Sony Xperia SP review

When there are as many smartphones available today as there are it is really quite hard to stand out from the crowd, unless there is something truly unique about it or the manufacturer has a massive budget to publicise the handset and make you notice it.

The Xperia SP doesn’t have either of the above but what is does have is countless charm and an appeal that really can’t be explained until you hold it an use it.

Please feel free to read my review below, but if you prefer to sit back and watch then this unboxing will give you an overview of the review.

Design/Build/Size/Hardware

With a 1.7GHz Dual Core processor and 8GB of internal storage the Xperia SP will not get the smartphone enthusiast hot under the collar, but the SP is not aimed to do this. The SP is the the higher end of the mass market smartphone that will serve the needs of a much wider audience at a much more attractive price than the more publicised competition.

With 8GB of internal storage and a microSD slot there is little need to be concerned about a lack of storage, especially when the phone can accept 64GB microSDXC memory cards (some restrictions apply). The only thing you need to be concerned about is if you install games or memory hungry apps as these need to be installed on the internal memory and with 8GB of internal, by the time the OS is installed there is only circa 5GB for you to actually use. Having said this, if you are generally installing apps like twitter, Facebook, Instagram, BBC News etc. you haven’t got too much to worry about.

The SP has a 4.6” display which we will cover in more detail later, but this is encased in a really quite comfortable and strong feeling chassis that weighs in at 155g and measures 130.6 x 67.1 x 9.98 mm.

I can’t really explain what it is about the SP, but it just feels right in the hand for me. I have recently switched from the S3 to the S4 but the SP I actually prefer when it comes to in the hand use.

I do not have particularly big hands and I find one handed use of the S3 or S4 very difficult, the SP allows this which is refreshing.  Screen sizes are becoming bigger but the SP is a little smaller (all be it bigger than most smartphone screens of 2 years ago).

Sony have kept the Omni balanced designed power button on the device like the Xperia Z, and there is a nice silver banding to the edge of the phone, but it is held in place by these little screws which are visible, which I think detract form the design.

I also have a gripe about the position of the microUSB port.  It is on the top left side and it is not ideal for desktop or vehicle docks. Works fine for everything in landscape mode but its annoying for vehicle docks as it just makes everything a bit more fiddly. This positioning on the side is consistent on all Sony devices and has been seen on HTC too.  I just find the bottom more logical, but this would have no doubt meant loosing the illuminating bar.

You will only ever need to remove the back cover a few times to access the microSIM card slot and microSD card slot too, but it is a bit fiddly!

The Xperia contains all the connectivity options you will need which I will speak about more later but built into the phone is 4G connectivity and NFC to name just a couple. 

If there is one stand out feature of the SP is the illuminating bar at the bottom of the phone.  Reminiscent of the Xperia U this is without doubt the marmite part of the phone.

Yes, I make no regrets I like it, even if some of you are now screaming at the screen saying why its horrible. Why? I think it is more effective than a normal notification light because it is more obvious but less intrusive.  A small notification light constantly flashing can become very annoying, there is something more subtle with the soft pulsing of the SP illuminated bar.  You can control it and switch it off if you don’t like it.

Display

A 4.6” display may not sit well with some, it may be too big or too small, I would imagine for many it is too small.

However there is somewhat of a balance here with the SP, it sits in between the large and small screens offering something for those who do not want 5” but want a more immersive display than their previous phone that may have had a 3.5” display.

There is no right screen size, it is personal but I think the 4.6”is the new 4.3”. It is big enough to allow you to do more on screen but not so big that the phone becomes difficult to handle or feels bulky in the pocket.

How often do you consider the size of the phone in your pocket.  Perhaps more of an issue for men, but those using a Note 2 from Samsung, do you not hate having such a big phone in your pocket when you are out to dinner with friends?!

There is quite a thick bezel around the edge of the display, similar to the S3.  It would have been nice if this was thinner and took the approach of Samsung with the S4 but I am being a bit picky.

With a resolution of 1280 x 720 and Sony Mobile BRAVIA engine the screen is very good, it is bright and plays back content well. There is no denying that the S3 and S4 as well as others have better screens and viewing angles  (comparable to the Xperia Z) but unless you ‘need’ the better resolution or actually sit the SP next to another device will you notice.

In all reality it help with battery life and if you main business is emails, text messages, calls and a bit of web browsing you don’t need the AMOLED screen technology found on Samsung devices.

On top of this the SP has Corning Gorilla Glass for added peace of mind, so your screen should remain more resilient to knocks and scratches which are all too common nowadays.

Audio

HTC have set the new standard with speaker quality on the HTC One but don’t let this lead you to believe everything else is awful. 

You need to seriously consider how often you use the devices main speaker, which for many is not that frequently, thus just connect up a good set of headphones and it will be much harder to tell the difference.

So the HTC devices often have Beats Audio built in to improve the sound, but invest in dedicated music apps and audio controls and you are nearly there.

Over the time I used the SP I did find it to be a little tinny with quite a bit of vibration at higher levels which only worsened with voice calls. With music you could get away with it. If you generally playback audio when in quiet surroundings then you should be ok, but in a slightly noisier office where full volume may be necessary you may get a bit fed up with the quality. It is a shame as it could be a sticking point for the younger audience of the phone. I do however think one should consider how much time the loudspeaker is used.

The 3.5mm audio jack and Bluetooth 4 could be used to improve this if you have a compatible audio system.

Whilst we are talking about audio it is worth mentioning that Sony do install as standard their Music Unlimited application which is underrated. I have been using it for some months now on a variety of platforms and I have to say it works well and should get more credit than it does for the £9.99 unlimited usage per month.  There is too offline mode so you do not have to be constantly connected to the internet.

Connectivity

On the subject of internet connectivity, WiFi, 3G and 4G. Yes a mid range handset with 4G.  Future proofed the Xperia is. In fact the SP has pretty much the same connectivity options as the Xperia Z.

Just for reference, the GSM bands supported are: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz

3G Bands: 850/900/2100 MHz

4G: LTE Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 20

With Bluetooth 4.0 you can be assured of fast and stable wireless connections with other peripherals like speakers. DNLA also offers wireless streaming options with compatible devices.

The SP picked up my Sonos speaker system and I was able to wirelessly stream the music through to it is.

The SP has USB on the go (USB OTG) as well as having MHL/HDTV out through the microUSB port all of which are demonstrated in the video below.

Such features are not necessarily everyday requirements, but if someone has a memory stick or wants to share a file with you quickly its is very quick and easy to do so.I don’t use Fthis feature that often, but on the occasions I do it is so useful.

MHL/HDMI connectivity has to be the best option. You need to get in a habit of using it with this cable (sold separately) but it is so powerful and useful especially with Bluetooth keyboard and mice connected.

Is sounds cliché but you really can do away with laptop PC and projectors.  The likes of the SP with this sort of connectivity can be the salesman’s best friend if you spend time getting into the habit of using it effectively. The only bug bare is if you have specific applications on your PC that are not accessible on the phone, but do then consider remote desktop options.

For those who do like to play games, with the Xperia SP you can connect to it a DualShock controller wirelessly.  Initially you need to use a USB cable but after this future connections can be made without wires and the SP is the first handset to have this out of the box.

Being PlayStation Certified you do to get access to many popular titles meaning you can enjoy some of the best games with one of the best controllers.

See the SP’s connectivity demonstrated in the following video.

Camera

Sony have a pretty good history when it comes to camera technology within their devices and this is the case with the SP.  I was on the whole pleased with the results of the 8 megapixel camera but in bright conditions images seem very bright, and in grey conditions they seem particularly grey.

The camera lens on the rear camera is slightly recessed meaning it is less likely to sustain scratches when sat on a desk, which is always a bonus.  Dust might build up around the lens but nothing new here, a quick wipe and all is good.

There is also a dedicated camera button, 3 cheers for this!!

Included within the camera app are lots of settings including Superior Auto first seen on the Z. This works to intelligently depict the correct settings for the scene that is being shot.

The SP has scene modes and settings for most things but the one downside is the lack of burst mode within the camera which would have been the icing on the cake. Hopefully Sony will introduce this in a future update, but don’t pin your hopes on it.

You can see some sample shots HERE that were taken on a ‘grey’ day, but with a bit of tweaking and better light you can get better results.

The rear facing 8 megapixel camera that sits on the back of the phone has a Auto Focus and LED flash and there is a VGA front facing camera for self portrait images or for video calls which are becoming more popular with the likes of Viber and Hangouts.

The Superior Auto on the whole detects the scene but sometimes it struggles, but there are plenty of manual settings that can compensate.

Check out the following video for an example of the 1080P HD video quality on this phone.

Battery

We all want more battery life from our devices but we want them to be slimmer and do more.  It is not easy to get all of this but Sony have done a pretty good job with a 2370mAh battery in the SP which will last most a full working day and I think many more ‘average’ users could get 2 out of it.

I haven’t put the battery through extensive tests, the likes of GSM Arena have done that and by all accounts it comes out well.

I personally prefer the good old fashioned everyday usage test and I certainly got easily a day out of it but struggled to get 2 with my personal usage. In all reality, no doubt you like me have pretty much got used to charging or topping your phone up daily so is it really an issue?

This is where the slightly smaller and lower resolution screen make the difference however allowing you to be away from power for longer.

Sony have too built in their STAMINA mode into the SP which can be configured to turn some of the connections off on the phone when it is not being used to conserve power.  This does make a difference.

I should also note here that the battery is built in and can not be removed or replaced unless done so by a trained technician.

Software

Running Android 4.1 it is not the very latest iteration of the OS but few phones have it, this said Sony are working on bringing the updates as quick as they can.

Aside from the usual plethora of Google applications and services that come pre-installed Sony have made their own customisations to give the Xpeira that familiar Sony feel, but they do not go down to the same depth as Samsung which I think is a positive and negative.

Samsung give you pretty much everything you could need whilst Sony leave that scope for you to add through apps what you want and is perhaps a happy middle ground from the more memory hungry Samsung’s and the cleaner installed Nexus devices.

Sony Music, Videos and PlayMemories online are just a few apps installed.

Other value added apps include SmartConnect which can automatically do things when actions take place.  For example, launching the music player when connecting a set of headphones.  This is often more useful that you initially think for.

Sony do to include a nice Car Mode which makes for safer in vehicle use when necessary.

Conclusion

Using the Xperia SP has been somewhat of a refreshing experience.  I have not been wowed by anything but nothing has pushed me away. I feel at home with it.

If I had to complain then there are some small niggles like the memory (it would be tough and go for me) and placement of the microUSB connector but these are not necessarily deal breakers.

If I can be so bold to make a comparison to a car, the SP is like a Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra. Some will love it, others will hate it but the vast majority will accept it as a mid range model that does what the specification suggests and just gets on with it. People may not turn heads, people may not ask to have hands on with it but what you wont really hear is people complaining about it, because there is nothing really to fault with it.

If I had to part with my hard earned money on a new phone then the SP would be at the top of my list next to the Nexus 4 whist similar Samsung models would be kicked out of contention due to their price.

If you think the SP could be for you, I strongly urge you to give it a try and be one of those that does ask to try what can only be classed as the underdog.

The post Sony Xperia SP review appeared first on Clove Technology’s Blog.

Clove Technology’s Blog – for the latest news, reviews and advice on smartphones, tablets and accessories.