BackSony Xperia M4 Aqua reviewed
Sony's latest mid-range phone Xperia M4 Aqua faces stiff competition from the OnePlus One and HTC Desire 826
Premium
Sony has beefed up its mid-segment M series of smartphones with features that were earlier available only on the flagship Z series. The Xperia M4 Aqua is one of the first phones outside of the Z series with a waterproof and dust-tight body. The phone also looks more refined than the previous phones in the M series. However, at ₹ 24,990, it faces tough competition from the OnePlus One ( ₹ 21,998 for 64 GB) and HTC Desire 826 ( ₹ 23,878), which have equally impressive features.
Design: a class apart
The phone can stay under water for 30 minutes as it has a waterproof body. This works despite the fact that the audio port and the micro USB are not covered with flaps like the SIM and micro SD cards. It also has a dedicated camera button on the side panel, which is easy to access.
Display: realistic colours but reflective
The M4 Aqua has a bright 5-inch IPS LCD display with a screen resolution of 1,280x720 pixels, compared to the 1,920x1,080 pixels of Desire 826 and OnePlus One. The M4 Aqua’s screen is a little reflective, but the viewing angles are still good. The text looks crisper in the Desire 826, but the colour handling is better in the M4 Aqua. When it came to videos and games, the M4 Aqua matches up to the others.
Software: latest Android with a touch of Sony
This device also has some unique Sony apps such as What’s New and TV SideView. What’s New is an online media app that pulls videos, games and songs form different sources and puts them in a single beautiful interface. TV SideView is a remote and TV guide app that allows users to operate their Sony TV and other home devices through a phone.
Camera: good with bright light
The M4 Aqua comes with a 5-megapixel wide-angle front camera. It can accommodate more people in the frame, but pictures taken indoors are not clear.
Processor: fast and smooth
It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core 64-bit processor, which is fairly powerful and has been used in the Desire 826 as well. The phone handled tasks such as movies, YouTube videos, social networking and camera without any difficulty. Even with 10 apps running in the background, it didn’t stutter or slow down. Games like Dead Trigger 2 played without showing any lag or over-heating.
Battery: the stamina mode is impressive
Verdict
The Xperia M4 Aqua has a lot going for it—camera, processing capability, 4G support, good looks and a colourful display. But then the rivals are offering much more at a lower price.
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