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Sony Xperia E3 review

3.8/10 AVG.
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Sony Xperia E3
Sony Xperia E3
Sony Xperia E3
Sony Xperia E3
Sony Xperia E3
Sony Xperia E3
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3.8/10
Informr score
The Sony Xperia E3 currently has an Informr score of 3.8 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 9 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Price
  • Battery life
  • microSD card support

What's bad

  • Low screen resolution
  • Slow camera
  • Large bezels

Sony’s original foray into the entry-level market, the E1, was met with fairly lackluster reviews. It appears Sony is making another attempt, with the new Sony Xperia M3. With the competition in the entry-level market growing by the day, how does the new handset fare? Let’s see what the reviews have to say about it!

One of the weak points of many entry level phones is the build quality. From flimsy plastic to mushy buttons, the market’s offerings tend to lack that premium feel. By sticking with their Omnibalance design and adding corner reinforcement to the E3, it appears that Sony has struck a good balance between cost and quality. Reviews were positive on most aspects of the build quality. GSM Arena noted that the “device feels sturdy and solid.”

There were a few minor issues. Mostly dealing with the display. Nearly every review was quick to point out how big the phone was in comparison to its 4.5-inch IPS display. While Sony has always used chunky bezels in its designs, reviews seem to indicate they’re particularly noticeable on the E1. Another concern mentioned in a few reviews was the lack of protective coating or treatment on the glass. Pressing on the screen can cause distortion.

All of this leads to the biggest problem most reviews pointed out with the phone. With a resolution of just 480-by-854 pixels, the phone offers one of the lowest resolutions from a major manufacturer in the entry-level market. Trusted Reviews said this was “perhaps the most serious issue” with the phone. However, apart from the screen resolution and clarity, reviews on the display were largely positive, with most reviews mentioning how bright the display is.

Pushing the display is a 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and 1GB of RAM. This appears to be a fairly standard offering in entry-level phones, and as such, reviews indicated that it performed admirably for most tasks. GSM Arena described performance as “snappy overall” with the lower screen resolution helping smooth out any possible concerns.

Pairing the lower resolution screen and mid-range processor with a 2330mAh battery, Sony was able to coax a surprising amount of battery life out of the E3. GSM Arena predicts that it should last “48 hours, even if you use it fairly heavily” on a single charge. Most stress tests were able to achieve better than average results, with some obtaining 15 hours of video streaming on a single charge. This is good as you cannot remove or replace the battery.

While few entry-level phones will replace a point-and-click camera, the 5MP rear camera with LED flash on the device received fairly mediocre reviews. TrustedReviews stated, “By almost any standard, the Sony Xperia E3 has a fairly poor camera.” From over exposure in HDR mode to slow performance, reviews had little positive to say about the camera.

Lastly, with 4GB of internal storage--and only slightly more than 1GB available after apps and Android are installed--you’ll definitely be looking to take advantage of the phone’s microSD card support.

In all, reviews for the phone are decent as long as you don’t mind the screen. TechRadar remarked that the E3 is “designed to do a job, and does it pretty well.” Recombu was a little more stern with their verdict, stating “The grainy display and iffy camera ultimately make it a difficult phone to recommend, even though it does its job.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.2 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.2 GHz
4.5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
4.5"
5+ MP
Camera
Camera
5+ MP
2330 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Digital Versus
Digital Versus

The Xperia E3 generally fits the bill for an entry-level smartphone, but it doesn't shine, either. Unfortunately for Sony Mobile, 2015 has ushered in a landslide of similarly priced smartphones that are more enticing than this one. Some boast HD screens and 8 Mpx cameras, and the Xperia E3 simply is...

- Rémi Jacquet, Digital Versus
TrustedReviews
TrustedReviews

The Sony Xperia E3 looks and feels a fair bit higher-end than the Xperia E1 it sort of succeeds. However, as it also costs more, that's far from enough to elevate it above the disappointing E1.Elsewhere Sony hasn’t really done enough to get the Xperia E3 remotely close to the quality of experi...

- Andrew Williams, TrustedReviews
Coolsmartphone
Coolsmartphone

This is a pretty tough cookie, built for everyday life and – apart from the chunky amount of border around the screen – it’s a nice looking smartphone with a very good battery life. I got two days out of it without too much difficulty.The addition of 4G, especially for a handset th...

- Leigh Geary, Coolsmartphone
Recombu
Recombu

Sony’s Xperia E3 is one of a growing number of sub-£100 4G phones, and it brings some slick design with it, but there are better rivals for the same or lesser cost. The grainy display and iffy camera ultimately make it a difficult phone to recommend, even though it does its job, allowing...

- Chris Barraclough, Recombu
GSMArena
GSMArena

The Sony Xperia E3 is here but it doesn't want to rock the boat of Sony's other midrangers. And while that approach runs the risk of also not being able to stir things up for its competition, the Xperia E3 offers enough to be able to fight in the crowded mid-range market.Bang for buck is key here an...

- GSMArena team, GSMArena


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Sony Xperia E3 user manual here.


Sony backs up the Xperia E3 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Xperia E3 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
4.5"

The Sony Xperia E3's screen size is 4.5 inches with 480 x 854 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.2 GHz

There is a Qualcomm MSM8926-2 Quad-core 1.2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 4.4 KitKat operating system (OS).

Camera
5+ MP

You can take photos 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. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
2330mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 2330 mAh battery. Sony's performance ratings are 740 minutes, 588 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Xperia E3 Specs

Overview
Release Date September 16, 2014
Regions Available Canada
Operating System Android 4.4 KitKat

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm MSM8926-2 Quad-core 1.2 GHz
Internal Storage 4 GB
RAM 1 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.51 W/kg
Body: 0.88 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Micro-SIM
variations
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, DUN, OPP/FTP, HID, HFP, HSP, PAN
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Zoom
4x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Face detection, Geotagging, Image stabilization, Panorama, Self-timer, Smile detection, HDR
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
VGA (640 x 480)+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Self-portrait
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 480 x 854 pixels
Pixel Density 218 pixels
Size 4.5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Scratch-resistant
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 2330 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 447 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 588 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 740 minutes
Standby Time Up to 29.4 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Black, White, Lime, Copper
Dimensions [H x W x D] 13.7 x 6.9 x 0.8 cm (5.4 x 2.7 x 0.3 in)
Weight 144 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Sony D2202, D2212 D2203, D2206, D2243

Also available in a dual-SIM model. (D2212)

Related Links Manual (PDF)
Sony Xperia E3 Reviews
Where to buy Sony Xperia E3
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