Lumia 640, 640 XL Specs Price Review: Microsoft Launches Affordable Smartphones

Microsoft is quietly building a range of affordable smartphones which it hopes would attract consumers who do not want to spend too much on such devices.

With Lumia 640 and a larger Lumia 640 XL, Microsoft's Devices Business head Stephen Elop said the smartphones are equipped with higher quality components with prices designed for penny-pinchers.

Microsoft's intention, Elop said, is to bring modern Lumia phones to Windows 10 even as Lumia 640 and 640 XL are set to launch Windows Phone 8.1, according to GSMArena.

Lumia 640 is bigger, packing a 5-inch IPS display with 720p resolution that is protected by a Gorilla Glass 3 protection, it added.

Snapdragon 400 chipset powers the phone, which comes with 1 GB RAM and an 8 GB of storage that can be expanded to 128 GB.

Microsoft also upgraded its camera department with an 8MP shooter, which enables the camera to shoot 1080p video at 30fps, and a 1MP selfie camera, which can manage to shoot 720p video.

Unlike previous Lumia models, 640 and 640 XL phones gained an LED flash.

The company also made the affordable smartphones very flexible when it comes to connectivity with single and dual-SIM versions, plus 3G and LTE versions as well as a dual-SIM LTE version.

A 2,500mAh battery will make sure the phone can feed the larger screen and the advanced connectivity.

Microsoft will be selling Microsoft Lumia 640 in a variety of colors including cyan, orange, black and white starting April, with the 3G version costing 140 euro, or about $156, while the LTE version will be 160 euro, or about $178.

Meanwhile, Microsoft's new phablet is in the affordable-but-capable six-series, instead of the 13-series.

The Microsoft Lumia 640 XL improves on its smaller namesake with a 5.7" screen. The screen is an IPS LCD with 720p resolution with ClearBlack tech and Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

The camera got a premium upgrade courtesy of Zeiss f/2.0 lens in front of a 13MP 1/3" sensor with an LED flash and a proper selfie camera with a wide-angle 24mm lens and 5MP sensor. Both cameras record 1080p video.