Sony Xperia SP has discovered its place in the mid range Indian smartphone market among the dominating Samsung models with its looks and RS 20,000 price tag.
Targeting the rapidly growing mid range smarthphone market the Japanese Phone giant Sony has found an alternative to pricey Xperia Z within budget. The model is attracting a large group of buyers who love the features of high end model Xperia Z but don’t like to spend big money.
Xperia SP is an economic phone that packs a lot of fancy features that Sony’s high end models are known for. But the economic phone is going to face a tough competition from already established economic models from Samsung, LG and Nokia. Join us as we find out the hits and misses of this latest budget smartphone from Sony.
Design and Feel:
The co molded aluminum body of Xperia SP is nothing close to the industrial design of Xperia Z but it is sturdy and comfy. For a budget phone Xperia SP has a really sleek and stylish design that makes the handset fit easily in one hand. The handset measures at 5.14X2.64X0.39 inches and has a total weight of 155 grams. The aluminum side buttons that we loved in Xperia Z also exist in this budget model.
Display:
Sony has been able to put an impressive 720p screen in an economical phone like Xperia SP. Although, its screen is not as real as the 1080p screen found in Xperia Z you cannot get better image and crisp picture quality than Xperia SP in mid range models. The 4.6 display screen takes full advantage of Sony Bravia Technology to produce truer pictures and videos.
Operating System:
The phone is supported by Android’s 4.1 Jelly Bean which is not the latest Android software but we think it is a smart choice. Jelly bean 4.2 is still facing some manufacturing issues so going with 4.1 is a safer route. We have seen Jelly Bean 4.1 providing a smooth functioning to many popular high end Smartphones like Samsung Galaxy S 3 so the software shouldn’t be an issue.
Processor & Storage:
Xperia SP is equipped with a 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor which is a powerful machine. The strong processor takes care of smooth functioning of the phone and you hardly see any delays while operating the device. It has a 1 GB ram and flash memory of up to 8 GB. The device has a port for micro SD that can support the media of up to 32 GB.
Camera:
Like most cameras in mid range smartphone segment Xperia SP sports an 8 megapixel rear facing camera which can also capture HD videos of 1080p quality. The camera also has basic features like LED flash, autofocus etc. On the other hand its 0.3 megapixels camera is a disappointment. The camera is designed for video chatting but seriously doubt Xperia SP’ camera would be able to produce quality video.
Battery:
The Phone score some promising number in battery talk but its real life test will determine the true potential of its battery. The company promises a talk time of up to 18 hours and 53 minutes and standby time of 734 hours which is impressive. Overall the battery of Xperia SP should easily last throughout the day for both normal and heavy usage.
Verdict:
Overall Xperia SP is an average performer but it has nothing that makes it stand out in the market that is dominated by Samsung and Nokia. The mid range smartphone buyers are always looking to get the most of their money and Xperia SP give them just that.
