The BlackBerry Priv and the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL rival each other in the premium smartphone market category. The Priv offers excellent security but the Lumia 950 XL has better graphics, features, and processor at a cheaper price.

Design and Display

Both the BlackBerry Priv and the Lumia 950 XL don Quad HD AMOLED touchscreen displays, with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution. The Lumia 950 XL has a 5.7" screen and a slim, lightweight body made of polycarbonate and plastic. On the other hand, the Priv sports a sleek slider QWERTY keyboard and curved edges that add to its premium design.

International Business Times reported that the Priv's sliding keyboard could be too narrow for easy grip. The Lumia 950 XL lacks the high-end design seen in premium handsets such as the HTC One M9 and Samsung Galaxy S6.

Specs and Features

The Microsoft Lumia 950 XL has an edge over the BlackBerry Priv in terms of processor, features, and graphics. It houses a Snapdragon 810 chipset while the Priv runs a Snapdragon 808 processor. Both phones are equipped with 3 GB RAM, 32 GB internal storage, microSD card slot to expand memory up to 200 GB.

The Lumia 950 XL boasts an iris scanner feature for validation purposes, in contrast with other premium phones that use fingerprint sensors for authentication. The BlackBerry Priv does not have those features but its Android OS reportedly offers superior security.

Battery and Camera

BlackBerry's premium flagship has an 18 MP Schneider-Kreuznach rear camera capable of optical image stabilization (OIS), dual-LED flash, autofocus and touch focus, face recognition, geo-tagging, panorama, and HDR. It also has a 2 MP selfie snapper.

Microsoft's Lumia 950 XL flaunts a more powerful 20 MP Carl Zeiss main camera with triple-LED flash and Rich Capture auto mode that enables users to take good photos even under poor lighting conditions. The phone's camera is also capable of 4K video recording and advanced OIS according to WhaTech.

Software and Price

The Microsoft Lumia 950 XL gives users a chance to experience Windows 10, offering Windows Continuum with Office apps and Windows Hello Beta for security. The BlackBerry Priv will run an Android-based platform for the first time. It will have Android 5.1 Lollipop OS.

Both phones fall under the US $600 to $700 price range. The Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is the cheaper of the two, available at Microsoft store at the price of US $649. The BlackBerry Priv can be purchased at BlackBerry's official store at US $699.

A review by Android Authority stated that the BlackBerry Priv has a cutting-edge design featuring the slider keyboard, making it stand out from competitors and providing tactile feedback. BlackBerry also upped its game with the Priv by equipping it with advanced specs and features.