Sony Xperia C review: Cash and carry

The China-bound Sony Xperia C could be the right opportunity to smuggle some big-screened, quad-core goodness into markets where those things usually fetch a high price. It's certainly the right size too. Five-inchers don't necessarily have to come with high-end price tags. There's demand for affordable options too, which the Xperia C isn't the first to address. Sony has obviously been watching the Samsung Galaxy Grand, while HTC and LG aren't indifferent either.

So, the Sony Xperia C has dual-SIM support, which is almost a must-have in the markets Sony's interested in, a massive 5-inch display and a quad-core processor. So far, so good.

  
Sony Xperia C official pictures

It is the company's first smartphone powered by a MediaTek chipset. Sony has so far always opted for either Snapdragons or (when the company still existed) ST Ericsson but, with China being the primary target market, it had little choice really. The latest MediaTek chips support both dual-SIM and quad-core processors, and they are light on the wallet too.

Affordability is, of course, an important reason, considering Asian markets are teeming with sub-$200 quad-core droids and competition is fierce. The likes of Lenovo, Micromax, Xolo, and many more, are ready to offer a big enough screen and decent feature set on a bargain.

What this means is the Sony Xperia C should be preparing for a full-scale war. Let's check the ammo:

Key features

• Tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and dual-band HSPA support
• Dual SIM, dual stand-by support
• 42.2 Mbps HSDPA and 11.5 Mbps HSUPA
• 5.0" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen of qHD resolution (540 x 960 pixels) at 220ppi
• Android OS v4.2.2 Jelly Bean
• Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU, PowerVR SGX544 GPU, MTK MT6589 chipset
• 1 GB of RAM
• 4 GB of built-in storage (2 GB user available)
• microSD slot (cards up to 32GB supported)
• 8 MP autofocus camera, single LED flashlight, geo-tagging, touch focus, HDR, hardware shutter key; VGA front-facing camera
• 1080p @ 30fps video capture
• Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP
• GPS with A-GPS
• Accelerometer, ambient light and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack; Walkman music player with many audio enhancements
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• microUSB port (charging)
• Built-in LED strip provides a breathing light and notification light
• 2,390mAh Li-Ion battery, non-replaceable

Main disadvantages

• Low pixel-per-inch ratio
• No Mobile BRAVIA engine
• No scratch protection for the screen, Gorilla Glass or otherwise
• Limited internal storage for installing apps

The Xperia C obviously didn't remain confined within Asian boundaries as various European retailers are already shipping it at very attractive prices. It sure isn't the fastest or the most feature-rich of phones, but it sounds like a great bang for your hard-earned buck. Will that be enough to probably forgive the lower resolution screen and the other potential deal breakers?

  
Sony Xperia C live pictures

Sony Xperia Ultra- may be specs

With Xperia Z claiming to be the survivor of Sony in smartphone industry, Sony is eyeing to dictate a larger portion of this smarter gadget industry. With phones going as powerful as your laptops, Sony aims this new breed loaded with a powerful processor of approximately 2.2 GHz clock speed.

May Be Features:-

Display :                     6.44 inch IPS LCD (1920X1080p), 332 ppi

Processor :                quad-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor

RAM :                         2GB

Memory:                    16 GB internal, 64GB expandable

Camera :                   8-megapixel Exmore RS camera, 1.3 MP secondary cam

Battery :                     3000mAh

First appearing in a sideways profile shot on a French press invitation to a Sony event on July

 4, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra was shown to be an ultra-slim, stylus packing device that has a 

headphone jack relocated on the side of the device. 

A full frontal picture of the Sony Xperia Z Ultra then leaked online, revealing the handset to be a 

super-sized version of the Sony Xperia Z smartphone. 

Despite the picture stylus in the French press invite though, the ePrice site suggests the Xperia

 Z Ultra won’t ship with a stylus, but will be compatible with third-party options.

Interestingly no mention of the Xperia Z and Xperia Tablet Z’s waterproof or dust-resistant 

qualities for the Xperia Z Ultra.

Sony Xperia SP

It took some time but Sony had the big comeback many have been waiting for. The Xperia Z is selling well and we suspect it's been the driver for turning the company's fortunes around in the first quarter of the year. It's now time to carry that momentum over to the midrange and the Xperia SP looks like the right phone for the job.

  
Sony Xperia SP official photos

A nicely spec'd screen and an adequately powered chipset come together in a beautiful and well-built package, giving the Sony Xperia SP the right tools to survive in the cutthroat battle in this price bracket. The transparent LED strip, which now has even richer functionality, will definitely add character too to help it fight the last generation of flagships, fresh from relegation to the midrange.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• 3G with 42Mbps HSDPA and 5.8 Mbps HSUPA; 100Mbps LTE
• 4.6" 16M-color 720p TFT capacitive touchscreen with Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 and Corning Gorilla Glass protection
• Android OS v4.1.2 Jelly Bean
• Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait CPU, 1 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm S4 Pro MSM8960T chipset
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash
• 1080p video recording @ 30fps with HDR mode, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
• VGA front-facing camera
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA; Wireless TV out
• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
• 8GB of built-in storage
• MHL-enabled microUSB port
• Bluetooth v4.0
• NFC
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
• Solid build quality
• Ample 2370 mAh battery
• Dedicated camera key

Main disadvantages

• Screen has mediocre viewing angles
• Not particularly slim and quite heavy
• Non user-replaceable battery
• Will compete with a number of quad-core smartphones

The Sony Xperia SP is a well-rounded package that's making very few compromises, considering its standing in the pecking order. A 1080p screen is certainly a nice thing to have, but we can live with 720p at this size and, while the two extra CPU cores that today's flagships offer give a definite productivity boost, the 1.7GHz Krait should do just fine in day-to-day tasks. Not to mention that the Xperia SP GPU is of the class-leading Adreno 320 variety, so gaming performance should be as good as it gets.

  
The Sony Xperia SP studio shots

It seems then that Sony is ready to produce yet another gem in the midrange that offers a loud bang for your buck. The company has made this their specialty and we are certainly liking Sony's chances here. Besides, the Japanese are clearly fast learners - addressing the major issues of the Xperia P with its successor. The Xperia SP has the right-sounding battery backup (more than an Xperia Z, actually) and none of the WhiteMagic display trickery that compromised indoor performance to boost outdoor visibility.

Sony Xperia ZL

   
Sony Xperia ZL

Sony needs users to like the ZL, because the Z probably won't make it on its own. On paper, the Xperia ZL has all the trimmings of its sibling save for the IP57 certification. And it should be just as capable as most other flagships of the latest generation. Here go the specs.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support; 3G with HSPA; LTE
• 5" 16M-color 1080p capacitive touchscreen of 441ppi, Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
• Android OS v4.1.1 Jelly Bean with custom UI
• Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB of RAM, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
• 13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging, HDR
• 1080p video recording @ 30fps with HDR mode, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
• 2 MP front camera, 1080p video recording
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA; Wireless TV out
• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
• 16GB of built-in storage; microSD card slot
• MHL-enabled microUSB port
• Bluetooth v4.0
• NFC
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
• Shorter footprint than most 5” smartphones

Main disadvantage

• Non user-replaceable battery
• Uninspiring camera performance
• Notably thicker than Xperia Z
• Dubious back panel build quality and aesthetics

If you're after a FullHD five-incher the Xperia ZL is the most compact handset that fits the bill. The difference, of course, is by no means huge but having a smaller footprint than the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a great achievement. On the other hand, a 10 mm thick body is nothing to brag about. Yet, if that's the price for getting a proper shutter key and an Infrared port, it should be fine for most people.

Anyway, Sony opted for two distinct versions of a 2013 flagship and then had to sit down and think about how to make them... distinct. Having a more compact option of what's virtually the same package as the flagship makes every bit of sense. But is it worth the extra millimeters around the waistline?

It was probably important to Sony to send a clear message that what's on offer is essentially the same package - the difference boils down to size, choice of finish and waterproofing or not. A sensible plastic case doesn't look half as good as glass but has its advantages. Water resistance is a great asset but not everyone needs it. Plus... a proper shutter key, half press and all, is something we always welcome in a cameraphone.

 
Sony Xperia ZL at HQ

HTC One Vs Sony Xperia Z

Well you asked for it. Seriously, we got like a thousand tips. So here it is - the HTC One vs the Sony Xperia Z battle of the gorgeous-looking flagships.

Both devices are the crucial points in their respective manufacturer's struggles to turn their fortunes around. The Sony Xperia Z and HTC One come with different skill sets but generally tend to appeal to the same group of users. Design conscious multimedia-addicts, who need top notch performance and value a streamlined interface over an endless number of features scattered around.

Of course, each of the two contestants has its own unique talents. The One will certainly be a favorite to those that have a soft spot for sweet audio - both through headphones and speakers. The Xperia Z on the other hand will certainly win the hearts of the outdoorsy, adventurous types who will love the fact that water and dust resistance no longer equals an entry-level feature set.

So let's see who draws first blood.

HTC One over Sony Xperia Z

• Super LCD3 display with 469ppi density
• Aluminum unibody
• Optical Image Stabilization, image sensor with 2µm pixel size
• Snapdragon 600 chipset
• HTC Zoe, BlinkFeed
• Front mounted stereo speakers, Beats Audio
• IR blaster
• Smaller footprint

Sony Xperia Z over HTC One

• IP57 dust and water protection
• Larger screen
• All glass body
• Higher resolution camera
• microSD card support
• Thinner body

It turns out the Sony Xperia Z and HTC One have quite a lot of differences, which are bound to give each of them an edge in some of the trials today. So it's shaping as an exciting matchup likely to resolve itself only after a fierce exchange of blows.

Going by the early sales estimates, it might be tempting to conclude that this is a fight for the second place as the Samsung Galaxy S4 is bound to beat both of these without breaking a sweat. Yet sales figures don't always mean a better smartphone and we can bet many will see their next dream handset emerge from this fight. After all, you probably won't get a more powerful water-resisting smartphone than the Xperia Z or a more visually appealing musically talented smartphone than the One.

   
HTC One and Sony Xperia Z

So back to the task at hand - each of these two smartphones is bound to win the few rounds that play exactly to its strengths, but there are plenty of fights hanging in the balance. Will the new low-res UltraPixel camera with OIS of the One beat the 13MP conventional snapper on the Xperia Z? And which of these beasts manages its battery better?

There's plenty to play for here, so let's get going. The first stop is hardware, right after the break.