Solid build quality, decent processor, improved camera, waterproof and dust resistant
Blocky styling won't be for everyone, screen not the best
Sony continues to update its Xperia series and this time it's the turn of the midrange with the M2 Aqua, now with added waterproofing and a few other improvements.
Chassis & screen Even at first glance you can tell the M2 is an Xperia handset, with that no-nonsense, blocky design with all-glass front, slim 9mm casing and distinctive outsize power/sleep button on the side. But while that may enough to fool you into thinking you've seen the really very fine Z2 high-ender, this is altogether a different beast, with several compromises to drop both price and quality, though with a couple of extras added to redress the balance.
The main compromise is with the 4.8in display. It's a slight improvement on the original Xperia M but it's still sub-HD at 960x540 pixels (230ppi) and lacks the 'pop' and clarity of higher-end models. It does without the TRILUMINOS with X-REALITY gubbins you get on the fancier Xperias and while it's not terrible - far from it - it looks a tad out of place in this otherwise classy looking phone.
Software & processor
Fortunately it's now running the latest 4.4.2 KitKat version of Android, and the quad-core 1.2GHz processor is backed by 1GB RAM - a major step down from the Z2's 2.3GHz and 3GB. It's an improvement on the original's dual-core processor though, and while it lacks that fast-as-thought feel you get with the better handsets, switching between apps was consistently smooth and it never seemed to lag unduly. It delivered 18,984 in our AnTuTu benchmark test, which puts it in line with other so-so quad-cores like the Huawei Ascend G6 and the Vodafone Smart 4 Turbo.
The M2 comes with 4G connectivity so you can take advantage of high-speed downloads and streaming if you happen to be in an area that your network supports, and it's good to see that it now has the water and dust proofing of its higher end cousins. So you can dip it in 1.5m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes (so long as you've closed the covers on the SIM, microSD, microUSB and headphone jack ports).
Photography
The 8 megapixel camera is an improvement on the 5 megapixels of the original M (though quite a drop from the 20 megapixel snapper on the Z2), and it comes with autofocus and LED flash. There's also an Exmor RS sensor for taking better pics in low light. Pic quality is a little disappointing however, with less detail and more blur than we would have expected on a device with this spec. There's a bog standard VGA snapper on the front for video calls too.
There's 8GB memory on board, which you'll soon use up, but you can add another 32GB via microSD card.
The sizeable 2330mAh battery held up fairly well, delivering comfortably over a full day of fairly heavy use.
Conclusion The Sony Xperia M2 has gained some sensible improvements on the original M, including better screen, processor and camera.
But with upstart rivals like the OnePlus One and Energy Sistem Phone Qi offering superior specs for a similar price, the M2 just doesn't seem all that attractive.
Software: Android 4.4 KitKat
Processor: Quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8926
Memory: <strong>slot</strong>: Yes
Display: 4.8in TFT LCD 960x540 pixels
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Ports: microUSB, 3.5mm headphone jack
Camera: 8 megapixel with autofocus,; VGA front-facing camera
Video playback: 3GPP, MP4, M4V, MKV, AVI, XVID, WEBM
Audio playback: AAC, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, FLAC, MIDI, MP3, PCM, Vorbis, WMA
Radio: Yes
Battery: 2330mAh
Size: 140x72x9mm
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
