Smartphone Sony Xperia E: characteristics, reviews. Sony Xperia E smartphone: characteristics, reviews Operating system and add-ons from Sony

The most budget model in the Xperia line

Japanese Sony company Mobile is so prolific that not a month goes by without us reviewing one of the company's latest mobile products. Most often we consider devices from the flagship Xperia Z line, since they are the most interesting for having the most modern technologies and functions. In addition, the Japanese are simultaneously releasing no less interesting, and in some ways even more balanced, mobile new products from the Xperia T series. Last month we published detailed review smartphone Sony Xperia T3, which turned out to be perhaps one of the most remarkable tablet phones this season. Today it’s time to look even lower and evaluate what the Japanese are ready to offer to those who purchase the most budget-friendly solutions.

Currently, one of the cheapest smartphones from Sony is the Xperia E1 - a very simple device in terms of technical and hardware characteristics, but, nevertheless, also belonging to the Xperia line and running on Android. Smartphone Sony Xperia E1 can no longer be called a new product; it has been sold on the Russian market since spring, but we only got our hands on it now. Let's see what Sony is ready to offer its customers in the budget segment, and whether it is worth turning to its products at all if you are looking for an economical option for yourself.

Main characteristics of Sony Xperia E1 (model D2005)

• SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 200, 1.2 GHz, 2 ARM Cortex-A7 cores
• GPU Adreno 302
• operating room Android system 4.3
• Touch display TN, 4″, 800×480, 233 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 512 MB, inner memory 4 GB
• Communication GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• Communication 3G UMTS/HSPA+ 900, 2100 MHz
• HSPA+ data transfer up to 21 Mbps
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
• GPS/Glonass
• Camera 3 MP
• Battery 1700 mAh
• Dimensions 118x62.4x12 mm
• Weight 120 g

Contents of delivery

Sony smartphone The Xperia E1, like its predecessors in the budget series, is sold in a very simple, cheap in appearance and structure packaging made of thick, rough white cardboard. The box is not large in size, and its shape does not at all resemble the flat thin cardboard boxes standard for Sony mobile products. Inside there are a couple of compartments with a sparse set of accessories.

The kit consists of a compact charger, a Micro-USB connecting cable, a wired stereo headset with a thin round wire without vacuum ear pads, and a small stack of paper documentation.

Appearance and ease of use

The design of the Sony Xperia E1 smartphone is very simple, but when you take this device in your hands, for some reason it still invisibly emanates nobility - such a thing is pleasant to hold, this is not a Chinese craft a quick fix. Obviously, well-selected materials, their quality, colors, and the design of the device - although minimalistic, are still stylish in some sense. In a word, the smartphone turned out to be nice, more interesting than its predecessors in the Xperia E series. However, the design and appearance of the device somehow do not set one up for a “serious mood”.

There is something in the design of this smartphone from children's plastic toys: either the blown round shapes of the rather thick and voluminous body have an effect, or the matte plastic with multi-colored inserts. But the fact remains: the Sony Xperia E1 smartphone is more reminiscent of a children's toy simulating a mobile device than a real serious “adult” product. At least, this is the feeling you get after getting acquainted with the purple version of the Xperia E1, which has black inserts on the sides.

Sony Xperia E1 is very small in size, even smaller than the notorious “old” one Apple iPhone, less than which, it would seem, you can’t find a mobile device now. Accordingly, the smartphone fits easily into any hand, even a woman’s, and there is a place for it in a pocket of any size.

The materials used to make the case are solid plastic, there is no trace of metal here. All surfaces - the back cover, all the side edges, and inserts on the sides - are all made of the same rough matte hard plastic without a rubberized effect. Accordingly, the device is held well in the hand, does not slip, and there are practically no fingerprints left on its surfaces.

The weight of the Sony Xperia E1 is quite consistent with the dimensions of this little one - the device is quite light, feels comfortable in the hand, and does not weigh down your pockets either. Due to the wide, rough matte sides, it is convenient to grip it with your fingers and lift it from a hard surface (for example, from a table).

The slot in the bottom end, which is visible in the picture, is a ledge made in order to pry the back cover with a fingernail. It also doubles as a fastener for a strap or keychain. The cover is made of hard plastic, it is removable, can be easily removed from the body, but holds quite firmly on its plastic latches during operation.

The wide battery covers most of the internal space of the case, so the SIM card slot here had to be placed under the battery the old fashioned way. It is worth noting that in addition to standard solution With one SIM card, there is also a modification on sale that is designed to work with two cards. As for the memory card slot, it is not located under the battery, but you still won’t be able to replace the card without removing the battery. The SIM card here is used in Mini-SIM format, a memory card can be installed with a capacity of up to 32 GB, the slots do not have spring-loaded gripping mechanisms, the cards are held in them due to clamping contacts.

There are fewer elements on the back surface of the smartphone than usual. There is a camera window here, but it does not have an LED flash, which automatically deprives the owner of the opportunity to take high-quality pictures with the camera in dark rooms. However, the capabilities of the camera built here are such that there is no need to talk about any quality at all (more on that a little later). In a word, you don’t so much regret the lack of a flash for shooting, but rather the fact that your smartphone cannot be used as a flashlight, and this is sometimes very useful.

The speaker grille, located at the bottom of the rear panel, is an array of round holes various diameters, made in the lid itself. The grille looks quite nice and even somewhat stylish, quite consistent with the image of an expensive “electronic toy”.

There are no hardware buttons on the front panel - neither mechanical nor touch. Accordingly, the lower part under the glass is not occupied by anything and serves only a decorative function. Sometimes, however, in this place, a thin strip of indicator light lights up with a soft light - a kind of proprietary “color music” that accompanies viewing photos, videos, and listening to musical compositions. The indicator is traditionally able to adjust its color to the overall color of the displayed image, for example a photograph or the cover of the track being played.

At the top of the front panel there is a slot cut in the protective glass for sound to exit from the speaker, but for some reason it does not have the usual grille that covers the hole from dust. Surely, over time, a sloppy pile of dirt will accumulate here, which will be impossible to clean out by any means. You won’t find the usual front camera peephole here, which is extremely rare in modern solutions. But there is such a useful element as an LED notification indicator - it shines with a dim dot, signaling the charging status and incoming events.

Both standard mechanical control keys (on/off and volume) are located on the right side of the Sony Xperia E1, next to each other. The buttons are large enough to be easily felt blindly, the key travel is short but distinct, and in general there are no complaints about the smartphone’s controls.

There is another mechanical key on the Sony Xperia E1 body - it is located on the top end. This button is used to quickly call and manipulate music player Walkman, as clearly indicated by the corresponding corporate logo on the button. However, out of habit, the finger is drawn to press this particular key to unlock - exactly in the same place the power key is traditionally located on the Apple iPhone.

The Walkman button has expanded functionality: when pressed once, the player turns on and starts playing the current song; when pressed twice, it moves to the next song, and if you hold the button and shake the smartphone, the tracks will be played in a shuffled order (Shuffle).

The universal Micro-USB connector is located on the side of the device. Unfortunately, it does not support OTG (USB Host) mode, so external devices cannot be connected to the Sony Xperia E1. The audio output for headphones with a standard diameter of 3.5 mm is embedded in the top end. Not far from it, on the back surface, you can see the hole for the second, auxiliary microphone. The Sony Xperia E1 does not have plugs on the connectors, since the device is not protected against immersion in water. This has its advantages: owners do not have to open the lid every time they need to insert the Micro-USB plug to charge the device.

As for the color variety of Sony Xperia E1 smartphones released for sale, there are three traditional options for Sony mobile devices: you can choose a white, black or purple body. In any option, including white, the front panel under the glass still remains black, which is also in Sony style. In addition, all four side plastic inserts at the ends of the device remain black. If we talk about the influence of color on perception, then the most attractive, attractive and stylish in this series is the white device with black inserts. Black turned out to be completely monochromatic, and as a result somehow nondescript, and purple, as mentioned above, resembles a child’s playroom electronic toy. But all this, naturally, remains a matter of personal taste and color preferences.

Screen

The Sony Xperia E1 smartphone is equipped with a poor-quality TN display, which is one of the weakest points of this device. The physical dimensions of the display are 52x87 mm, diagonal - 4 inches. The screen resolution in pixels is 800x480, the pixel density is 233 ppi, which is quite low.

The display brightness has both manual and automatic adjustment, the latter based on the operation of the light sensor. The smartphone also has a proximity sensor that blocks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Multi-touch technology allows you to process only 2 simultaneous touches. In bright sunlight, the screen becomes quite blind.

Detailed examination using measuring instruments conducted by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the brightness of reflected objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are much worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (we will compare it with it below). The surface of the matrix itself under the glass is slightly matte, so the screen reflects both direct light sources (by the outer surface) and diffuse light (by the surface of the matrix), this reduces readability in conditions of strong external illumination. For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens of both devices (Sony Xperia E1 is easy to distinguish, since it is smaller):

Gray surface Sony screen Xperia E1 confirms what was written above. The reflection in the screen doubles, which suggests the presence of an air gap between the surface of the matrix and the outer glass. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (not very effective, noticeably worse than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed a little easier and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.

With manual brightness control, its maximum value was about 360 cd/m², and the minimum was 17 cd/m². Maximum value not very high, and, given the weak anti-reflective properties and matte surface of the matrix, in bright daylight the image on the screen will be difficult to see. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. Automatic brightness adjustment works based on the light sensor (it is located in the upper right corner on the front panel). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. In complete darkness in automatic mode, the brightness is reduced to 26 cd/m² (acceptable), in an office illuminated by artificial light (about 400 lux) the brightness is set to 155 cd/m² (normal), with a further increase in the intensity of external illumination, the screen brightness first increases to 320 cd/m², and then sharply drops to 100 cd/m² due to incorrect operation of the light sensor. That is, with automatic brightness adjustment turned on, the user, going outside during the day, runs the risk of getting an unreadable screen. At any brightness level, there is virtually no backlight modulation, so there is no screen flickering.

This smartphone has a TN type matrix. The micrograph demonstrates a typical TN structure (or rather lack of structure) of subpixels:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

At the same time, we present another micrograph with a focus on the film covering the matrix:

Visible dots are artificially created surface defects that create the effect of a matte finish. The screen does not have the worst viewing angles in the horizontal direction, but with the slightest upward deviation, dark shades are inverted, and with a downward deviation, light shades are inverted. For comparison, here are photographs in which identical images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 7 and the device under test, with the brightness of both screens set to approximately 200 cd/m², and the color balance on the camera forced to switch to 6500 K. Test picture perpendicular to the screens:

It can be seen that the colors on the Sony Xperia E1 screen are noticeably distorted and the image is slightly dark. And a white field:

Note that the uniformity of brightness and color tone of the Sony Xperia E1 is good. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the screen plane along the long side:

It can be seen that at this angle the color and brightness balance did not change much. Then the white field:

The brightness at this angle for both screens decreased noticeably (shutter speed increased), but in the case of the Sony Xperia E1 the drop in brightness is greater. When tilted downward, the image becomes very bright, and details in the highlights disappear:

When deviating upwards, everything is much worse:

The colors are turned inside out. When the view deviates from the perpendicular to the screen, the black field becomes brighter. For example, let's give the best case - downward deviation:

When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is far from ideal:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is normal - about 750:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 11.5 ms (9 ms on + 2.5 ms off), the transition between half-tones of gray 25% and 75% (by the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 25 ms . Compared to IPS used in mobile devices, this TN matrix is ​​relatively fast. Constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, the gamma curve did not reveal any blockage in either highlights or shadows, and the index of the approximating power function is 2.29, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates somewhat from the power-law dependence:

Color gamut is slightly less than sRGB:

Apparently, the matrix’s light filters slightly mix the components with each other. The spectra confirm this:

This technique allows you to increase the brightness of the screen with the same energy consumption for the backlight, but the colors lose saturation (in this case, slightly). There is no shade balance on the gray scale as such - the color temperature is higher than the standard 6500 K and varies greatly from shade to shade:

The deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is not extremely large, but varies greatly from hue to hue, which also worsens the visual perception of color balance:

In total, we clearly have a budget option on a TN matrix. The maximum brightness of this screen is low, the anti-glare properties are weak, the surface of the matrix itself under the glass is slightly matte, as a result, the ease of use on a clear day outside is highly questionable. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. The auto-brightness feature doesn't do its job in strong ambient light conditions, so it's not very useful. Also significant disadvantages include: typical TN distortions of colors and brightness of shades when the gaze deviates from perpendicular to the screen plane, low uniformity of the black field and disgusting balance of shades. The advantages of the screen include the presence of a not very bad oleophobic coating and the absence of screen flickering.

Sound

Sony itself positions its Xperia E1 as a “music phone”; for this purpose, the smartphone was given several distinctive features. Firstly, there is a mechanical button installed on the top end of the device, which is responsible for working with the music player (we have already described the main functions of the Walkman button above). Secondly, the smartphone is equipped with a more powerful external speaker than is required for such budget devices. During the presentation, company representatives even mentioned a figure of 100 dB - this is the volume that the Sony Xperia E1 speaker can supposedly produce. In reality, the sound produced by the device is not bad, but nothing more. The smartphone has only one main speaker, it sounds loud enough, and the sound at maximum volume remains quite clear. There is not an abundance of bass, but still the speaker is not squeaky, low frequencies break through. The sound in the headphones is also loud and clear, there are no problems with that. In conversational dynamics, the voice of the interlocutor, the intonation and timbre of a familiar voice remain recognizable, the voices sound natural and natural.

To play music, the device uses its own proprietary player, traditionally called a Walkman. The standard audio player is rich in settings and additional software sound improvements, such as a built-in equalizer with a lot of preset values ​​(you can set your own), Clear Phase, xLoud technologies and virtual surround sound. Control of most settings is available if the complex ClearAudio+ function is turned off, otherwise all settings are left to the machine.

There is an FM radio as standard on the smartphone, but there is no voice recorder, which is often found on Sony mobile devices. The radio cannot record programs even without connected external antenna headphones will not work.

Camera

The Sony Xperia E1 smartphone is equipped with only one camera, the rear one, and it does not have a flash, which automatically deprives the owner of the device of the opportunity to take high-quality pictures in poor lighting conditions. The camera here is equipped with a 3-megapixel module and shoots with a resolution of 2048x1536. The maximum video recording resolution is 640×480. Traditionally for Sony mobile products, the device's camera is initially configured to shoot in automatic mode, where all settings are left to the machine. In principle, this mode produces the best pictures, but for those who like to delve into the settings, there is always a field of activity that opens up if you switch the camera to manual mode.

The settings menu is clear and intuitive. All icons are large, using the camera even in bright sunlight is quite comfortable.

The quality of video recording can be judged by the test video below.

• Video No. 1 (9 MB, 640×480)

	The sharpness is not bad, just as much as the resolution is enough.
	Despite the low resolution, the foliage is well rendered.
	Quite good sharpness across the entire field of the frame.
	The camera draws out shadows by using overexposed areas of the frame.
	The sharpness is good both in the field and in the plans, but important details can still be lost.
	Sometimes you get the feeling that distant plans are worked out even better than close ones.
	The camera can't handle macro photography.
	It is possible to make out the text, but with difficulty.

The camera has a very budget module installed. As is often the case lately, the optics in it are quite good, which cannot be said about the other components. The sensor is rather weak, but with such a resolution it is not clear where the program is to blame and where the low resolution is. The program works quite accurately, but with such a large pixel, the result of its work becomes more noticeable. Together with the sensor, they do not cope well with overexposure, trying to draw out shadows. Shooting close-ups and macro makes you doubt the operation or even the presence of autofocus.

You shouldn’t place high hopes on the camera, and it’s better to check the important shots taken (for which it is, generally speaking, of little use) “without leaving the cash register.” But for documentary shooting of large objects, the camera will do.

Telephone and communications

The smartphone works as standard in modern networks 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA; There is no support for fourth generation networks (LTE). The communication capabilities of the device are implemented to a minimum: neither the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band, nor NFC technology, nor connecting external devices to USB port(USB Host, OTG). You can standardly organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. The navigation module can work with both GPS and the domestic Glonass system; the device demonstrates good performance in terms of searching and establishing communication with satellites.

There were no spontaneous reboots/shutdowns observed during testing, as well as system slowdowns or freezes. The drawing of letters and numbers on virtual keyboards is, of course, a little small; you need to get used to it in order to start using the keyboard quickly and without errors. The layout and location of the keys is standard: switching languages ​​here is done by pressing a special button; there is no dedicated top row with numbers - you will have to switch the layout each time. Phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing phone number A search for contacts is also carried out immediately. There is also the ability to enter text in continuous writing (Swype).

OS and software

Sony Xperia E1 works in this moment on software platform Google Android versions 4.3. On top of the standard OS interface, the company installed its own user interface, significantly modifying and complementing the standard one. The main distinguishing feature of the program menu is its wide possibilities for sorting, selecting and working with icons installed applications. You can set your own custom arrangement of icons or sort applications in several preset ways. To do this, there is a context panel that can be pulled out from the left with a side swipe. It is very convenient that right here you can delete any application without having to go to a special section of the main menu - functionality that partially replaces file manager. In general, the proprietary shell is almost the same in features and functionality as its older brothers in the modern Xperia mobile line, with the exception of one thing: there is no small applications menu, which can usually be found among the latest launched programs.

To get an idea of ​​the performance of the platform of the smartphone under test, we will conduct a standard set of tests.

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed their “obstacle courses” on previous versions test programs.

In general, according to the testing results, the Sony Xperia E1 smartphone can be classified as a device with a below-average performance level. However, in reality everything is not as bad as in synthetic tests, and at the moment hardware performance of this smartphone should be enough to perform standard tasks that not too demanding users may set for it.

Test results in MobileXPRT, as well as the latest versions of AnTuTu and GeekBench 3:

When testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark for the most productive smartphones It is now possible to run 3DMark in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

Results of testing the graphics subsystem in the Epic Citadel gaming test, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support hardware decoding videos at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern variants using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a single table.

According to the results Sony testing The Xperia E1 was not equipped with all the necessary decoders, in this case audio, for full playback of most of the most common files on the network. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, even in it you will first have to change the settings, switching from hardware decoding to software or to a new mode called Hardware+(not supported by all smartphones), only then will sound appear. All results are summarized in a single table.

¹ MX Video Player only played sound after switching to software decoding or a new mode Hardware+; The standard player does not have this setting

To test the output of video files on the screen of the device itself, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames/ With). In the tests, we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware+” mode. The test results are summarized in the table:

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with playback of the corresponding files.

The intervals between frames (or groups of frames) in most cases alternate a little unevenly, and the smartphone cannot handle 1080p files at 50 and 60 fps at all. However, in general, if we limit ourselves to 24 fps typical for movies and TV series, then there are no special complaints about video playback. When playing 720p and 1080p video files with an aspect ratio of 16:9, the image of the actual video file is displayed exactly on the wide edge of the screen. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights.

Battery life

The capacity of the lithium-ion battery installed in the Sony Xperia E1 is quite small by modern standards - 1700 mAh. However, here it is worth considering that the screen in this model is set far to the most energy-intensive, and the other filling is quite consistent with it. As a result, according to the test results, the subject demonstrated excellent results in duration battery life, along with other smartphones that are not too demanding on energy resources due to their low-power hardware characteristics.

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted about 15.5 hours until the battery was completely discharged. When continuously watching YouTube videos in high quality (HQ) with the same brightness level through home network The device lasted 9 hours in Wi-Fi mode, and at least 5 hours in 3D gaming mode.

Bottom line

As for the cost of the Sony Xperia E1, the smartphone is now officially offered in our stores at a price below 6 thousand rubles. This is not so little, given the rather weak characteristics of the smartphone. The Xperia E1 cannot boast of practically anything, except perhaps good ergonomics and comfortable dimensions. The device can also be praised for its good autonomy, but, in fact, it has almost nothing to spend energy on. The screen installed here is very simple, the platform cannot be called productive, it is unlikely that you will be able to play colorful games or watch videos comfortably here. The camera in the Sony Xperia E1 generally seems to be built in just for show. The “musical” focus of the smartphone is cut off at the root by the very small amount of built-in memory, which, however, can be compensated by installing a memory card. In any case, the device cannot demonstrate anything extraordinary in terms of playing music, although a dedicated hardware button, of course, adds convenience when working with the player. Such a smartphone, of course, is not suitable for all tasks; Most likely, this device will be used as a second device, a mobile 3G modem, or the first full-fledged smartphone for a growing child, but for that kind of money it is quite possible to find a more balanced solution on the market. Overpaying for a nameplate with a brand in this case will be appropriate only for true fans of this brand.

The Sony Xperia E smartphone is usually classified as a budget smartphone. In the Dual modification it supports 2 SIM cards. The smartphone is positioned as the optimal solution for people looking for a compromise between functionality and affordable price.

There is a version that Sony Xperia E is a technological continuation of several platforms that became famous in past years (when classic phones were still popular). In particular, we can talk about the Walkman brand, which has become very popular among music lovers from all over the world. Some experts believe that some of the solutions characteristic of this media platform were in one way or another transferred to mobile devices from Sony. We will try to understand today whether this is so.

Does the Sony Xperia E smartphone in the classic version differ from the phone in the Dual version in anything other than the number of supported SIM cards? Almost nothing. The only thing that may not be the same is the colors of the cases supplied to markets around the world. Functionally and from a technological point of view, these devices, apart from the aspect with SIM cards, are identical.

In our review today we will consider both devices as one phone model. There is another popular smartphone modification - Champagne. This device differs from its counterparts in its special body color, called “champagne” in the French manner (as a rule, it refers to soft yellow-orange tones). Similarly, there is a device in a black case (in which case it will be called Sony Xperia E Black).

Equipment

In the box supplied by dealers, the user will find the smartphone itself, a battery charging unit, a cable for connecting to a computer, a headset, and operating instructions for the device.

Appearance

Experts who tested the device note its high-quality design. Along the edges of the case there is an elegant border in the form of a frame in silver shades. The power button of the device gives a special highlight to the design: it is made of metal, and it looks very stylish. The edges of the body are slightly rounded.

The screen of the device is relatively small (3.5 inches), the voice speaker is covered with a neat thin mesh. At the bottom is a microphone, and next to it are three standard touch keys - “Menu”, “Return”, “Home”. Led indicator alerts you to incoming messages or calls.

On the right side of the case there is a key that regulates the sound level, next to it is a button to turn on the device. There is also a switch for quickly loading the standard camera. On the left side of the case there is a microUSB connector. At the top there is a slot for audio devices.

The back of the case is made of soft and very pleasant to the touch polymer material. It houses the main camera of the device, as well as the main speaker. The latter sounds, as experts note, very high quality. Ring tones can be heard even in noisy surroundings.

Under back cover, which, by the way, is very easy to remove, there are slots for a SIM card (in the Dual version - for two), as well as connectors where you can connect flash modules microSD memory.

The build quality of the case is assessed by experts as very high. There are no backlashes, creaks, or gaps. All parts are fixed in place securely.

Color to taste

As we have already said, the device can be supplied in different color versions. By the way, it often happens that impressions about the quality of a device’s operation are based on the color of the case. The smartphone appeals to young people (this is evidenced by numerous reviews). Sony Xperia E Black may seem attractive to entrepreneurs and those people who value rigor and conservatism in style. How many colors, so many opinions.

Dimensions

Experts who tested the Sony Xperia E describe it as an ergonomic, medium-sized product that fits comfortably in the hand. Device length - 113.5 mm, width - 61.8 mm, thickness - 11 mm. These dimensions are comparable to similar parameters of many other devices of this class - for example, Samsung Galaxy ACE, with the following dimensions: 112.6 x 61.5 x 11.5 mm.

Display

The display, whose diagonal is 3.5 inches, has a resolution of 480 by 320 pixels. Matrix manufacturing technology - TN. The screen is covered with a durable layer of plastic. The multi-touch function is designed for one or two touches. Some experts believe that it is too small, and therefore the pixelation of the screen will be noticeable. In addition, supporters of this thesis believe that a TN-type matrix cannot provide large viewing angles. This is also said by some Sony Xperia E users, whose reviews can be found on the Internet.

Screen technologies: classic or modern?

There are also those who are ready to provide counterarguments to critics. They believe that very high levels of energy savings are achieved through relatively outdated (but at the same time respectable traditional) display technologies. In addition, they believe that the small dimensions of the smartphone, and, as a result, the relatively small diagonal of the screen, do not allow viewing images in detail. Therefore, there is no point in equipping the device screen with a more modern matrix. There is no clear opinion regarding the display. For every characteristic that highlights the disadvantages of the Sony Xperia E screen (the device is reviewed in the article), there is a selection of balanced and compelling arguments reflecting positive sides this device component.

Software

The smartphone runs Android OS version 4.0.4. It has proprietary firmware from the manufacturer installed, as well as a fairly large number of pre-installed applications. Among the most useful are the address book, a virtual keyboard (supporting, in particular, entering letters using the “strokes” method on the screen), as well as widgets (showing the weather, time, allowing you to make phone calls, quickly finding the desired contact). Eat convenient browser, multimedia player.

Performance

The Sony Xperia E smartphone has a single-core MSM7227A processor with a clock frequency of 1 GHz. The amount of RAM is 512 MB. Pre-installed flash memory - 4 GB (actually 2 available). There is support external cards microSD up to 32 GB. Experts who tested the smartphone note that, in general, the device works quickly. There are minimal freezes and slowdowns in operation.

The rather modest capabilities of the processor and not the largest amount of RAM allow you to run only simple games(such as, for example, Fruit Ninja). At the same time, experts believe, it would even be inconvenient to play “shooting games” and “quests” on the screen that the device has. Therefore, limited performance, they believe, cannot be a significant disadvantage in terms of device functionality.

Battery

The battery capacity of the smartphone is 1.5 thousand mAh. It lasts for about a day with average intensity of use (about half an hour of talking, 120 minutes of Internet use and the same amount of listening to music). As with other hardware components included Sony phone Xperia E, there are two main points of view regarding battery life. The first says that the battery is very weak. The second is that a device of this class with such modest dimensions should not have large battery life.

In dual SIM mode

As we said above, there is a modification of the smartphone that supports two SIM cards at once. Experts describe this function as working very reliably. The simultaneous use of two SIM cards can be easily set up, and it is also very easy to switch between different operators.

Camera

The Sony Xperia E smartphone is equipped with a camera with a resolution of 3.2 megapixels. There is no autofocus, but there is another useful feature - separate key to release the shutter. Using the camera, you can shoot videos with a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels. Assessments of the quality of multimedia files created using a smartphone vary greatly among experts. Some experts, when writing a review of the Sony Xperia E, preferred to focus on the fact that the camera on the phone is of an average level. In their opinion, the quality of pictures taken using the device cannot be compared with that shown, in particular, by ordinary amateur cameras. Not to mention specialized cameras.

But for those who criticize the device’s capabilities in terms of creating pictures and videos, opponents find a compelling counterargument: a smartphone (especially in a budget price category) is, first of all, a device for working with data, and not a producer of professional photo and video content. In addition, camera “advocates” believe that if you don’t pick too much on color balance and brightness, then the quality of the images is generally good.

Summary: What the Experts Say

In general, the mood among the specialists who tested the device is such that the device corresponds to its budget level. The manufacturer brand did not put a lot of hardware and software resources into it to achieve excessively high performance, based on the specifics of the market segment in which the device is sold.

The most important advantage of the device, which is noted by experts, is the security of the case. The materials used to make the smartphone are of very high quality. Therefore, the phone has good resistance to aggressive elements of the external environment - dust, humidity, temperature changes.

Most experts agree that the characteristics, functionality, and performance resources laid down by the developers of the Sony Xperia E generally meet the needs of budget segment users. Experts believe that the device could well become one of the most popular in its class.

The device doesn't have many direct competitors. For some, it is objectively inferior, but in the case of Sony, the brand may be of decisive importance for the buyer. There is a version that fans of the manufacturer should be happy with the device. In this regard, Sony has equipped the device with all the necessary options: corporate design, branded and easy to use software.

User opinions

Let's consider the opinions of Sony Xperia E owners, whose reviews can be found on online portals. Most smartphone owners talk about it as a device that lived up to expectations. Many people note high quality case materials, ergonomics, beauty of the device design. By the way, in the user environment there are small reports of attempts to run games on smartphones that are a little more complex than Friut Ninja - those that use complex animated 3D graphics. According to many phone owners, the device, despite its modest RAM, coped well with gaming tasks.

Users note the high build quality that characterizes the Sony Xperia E smartphone. Feedback from owners in this regard is very positive. This criterion is apparently one of the most undeniable in terms of studying the capabilities of the device. Almost all experts also noted the fact that the device was assembled very well.

Many users note the convenience and comfort of using multimedia programs, which is not surprising: since the release of devices from the legendary Walkman brand, Sony has been paying great attention to the development of technologies designed to increase comfort when listening to music.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Rear camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

The Xperia E4 is a true work of art from Sony. This reliable and durable smartphone inspires confidence just by its appearance. The rounded shape and textured surface not only make it easy to handle, but also highlight your taste.

With friends, you can relive memories together on the large 5-inch screen of Xperia E4. With Sony's advanced display and audio technology, images are clear from any angle and sound is always crystal clear. Therefore, laugh to your heart’s content and don’t be afraid of not hearing something.

If the party drags on and promises to last all night, the last thing you want is for your smartphone to run out of charge. The Xperia E4's battery lasts two days on a single charge*, so you can keep talking and taking photos when other phones have given up and gone on the run. And when the sun rises, check who has more charge left - we doubt that anyone will be able to compete with your smartphone in this regard.

Are you going to a party but have almost no battery left? Turn on STAMINA mode and your smartphone will work for many more hours.

Xperia E4 is your express ticket to the world of entertainment. The Xperia Transfer app allows you to transfer all important information on new smartphone in a matter of minutes.

Taking professional photos is actually easy: you just shoot, and your smartphone will do the rest. Shooting Condition Sensing automatically adjusts settings to ensure your photos always come out well.

What could be better than the loud and clear sound of your favorite composition? Or when group shots turn out one more beautiful than the other? You will find all this in Xperia smartphone E4, which combines advanced audio technology with a proprietary Sony camera. And thanks to the many additional functions you won't be bored for a second.

Want your phone to last four times longer in standby mode? Just turn on extended standby mode. It recognizes when you're not using the display and automatically turns off features and apps, but you can still take calls and text messages, view your selected notifications from apps, and the alarm will ring exactly when you need it. To resume normal operation, simply press the power button.

Are you running out of charge and still have a lot to do? With extended usage mode, your phone will last 14% longer.

Xperia E4 combines a powerful 5MP camera with an innovative feature automatic recognition shooting conditions from Sony and HDR mode for photos. The result is a smartphone that takes high-quality and bright photos both day and night, and thanks to the 2-megapixel front camera selfies will turn out just as good.

The bright lights of a city at night, a close-up of a beautiful flower... Capture every scene in all its beauty: Auto Sensing detects up to 52 scenarios and automatically adjusts settings to ensure you take great photos, every time, everywhere.

HDR technology (or high dynamic range technology) is used to create clear photos even in bright backlit conditions. Your Android smartphone's HDR camera takes multiple shots of the same image at different exposures and then overlays them to create the best quality photo.