Two sims, four cores - a review of Sony Xperia C
Dvuhsimochnye phones, in recent times, cease to occupy only the budget niche and is rapidly approaching the middle class. Xperia C - the first Sony smartphone, built on the Taiwanese MediaTek chip, with which many owners of devices from the Middle Kingdom are familiar. We offer you a detailed review of the new model.
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Design and ergonomics
The box contains the device itself, a traditional charger, a USB cable and a wired headset MH410c.
The body is made of dense matte plastic with metal inserts on the ends and sides. The Xperia C device is quite peculiar - the back cover is not removed here, and the phone itself is removed from the peculiar large “bumper”. which has holes for connectors and buttons. To move the cover it is necessary to pull it down with the help of a fingernail and a special notch. To do this, the device does not even need to turn off. The design looks very durable and reliable, compared, for example, with a thin Xperia L, although I still would not advise to abuse it.
Under the cover are two connectors for micro-SIM and one for micro-SD with hot-swappable all three. The battery can not be removed and hidden under the metal plate.
The back wall is slightly convex, it has a large, closed for the speaker, a hole for the speaker, a camera eye, an LED flash, as well as Sony and Xperia inscriptions. On the right side, like all models of this year, there is a large round power button and volume rocker. Both elements are shifted down and are gently under the thumb (or under the middle and ringless left-handed). Below you can find the button for quick launch of the camera. On the left side there is only a USB connector, and at the top, as usual, there is a 3.5-mm headset jack. On the front panel, in addition to the screen, you can see the symmetric mesh holes of the earpiece and microphone, as well as the front camera and proximity sensor. Directly under the display is hidden LED that changes color depending on the situation and the theme. There are no standard tools for setting up visual notifications, but no one forbids using third-party applications that are easy to find in the Play Market.
The Xperia C is set to a five-inch screen with a resolution of 540x960 - a kind of intermediate between the screens of low-end models and full-fledged HD, such as in Xperia SP. The sensations are quite pleasant - the picture, of course, is not as dense as that of the older models, but you can only distinguish the pixels if you look at it very closely. If we put the Xperia Z1 next to it, then some image turbidity will be noticeable, but without direct comparison this is not noticeable and not annoying. Low resolution is especially noticeable during reading, but here the text looks quite smooth and does not crumble into small squares, even if the font is small enough. The colors are quite convincing, a little dull when tilted by more than 45 degrees, with the same slope decreases the overall brightness, but not critical - it does not interfere with reading. Brightness can be adjusted manually and automatically, it is enough for any conditions, including sunlight. Mobile Bravia Engine is not here, but without it, the pictures look good. The sensor recognizes four simultaneous keystrokes, works quite clearly, without false alarms and any other problems. Like other models, the screen is covered with a factory protective film.
Nothing unexpected here - in all respects a pleasant, time-tested eight-megapixel Exmor RS with a slightly modified software part. Surely removes in any conditions and, with proper settings, gives a very decent picture quality - the main thing is not to use the default settings. Automatic mode likes to set too high sensitivity, which is fraught with noise, so the best option would be to manually set the ISO to 400, which is enough for almost any conditions. In the settings, in addition to the usual points like turning on HDR, adjusting the exposure and selecting the focus mode, there is an amusing voice assistant for lovers of “crossbows” using the main camera - a female voice tells you how to direct the lens so that the face (or several) is in the center of the composition . There is also an automatic retouching function, which successfully eliminates visible skin defects. The only minor complaint is that it takes about a second to launch the camera. Examples of shots taken by the Xperia C can be seen below.
Here we have a non-removable battery with a capacity of 2390 mAh, which, due to the low screen resolution and a very economical chipset, provides excellent autonomy. If I use the “native” charger (in the case of USB ports and third-party chargers, I can’t guarantee anything) it takes about half an hour to fully charge, after which the smartphone works quietly for two days with intensive use and without STAMINA mode, and if we use energy-saving features and use the phone only for calls, the charge lasts for 3-4 days. There are plenty of opportunities to save here, up to the automatic shutdown of Wi-Fi depending on your location on the map - for example, when you leave your home or office. On the other hand, geolocation itself is quite a voracious service, so for the sake of maximum economy, it is better to turn off everything manually, since all buttons are available in the notification line and you don’t even need to unlock the phone.
So, what should we expect with a MediaTek MT6589 chip with four cores and a frequency of 1200 MHz? And we should expect quite decent results that are quite comparable with devices in this price category and even with some more expensive models. The PowerVR SGX544 video accelerator allows you to run most modern games without any problems - only heavy and highly detailed scenes can be slowed down. Quite comfortable can play, say, in Real Racing 3, although the graphics there are very complicated. With graphic tests, however, the situation is rather unstable - the exorbitant performance in Epic Citadel and the rather low FPS (around 20 with sagging to 5) in 3DMark. There were no noticeable lags during normal operation, all applications run quickly, the shell works smoothly, it was not necessary to encounter hangs and sudden reboots. Below you can see the test results.
The phone works perfectly with both one and two SIM cards, and for dual mode there is a lot of settings, from renaming cards and assigning incoming and outgoing calls to different cards, to forwarding incoming calls from one number to another. You can also easily use the GSM of one operator and 3G - another. It is enough to set up once and no longer have to get into this menu. There is no need to complain about the quality of the connection - the network is not lost, all calls and messages go through, the Internet is working cheerfully and steadily, and if there are interruptions, it’s rather on the operator’s side. Geolocation services work perfectly - the absence of the GLONASS module did not affect at all the positioning accuracy, but the absence of such a good and useful function as NFC can be complained, especially since it is now in much cheaper models.
As with all modern models, Android 4.2.2 is installed here with Sony’s proprietary graphical shell with all the improvements this year, such as quick access to the list of running applications, managing services from the notification bar without unlocking the phone, and a decent set of widgets, mini-applications that can constantly on the screen, as well as a standard entertainment kit from the album, video catalog and Walkman player.
The latter, like on all other Sony devices, automatically catalogs the music on the sd card (do not forget to prescribe ID3 tags correctly), knows how to sort it according to various signs, compile playlists, assign each track its own “mood”, load covers and information from the Internet, and also has a stan- dard set of “improvers” in the form of a bass compressor, stereo widener, equalizer, and track loudness equalizer. The external speaker is quite enough to watch movies in a quiet room (besides, you can use the xLoud function, which slightly compresses the sound going through it, as well as the system for improving monocompatibility). The sound level in the headphones is quite high, although some margin of volume would not hurt (the restriction, however, is caused by taking care of the delicate ears of the user, who is free to find technical means to bypass it), but the speaker is so loud that the sound is I want to reduce the percentage by ten.
As for the headset supplied in the kit, I cannot fairly evaluate it, since I am not a fan of earbud headphones and I regret very much that after a couple of years of using “plugs”, they began to put boxes in the boxes. The sound in them, however, is quite clean, but due to insufficient isolation, it turns out to be too quiet, moreover all extraneous sounds of the environment are mixed with it. Unfortunately, the good tradition of supplying such headphones with foam covers has sunk into oblivion, but with foam rubber they are much better kept in their ears. Although, again, this type of headphones has its supporters who will certainly like this model.
From the additional software, the file manager, Opera Mini browser, Evernote organizer and McAfee Security security program are presented here.
A large, inexpensive and very productive phone with a nice design, a durable case, an excellent camera and a very good screen for its price category. Here we also add high autonomy, excellent software shell and traditionally high-quality sound. The disadvantages include not the largest amount of internal storage (however, most heavyweight applications such as games and navigators still know how to store content on a flash drive) and the lack of LTE and NFC, as well as HDMI output.
Processor: MediaTek MT6589 quad-core, 1200 MHz
Memory: 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of internal memory, support for SD cards (up to 32 GB)
Video: PowerVR SGX544
Display: 5-inch TFT, 16 million colors, 960x540
Navigation: GPS
Main camera: Exmor RS 8 mp
Front camera: 2 megapixel
Battery: 2390 mAh, non-removable
OS: Android 4.2.2
Protection: no
Dimensions: 141,5x74,15x8,88 mm
Weight: 153 g
')
Design and ergonomics
The box contains the device itself, a traditional charger, a USB cable and a wired headset MH410c.
The body is made of dense matte plastic with metal inserts on the ends and sides. The Xperia C device is quite peculiar - the back cover is not removed here, and the phone itself is removed from the peculiar large “bumper”. which has holes for connectors and buttons. To move the cover it is necessary to pull it down with the help of a fingernail and a special notch. To do this, the device does not even need to turn off. The design looks very durable and reliable, compared, for example, with a thin Xperia L, although I still would not advise to abuse it.
Under the cover are two connectors for micro-SIM and one for micro-SD with hot-swappable all three. The battery can not be removed and hidden under the metal plate.
The back wall is slightly convex, it has a large, closed for the speaker, a hole for the speaker, a camera eye, an LED flash, as well as Sony and Xperia inscriptions. On the right side, like all models of this year, there is a large round power button and volume rocker. Both elements are shifted down and are gently under the thumb (or under the middle and ringless left-handed). Below you can find the button for quick launch of the camera. On the left side there is only a USB connector, and at the top, as usual, there is a 3.5-mm headset jack. On the front panel, in addition to the screen, you can see the symmetric mesh holes of the earpiece and microphone, as well as the front camera and proximity sensor. Directly under the display is hidden LED that changes color depending on the situation and the theme. There are no standard tools for setting up visual notifications, but no one forbids using third-party applications that are easy to find in the Play Market.
Screen
The Xperia C is set to a five-inch screen with a resolution of 540x960 - a kind of intermediate between the screens of low-end models and full-fledged HD, such as in Xperia SP. The sensations are quite pleasant - the picture, of course, is not as dense as that of the older models, but you can only distinguish the pixels if you look at it very closely. If we put the Xperia Z1 next to it, then some image turbidity will be noticeable, but without direct comparison this is not noticeable and not annoying. Low resolution is especially noticeable during reading, but here the text looks quite smooth and does not crumble into small squares, even if the font is small enough. The colors are quite convincing, a little dull when tilted by more than 45 degrees, with the same slope decreases the overall brightness, but not critical - it does not interfere with reading. Brightness can be adjusted manually and automatically, it is enough for any conditions, including sunlight. Mobile Bravia Engine is not here, but without it, the pictures look good. The sensor recognizes four simultaneous keystrokes, works quite clearly, without false alarms and any other problems. Like other models, the screen is covered with a factory protective film.
Camera
Nothing unexpected here - in all respects a pleasant, time-tested eight-megapixel Exmor RS with a slightly modified software part. Surely removes in any conditions and, with proper settings, gives a very decent picture quality - the main thing is not to use the default settings. Automatic mode likes to set too high sensitivity, which is fraught with noise, so the best option would be to manually set the ISO to 400, which is enough for almost any conditions. In the settings, in addition to the usual points like turning on HDR, adjusting the exposure and selecting the focus mode, there is an amusing voice assistant for lovers of “crossbows” using the main camera - a female voice tells you how to direct the lens so that the face (or several) is in the center of the composition . There is also an automatic retouching function, which successfully eliminates visible skin defects. The only minor complaint is that it takes about a second to launch the camera. Examples of shots taken by the Xperia C can be seen below.
Battery
Here we have a non-removable battery with a capacity of 2390 mAh, which, due to the low screen resolution and a very economical chipset, provides excellent autonomy. If I use the “native” charger (in the case of USB ports and third-party chargers, I can’t guarantee anything) it takes about half an hour to fully charge, after which the smartphone works quietly for two days with intensive use and without STAMINA mode, and if we use energy-saving features and use the phone only for calls, the charge lasts for 3-4 days. There are plenty of opportunities to save here, up to the automatic shutdown of Wi-Fi depending on your location on the map - for example, when you leave your home or office. On the other hand, geolocation itself is quite a voracious service, so for the sake of maximum economy, it is better to turn off everything manually, since all buttons are available in the notification line and you don’t even need to unlock the phone.
Performance
So, what should we expect with a MediaTek MT6589 chip with four cores and a frequency of 1200 MHz? And we should expect quite decent results that are quite comparable with devices in this price category and even with some more expensive models. The PowerVR SGX544 video accelerator allows you to run most modern games without any problems - only heavy and highly detailed scenes can be slowed down. Quite comfortable can play, say, in Real Racing 3, although the graphics there are very complicated. With graphic tests, however, the situation is rather unstable - the exorbitant performance in Epic Citadel and the rather low FPS (around 20 with sagging to 5) in 3DMark. There were no noticeable lags during normal operation, all applications run quickly, the shell works smoothly, it was not necessary to encounter hangs and sudden reboots. Below you can see the test results.
Connection
The phone works perfectly with both one and two SIM cards, and for dual mode there is a lot of settings, from renaming cards and assigning incoming and outgoing calls to different cards, to forwarding incoming calls from one number to another. You can also easily use the GSM of one operator and 3G - another. It is enough to set up once and no longer have to get into this menu. There is no need to complain about the quality of the connection - the network is not lost, all calls and messages go through, the Internet is working cheerfully and steadily, and if there are interruptions, it’s rather on the operator’s side. Geolocation services work perfectly - the absence of the GLONASS module did not affect at all the positioning accuracy, but the absence of such a good and useful function as NFC can be complained, especially since it is now in much cheaper models.
Software and Multimedia
As with all modern models, Android 4.2.2 is installed here with Sony’s proprietary graphical shell with all the improvements this year, such as quick access to the list of running applications, managing services from the notification bar without unlocking the phone, and a decent set of widgets, mini-applications that can constantly on the screen, as well as a standard entertainment kit from the album, video catalog and Walkman player.
The latter, like on all other Sony devices, automatically catalogs the music on the sd card (do not forget to prescribe ID3 tags correctly), knows how to sort it according to various signs, compile playlists, assign each track its own “mood”, load covers and information from the Internet, and also has a stan- dard set of “improvers” in the form of a bass compressor, stereo widener, equalizer, and track loudness equalizer. The external speaker is quite enough to watch movies in a quiet room (besides, you can use the xLoud function, which slightly compresses the sound going through it, as well as the system for improving monocompatibility). The sound level in the headphones is quite high, although some margin of volume would not hurt (the restriction, however, is caused by taking care of the delicate ears of the user, who is free to find technical means to bypass it), but the speaker is so loud that the sound is I want to reduce the percentage by ten.
As for the headset supplied in the kit, I cannot fairly evaluate it, since I am not a fan of earbud headphones and I regret very much that after a couple of years of using “plugs”, they began to put boxes in the boxes. The sound in them, however, is quite clean, but due to insufficient isolation, it turns out to be too quiet, moreover all extraneous sounds of the environment are mixed with it. Unfortunately, the good tradition of supplying such headphones with foam covers has sunk into oblivion, but with foam rubber they are much better kept in their ears. Although, again, this type of headphones has its supporters who will certainly like this model.
From the additional software, the file manager, Opera Mini browser, Evernote organizer and McAfee Security security program are presented here.
Summary
A large, inexpensive and very productive phone with a nice design, a durable case, an excellent camera and a very good screen for its price category. Here we also add high autonomy, excellent software shell and traditionally high-quality sound. The disadvantages include not the largest amount of internal storage (however, most heavyweight applications such as games and navigators still know how to store content on a flash drive) and the lack of LTE and NFC, as well as HDMI output.
Specifications
Processor: MediaTek MT6589 quad-core, 1200 MHz
Memory: 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of internal memory, support for SD cards (up to 32 GB)
Video: PowerVR SGX544
Display: 5-inch TFT, 16 million colors, 960x540
Navigation: GPS
Main camera: Exmor RS 8 mp
Front camera: 2 megapixel
Battery: 2390 mAh, non-removable
OS: Android 4.2.2
Protection: no
Dimensions: 141,5x74,15x8,88 mm
Weight: 153 g
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/202228/
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