Review of the smartphone Sony Xperia M2
We continue to acquaint you not only with the top models of Sony smartphones, but also with the modest devices available. Recently, we already wrote about the Xperia E1, but now it’s time to rise to a higher level and take a closer look at the more advanced Xperia M2, which with last year’s state employee Xperia M doesn’t have anything but the letter “M”, and its appearance and characteristics still a year and a half ago could be called quite "flagship". Go!
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Appearance and ergonomics
As some readers who were familiar with last year’s Xperia line, M2 would have to replace the Xperia M and be a compact and low-power device for not the most demanding users, might have thought. At this place you will be surprised. Quite a budget M2 looks very much like the Z1 - the same strict lines, small thickness, similar design and even an elegant lattice that covers the bottom speaker. The differences that are striking - the absence of a plug on the micro-USB connector and a plastic back wall. It is also worth noting that the usual M2, which we consider in this review, does not have protection against water and dust, but there is a slightly later modification of the M2 Aqua, fully protected in accordance with the IP68 standard. The main thing is not to confuse!
So, on the left side we can find nothing on the closed micro-USB connector and nothing else, on the right there are connectors for micro-SIM and micro-SD cards, covered with a decorative cap, below is the standard button for all more or less new Sony models, a round button switching on and the volume rocker, which is located at M2 below and not above. I can not say that it is more convenient or uncomfortable, there is no dramatic difference here. Well, at the very bottom - has become a good tradition, the button to start the camera with assignable functions. As usual, there is a 3.5 headset jack on the top, and an external speaker with a very beautiful mesh on the bottom. The sides are made of matte silver plastic with shiny plastic inserts that resemble chrome. Details neatly fitted to each other without gaps and backlash, so there are no complaints about the build quality.
Screen
4.8-inch screen, by today's standards, can be called "small", although in my opinion - this is the optimal size. In terms of saturation and clarity, it is slightly inferior to the screen of the same Xperia Z3, due to the relatively low resolution (960x540) and the presence of an air gap, which the latest display models do not have. On the other hand, not at all the budget IPS-matrix allows you to not complain about the viewing angles. Pixels are noticeable, if you look closely, but at the usual, for mobile devices, a distance of 20-30 cm from the eyes, the image looks quite solid and dense. The color rendition is quite honest, without excessive saturation, there is a margin of brightness, and the contrast is altogether beyond all praise, especially in this class of devices. One trouble is that the factory film on the screens has already ceased to be pasted, but unfortunately the M2 does not have an oleophobic coating, so you will have to wipe it regularly with a soft cloth (or stick the film yourself, forgive me).
Camera
Xperia M2 does not participate in the race for megapixels, therefore it has a simple but fast 8-megapixel Exmor RS camera with an updated software shell with very rich settings and the ability to expand functions. True, some flagship extensions such as defocusing the background or the possibility of shooting 4K video on this model cannot be installed, which, however, does not detract from the camera’s merits (and the same defocusing can be obtained by the stock camera from Google). In most cases, an automatic mode is sufficient, although there is a good set of options such as sensitivity, white balance, focus mode, etc. A separate button located on the body can be used both for launching the camera and for instant shooting. The camera starts up in about a second, autofocus works quickly and clearly, there is a possibility of manual focusing - it is enough to turn on the corresponding option, select an object on the display and the camera will focus on it, and the focus will remain as the unit moves.
In addition, the camera can shoot Full-HD video with various focusing options, HDR and Steady Shot functions, and also allows you to take photos during video shooting.
Examples of images taken in different conditions:
Iron and performance
Despite the fairly modest results in the tests, M2 works very well in practice: everything starts without brakes, the interface works very smoothly, even though there are a lot of animation effects in the standard shell, it was also impossible to detect any noticeable delays in frequently used applications and games . Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8926) with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, together with 1 GB of RAM is enough for any task, and the Adreno 305 accelerator for a couple with a low screen resolution gives a good performance boost in all that concerns graphics.
Test results:
Autonomy
In terms of autonomy at M2, everything is just fine. They didn’t save on the battery, so its capacity is 2300 mAh, taking into account the low resolution of the screen and the not too “voracious” iron, the picture is really fabulous. Even without using the power saving mode and full use of all possible services, the phone lives quietly without recharging for two days, this is about quite intensive use. So, let's say, the hour of watching streaming video will “devour” about 10% of the charge. If you use the STAMINA mode and do not twist the screen brightness to the maximum, then you can achieve even higher performance.
Connection
Support for LTE networks finally ceases to be a luxury item and appears on many budget devices, including the M2 (but the M2 Dual version with two sim cards only supports 3G, pay attention!). There were no problems with communication during testing, the Internet works confidently, geolocation services, as usual with Sony, are beyond praise - instant detection and the complete absence of errors in the route. NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 standards are also supported, so all modern wearable devices, such as “smart watches”, work with M2 without problems, and the support of ANT + technology allows using M2 with a variety of sports gadgets. Do not forget about the possibility of fast file transfer using Throw and Android Beam, as well as a quick connection to TVs and wireless speakers.
Software and Multimedia
Like most models of this year, the M2 has Android 4.4.2 installed onboard with the traditional Sony shell and a small set of pre-installed applications: Evernote organizer, Pixlr Express photo editor, File Commander file manager, Office Suite office package, Socialife social network aggregator and musical identifier TrackID.
For music, as usual, the latest version of the Walkman player is responsible, with the possibility of complex sound enhancement ClearAudio + or separate settings such as equalizer, compressor, dynamic normalizer and stereo widener. Headphone sound is by default quite quiet as usual, but after manual adjustment (and showing a careful warning about the dangers of listening to loud music) becomes optimal, especially if you use the volume equalization function between tracks. The sound level and ease of control allow you to safely use the M2 as an audio player.
Summary
An extremely harmonious and balanced apparatus, which is pleasant to deal with. Some models are criticized for a high price, others for insufficiently wide viewing angles, still others for poor performance or a modest design, and M2 miraculously avoids all these allegations, being an inexpensive, stylish and reasonably productive smartphone.
Characteristics :
Processor : 4 nuclear Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8926) 1.2 GHz
Video accelerator : Adreno 305
Memory : 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal, SD card slot
Display : IPS 4.8 ”960540
Camera : 8 MP
Battery: 2300 mAh
OS : Android 4.4
Protection : IP68 (M2 Aqua version only)
Dimensions : 139.6 x 71.1 x 8.6 mm
Weight : 148 g
')
Appearance and ergonomics
As some readers who were familiar with last year’s Xperia line, M2 would have to replace the Xperia M and be a compact and low-power device for not the most demanding users, might have thought. At this place you will be surprised. Quite a budget M2 looks very much like the Z1 - the same strict lines, small thickness, similar design and even an elegant lattice that covers the bottom speaker. The differences that are striking - the absence of a plug on the micro-USB connector and a plastic back wall. It is also worth noting that the usual M2, which we consider in this review, does not have protection against water and dust, but there is a slightly later modification of the M2 Aqua, fully protected in accordance with the IP68 standard. The main thing is not to confuse!
So, on the left side we can find nothing on the closed micro-USB connector and nothing else, on the right there are connectors for micro-SIM and micro-SD cards, covered with a decorative cap, below is the standard button for all more or less new Sony models, a round button switching on and the volume rocker, which is located at M2 below and not above. I can not say that it is more convenient or uncomfortable, there is no dramatic difference here. Well, at the very bottom - has become a good tradition, the button to start the camera with assignable functions. As usual, there is a 3.5 headset jack on the top, and an external speaker with a very beautiful mesh on the bottom. The sides are made of matte silver plastic with shiny plastic inserts that resemble chrome. Details neatly fitted to each other without gaps and backlash, so there are no complaints about the build quality.
Screen
4.8-inch screen, by today's standards, can be called "small", although in my opinion - this is the optimal size. In terms of saturation and clarity, it is slightly inferior to the screen of the same Xperia Z3, due to the relatively low resolution (960x540) and the presence of an air gap, which the latest display models do not have. On the other hand, not at all the budget IPS-matrix allows you to not complain about the viewing angles. Pixels are noticeable, if you look closely, but at the usual, for mobile devices, a distance of 20-30 cm from the eyes, the image looks quite solid and dense. The color rendition is quite honest, without excessive saturation, there is a margin of brightness, and the contrast is altogether beyond all praise, especially in this class of devices. One trouble is that the factory film on the screens has already ceased to be pasted, but unfortunately the M2 does not have an oleophobic coating, so you will have to wipe it regularly with a soft cloth (or stick the film yourself, forgive me).
Camera
Xperia M2 does not participate in the race for megapixels, therefore it has a simple but fast 8-megapixel Exmor RS camera with an updated software shell with very rich settings and the ability to expand functions. True, some flagship extensions such as defocusing the background or the possibility of shooting 4K video on this model cannot be installed, which, however, does not detract from the camera’s merits (and the same defocusing can be obtained by the stock camera from Google). In most cases, an automatic mode is sufficient, although there is a good set of options such as sensitivity, white balance, focus mode, etc. A separate button located on the body can be used both for launching the camera and for instant shooting. The camera starts up in about a second, autofocus works quickly and clearly, there is a possibility of manual focusing - it is enough to turn on the corresponding option, select an object on the display and the camera will focus on it, and the focus will remain as the unit moves.
In addition, the camera can shoot Full-HD video with various focusing options, HDR and Steady Shot functions, and also allows you to take photos during video shooting.
Examples of images taken in different conditions:
Iron and performance
Despite the fairly modest results in the tests, M2 works very well in practice: everything starts without brakes, the interface works very smoothly, even though there are a lot of animation effects in the standard shell, it was also impossible to detect any noticeable delays in frequently used applications and games . Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8926) with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, together with 1 GB of RAM is enough for any task, and the Adreno 305 accelerator for a couple with a low screen resolution gives a good performance boost in all that concerns graphics.
Test results:
Autonomy
In terms of autonomy at M2, everything is just fine. They didn’t save on the battery, so its capacity is 2300 mAh, taking into account the low resolution of the screen and the not too “voracious” iron, the picture is really fabulous. Even without using the power saving mode and full use of all possible services, the phone lives quietly without recharging for two days, this is about quite intensive use. So, let's say, the hour of watching streaming video will “devour” about 10% of the charge. If you use the STAMINA mode and do not twist the screen brightness to the maximum, then you can achieve even higher performance.
Connection
Support for LTE networks finally ceases to be a luxury item and appears on many budget devices, including the M2 (but the M2 Dual version with two sim cards only supports 3G, pay attention!). There were no problems with communication during testing, the Internet works confidently, geolocation services, as usual with Sony, are beyond praise - instant detection and the complete absence of errors in the route. NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 standards are also supported, so all modern wearable devices, such as “smart watches”, work with M2 without problems, and the support of ANT + technology allows using M2 with a variety of sports gadgets. Do not forget about the possibility of fast file transfer using Throw and Android Beam, as well as a quick connection to TVs and wireless speakers.
Software and Multimedia
Like most models of this year, the M2 has Android 4.4.2 installed onboard with the traditional Sony shell and a small set of pre-installed applications: Evernote organizer, Pixlr Express photo editor, File Commander file manager, Office Suite office package, Socialife social network aggregator and musical identifier TrackID.
For music, as usual, the latest version of the Walkman player is responsible, with the possibility of complex sound enhancement ClearAudio + or separate settings such as equalizer, compressor, dynamic normalizer and stereo widener. Headphone sound is by default quite quiet as usual, but after manual adjustment (and showing a careful warning about the dangers of listening to loud music) becomes optimal, especially if you use the volume equalization function between tracks. The sound level and ease of control allow you to safely use the M2 as an audio player.
Summary
An extremely harmonious and balanced apparatus, which is pleasant to deal with. Some models are criticized for a high price, others for insufficiently wide viewing angles, still others for poor performance or a modest design, and M2 miraculously avoids all these allegations, being an inexpensive, stylish and reasonably productive smartphone.
Characteristics :
Processor : 4 nuclear Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8926) 1.2 GHz
Video accelerator : Adreno 305
Memory : 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal, SD card slot
Display : IPS 4.8 ”960540
Camera : 8 MP
Battery: 2300 mAh
OS : Android 4.4
Protection : IP68 (M2 Aqua version only)
Dimensions : 139.6 x 71.1 x 8.6 mm
Weight : 148 g
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/362869/
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