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)
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Edward Chester , TrustedReviewsThe 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.
- Dhruv Bhutani, Fone ArenaThe 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...
- Aaron Souppouris, The VergeThe 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...
- Ben Kersey, SlashGearThe 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...
- Chris Martin, Tech AdvisorThe 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...
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.
Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- Sony Xperia U Manual (PDF)
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