Sony launched the Xperia M2, its latest mid range offering. Inheriting the very familiar Ominbalance design language from the Xperia series, the device features flat – block design and a ribbon that runs along the sides. It comes with 4.8″ screen with qHD resolution and a Quad core processor coupled with a gigabyte of RAM. The midrange market which is full of fierce competition inlcudes heavyweights like MotoG and Galaxy S4 Mini. Does Xperia M2 perform or disappoint ? Read our review with a hands on video and out take on the device.
Xperia M2
Key Specifications
- Dual SIM, GSM + GSM, (Dual Active)
- Android v4.3 (Jelly Bean)
- 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8226, Quad Core
- Adreno 305 Graphics processor
- 4.8 Inches TFT qHD resolution, 960 x 540 Pixels – 229 ppi, Gorilla Glass
- 8 Megapixel Primary Camera with LED Flash, 0.3 MP front camera
- 8 GB Internal memory with MicroSD Card Slot
- 1 GB RAM
- Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS-GLONASS, NFC
- 2300 mAh Battery
Sony Xperia M2 Video Review- Reasons To Buy And Not Buy
Hardware
The display clocks in at a solid 4.8″. This is certainly not a small device, but with the current market trends of 5″+ displays, it feels just right. The resolution of the display leaves something to be desired though. The colors aren’t that punchy or detailed. The Omnibalance design scores full points for the look and finish. The device looks very much like Xperia Z and Xperia Z1 but instead of using glass, the device is entirely formed out of high quality ( and glossy !) polycarbonate.
User Interface And Software Features
The Xperia M2 comes with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out of the box and an update to 4.4 KitKat is due in short time. The android smartphone comes with Sony’s own customized skin – TimeScape. The interface is very clean and polished, devoid of any bloatware. Sony’s own suite of applications like Walkman music player and Album photo gallery are very useful and integrates into the UI very beautifully. The lockscreen features a one widget per pane. App drawer is a multi-page grid as usual. The notification menu has quick toggles for WiFi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode etc. The M2 feels fast and responsive to use without any stuttering.
Camera And Battery Life
The camera on Xperia M2 feels like its strongest suite on paper, but the results are rather uninspiring. The sharpness is just not good even by smartphone standards and colors look washed out.
Battery life is a major concern for all the smartphones out there and the Xperia M2 is no exception. The 2300 mAh battery does a perfect job in delivering a solid standby performance and under heavy usage too. The snapdragon 400 doesn’t take a toll on the battery and the low resolution of the display favors the handset’s battery.The result is a good battery life considering the android smartphone standards.
Conclusion :
Getting very stiff competition from Moto G and Samsung Galaxy Grand 2, The Xperia M2 needs to do a lot of work to shine amongst the mid range smartphones. Priced at 19,299 INR, the pricing is just too steep and it is almost equal to the price of MOTO X with offers a superior android experience both in hard ware and software. The camera and screen of the Xperia M2 are major disappointments specially after looking at the price tag. What do you think of the device ? Let us know and put it into the comments section!
Pricing And Availability
It is easily available in Sony stores, other mobile phone outlets as well as online at a price between Rs. 19,000 to Rs. 20,000. You can buy it online at a good discounted price from Flipkart here.
