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Sony Xperia U review

7.6/10 AVG.
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Sony Xperia U
Sony Xperia U
Sony Xperia U
Sony Xperia U
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7.6/10
Informr score
The Sony Xperia U currently has an Informr score of 7.6 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 16 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

An Android smartphone doesn’t need to have the fastest processor, the largest touchscreen display, or the fastest mobile data speeds in order to be great. It just has to offer the right combination of hardware and software features at a price that won’t break the bank. That’s essentially what the Sony Xperia U is all about. It’s a phone that doesn’t look like much but actually packs quite a punch. As most reviewers have pointed out, it’s one of the best models available with Android in its price range.

While it may look small in comparison with today’s latest flagship smartphones, it actually ships with a high quality color display. It uses a 3.5-inch 480x854 panel that works with a built-in ambient light sensor to automatically adjust the built-in backlighting. Its other hardware features include a 5MP autofocus camera with LED flash, 512MB of RAM, 4GB internal storage, and a dual-core processor clocked at a speedy 1GHz.

As a phone, it comes fitted with support for quad-band GSM/tri-band UMTS networks and HSDPA data. It also has Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, GPS with A-GPS, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and microUSB connectivity. And comes with a few nifty extras, too. Most notably, it has a white strip near the bottom below its touchscreen display that lights up to notify users of certain events. For the most part, this LED notification bar is useful, but some users have complained that it can be annoying.

If that doesn’t sound like such a big deal to you, then you’ll find that this phone is very good for the price.

Need to Know: Sony Xperia U

1. High quality touchscreen display. (The Good)

2. Good camera performance. (The Good)

3. Ships with an older version of Android. (The Bad)

4. Built-in LED notification bar may seem like a gimmick. (The Bad)


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1 GHz
Processor
Processor
1 GHz
3.5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
3.5"
5+ MP
Camera
Camera
5+ MP
1320 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


TrustedReviews
TrustedReviews

The Sony Xperia U isn’t perfect but then what phone is for little over £150? It’s compact yet has a screen large enough for core smartphone duties, it’s fast thanks to a dual-core processor and it’s just plain easy to use. An easy recommendation for anyone looking for a phone on a budget.

- Edward Chester , TrustedReviews
Fone Arena
Fone Arena

The Xperia U handily surpasses its competition but has some shortcomings due to which we can’t give it full marks. The 3.5″ display is particularly small and the 16:9 ratio of the screen makes it hard to type. If you can deal with that, the display quality is top-notch.The design is great and while...

- Dhruv Bhutani, Fone Arena
The Verge
The Verge

The Sony Xperia U surpasses the similarly-priced competition in many ways. A 3.5-inch screen definitely isn't for everyone — at least at this aspect ratio — but apart from its size it's a premium display. In fact, virtually every area of the phone is endowed with features and finish that belong on a...

- Aaron Souppouris, The Verge

narntek
narntek
This review is really good! I will consider this phone
SlashGear
SlashGear

The Xperia U is decent, but we can’t look past the two glaring issues. The first is the screen: maybe we’re nitpicking, but we wouldn’t be able to live with it for an extended period of time without becoming extremely irritated. Secondly, the omission of a microSD card slot, especially with the limi...

- Ben Kersey, SlashGear
Tech Advisor
Tech Advisor

The Xperia U is one of the best smartphones we've seen for under £200. For this price you get a capable handset providing higher performance than some more expensive rivals – all with a fantastic screen and a two-day battery life. The phone's maind downfalls are limited storage and old software, alt...

- Chris Martin, Tech Advisor


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Sony Xperia U user manual here.


Sony backs up the Xperia U with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Xperia U has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Sony support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Sony's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
3.5"

The Sony Xperia U's screen size is 3.5 inches with x pixels resolution.

Processor
1 GHz

There is a STE U8500 Dual Core 1 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on proprietary operating system firmware.

Camera
5+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 5+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with VGA (640 x 480) resolution.

Storage
4 GB

Internal memory is 4 GB. No external card slot is available for expansion.

Battery
1320mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 1320 mAh battery. Sony's performance ratings are 11 days standby time, 396 minutes.

Xperia U Specs

Overview
Release Date March 13, 2012
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System No

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor STE U8500 Dual Core 1 GHz
Internal Storage 4 GB
RAM 512 MB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.09 W/kg
Body: 1.03 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA
Mobile / Cellular Data
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling No
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) No
SIM card size
Yes
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 2.1
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot No
Expansion Slot Info
NFC No
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Zoom
16x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Face detection, Geotagging, ISO, Night mode, Panorama, Self-timer, Smile detection
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
VGA (640 x 480)+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution x pixels
Pixel Density Unknown
Size 3.5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 1320 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 396 minutes
Standby Time Up to 11 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Black, White
Dimensions [H x W x D] 4.4 x 2.1 x 0.5 cm (1.7 x 0.8 x 0.2 in)
Weight 110 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, MMS, Google Talk
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Yes
Themes: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Voicemail Key: Yes
Voice Commands: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
DLNA Support: Yes
Audio Formats: MIDI, MP3, MP4, eAAC+, AAC+, AAC, AMR-WB, WAV, OGG, AMR-NB
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: No
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Haptic Feedback: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Mobile Hotspot: Yes
Radio: Yes (FM/RDS)
Wi-fi Encryption: WEP/WPA/WPA2
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Stop Watch, Timer, Calculator, Weather, Maps, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA): Sony Ericsson Kumquat, Sony Ericsson ST25i, Sony Ericsson ST25a

Music listening time - 45 hours
Video playback time - 6 hours
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Sony Xperia U Reviews
Where to buy Sony Xperia U
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