see no world where buying a 100$ N100 mini PC, or a post-leasing ThinkPad, or even a Raspberry Pi, or whatever you fancy around this pricepoint, isn't a better deal than trying to make your phone work as both: a phone and a capable work PC. Which is a shame as there definitely is more than enough performance in them. FFS, 50$ Celeron N4120 based chromebook will do better after installing some light linux distro.

[@___Luis___]

I use a Pocophone F1 as daily driver and I have windows and Android installed, it is completely functional and it's worth a try

[@arnabkumarmondal510]

​@@___Luis___ make a installation video

[@user-bh6cf4zo1u]

what if the logo design on the back of the phone is now a good fit to the win 11 logo and so the possibility of the windows 11 phone come back or is that just a big dream, and since the latest windows news talked about an improvement on efficiency increasing your battery for an additional hours before it runs out of energy, I really want this dream to be reality, and one thing I find really cool on windows despite not many android apps having a windows version is that may be we would have something of a long term support for apps unlike on android where some cool apps are too fast discarded just because you android version is no longer supported

[@baoquoc3710]

well, there's some limitations on some of the older Lumias that you can only run on some 64bit partitions that it supported, so it may be not the best experiences

[@JessicaFEREM]

I don't think that the files app is slow by UWP, I think it's just slow. on my gaming PC it still takes an entire second to open each folder.

[@rockpie.squashfs]

I love how you imply that you eat them

[@Jbrimbelibap]

Honestly you should do this video once more but with a compatible android phone. I'm thinking OnePlus 7 pro or Poco X3 pro you'll see some real performance, lumia's don't even have GPU support, I don't think boots in 14 seconds ;) "It's keeping up with my gestures" you can play metro exodus on the snapdragon 855 XD

[@eggnogg8086]

1:28 that's one of the microphones

[@Jellowstudios]

The thumbnail: How can you taste it

[@MrVioletML]

Yes🎉

[@wbushnaq]

does it work as a desktop when linked to an external monitor?? 45:07

[@Jorge.ALXNDR]

These phones have almost nothing in common if you look at the details. It's like they're from different years or even different companys, even thought the Lumia identity is the same

[@giacintoboccia9386]

I had a strange issue in my last Lumia 950 days: it would make bad battery contact and cause the phone to reboot, then I found a post by someone who blaced a piece of folded paper behind the battey to keep it firm and it seems to sort it.

[@giacintoboccia9386]

Yea, I see that your 950 does the same, random battery level readings and reboot, try to put a piece of paper folded 2 or 4 times between the battery and the internal chassis, in the area where the contacts are, so that the battery is locked between the paper and that holder in that area.

[@Banom7a]

I had the same issue and i think i did the same too lol

[@vlaicud]

It's crazy that even though this OS was not at all intended for phones it has so many hidden mobile features

[@Brianramos993]

Does the XL ever run hot? I know the 810 is prone to running very hot and I have an HTC One with 810 and it'll run abnormally hot under load

[@yeety1208]

950xl has liquid cooling which helps, 950 with 808 doesnt and has heat issues (i dont have an xl but i have 950 and can confirm heat issues)

[@mateowoetam]

Can you try running WinUtil on them?

[@user-ry2wj1zl6h]

you can set the keyboard bigger in the settings

[@windowsphonetr8627]

can you do it for the upcoming s24 ultra? w11 on s24u would be fantastic.

[@_CrescentMoon]

Is linux on it possible? If it's the gpu drivers might be working

[@skatepunker]

Not quite news for me (i am using 950 non XL with win11 to stream live TV/twitch streams on big screen via hdmi for half a year now) but still my favourite content man

[@ironman8257]

nice, are you using 950 till it dies and throw away or you gonna retire it a keep it ?

[@Izzystarlight_]

Woah long frok video

[@thd-computer1780]

i actually would love to have a third competitor around for android and iOS. I kind of liked windows phone. Microsoft should bring it back man

[@krispayne729]

You should try to use one of those modified lumias as a daily device. Higher up for a week.

[@Space_Reptile]

pretty sure the hole in the bottom of the glass is the microphone

[@R3AL-AIM]

Was just about to comment that myself

[@SDRIFTERAbdlmounaim]

if your usb or power isn't high enough then the consumptions outweight the incoming energy and shuts these phones out

[@EzW030]

Amazing, an 50 minute video from frokfrdk!

[@ohiosigmarizzler344]

finnaly

[@chrisliddiard725]

Anyone trying this should be warned. The latest arm versions of Tiny11 are for the very latest Snapdragon cpus. It will install but then wont get beyond the Windows setup screen. The only solution then is to reflash the phone to Windows 10 mobile and then update it to the latest version, before going through the procedure of unlocking the phone and trying all this again. You will need one of the earlier archive copies of Tiny11 arm64. Could you link to the iso build you are using? Also could you try windows 10 vs windows 11 on the lumia 10?

[@harikrishnanrajendran4032]

I wish someone install windows 11 on Samsung s23 or s24 ultra series phones because it just makes sense... If someone can do it and post a "how to install" video or atleast just post the instructions in the internet, that would be awesome! 👍. This totally makes sense I wish OEMs makes some windows phones, because if that happened we won't be needing a handheld gaming device like a steam deck.. we can just use a phone!

[@mysticwaffle420]

what about windows subsystem for android on lumia??

[@Suhayl_Khatib]

Can you do it for the 1520?

[@SPARTAN_Cayde-26]

Best Windows Phone is the HP Elite x3, its just so nice!

[@GeoffereyEakinsTech]

When Windows 11 came out I knew it was everything Windows Mobile should've been. With a lil optimization of course. Sadly Microsoft has screwed themselves in every attempt at a mobile OS and basically given up.

[@King_seagull]

The hole in the glass is the mic

[@user-xc8rk2sg8o]

The Lumia 950 XL's back cover has an among-us shape.. very sus move, microsoft

[@Totallynotmwa]

29:30 Sounds like job simulator robots

[@sadev101]

if youwant to charge it but not boot put it in dummy mode.. if you wanna shut it down . take charger off and press camera button while on dummy mode

[@frokfrdk]

At least on the regular 950 that would show a blue screen and burn it into the screen

[@O5-XIV]

They would prob Taste better with a nice Seasoning of Minty Linux XD Cool vid as always frokfrdk

[@EirikrTinkerTries]

Will NetBSD run on these!?

[@LeafTV-ws5pb]

I have a 950 not xl and wpinternals detected all the files, no issue

[@santi32r27]

I want this to be done to a modern phone like a Samsung fold

[@dweeep03]

Please try Windows on your pixel too, could make an interesting video

[@frokfrdk]

I would if someone ported it to the Pixel and if it wasn't my main phone

[@generationscomputersystems]

I’m wondering if this would work on a Lumia 520? I just hate the Windows Mobile 7/8 experience.

[@Dicktopus]

Dude this phones 10 times faster than the 520. That phone doesn't even have enough space for W11.

[@TheTytan007]

It wouldn't because there is no 32 bit version of Windows 11

[@tutacat]

Yes, but can it run Excel Web App?

[@user-ry2wj1zl6h]

if you set the windows icon to the middle the start menu is not cut off🙂

[@frokfrdk]

On the 950 the icons in the middle run out of room very quickly and the start menu is cut off on two sides instead of one

[@nekrost2993]

They should bring back windows phone

[@Luke-gk4ir]

What's the soundtrack used in the video?

[@frokfrdk]

A mix of music by HOME and stuff I've made

[@Luke-gk4ir]

@@frokfrdk it's great! Fits the vibe very well!

[@azwihangwisimulaudzi1097]

Microsoft must bring back windows phone

[@maralexysfabricante6742]

samsung has dex basically one ui in windows

[@wrldmap]

yummy lumia 950 family

[@Pleyer7575lol]

13:12 TRADEMARK

[@trollking99]

My 950 has dual SIM slots.

[@fatih-34Gl3]

4:13 amogus

[@tutacat]

Iphone also turns on when you plug in

[@Kilgorio]

Nice vid wow. I'm not a bot i am just terribly uncreative

[@milkbucket2011]

I was about to say damn this guy should bee australian tghen i realised hes on yt au...

[@Vugqman]

i wanna see a lumia with android btw it is not easy

[@Pleyer7575lol]

13:24 lol

[@minionguy5057]

Test out the emojis on both phones!

[@dr.najeebullahqadir5858]

How about tiny 11 that should fare well since it has most crapware removed

[@frokfrdk]

This is Tiny 11

[@yamafanboy]

Bro while you might be on to something here I think you chose the wrong OS. Wouldn't windows 8 be the PERFECT operating system for this type of experiment? It was basically windows 10 mobile for desktop PCs. If any OS has a a chance of reviving the lumia 950XL I would think windows 8 would be the only one that might fit the bill

[@Kyermike]

you should put tiny11 on both

[@frokfrdk]

This is Tiny 11

[@Kyermike]

oh. @@frokfrdk

[@Kyermike]

you should put macOS on it@@frokfrdk

[@codix__]

I loose 80€ to buy these two before you made these videos and I got all the exact same issue, well not all. First they don't crash on me, Windows crash but not the entire phone ! And they weren't encrypted luckily (even if the bypass process looks fun to do). And they are very hot all the time, really really slow. Sincerely I hate them, they looks stunning but they feel so cheap, Windows 10 mobile is able to crash any UWP app at any random time and even with the real OS the phone is getting hot, and you can't charge these things without booting into Windows 10 / Mobile !!! Worst idea ever, the only product that was doing that is some iPod I think.

[@user-ry2wj1zl6h]

there is a "phone" running windows 11 made by conker

[@theyhaventfedmesince]

Idk man. I've never eaten electronics before. Do they even taste good?

[@MrVioletML]

Yes😂

[@gamecuber6]

i just bought a 950 lol

[@togoxo]

there is a huge empty recycle bin button. your ui got too cramped thats why you coulndt see it

[@frokfrdk]

True but they should replace the New Folder button on the very left with it

[@togoxo]

@@frokfrdk no that would be inconsistent ui because the recycle bin kinda is a folder too. it is on the very right of the bar right before the submenu button. but if you are at even like 800x600 landscape it shows up so its kind of not an issue. i also find your hate on windows weird because it is an os full off webpages and ads but they removed most apps the only real obstructive ads are the start menu shortcuts but you can just delete them its not a problem for me because im not paying for windows anyway and nobody is other than the oem manufacturers who need to but even they are selling freedos pcs for you to install windows because windows is just free now essentially its ad run.

[@frokfrdk]

@@togoxo To be very honest I hate pretty much every OS

[@togoxo]

@@frokfrdkme too i was on android it was too inconsistent i switched to ios it is glitchy windows was glitchy i switched to mac and macos is wat worse than everything else

[@butter5144]

😂❤

[@windtheminer_]

why its have crack

[@bazzeil]

So now we know, 950xl doesnt boot to windows when selecting "Dummy please ignore"

[@riverytz]

i dare u to get the windows xp phone

[@RodiArslan]

I feel like deleting Windows Phone and installing the desktop version killed Windows Phone even more

[@serdarkayadelelen609]

Imagine todays hardware with windows 11 mobile version that actually supports steam and you can just play games and no need for stupid snapchat app so you cannot get fucked by app developers

[@cheze_bun]

11:05 THEY ARE HAVING BABES!!!!!!

[@theegg.]

egg

[@PWD__]

16:32 Windows 11 Dint Have The Same Exact Always On Display In Windows 10

[@shaxerooney]

that looks absolutely awful i want one

[@marekolen7355]

Thoes holes are made up and down get hit out of the machine 3:28

[@guncolony]

Lumiaception

[@huseinaditya5202]

chill out bro, what do you expect from unofficial build performance on old phone 😅