Sony Ericsson Xperia arc S Pro Reviews

The Sony Xperia Arc S is a lightweight, unlocked Android phone that still manages to pack an expansive screen and powerful multimedia features.

The Arc S is an excellent addition to the market, and ideal if video is a high priority

There aren't many handsets with lovelier lines than the Sony Xperia Arc S, except perhaps the original Xperia Arc. While this refreshed model features peppier processing and comes in four spiffy color schemes, not much has really changed. Still, much of what the phone offers remains compelling such as an outstanding 8.1 megapixel camera, smooth 720p video recording, the smart Timescape UI, not to mention long battery life. On the other hand, the unlocked phone's prohibitive $440 price tag, lack of both dual-core power, and Android Ice Cream Sandwich, in addition to slow data, make it a tough sell.

The absence of a forward-facing camera aside, I can’t think of anything serious to criticise the Arc S for – it looks stunning, has power and speed to spare, packs a lovely screen and, at around £340, really isn’t that expensive.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc S is basically the XPERIA Arc with a faster processor, slightly upgraded software and an 'S' tagged onto the end of its name. It remains a good phone but its plagued by the same issues as its predecessor: that being disappointing build quality.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia arc S is right on schedule. Well, obviously not even remotely on time if you consider all the dual core handsets around. But the timing is right if you're Sony Ericsson looking to boost interest in your flagship. It comes in handy too for users still having second thoughts about buying the original Xperia Arc. A price drop is what often puts ex-flagships, however briefly, back into the spotlight. The Sony Ericsson arc S says no to price drops, and tries a speed boost instead. We don't see why it won't work.

Like its predecessor, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is fashionable, thin and pretty to look at. To begin with, they both look the same (just that the Arc S has more colors to choose from). Minor recurring flaws make their reappearances on the device, such as the overly small and finger-cramping buttons. While the newer Arc S comes with an increased horsepower in the form of a 1.4GHz processor, benchmark results show that there isn't that great of a difference between the Arc and Arc S. In other words, both smartphones are in their own rights speedy enough for a regular user. Additional add-ons like 3D Sweep Panorama mode (you can only view these photos on a 3D-enabled screen though), and the ability to do screen captures without much hassle aren't features that we can call big improvements over the Arc. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc was priced at S$888 when it was first released. With the Arc S tagged at $788, newcomers to the Arc series will definitely be better off with the updated Arc S. If you already own an Xperia Arc, there's no reason to upgrade unfortunately. If you are looking for performance, it will be between the existing dual-core smartphones or the Arc S - the latter will be an attractive option in terms of offering more value; in fact, some retailers are pricing it just slightly higher than $600, making it an extremely worthwhile purchase. In a nutshell, the Arc S is a decent choice if you are intending to get a new phone with a large touchscreen. The Arc S is now available at all authorized retailers in Pure White, Sakura Pink and Midnight Blue.

Before this year, Sony Ericsson was in the wilderness of phones. It had made the move to Android, but was still churning out unimpressive and slightly depressing handsets. Now though, the Ray, Arc and Arc S all offer truly modern mobile functionality, with stunning design and a good range of features. Overall, we like the Arc S a great deal. As Android matures, this phone should improve further if it gets the Ice Cream Sandwich update.

While the Arc S isn't a worthwhile upgrade for Arc owners, it's a great Android phone with a clear, bright screen and a good camera, with enough power to run apps and games, decent battery life and plenty of storage. It's now cheaper SIM-free than the original Arc and has better battery life, so it picks up and extra star and a Best Buy award.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S isn't a phone that blows us away. In fact, considering it's Sony Ericsson's current top of the line, it's a bit disappointing. There's no dual-core processor and the build is underwhelming. However, just as with the original Arc, the Arc S packs in the essential features, has a nice screen and a great camera. What's more it's available for a decent price, making it a sound investment if you're not after the absolute biggest and best.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is a slim, bright, powerful Android smartphone that shows off the mobile operating system to its very best. The screen is fantastic and the processor and memory perform well enough to keep the Android experience running smoothly and quickly. However, the hardware upgrade in here isn't really noticeable at all. We never felt the original Xperia Arc was in any way underpowered or slow, so the 1.4GHz upgrade seems a bit pointless.

The thin arched profile that makes you forget you are holding a gadget with a huge 4.2” screen stays, as well as the light weight and sleek and classy look. The Timescape UI is also very pretty and functional with its “Facebook inside Xperia” addition. The second generation Snapdragon chip is bumped to 1.4GHz for a slight increase in performance, which, however, you could have done yourself with an overclocking program. The added 2D Panorama option in the camera interface is also nothing you couldn’t have obtained via an app in Android Market. Thus, the only tangible benefits of the Sony Ericsson arc S over the predecessor are the 3D Panorama option, which is nice, but not a must-have feature, and the 14.4Mbps baseband radio, instead of 7.2Mbps. Download speeds are so very network dependent, though, that you’d have been lucky to max out the previous radio even.