Sony Xperia ion Pro Reviews

What's the verdict? Well, if you've been following along you already know that the Ion has two irreconcilable faces -- and one tempting price tag. Were we smartphone doctors, a prescription for an imminent Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, an aluminum body-lite diet and maybe even some dermabrasion for that mucked-up, logo-bedecked front face would be in order. Also, we'd suggest counseling sessions for the bevy of conflicted Sony engineers that seemingly tossed the Ion back and forth, shuffling it between personas, cramming it full of counterintuitive specs and taking their sweet time (six months!) to do so. Of course, a heaping of that muddled design input came from AT&T, so we'd also set aside time for couple's therapy. Does inner turmoil make this Xperia a terrible choice for users desperately seeking LTE on a budget? By no means. But, this phone's potential is only partially untapped -- a problem that will eventually be remedied by an upgrade to ICS. The Ion could've been a serious contender had Sony not compromised on certain features. This wants to be a heavyweight by the looks of its 720p display, HD mirroring, 12-megapixel camera and NFC inclusion. Instead, what it winds up doing in its quest to placate both geek tastes and Joe Blow sensibilities is carve out a lonely island for itself.

It might be a little unfair to compare the Sony Xperia ion to current flagships on AT&T, namely the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III. Both of those phones cost twice as much on-contract as Sony's offering. However, over the life of a two-year contract that $100 difference looks much less enticing. Even so, for the same $99.99 you can get a Nokia Lumia 900 or a Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket, both of which offer LTE and better cameras (albeit with lower screen resolutions and equally dated software). The Xperia ion feels very much like it could have been a flagship phone had it been released earlier, but instead it is solidly in the mid-range. Mid-range phones are all about compromise, and the Xperia ion is definitely compromised. It's hard to escape the thought that the compromise Sony made here was cutting the price because it couldn't release what might have been a flagship phone in its original "Spring" timeline. Even if that's not the case, it's simply not a good bet to buy a brand-new Android phone with Gingerbread as the base OS. There are enough good parts to the Xperia ion to make me believe that Sony has the ability to seriously compete in the high-end smartphone market — but it certainly hasn't done so here.

Sony got the Ion about 60% right. Strengths include the excellent display, solid call quality, neat social networking software, bountiful media options, and an outstanding camera. For potential users who are heavily invested in Sony's online gaming and content networks, the music and video services offer a lot of appeal. The weaknesses, though, are hard to ignore. The poor battery life alone is enough to make the Ion a dubious purchase. Toss in consistently slow data performance and the finicky hardware and it makes the Ion tough to love. Perhaps shut-ins who rarely go outside (or at least are never far away from a power outlet and Wi-Fi) won't mind the poor battery life. The awesome camera is a major draw, but again, only if you can see past the device's other faults. In the end, I'd only recommend the Ion to committed Sony-philes and photographers who want a camera with a phone attached, and not a phone with a camera attached.

Let's be honest here - Sony missed a great opportunity with the Xperia ion for AT&T. Had the device hit the shelves shortly after its announcement, it would have enjoyed a flagship status and a higher price tag, along with the potential for selling in significant numbers. The Sony Xperia ion for AT&T still offers great value for its price tag, despite not being a top dog anymore. Solid build, gorgeous screen, and award winning looks are likely to attract buyers. Having AT&T's blazing LTE network speeds on board doesn't hurt either. The power for Sony as a premium brand would help the Xperia ion's cause as well. Unfortunately, if you really want to grab a Sony Xperia ion for AT&T, you will have to make do with Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread. This is absolutely inexcusable for a smartphone with a spec sheet as the Xperia ion's, coming to the market this far into 2012. We are not sure who's to blame for this - we know that the HSPA version of the device ships with Ice Cream Sandwich, so AT&T's approval process might have something to do with the presence of the ageing Google OS.

The Xperia Ion is a mix of good but poorly implemented ideas. It's a shame that the Ion suffers from nonresponsive navigation buttons and poor video recording. I'm also still bitter that Sony didn't release the phone running Android Ice Cream Sandwich, though I continue to hope that, sometime before the end of the summer, the company will release an update to the OS that addresses the issues I encountered with the handset. But even with those problems, the Ion should satisfy anyone looking for a smartphone to replace their iPod, handheld gaming system, and point-and-shoot camera.

The Xperia Ion is not a bad handset, but it does feel about six months old. This is likely because it was first shown in January at the Consumer Electronics Show. Many things have changed since then, but the processor and operating system on the Ion have not. This phone runs on Android 2.3, which is two generations behind, and its processing speed isn’t in league with newer superphones like the One X and Galaxy S3. We also had some issues with minor screen scratching and navigation buttons that required multiple presses to register. Still, it was a usable smartphone and at half the price ($100) of its chief competition, the Xperia Ion isn’t a bad buy. Just make sure you try out the Atrix HD (also $100) first.

If money isn’t a concern to you, we’d recommend sticking with the Sony Xperia ion – despite being double the price at $99.99 on-contract. For the $50 price difference from its rival, you get a better looking smartphone that’s exceptionally more equipped in taking photos and videos. Beyond that, there are still some other key advantages found with it, like offering an unoccupied microSD slot, dedicated microHDMI port, and NFC. However, if you’re really strapped for cash, you can still get by using the LG Nitro HD, since it offers nearly the same functionality at half the cost. All in all, we can totally agree that you get a ton of value with these two without forking over most of the money from your paycheck.

As we look at their specs and price point, most people would instantly agree that the Sony Xperia ion offers more value for the buck, which is true thanks to its attractive $100 cost. Therefore, if you’re limited with your budget, the Sony Xperia ion is undeniably a great handset that offers all of the modern conveniences of a top-shelf smartphone. However, as we look at the overall package, the HTC One X proves its worth through it all – and that’s despite being priced at $200! Absolutely paying double the price, it’s justified thanks to its more favorable design, stunning display, and newer processor. Well, it doesn’t end there, as it flaunts the most up-to-date Android version, while being enhanced thanks to Sense 4.0. So yeah, there’s a premium attached to the HTC One X, but surely enough, it’s worth every penny!

As we take a look back on how these two smartphone perform in the various categories, the Samsung Galaxy S III is the clear winner when it comes to overall performance. Specifically, it has the combinational hardware punch and comprehensive software experience to make it cross the finish line ahead of the Sony Xperia ion. However, the Sony Xperia ion’s $100 on-contract pricing still makes it a valiant offering. Therefore, if you’re on a tight budget and don’t want to settle for a mid-range spec’d device, the Xperia ion is still a valuable option for you. On the flip side, however, if you want to seriously experience the best that Android has to offer, you’ll want to stick with the Samsung Galaxy S III – even though it’s priced double than its rival at $200.

The Sony Xperia Ion is a quirky yet powerful media phone with terrific TV connectivity options and poor call quality.

Sony's new $99.99 Xperia Ion offers some good features for its affordable price. The Android smartphone connects to AT&T's blazing-fast 4G LTE data network and opens the door to Sony's vast music and movie entertainment selection, not to mention the growing list of Android apps and services. But don't be fooled by its low cost; the handset is definitely a step behind today's flagship Android devices such as the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III. Even the Xperia's 12-megapixel camera can't hold a candle to the imaging systems on those high-powered gadgets. A better choice is the Nokia Lumia 900, which for the same price has a more attractive design and better camera. Also, since it's running the less-demanding Windows Phone OS, the Lumia can get away with providing snappy performance for not much cash. But if you're wedded to Android on AT&T, then I suggest saving up for a more capable device.

Honestly people, the Sony Xperia ion would’ve been a downright success if it were launched months ago. At the time of its official unveiling, we were astounded by its commanding specs sheet, but seeing that it took an extremely long time coming to market, its appeal has lessened – even more now that we’ve experienced the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III for AT&T. Still, we can’t help think about its immaculate $99.99 on-contract price point, which is undoubtedly one of its greatest attributes – much like the Nokia Lumia 900. Of course, it offers a ton of value for the money, but as a whole, its lower pricing is consolation for the fact that its rivals have beat it to the punch in terms of release. If pricing is a concern, by all means, we recommend checking out the Sony Xperia ion since it has enough gas in the tank to compete with most of its esteemed rivals. However, if you prefer something more awe-inspiring and comprehensive, we recommend checking out the HTC One X or Samsung Galaxy S III.

The Sony Xperia ion appears to bring a lot to the table when you look at its spec sheet alone. It has a large, high-resolution display, dual-core processor, high-resolution camera, and speedy network support. Unfortunately, in practice, the ion's frustrating hardware, sluggish performance, dated software, and awful battery life combine to provide a pretty bad user experience. The most appealing part of the ion might be its price, since AT&T is offering it for only $99.99 with a new two-year contract. Still, there are much better options available from the carrier for the a little bit more money or even the same price. As Sony's first real effort in the U.S. this year, I must say that the Xperia ion comes up short. Perhaps Sony will do better the next time around.

We're not immediately won over by the Sony Xperia Ion's fit and finish but it's clearly a very capable handset with a great screen and camera.