Sony Xperia SP Pro Reviews

With the Xperia SP, Sony created a successful bundle. Because of the built-in Qualcomm-SoC Snapdragon S4 MSM8960T, the decent performance of the 4.6-inch smartphones suffices to run the latest games and apps smoothly and without lagging on the 1280x720 pixels screen. However, the components inside the elegant case should be even faster for a high-end smartphone. The Xperia SP performs only average in several aspects, i.e. battery life and display. We liked its high-end build quality, the good responsiveness, the numerous communication modules and the fair sized free storage capacity of 5 GB. The seven MP main camera, which takes acceptable photos, is average at best.

Sony is doing the right thing by offering a midrange smartphone hot on the heels of their two flagships. Last year, HTC had a similar thing going on with the One X and the One S but failed to capitalize on the width they had through those two excellent devices. We're yet to see whether or not Sony will do better but if you're looking for a capable smartphone in the 300 euro range, the Xperia SP should be high on your short list.

The Sony Xperia SP has the spec and price of a mid-range Android smartphone, but when you actually get the device in your hands and start using it any ideas of it being mediocre go out of the window. It really is a class act, so if you're looking for a good phone to browse the web, perform tasks quickly and take decent photos with at a price that won't break the bank, then you really should consider the Xperia SP.

This fast, powerful phone is the perfect mid-range handset

The Xperia SP suffers from some of the same failings as the Xperia Z but also benefits from many of the same strengths. The difference is that the failings are fewer, and, at the price, more forgivable. The strengths, again at the price, are more gratifying. The large screen, top-notch build quality, impressive battery life, powerful yet efficient chipset and LTE radio are all very welcome on a handset you can pick up for £300. As for the competition, for a few quid less you can get a Google Nexus 4 but that has storage and battery issues. For similar money, the Motorola Razr i has a smaller, lower resolution screen. Nokia’s Lumia 720 is another alternative if you can live with Windows Phone 8, but the 480 x 800 display counts against it, as does the limited amount of Ram, which rules out some of the apps and games in the WP8 app store. None support 4G.

Despite being a brand new Sony handset with LTE and plenty more to offer, no US carrier partnerships for the SP have been announced to date. Over here in the UK, however, all the major carriers are on board. While the SP hasn't yet launched with O2 and Vodafone, you can pick one up for free from £20.50 per month at Orange or £21 per month at T-Mobile, which also offers a pay-as-you-go price of £250 (around $385). If you want to make use of that 4G radio right away, however, you'll need to hit up EE. Again, the phone can be had for nothing on plans starting at £26 per month. To put that in perspective, HTC's One SV is £10 per month more expensive right out of the gate. While we like the One SV as a budget 4G offering, it makes the Xperia SP a relative steal, with Sony's offering trumping it in performance and screen res, among other things. The Xperia SP is by no means perfect. It's got a grime- and glare-loving screen that misses the mark despite its HD resolution. Other problems: a penchant for bloatware and other small flaws like the terrible WiFi reception. The design may be a little bland for those who aren't interested in the transparent element, but the build quality is solid. Also to its credit are the capable shooter, long battery life and internal hardware that delivers serious performance for the price point. Something that's hard to get across when you're reviewing individual facets is just how charming the handset is. You know it's not punching in the same weight class as the HTC One and Galaxy S 4, but it comes close. So close, in fact, that if you want to consider this a mid-range device, it would be easy to conclude the the Xperia SP is the best mid-range device. It's attractive, does what you ask of it without complaint and has character, to boot. What more could you want from a pocket companion that's easy on your bank balance?

There is no such thing as a perfect smartphone, and the Sony Xperia SP won't be the one to break that rule. However, looking at its pros and cons after testing it extensively, we can confidently conclude that its a mid-range smartphone worthy of attention. It is a capable multimedia device suitable for those who want the benefits associated with high-end devices – the large, high-resolution screen and fast processor, to name a few, but in a mid-range package that doesn't cost as much as a flagship handset. Plus, you get LTE connectivity as an added bonus. But keep in mind that the Sony Xperia SP doesn't really have that great of a camera, as much as Sony's marketing department want to convince you otherwise. An alternative that may cost about the same, depending on where in the world you live, yet takes much better photos, is the Samsung Galaxy S III. Or in case the large screen is your top priority, but your budget is rather tight, check out the LG Optimus 4X HD and its 4.7-inch IPS LCD display.