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Sony Xperia M review

6.9/10 AVG.
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Sony Xperia M
Sony Xperia M
Sony Xperia M
Sony Xperia M
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6.9/10
Informr score
The Sony Xperia M currently has an Informr score of 6.9 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 8 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Attractive design
  • Good battery life
  • Versatile connectivity (including NFC)

What's bad

  • Weak display
  • No LTE support
  • 1GB RAM

The Sony Xperia M is an entry level handset that features a 4-inch, 854 x 480 resolution display, a 1GHz dual­-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage - ­ expandable up to 32GB. It’s bundled with Android Jellybean 4.1 operating system and has Sony’s custom user interface overlaid.

One differentiator from other phones in its class is the Adrenos 305 GPU processor, which aids in its ability to render graphics. “Owing to the midrange Adreno 305 GPU, demanding games are no problem for the Xperia M,” says Notebookcheck.

Rounding out the primary feature set, the phone has a 5 megapixel rear­-facing camera and a 0.3 front­-facing camera. The camera has an HDR mode, which “works quite well and is particularly useful for objects with varying light exposures,” according to Notebookcheck. "The camera is quite useful for the occasional snapshot in good light in practical use, but it cannot replace a compact camera". The removable battery is rated at around 9-­10 hours of talk time.

The front of the phone has no physical buttons, which means the small, 4­ inch display loses some real estate due to the virtual buttons that Sony uses instead. However, the small screen helps make the most of the 480 x 854 pixel resolution. According to Trusted Reviews, the 245 ppi pixel density means "it's never going to give you Retina ­like clarity, but for reading web pages, text is nice and clear."

Overall, reviewers give the Xperia M average overall marks as an entry level device. Phonearena sums up by saying that its "a phone with good looks, streamlined user interface that we actually like, and a powerful chip for its class."


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1 GHz
Processor
Processor
1 GHz
4"
Screen Size
Screen Size
4"
5+ MP
Camera
Camera
5+ MP
1750 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


TechWorld
TechWorld

The Sony Xperia M is a bulky but stylish budget Android phone.

- Matt Egan, TechWorld
Expert Reviews
Expert Reviews

The Xperia M takes its design cues from Sony’s upper tier Xperia Z devices while attempting to keep costs down to cater for buyers on a budget.

- Michael Passingham, Expert Reviews
PC Pro
PC Pro

This can't rescue what is a disappointing handset from Sony. It looks and feels cheap, the display is underwhelming, and the camera is awful. It's a good performer for the price, but that's its only redeeming feature.

- Jonathan Bray, PC Pro
TechRadar
TechRadar

You have to feel a little sorry for Sony. It produces a perfectly solid Android smartphone with a handful of neat features, all for a low price tag, only to see it completely undermined by the Moto G.Even taking such an exceptional competitor out of the reckoning, though, the Xperia M finds itself f...

- Jon Mundy, TechRadar
TelecomTiger
TelecomTiger

The Sony Xperia M is a good phone in this price range and offers good exciting features. The 4 inch screen display is good but screen resolution is bit low, the battery life is good and the features embedded are better and abundant. But there are few options that this phone is missing such as: HD vi...

- TT Gadget Editor, TelecomTiger


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


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


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


If your Xperia M 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"

The Sony Xperia M's screen size is 4 inches with 480 x 854 pixels resolution.

Processor
1 GHz

There is a Qualcomm MSM8227 dual-core 1 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (Update Available: 4.3 Jelly Bean) 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
1750mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 1750 mAh battery. Sony's performance ratings are 616 minutes, 429 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Xperia M Specs

Overview
Release Date September 30, 2013
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (Update Available: 4.3 Jelly Bean)

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm MSM8227 dual-core 1 GHz
Internal Storage 4 GB
RAM 1 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.84 W/kg
Body: 1.305 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+ 21.1
Mobile / Cellular Data
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Yes
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 a/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, ISO, Panorama, Red-eye reduction, Exposure value, HDR, Metering
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels)
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 480 x 854 pixels
Pixel Density 245 pixels
Size 4 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 1750 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 396 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 429 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 616 minutes
Standby Time Up to 20.8 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Black, White, Purple, Lime
Dimensions [H x W x D] 12.4 x 6.2 x 0.9 cm (4.9 x 2.4 x 0.4 in)
Weight 115 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 No
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
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
ECML / Digital Wallet: Yes
Audio Formats: AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, eAAC+, MIDI, MP3, MP4, M4A, OGG, WAV
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: Yes
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
Viewable document types: XLS, PPT, PPTX, DOC, DOCX, PDF
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Stop Watch, Timer, Calculator, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA): Sony C1904, C1905
Related Links Manual (PDF)
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