With a new budget smartphone hitting the market almost every week, most brands are trying to make it big in the sub-Rs 15,000 range.
But Sony, it seems, is not in the mood to join the rat race. The Japanese technology giant launched the waterproof Xperia M4 Aqua Dual recently. Let's find out whether it is worth the hype.
Xperia M4 Aqua Dual: Impressive all round
Design and display
From the outside, the Xperia M4 Aqua Dual is all plastic and glass, with a flat back and curved edges. Our review device was a white one that appeared prone to smudges and was slippery.
The five-inch (720x1,280-pixel) display manages to reproduce sharp images and rich colours. You will not face any problems with viewing angles or sunlight visibility.
Performance
Sony has promoted this device as a waterproof one, which essentially means that the gadget can withstand a 30-minute soak in up to 1.5m-deep freshwater and is also resistant to dust.
With some hesitance, I tried to put the Xperia M4 Aqua in a jar of water for about five minutes and what surprised me is that it kept functioning even under water. After taking the device out, I only had to wipe it dry.
The Snapdragon 615 processor, with four 1.5GHz and four 1GHz cores, is capable of running most apps with no trouble. The device has 2GB of RAM and 16GB internal storage, expandable up to 128GB.
The 2,400mAh battery lasted about 10 hours on average use. The 13-megapixel (MP) camera scores big. Images clicked with it came out sharp and crisp. Photography in low light was good, too. The 5MP front camera clicks impressive selfies.
Verdict
Good camera, sharp display, brilliant battery life and waterproofing - impressive.
Still, the only reason why the device might not do well is its pricing. At Rs 24,990, you might not be very inclined to buy this.
With options like the ASUS Zenfone 2, OnePlus One and many others in the sub-Rs 25,000 range, the competition is difficult.
If Sony introduces a price cut anytime soon and puts this device anywhere below Rs 20,000, the Xperia M4 Aqua will be a good buy.
SONY XPERIA M4 AQUA DUAL
Price: Rs 24, 990
Display: 5-inch (720x1,280 pixels)
OS: Android Lollipop 5.0
Processor: Snapdragon 615; octa-core (four each of 1.5GHz & 1GHz)
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32GB internal; expandable up to 128GB
Camera: 13mp (rear); 5MP (front)
Battery: 2,400mAh
HTC ONE E9+: It’s a ‘fab’let
A metallic rim on the front edge, smooth finish on the rear, Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection: The HTC One E9+ scores big on design.
The 5.5-inch QHD (1,440x2,560 pixels and 534pixels per inch) display of HTC ONE E9+ produces rich colours and crisp images. Our review piece was black in colour. At 150g, the device is on the lighter side for a 5.5-inch phablet.
The device boasts a 2GHz octa-core processor with a MediaTek MT6795M chipset. Aided by 3GB of RAM, the HTC ONE E9+ manages to run most apps without any lag. It uses the Android Lollipop v5.0 operating system (OS) with HTC Sense UI 7.0. The device has an internal memory of 32GB, expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card.
Images clicked with the 20-megapixel (MP) autofocus camera at the back were sharp and low on noise. The phone can also record record full HD videos at 30 frames a second. A 13MP camera at the front brings good news for all selfie-lovers.
The 2,800mAh Li-polymer battery disappointed, lasting only about six hours on moderate use.
Rich display, good camera performance, sleek looks - the HTC One E9+ is a phablet worth checking out.
At Rs 29,900, the phablet gets a thumbs up from us. Watch this space for a detailed review.
HTC ONE E9+
Display: 5.5-inch, QHD
Processor: 2GHz octa-core
RAM: 3GB
Storage: 32GB internal; expandable up to 128GB
Camera: 20MP (rear); 13MP (front)
Battery: 2,800 mAH
Price: Rs 29,990
