It's not often that you find a software giant such as Microsoft improving performance on older hardware with a software update. You'll often see Apple release a new version of iOS, and everyone running last year's iPhone will begin complaining about poor performance, for example. With the Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update, on devices like the Lumia 930, 830 and even 550, things are looking a little better.
I find that things are a lot more snappy with the Creators Update on my Lumia 930 compared to the Anniversary Update, which was released in August of last year. From installing updates to downloading new apps and launching them, it all just feels a little more snappy, and that's really awesome to see.
A lot of people are criticizing Microsoft for essentially "leaving behind" Windows 10 Mobile with the Creators Update, but just because there aren't any new major features on the surface, doesn't mean there aren't any improvements at all. Microsoft also fixed a number of bugs, making the experience generally a whole lot more pleasant. I'm not afraid to call the Creators Update a minor update for Mobile, and as long as the company continues improving it under the hood, I'm happy.
Of course, on higher-end devices such as the Lumia 950 XL and HP Elite x3, things are even snappier. Windows Hello is really good at seeing your iris from further away, and that's awesome to see. It's still tagged a beta in the Creators Update, but I'd be willing to say it's no longer in a beta state. Sure, it's still a little slow due to that silly Windows Hello "wink" animation, but that's a minor concern.
I remain indifferent regarding battery life on the Creators Update. I find my high-end devices last just as long as they normally would. The same goes for my lower-end devices. I find the Lumia 930 hasn't suffered in battery life, but my 830 has slightly. Not sure what would cause that, but it's something I've noticed. I know some Insiders said they were seeing some significant battery drain with the Creators Update, but I'd say try a reset. A reset always helps.
We're expecting Microsoft to roll out the Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update to eligible devices in the coming weeks, likely a little bit after the Creators Update rolls out for desktops. If you're an Insider, you're already running the very latest Creators Update builds, meaning you're already benefitting from all these new under-the-hood improvements. We'll review the Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update in full during the next few weeks, so keep it locked to Windows Central.
