So the Sony and Ericsson affair has finally ended and the mobile tech world is waiting for Sony to reveal its pure blood offspring the way they would for the next pope. What Sony has released from its labs is far from anything that resembles a PlayStation-loving teenager. Carrying a 4.3†HD screen under a piano black glass that is mounted on a poly-carbonate black-matte body, they have sent out a man in an Armani suit. Check out our full review of the Sony Xperia S after the jump.
Design and Construction
The Xperia S is more on squares and curves and less on lines compared to the Arc S. Sony’s designers could have gone with the flat back but instead opted for a curved one, making it more appealing to the hands (reminds us of the Xperia X10 too).
One thing that is definitely noticeable with the Xperia S is the transparent strip below the display which gives off a cool white glow. At first I thought it’s just for aesthetic purposes but later realized that it actually holds the phone’s antenna strip inside.
Located on the left side is the microUSB / charging port while on the right side are the micro HDMI port camera and volume button. Right up on top is the sleep/wake button. It is worth mentioning that the external buttons are made of brushed metal, which is less likely to discolor or fade compared to its chromed counterparts.
When the phone is inside my pocket, its slim form factor had me feeling it out every now and then just to make sure that it is still there. Probably because I’m more accustomed to thicker phones. Although I would not advise keeping the Xperia S inside shallow pockets. The phone’s tall frame may slide off or easily get snatched.
Even with its polycarbonate body, the Xperia S gives an ample weight that makes it feel solid yet comfortable to hold. The build quality is certainly better compared to the SE Arc handsets but not the design.
UI
The Xperia S comes loaded with Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread under the Timescape skin with five home screens for your favorite widgets and shortcuts. The home screen also has neat feature called Overview which allows you to view all your shortcuts and widgets from all five home screens with just a pinch gesture then just tap on the one that you like for quicker navigation.
Opening the app drawer brings out a 4×5 grid of apps which you can rearrange and delete with just a simple tap of another button. Sony has also managed to add animated themes but they’re all the same swirl effects that comes in 7 different colors. I was never a fan of skinned Androids but Sony’s version looks elegant and works well with the device.
Overall, the UI is really attractive, smooth and responsive even with lightest of touch. As a person who values functionality over aesthetics, this is good enough for me. I just hope that it won’t take long before Sony pushes the Ice Cream Sandwich update to give the Xperia S the justice it deserves.
Display
At 342 pixels per inch, the Xperia S packs a denser display than that of the iPhone 4S, which is at 330 ppi. With the help of the Mobile BRAVIA Engine and the ability to pop out 16 million+ colors, the images and videos come out more vibrant with high level of detail, while the icons and widgets appear glossy and sharp.
Sunlight legibility is good. Under direct sunlight most of your view will be obstructed by your fingerprints and glare but I can still manage to read text messages and navigate the phone with no hiccups.
Camera
I’m not quite sure if Sony is playing the megapixel mind game with the Sony Xperia S but if you’re planning to hook this up on your beloved HD TV so you can view your images and 1080p videos, then the 12.1 megapixel shooter on the Xperia S is a justified fact. As an added treat, this sleek device has the capability to shoot simulated 3D images. I say simulated since dual-lenses are needed to capture images in real 3D, the Xperia S only has one. Either way, this is good for those with 3D TVs.
You can see more photos here in the gallery (raw files).
Like what we mentioned in our first impressions, the camera has a fast shutter speed that can produce clear and crisp images especially under bright conditions. But in a dimly lit environment, Sony’s Exmor R CMOS sensor experiences some difficulty when it comes to focusing. There were a few times when I have to focus twice before I take a shot, making me lose some precious moments. Another problem is taking photos under yellow light like in restaurants or cafes, the camera makes the photo even very yellowish even with the flash on. There’s some color over-saturation in occasional instances.
The Xperia S can also shoot full HD videos at 1080p resolution. You can check out the sample video below:
Low-light performance when recording videos is very good as shown in this sample video below (recorded the same scene with the iPhone 4S and the difference is significant).
For the front-facing camera, even at 1.3MP it is a little disappointing. It is sluggish at times and even under bright conditions, image noise is very evident. The iPod Touch 4th Gen’s front camera performs even better. Of course, the front camera is designed for video calls and as an emergency mirror to make sure that your nose is clean.
Multimedia
The Xperia S’s display can be fully utilized when playing HD videos like the samples that come with the phone. Sony included a movie trailer and a sample video that shows the playback capability and display quality of the Xperia S. The videos look stunning and has this certain level of vibrancy that watching it too close will almost hurt the eyes.
The 4.3 inch wide display is was put there for a reason, and one of them is to make sure that watching videos would be a great experience. The Xperia S can play MP4 files very well including videos in MKV format with no stutters or skips. It managed to play an AVI file smoothly but with no audio. It was a bit of a letdown for me since most of my video collections are in AVI but installing a video-playing app such as MX Video Player did the trick.
Music playback is not a chore with the Xperia S. I just simply drag and drop the MP3 files to the phone’s music folder and it’s ready to play. You can also choose from 8 equaliser presets to suit your listening preferences. Viewing album art covers on the Xperia S is also a visual treat which makes playing of songs more enticing. No album cover art and info? That wouldn’t be a problem since the music app can download album art and track information via Gracenote and update your music files right away.
Sounds coming from the speaker is clear and very audible but I find the bass lacking but Sony’s xLoud technology does a very good job in enhancing it. Although sometimes I still find myself cupping a hand behind the phone to be able to hear more. On the other hand, playing tunes with xLoud turned off seems like listening to a faint, distant sound, so may I suggest that you keep it on. What I hate though is the speaker placement which is right smack at the back. Place it on your bed or any surface that can muffle the speaker and you’ll find xLoud or any sound almost useless.
Performance
Aside from the smooth and responsive system, the Xperia S got really high marks in a number of benchmarks we run on unit. Antutu benchmark gave it a nice 6,308 points while in Quadrant Standard, it was able to hit as high as 3,197 besting the Galaxy Nexus by a wide margin (as shown in the chart below).
On the other hand, the Nenamark 2 benchmark showed 37.5fps and considering the high resolution of the screen, this is already very good.
Over-all, the Xperia S got one of the best benchmark results we’ve ever seen in a handset. These are just figures but they somewhat help us give a better idea when comparing other similarly spec’ed phones.
Battery Life
All that HD display, BRAVIA engine, xLoud tech, and dual-core processing power, surely won’t come without paying a price. The Xperia S drains down the 1750 mAh battery like a drunk Russian would with a Vodka.
With regular use such as texting, a few minutes of calls, some picture taking, and Facebook browsing, I ended the day with 62% battery. With Wifi on with almost no calls and texts, just casual Facebook and Twitter browsing, got me a day and half. With Wifi off and virtually no calls or texts, it managed to last 3 days. But when boredom kicks in, that’s when the battery really suffers, Wifi on, texting, calls, photo shoots, music, a movie, and some gaming, got me down to 20% before it even got dark outside.
So far I haven’t experienced running on an empty tank with the Xperia S. With its USB charging capabilities I can just plug it into a computer or laptop and it will juice up pretty quickly. The battery is not removable, meaning you can’t buy an extra battery for it. So if you’re planning to go heavy on this phone during the day, may I suggest charging it to full capacity before leaving the house or bring the charger with you.
Support for Apps
Getting apps for the Xperia S is no problem thanks to the Android app store, which has been recently rebranded to Google Play. Inside Google Play you will find Sony’s app catalog containing Sony apps that you can use to maximize the Xperia’s functionality such as vscreens photo sharing and LiveKey Camera app.
Thanks to the hardware I can run whatever games and other apps I throw at it without a hint of struggle from the phone. Thanks to the huge screen and amazing display quality, I’ve never seen Angry Birds and Temple Run so vibrant.
The Xperia S also comes with pre-installed apps that is pretty much useless for my everyday needs such as Football Downloads, appXtra and McAfee Security which constantly bugs me to register so I can use it. It’s like being served 5-star cutlery in a fast food restaurant. The good thing though that most of it can be uninstalled. Given a few days your app drawer will be pretty much filled according to your tastes.
Summary
No doubt that Sony put its best foot forward in releasing their first Sony-only phone. Designed with the BRAVIA concept in mind, the Xperia S is a half-phone-half-HDTV device, aimed at solidifying its solo-name brand.
Do I want this phone? The high-resolution wide HD display, the 12.1 MP camera, 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, and the slick design? Definitely! But like any other smartphone out there, the Xperia S is far from perfect. Sony didn’t include a microSD slot for memory expansion. If you’re heavy on apps, music, high-res photos and videos, you’ll find the 32GB internal memory insufficient. The speaker placement is also frustrating since I have to make sure that it isn’t muffled when I put it down on a soft surface and I don’t like the idea of laying my phone face down just so I can hear my tunes better. And finally, the battery. Like a sedan with a Hummer engine, the Xperia S is one juice guzzler.
But if you really want this phone, you’ll certainly survive the few cons and will be able to work your way around it. With a suggested retail price of Php27,900, it’s a little bit on the expensive side. It could have been a really strong contender against the Galaxy S2 had the Xperia S came out earlier. In the end though, everything boils down to personal preference, but we can say that the Sony Xperia S is one smartphone to consider.
Sony Xperia S LT26i specs:
4.3-inch HD Reality Display @ 1280×720 pixels, 344ppi
Mobile Bravia Engine
Snapdragon S3 1.5GHz dual-core processor
1GB RAM
1.5GB built-in storage
32GB external storage (non-removable)
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA
Bluetooth 2.1
NFC support
GPS w/ aGPS support
12.1MP Exmor R rear camera
1080p video recording
1.3MP front facing camera
720p video recording
micro-HDMI out
Li-Ion 1750mAh battery
Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread
What we liked about the handset:
* fast and responsive
* beautiful screen, very high pixel density
* great camera
* large built-in storage
What we did not like about the handset:
* a little chunky, could have been thinner
* slow Bluetooth chip
* no option for expandable storage
* non-removable battery
Editor’s Note: Original reporting/review by Louie Diangson with additional details and photos by Abe Olandres.
Disclosure: We received 2 units of the Sony Xperia S. One is from Widget City which is also a display banner advertiser on this site. The second hanset is from Sony Mobile Philippines which gave us this unit for free.
YugaTech.com is the largest and longest-running technology site in the Philippines. Originally established in October 2002, the site was transformed into a full-fledged technology platform in 2005.
How to transfer, withdraw money from PayPal to GCash
Prices of Starlink satellite in the Philippines
Install Google GBox to Huawei smartphones
Pag-IBIG MP2 online application
How to check PhilHealth contributions online
How to find your SIM card serial number
Globe, PLDT, Converge, Sky: Unli fiber internet plans compared
10 biggest games in the Google Play Store
LTO periodic medical exam for 10-year licenses
Netflix codes to unlock hidden TV shows, movies
Apple, Asus, Cherry Mobile, Huawei, LG, Nokia, Oppo, Samsung, Sony, Vivo, Xiaomi, Lenovo, Infinix Mobile, Pocophone, Honor, iPhone, OnePlus, Tecno, Realme, HTC, Gionee, Kata, IQ00, Redmi, Razer, CloudFone, Motorola, Panasonic, TCL, Wiko
Best Android smartphones between PHP 20,000 - 25,000
Smartphones under PHP 10,000 in the Philippines
Smartphones under PHP 12K Philippines
Best smartphones for kids under PHP 7,000
Smartphones under PHP 15,000 in the Philippines
Best Android smartphones between PHP 15,000 - 20,000
Smartphones under PHP 20,000 in the Philippines
Most affordable 5G phones in the Philippines under PHP 20K
5G smartphones in the Philippines under PHP 16K
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2024
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2023
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2022
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2021
Smartphone pricelist Philippines 2020
2014 Clothing store says:
I constantly spent my half an hour to read this weblog’s articles everyday along with a cup of coffee.
qquixx says:
Na resolve na ba yun yellow tint issue sa LCD?
Carlo says:
Hi, any update regarding the price? I’m really torned between this ans the S2 .. Thanks!
Soul Annihilator says:
Bought mine at Kimstore for only 17k.
kimstore.multiply.com
lenz says:
this is the best mobile ever. the samsung galaxy s3 and iphone 4 were both behind. i dont like the design for galaxy s3. it looks like a gay design.
ayi says:
hi how much is Sony Experia S now in the Philippines?is it 27,900 still??
will appreciate much for a quick reply..:)
Jerkfrg says:
Marlboro
Jam says:
Sony Xperia S Now available for ICS Upadate.
Julienlnw says:
Marlboro
gollem says:
Any improvement on the Timescape UI’s widgets? I have an Arc S but not satisfied because of the widgets. Unlike Touchwiz and Sense, Timescape doesnt have a preinstalled decent calendar, exchange mail and message widgets
jladonis935 says:
Hi, I have been a user of Xperia S for just over a week now. My phone prior to this was an IPHONE 4s. My brother wanted to buy my iPhone so I sold it to him and I looked for an iPhone alternative instead. I was choosing between HTC one X and Xperia S but I chose the Xperia S because I felt that the one X was too big for my liking. I usually just use my phone for surfing the net and watching videos. Coming from an iOS device I was impressed with how the Xperia works flawlessly considering that HTC one X has a quad core CPU. Also, the screen was amazing my iPhone 4s looked like an Analog Display besides the HD screen of Xperia S. Aside from that before iPhone came into the spotlight I was a loyal Sony Ericsson user. I am very proud the Sony is slowly but surely creating wonderful products again. It’s not about the how many CPU a device has, it’s about the experience and smiles you get when you play with your device.
screen test says:
Has anyone experienced yellow tinting in there xperia s? Has anyone tried dropping there xperia s did it break or screen shattered?
I really need your comments guys before i decide to buy the phone.
gomacup says:
sinong carrier n network sa atin n microsim or kelangan lang n gupitin nag normal sim natin para fit sa sim ng xperia s.. salamat
La+ says:
Actually it’s 100-200 PESOS. The word “Bucks” actually means the US Dollar currency.
benchmark says:
Well im using micro sim for my motorola droid razr under globe. I just went there in globe for sim change, it cost me about 40 pesos. All I have to do is wait for about 30 minutes or so to make them update their system for the micro sim.
And I overhear at Hello-SM Makati branch, they can cut the sim precisely at 100 or 200 bucks (can’t remember). For this, you can maintain all your messages and contacts inside the sim (unlike converting it to telco – but sometimes the risk is high, coz it can damage the sim while cutting it manually)
bjmandia says:
Also one of the weakest point of this device is that it comes in Gingerbread only, in this very time many devices are now on ICS already out-of-the-box. Even the cheapest China-made tablets comes ICS ready, I wonder why Sony had made this device running in an outdated Android OS version.
kenneth says:
Been very eager to get my hand on this handset. But with the release of HTC One X, I’m now torn on which handset I should get.
Also, I heard about a manufacturing defect to this unit – that when the phone gets hot, a yellow tint/discolouration appears on the sides of its screen. Is this something acknowledged by Sony Philippines? Or are we not included in the list of countries affected by this?
I am still very impressed on how Sony spec’ed this monster up. But to know a defect on its main selling factor – the HD screen has been identified, I am now worried that if I may get a defective one.
Could anyone validate this? Thanks.
Jam says:
Yes. That is true but it occurs only on certain phones. Not all phones. And you don’t have to be problematic about that. Sony stalls here in the country will have to take responsibilities for that. And I think you should wait for the Sony Xperia Ion. It’s almost as what’s with the Xperia S adhering only different and better specs and features.
rafael says:
off topic: kelan po ang release ng Xperia Sola sa Philippines? sana magkaroon agad si Sir Yuga ng review about dun.. XD
Nadia says:
I changed my mind the very last minute when I get to know about this phone.
Been deciding to buy an SGSII, but nope.
I bought Sony XPS instead ^^ Bought it after 4days being officially launched in Malaysia.
I have no regrets, a great phone.
Watching movies (using MX Player) has never been this enjoyable.
The HD Bravia screen really is outstanding.
12MP cam on the phone is great, whenever we need to take pics. You are with your phone, almost 24-7.
Can you say the same with a digicam?
Henry says:
As always, Yugatech has the very clear review about new gadgets! Talagang umaarangkada na rin ngayon ang Sony using their brand ONLY.
Jam says:
I just wanna ask kung anong mas better? Is it this one or the Samsung Galaxy S II. I find it quite difficult to choose. And I wanna know kung magkano na ang Samsung Galaxy S II ngayon sa market? Does anyone out there reply? :D Thanks!
t_grail says:
I’ve tested both at masasabi ko mas maganda pa rin ang GS2 at sa screen palang i will always go eith the super amoled screen. Lalo kung most of the time you are using your phone outdoor, 2nd mas maganda ang update support ng Samsung. opinion lang
Dets says:
grabe naman..nagrereklamo p kayo sa 32gb internal???mag pc or tablet k n lang kng gsto mo tambakan ng videos yan!32 gb is enough!…wise din n gnawa nlang built in memory para mas maenhance p ung speed ng file transfer. ung unchangeable battery tlga ung downside nya..but overall ok tlga ung phone…hirap saten d tau makuntento ehh…tska trip nyo kseng phone ung lahat nakabukas wifi,bluetooth,mp3,..maiiga tlga power ng phone mo…tssss….and this monster is built with dragontrail glass…sa nabasa ko mas durable xa compared to gorilla glass..>:)
manz says:
If you think the 32GB memory is not enough, check this out…
http://www.xperiablog.net/2012/03/09/xperia-s-usb-otg-demonstrated-video/
nick says:
for me, Sony is still number 1! even though..let we say they are too late in terms of smartphone features but they are still conscious about the customers satisfaction which is durable and quality products. thank you..
Lala says:
does anyone know kung available pa ito sa widget city at kung kailan ang launching dito sa philippines?
ariel says:
wala pa sa philippines. my friend bought one from china
mel says:
haven’t seen one sold locally yet, meron na ba nito sa mga malls?
Ian says:
Ok yung phone. but knowing sony, matatagalan pa yan for the ICS.
Roegan Taron says:
To all who’s disappointed about the lack of expandable memory, do you guys even need more memory? I mean, the way I see it, it’s really hard to consume all that memory (32GB). Plus, it’s a smartphone. Not a tablet. You really don’t need to store tons of memory-hogging files like Movies.
handle says:
Android = bulok
prepaid says:
Okay na sana kaya lang yung non expandable memory ang downside nya para sa akin.
iyakin says:
“maganda ung phone. I am just sad at people especially at Widget City who say this phone is a lot better than the Galaxy S II.. comparing them..for the screen, the winner will be the one with the higher resol. but u realy cant notice the diff.. the cpu of the gs2 still best it out and even graphically.. the gs2 already got ics though it may look the same, sammy may be holding back a revamped ui for the coinciding it with the gs3.. the camera of the xperia s is meh compared to the iphone 4s which i thought was overhyped.. and the xp s does not have a rmvable batt and only at 1750? id rather have 1650 but removable..
Gorilla glass ftw. indeed it is 2012..no matter what we say, the reign of the gs2 will finally be over.. the xperia s is a great phone. i have held it and used it. but to say it is a way better phone compared to gs2 is just garbage. no it isnt. the price 23000 vs 28000.. the xperia s doesnt offer anything new to the table, until its price becomes lower, it will never be able to compete with the gs2…”
fanboys nga naman.. tsk tsk tsk…
rensmons says:
check out this new phone from nokia. now reviewed by engadget, deal breaker even for galaxy s II……. ;)
http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/01/nokia-7110-review/#disqus_thread
B says:
Akala ko sa intl websites lang merong mga Samsung fan boys. At the end of the day, it’s simply “to each his own”. Eh kung ayaw mo yung sinasabi nila sa widget city then don’t go there. go somewhere else where they obsess on your GS2.
lester cruz says:
Totally agree with you,he’s just jealous because xperia s made gs2 outdated.
Calvin says:
actually, system info apps such as Elixir lists the 32GB as external storage because it’s physically different from the internal storage.
Bryan says:
Hmmm. Im already confused. Iphone and Xperia S is a little bit the same when it comes to non-removable battery, micro-sim only, no expandable memory (Iphone 4s has 64gb anyway)camera? its for emergency use only wont use it for vacations id rather use an underwater cam. Apps? dont need that much apps. Music? its a must. hmmm.. tough decisions. as for samsung. i wish they could be a little more up to date with the design of their phones. a little metal body would be nice and the UI of their android could be more up to date.
miongb says:
Why are you guys comparing a 2012 phone (xperia s) to a 2011 phone (SGS II)? This should be compared to htc one and the upcoming SGS III. And if we do that, we know who succeeds and who fails!
Sorry, sony, too late.
dan_md says:
this is a great phone. it is better than SGS 2 in terms of display resolution, imaging, and design (subjective, of course).
graphical prowess will always work in SGS 2’s favor. And even if both run the same Mali GPU, SGS2 will still take the Lead due to a smaller display resolution that takes less resources hence higher FPS.
what the article missed to expound is the device’s multimedia capabilities like DLNA, hooking it to a DLNA enabled or HDMI enabled TV and the use of the Xperia S as a remote, cursor.
I would still recommend this phone to any prospective buyer. the ICS update would no doubt improve overall performance thanks to the optimizations.
beatsmaster says:
Still, not including a removable sdcard slot and battery is big letdown for me. Why did they opt for an iPhone-esque type on exclusivity on storage and juice? I find their reason damning for the enjoyment on the device especially with Bravia display of HD quality on it. Hell, even some mid-type android offerings from other manufacturers has this feature.
steelicon says:
Will get ICS on June 2012. 2011 range will get ICS as early as April 2012. Go figure.
showbiz says:
Nice review, I thought this phone has 1080p video recording?
pinoyandroids says:
Nice Review of Sony Xperia S. Me too wanted to buy this Xperia S because lots of developer were on the race in developing good ROMs for this device.
For More info on ROMs running on Xperia Device.
follow this link : http://www.pinoyandroids.com/
Your review is far better in gsm arena. nice work yugatech.
Thank You.
Roegan Taron says:
“32GB external storage (non-removable)” — might wanna remove that out. If it’s non-removable, then it’s not external storage right? :)
Borgy says:
maganda ung phone. I am just sad at people especially at Widget City who say this phone is a lot better than the Galaxy S II.. comparing them..for the screen, the winner will be the one with the higher resol. but u realy cant notice the diff.. the cpu of the gs2 still best it out and even graphically.. the gs2 already got ics though it may look the same, sammy may be holding back a revamped ui for the coinciding it with the gs3.. the camera of the xperia s is meh compared to the iphone 4s which i thought was overhyped.. and the xp s does not have a rmvable batt and only at 1750? id rather have 1650 but removable..
Gorilla glass ftw. indeed it is 2012..no matter what we say, the reign of the gs2 will finally be over.. the xperia s is a great phone. i have held it and used it. but to say it is a way better phone compared to gs2 is just garbage. no it isnt. the price 23000 vs 28000.. the xperia s doesnt offer anything new to the table, until its price becomes lower, it will never be able to compete with the gs2…
lester cruz says:
Do you know what you’re talking about? When people say that it’s better than gs2,they’re comparing it in a lot of aspects. Sa design talo na agad gs2,too plasticky and very poor build quality. Screen is way better also,many users are complaining about the over saturated colors of the gs2 which is by the way,a common disadvantage of oled display. And did you ever mind looking at benchmark comparisons,see how it trashed the gs2 and even galaxy nexus. Web page loading is way much faster also,there’s a lot of comparisons in youtube for you to witness. And don’t ever compare iphone 4s’ camera,sony is the one who provided it’s camera sensor four your information. They won’t provide a better sensor for their direct competitor. Make some research before telling baseless opinion,you’re just one guy against a lot of good observers. This proves that you’re the fanboy that you mentioned in your post.