Meet the Sony Xperia M5 and C5 Ultra. Sony Xperia M5 review: barefoot on the water Mobile phone sony xperia m5

Japanese manufacturers are not far behind the modern market. The mass of new products from Sony pleases fans. One such interesting model is the representative of the Xperia series called M5.

Design

The appearance of the device imitates even in small details its predecessor M4. Actually, it will be simply impossible to distinguish a fellow from the M5. This is not to say that such a decision is bad, because the appearance of the Xperia M5 smartphone was attractive.

Plastic and metal in the body of the device give solidity. And given that the device is waterproof, there is no doubt about the quality of the assembly. The company used the materials as efficiently as possible, so the phone looks expensive.

The front of the device houses a display, a camera, earpiece and main speakers, sensors and a company sign. The usual touch buttons are on the display. The rear panel, covered with glass, has got a camera, a company logo and a flash. The top end housed the headphone jack, and the bottom - USB jack and microphone. On the right side is the shutter release, volume control and power button. The opposite side was taken away for the cells of a flash drive and a SIM card.

The device only accepts nanoSim. There are two variations of the device: with one SIM card and with two.

In general, the smartphone turned out to be stylish, although with a previously implemented design. It is somewhat disappointing to use cheaper materials, but, most likely, the strength was not affected by this.

Screen

Equipped with a phone with a diagonal of 5 inches. The resolution of 1920 by 1080, installed in the Sony Xperia M5, will also please. The review of the advantages of the screen does not end there. In addition to using the company has applied its own Mobile BRAVIA technology. The development of the company made it possible to make the screen more saturated and bright.

The display is significantly better than its predecessor. If pixels were noticeable in M4, then in M5 as much as 441 ppi, and, accordingly, graininess is not observed. The applied IPS matrix provides excellent viewing angles for the Xperia M5. Owner reviews report the only drawback, namely, not the best behavior of the display in the sun.

Camera

It is impossible to ignore the main advantage of the Xperia M5. The review of the camera should start by mentioning as much as 21.5 megapixels. Although this parameter has always been a strong point of Sony. The smartphone's camera has an Exmor RS sensor, which the company uses quite often.

The front camera does not lag behind in quality. Made using similar technologies as the main one, the front camera has 13 megapixels. In addition to good resolution, the device has a lot of shooting modes and useful functions.

Separately, I would like to note the recording of the video. The smartphone has an incredible 4K resolution. This characteristic allows the device to compete in the quality of filming even with video cameras.

Filling

Equipped the device with a premium MTK chipset called Helio X10. The phone has eight cores running on a 64-bit platform with a frequency of 2.2 GHz each. The video accelerator is also installed quite good, namely Power VR G6200.

The RAM will also please users of the Xperia M5. The review indicates the presence of as much as 3 GB. Actually, the filling allows the device to cope with all tasks without problems.

The native memory of 16 GB did not disappoint either. Of course, about 13 GB will be available, the rest is occupied by the system. You can expand the memory up to 200 GB.

The smartphone works very quickly and without braking. In addition to speed, minor flaws present in the M4 were corrected.

Battery

A significant problem is the battery of the Xperia M5 phone, the review of which will be of interest to all potential buyers. The battery capacity of only 2600 maH does not cause much enthusiasm. In principle, this is the minimum capacity for such a filling. The problem is that the battery is non-removable and it will not be possible to expand the capacity. All hope is placed on Stamina's battery-saving technology.

System

M5 works on the basis of "Android" of the new version 5.0. The design of the company also migrated to the new system. The appearance of the system has undergone almost imperceptible changes, but in general has remained familiar. There will be no need for updates, because the device comes immediately with version 5.0.

Price

The cost of the device will somewhat cool the ardor of those wishing to purchase the Xperia M5. The market review makes it clear that the price of the device is hovering around $400. It is significantly more expensive than its predecessor, but the smartphone is definitely worth the money.

Positive sides

The device has a huge number of advantages. Just want to highlight one of the best cameras among mobile devices. The quality is so good that a smartphone can replace average cameras and camcorders.

They did not deprive the device and stuffing. Such hardware is quite capable of competing with many flagships. Although the phone is located in the middle category, all parameters bring it closer to the premium class.

An excellent display will also please the owners. Rich colors and high resolution are suitable not only for entertainment, but also for comfortable work.

Despite the use of inexpensive materials, the build quality and protection of the device turned out to be solid. In fact, the M5 is not inferior in this respect to its predecessor.

Negative sides

The disadvantages are much less, in principle, they can not even be noticed.

The most painful place of the device is its battery. Of course, saving technology will significantly increase the duration of work, but I want more capacity.

There is a double impression about the appearance of some owners who are full of dissatisfaction with the similarity of the design with a number of models.

Outcome

Japanese manufacturers have once again replenished their lineup with a successful novelty. The device turned out excellent and has almost no flaws. The only thing that can scare off the buyer is the high price.

Finding a relatively inexpensive smartphone that boasts flagship specs is always a pleasure. Especially if it's a device from a brand like Sony. You immediately understand that good cameras, a recognizable design and, for sure, water resistance are waiting for you. Today, Sony M5 Dual is fighting for the title of cool smartphone in the category of non-flagships.

Design

It is absolutely impossible to confuse a Sony smartphone with some other. I do not know of another company that would be so reverent about the stylistic identity of their devices.

It is very pleasant to hold the Sony Xperia M5 Dual in your hands - the back panel is glass (at least it looks like glass), and the corners are metal, so it's both beautiful and reliable. For a week of use, not a single scratch appeared on the case - that's what protected glass means!

On the right side, in addition to the volume rocker and the power button, there is a button for quick access to the camera.

I like everything about Sony smarts - both the neat button, which is always located in the middle of the right side, and the slots hidden under the cover. It is clear that this was done for the sake of tightness - after all, the Sony M5 Dual is protected from moisture and dust according to the IP68 standard. That is, it can be bathed for half an hour at a depth of up to one and a half meters. At the same time, the headphone and USB outputs are not covered by anything - so after swimming, it is enough just to dry them - and you can put them on charge or connect headphones and enjoy your favorite music.

There is only one remark about ergonomics - SIM cards and a memory card are placed in special frames, which only a girl with a manicure can pull out - with short cut nails this is a difficult task.

Display

The IPS LCD matrix with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 with a display diagonal of 5 inches creates an ideal pixel density of 441 ppi. The image is so clear and juicy that we can safely talk about its complete realism.

But still, I have a couple of complaints about the Sony M5 Dual screen. Firstly, it is not very bright, so during the day in the sun or in a cafe near the window, even 100% brightness was not enough for me to properly retouch photos for Instagram. Although, in order to see who is calling you in the sun, the brightness is enough.

Another small problem with the display is that when changing viewing angles, the blacks are slightly washed out. The rest of the colors behave perfectly, they are not inverted, so even from the side you can see the text or picture without problems and distortion.

Camera

I was very pleased with the main camera with a 21 megapixel sensor. I liked the quality of the shots indoors and outdoors, however, in the dark it was difficult for her. I was very impressed with the optics - fast f / 2.2 lenses create an optimal depth of field in the frame, gently separating the main subject from the background. Usually such a good effect is achieved with interchangeable lenses, but here - "all inclusive".

Video is recorded in 2160p at 30fps. Full HD was enough for me - what you need for Youtube. Moreover, you can set the shooting quality to 60 fps.

The front camera of the Sony Xperia M5 Dual is more than cool - 13 megapixels. We recently reviewed a smartphone that had the same module. I boldly declare that here the quality is no worse and the pleasure from good photos is no less. Suitable for instagram, and to print in your album.

The video on the front camera is written in Full HD, so you can shoot blogs for Youtube - the recording quality is excellent.

Performance

If you believe the tests - Sony Xperia M5 Dual is just a mega average, it is overtaken by all and sundry. But do not rush to put an end to it - it pulled out all the games for me at maximum speeds and only warmed up a little. No freezes or glitches - everything is very smooth. So I said thanks to a fast processor with a good PowerVR G6200 graphics accelerator.

The Mediatek MT6795 Helio X10 processor itself, with eight yards of Cortex-A53, running at a clock frequency of 2 GHz, copes with games and simpler tasks - photo editors, Skype and sports applications. The RAM in the Sony Xperia M5 Dual is 3 GB, and this is enough for all planned and unscheduled tasks.

The built-in memory in the smartphone is not much - 16 GB. But unlike many flagships, the Sony M5 has a separate slot for a memory card, so you don't have to choose - more space or convenient calls.

ON

The smartphone comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box. The Sony Xperia M5 Dual has a small bonus in the form of an NFC chip. What sometimes seems like superfluous functionality, in fact, often turns out to be a useful and necessary option in a smartphone.

Sony M5 Dual supports two SIM cards. Switching between them is simple and clear, it is possible to forward calls from one card to another.

autonomy

The battery of the Sony Xperia M5 Dual is rather weak. Of course, 2600 mAh is not bad enough for a smartphone, but don't count on more than a day of active use. You can turn on the STAMINA power saving mode, but this reduces the already not very high screen brightness - it is he who is the most voracious element of the system.

The hero of this review is the Sony Xperia M5 (E5603) smartphone. Belonging to the M line indicates that we have a representative of the middle price segment. However, if the previous models of the series at one time could be safely called "middling", then with the Xperia M5 the situation is somewhat different, and here's why.

In terms of cost, performance and appearance, the Xperia M5 resembles the flagship of 2014 - the Sony Xperia Z3. Of course, with some limitations: the display is reduced, the battery capacity is reduced, plastic is used in the case, not metal, there are no stereo speakers. At the same time, in terms of performance, the novelty is almost as good as the flagship, equipped with the same camera and display with Full HD resolution.

On the other hand, when comparing the Xperia M5 with the previous "emka", namely with the Xperia M4 Aqua model, a very significant difference between the two "middle peasants" is visible. If the M4 Aqua, demonstrating quite ordinary, average parameters for its time, attracted attention only by its external similarity with the flagship, then the M5 is not inferior to the Xperia Z3 in most characteristics. No wonder the Xperia M5 received a top-end MediaTek Helio X10 processor. Unfortunately, the price difference between the two M line devices is also striking.

Sony Xperia M5 video review

As always, to get started, we invite you to watch our video review of the Sony Xperia M5 to get a visual idea of ​​​​the hero of this issue.

Design

If you are familiar with the appearance of at least one modern Sony Xperia smartphone, then you can safely say: “I know them all.” Thanks to the OmniBalance uniform design, there are practically no external differences between the Z3, M4 Aqua and M5, the whole point lies in the materials used. However, let's take a look at the Xperia M5 as if it were our first smartphone from Sony.

Let's start with pleasant information, namely, with the security of the case. In the case of the M4, the word "Aqua" was specifically placed in the name of the model, directly alluding to water protection. Sony decided not to make separate statements for the novelty, although the case still meets the IP65 / IP68 standards. We'll cover this in more detail in the next chapter, but for now, remember that despite the lack of connector covers, the M5 is completely waterproof.

Next, it is necessary to note the rounded side edges. Perhaps our opinion is subjective, but their design helps to hold the phone and makes the girth comfortable. The material of all four ends is plastic, but there are metal corners at the corners, designed to provide additional protection in case of a fall. It should be understood that their presence does not make the smartphone case shockproof. This is only a small guarantee that the first blow will not be fatal.

And now we smoothly move on to the minuses - to the main body materials. We have already said about the ends: they are all plastic. Whether this is a minus or not compared to the metal in the Z3 is up to the buyer to decide. The front is completely protected by tempered glass, the manufacturer of which Sony does not name. By the way, the smartphone that we got, being not a test, but already a completed, ready-to-sell sample, had several thin scratches on the screen. By this we want to say that extra care when storing the device will never be superfluous.

But the main disadvantage of the design is the decision to use a glass back surface. Moreover, two negative points can be noted at once. Firstly, the glass instantly collects fingerprints. A clean smartphone looks great without exaggeration. But after a few minutes of use, the back panel is completely smeared with prints, all the magnificence disappears. In the case of a black body design, the prints are more noticeable than with white or gold.

The second negative point is that the rear panel glass is very slippery. The screen size of the Xperia M5 is not the largest - "only" five inches. However, reaching the top and bottom of the screen with your thumb without moving the phone in your hand is very difficult. And at this moment there is a considerable risk that the device will slip out. As much as we would not like, it remains to recommend the only reliable way to avoid falling - a cover.

The device came to us in black - Xperia M5 Black. But there are also two colors: Xperia M5 Gold and Xperia M5 White. We like everything, and we recommend that you choose something according to your personal taste.

Connectors and controls

Recall that the body of the phone Sony Xperia M5 is protected from dust and water and meets the IP68 standard. The manufacturer repeatedly emphasizes this fact, showing colorful images of the smartphone in the water, in the rain and in other "non-traditional" conditions of use.

At the same time, some connectors, in particular the microUSB connector and the 3.5 mm audio jack, are not protected by additional plugs. However, Sony claims that they are not afraid of water, the main thing is that after getting wet they should be thoroughly dried and wiped. In general, the fact that you can take the phone with wet hands or talk in the rain is a fact. However, we cannot ignore the following remark by Sony.

According to a statement on the official website, all tests are carried out in a laboratory with certain conditions. Therefore, the phone must not be “completely submerged under water, as well as exposed to sea water, salt water, chlorinated water, and liquids such as alcoholic beverages.” Thus, Sony warns that using the M5 as an underwater camera can be detrimental to the phone, despite the high degree of protection. Of course, the warranty will be void in this case.

Now let's get down to the traditional review of the controls. Above the display is a large front camera eye, earpiece, proximity sensor and LED indicator.

There are no hardware control buttons under the display in the M5. They are being replaced by software. Here you can see only a neat slot in which the conversational microphone is hidden.

On the right side: a round metal power button, a volume rocker and a two-way button for launching the camera application.

On the left side, under the flap, there are two slots for a nano-format SIM card and a microSD memory card up to 200 GB. There are versions of the Xperia M5 Dual with support for two nano SIM cards: E5633, E5643, E5663. Their difference lies in the supported network ranges, all other characteristics are the same.

On the top is a 3.5mm audio jack for a headset and an additional microphone hole for noise reduction.

The main speaker and microUSB connector are placed on the bottom end.

The back cover is non-removable, so replacing the battery in case of such a need remains the lot of specialists. In the upper left part of it is the peephole of the main camera, next to it is an LED flash.

The SIM card and microSD card can be installed without removing the battery. Learn more about this process in our video:

In general, the set of elements of the Sony Xperia M5 is standard for the company's smartphones. Compared to many competitors, it is positively distinguished by the presence of a separate button for launching the camera and a convenient power button.

It turned out to be very easy to buy a case or a cover for the Sony Xperia M5 - their choice is very decent.

Here is a vintage wallet case for the Sony Xperia M5 that will cost about 1,500 rubles.

Such a slip case with a stand also costs 1,500 rubles. An interesting and useful solution.

A cover on the back cover of the Xperia M5 with such an interesting pattern will cost 1800 rubles. But it looks cool, you see!

If you need something cheaper, then you can find such a matte case for 1000 rubles.

Screen

Compared to the Z3, the diagonal screen size has decreased from 5.2 to 5.0 inches, the resolution remains the same, i.e. Full HD or 1920x1080 pixels. But when compared with the M4 Aqua with the same diagonal, the resolution increased from HD to Full HD. So everything is relative. In any case, at a density of 441 ppi, the image is very clear, we have no complaints from this side.

The screen is made using IPS technology, there is no air gap between the glass and the matrix (One Glass Solution technology). As a result, viewing angles are very wide. The glass of the front panel is covered with an oleophobic coating. Its effect is very easy to see if you compare the ease of removing fingerprints from the front and back panels. Supports up to ten simultaneous clicks and work with gloves.

Compared to the IPS-screen smartphones we have, everything looked good, so out of curiosity, we decided to put a low-cost device from Samsung with an AMOLED display next to the M5. As a result, for the brainchild of Sony, the comparison ended far from the best way. Colors looked duller, not as bright, not saturated. Changing the brightness level and trying to improve the image using proprietary color settings did not bring much success.

For the sake of fairness, we note that the difference is clearly visible only to a user with more experience or when directly comparing two devices lying side by side. Nevertheless, when choosing a smartphone, if the brand is not critical, we recommend paying attention to this fact.

Now let's move on to objective measurements. The maximum brightness value is 553.99 cd/m 2 . A very decent level, with viewing the image under bright sunlight there will be no problems. However, you have to pay for everything: the black brightness is 0.72 cd / m 2, at this value, the black color is too light and looks like gray. From these values ​​we calculate the contrast ratio: 769:1. Average, nothing more.

Color gamut, to put it mildly, is not ideal. The sRGB space is almost completely covered, but "almost" does not mean "completely". However, the problem is not so great that only because of it put the smartphone aside.

The color temperature graph is even, which is already good, but it exceeds the optimal value of 6500K by about 1200-1300K. A noticeable but insignificant shift towards a "colder" image. The vast majority of smartphones and tablets “sin” with such indicators.

The gamma curve of the display is very close to the 2.2 reference curve, although it constantly crosses it. This means that at one brightness level, an image with light colors will be darker than necessary, at another it will be lighter. However, with such an arrangement of curves, this will go unnoticed.

Supports up to ten simultaneous touches.

In the settings, you can try to adjust the white balance yourself. However, this is not implemented very conveniently, a set of preset values ​​\u200b\u200bof the type “cold”, “warm” and “hot”, in our opinion, would be preferable.

In general, we don’t have any particular quibbles with the screen, if we don’t take into account the noticeable difference when compared with the AMOLED screen. This moment is subjective, since the excessive color saturation of the latter is not to the liking of many users. On the other hand, we expected more from the Xperia M5 screen with a considerable smartphone cost.

Camera

An additional button to launch the camera application in the case of the Xperia M5 will be in demand: both photomodules are very good. What is the main one with a resolution of 21.2 MP, what is 13 MP front.

The camera application is standard for Sony smartphones. At first, the number of different settings, modes and effects scattered here and there can cause some difficulties in finding them. But this problem will be solved very quickly, literally in two or three sessions of working with the application.

Recall that the maximum resolution when photographing is achieved when the aspect ratio of the frame is 4:3. In this mode, black stripes remain on the sides, but more information is placed on the picture.

In good light, the photos taken by the main camera turn out to be excellent as expected. Unfortunately, we were not lucky with the weather, but it’s even better: you can see how the automation copes with the selection of parameters under normal conditions.

In the evening and at night, the quality of images decreases, which, in principle, is natural. But at the same time, both color reproduction and detailing demonstrate a relatively high level.

By default, the video is captured at the resolution set in the settings, the maximum is Full HD. To select the 4K format, you need to open the list of pre-installed camera applications. However, the result is worth spending time on additional actions. By the way, let's clarify that one minute of such a video takes up about 400 MB.

The front camera uses the same set of settings as the main camera, except for the resolution. Moreover, in the list of camera applications, you can find those that allow you to create a self-portrait with special effects. The camera accurately tracks the position of the eyes, mouth and accurately applies either makeup or eyelashes with lipstick. As for the quality, it remains only to wish that such photomodules are installed as the main ones in most smartphones.

The same goes for video. Capture is carried out with a resolution of Full HD. This is not the maximum for today, but for a selfie video it is enough.

Compared to the Z3, some characteristics of the Xperia M5 have changed, but not for the worse. In general, the performance remained at the same level, which we will confirm a little later. Compared to the M4 Aqua, a clear improvement: a more powerful MediaTek processor and graphics accelerator, increased RAM and permanent memory, support for microSD memory cards up to 200 GB.

As an opponent, we decided to choose . This device also belongs to the middle price segment and is equipped with a rather powerful Exynos 7580 processor. By the way, it was he who lay next to the M5 during the screen comparison. Therefore, it would be interesting to "push foreheads" smartphones in terms of performance.

Sony Xperia M5 is equipped with one of the most powerful MediaTek processors - MT6795 (Helio X10). It consists of eight cores ARM Cortex-A53, operating at a frequency of 1.95 GHz. MediaTek claims that this processor supports displays with a resolution of up to 2560x1600 pixels, 20 MP cameras, 1080p video recording at 480 fps, 4K video recording, from communications - LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac.

But in our case, from all of the above, the Sony Xperia M5 smartphone got only the corresponding camera and 4K video recording. The processor is complemented by a mid-range PowerVR G6200 graphics accelerator, which operates at a frequency of 700 MHz, supports DirectX 10 and OpenGL ES 3.1. Such a bundle means that the smartphone will be able to run any, even the most "heavy" game, but graphics restrictions will most likely be used. We will check this soon.

The Xperia M5 has 3 GB of RAM, just like in modern flagships. Built-in drive of 16 GB offers the user about 11 free. Free space can be expanded with a microSD card up to 200 GB. They didn’t save on memory, which pleases.

In conclusion, we recall the fact that we demonstrated in the video review. The fact is that the launch speed of some applications is slightly, but inferior to the speed of similar actions on inexpensive smartphones with budget processors. In addition, the MT6795 noticeably heats up even while surfing through the menu and when performing simple operations. We believe that an update will be released in the near future, for example, Android 5.1, which will optimize the performance of the processor.

Performance Testing

As we have already said, the rival of the hero of the review was the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016). Both smartphones belong to the middle level, equipped with approximately the same processors, video cards and screens. Let's see what the tests show.

We can say that the overall performance tests showed a draw. Quite the expected result.

In the system-wide test, the Xperia M5 took the lead. Noticeable, but not too serious.

In yet another overall test, the Xperia M5 comes out ahead. Again slightly, but the general trend towards victory over the Samsung A5 (2016) is already visible.

Nenamark 2 is already quite an old graphic test, which obviously decided not to quarrel with anyone and award a draw.

But in the modern graphics test, the PowerVR G6200 video card showed an almost twofold superiority over the Mali-T720. I wonder how she will behave in games? At one time, those games that were launched on the Samsung A5 (2016) showed a very good result.

In testing the autonomy of devices, Samsung wins. Frankly, we expected his superiority, but also expected that the gap would be greater. The battery capacity of the A5 (2016) is 300 mAh larger, in addition, the smartphone is equipped with a more modest AMOLED display in power consumption. Apparently, the proprietary Media CorePilot energy-saving technology, which is implemented in version 2.0 in the MT6795, worked.

The graph of detailed energy consumption shows a familiar picture. Gaming consumes the most energy, followed by surfing the Internet over Wi-Fi or cellular networks, and watching videos.

STAMINA and Ultra STAMINA modes will increase the life of your smartphone. But there is no special secret in their work. When one of the modes is activated, almost everything or everything is turned off, leaving a modest set of the most necessary applications available. In principle, such a trick is not difficult to perform on another smartphone.

Based on our tests, the Sony Xperia M5 slightly outperformed the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) in every way except for a slight lag in battery life. Considering that the South Korean device itself has good performance, the smartphone from Sony justified its belonging to the upper level of the middle price segment.

Games on Sony Xperia M5

Unlike Samsung's own Exynos processor, MediaTek's model does not experience such problems when running games. There are exceptions, but they, as they say, only confirm the rule.

• Riptide GP2: did not start;

• Asphalt 7: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Asphalt 8: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Modern Combat 5: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• N.O.V.A. 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Trigger: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Trigger 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Real Racing 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Need for Speed: No Limits: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Shadowgun: Dead Zone: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Frontline Commando: Normandy: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Frontline Commando 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Eternity Warriors 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Eternity Warriors 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Eternity Warriors 4: some delays are visible;

• Trial Xtreme 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Trial Xtreme 4: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• dead effect: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Dead Effect 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Plants vs Zombies 2: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• Iron Man 3: excellent, the game does not slow down;

• dead target: excellent, the game does not slow down.

Looking at the results, it becomes clear why the graphics card needs so much power. And let the phone live in the game mode for only four hours, but all this time will be spent with pleasure.

ON

The Sony Xperia M5 runs Android 5.0 Lollipop. At the moment, there is no information about updating to version 5.1.

If earlier Sony preferred to radically change the appearance of the system, then the modern Xperia UI graphical shell gently complements the updated “axis”.

In general, Sony has worked hard to ensure that most users do not have the desire to install third-party launchers. The design is pleasing to the eye, access to the settings is simple and intuitive. The main applications, for example, contacts and dialer, are standard.

Pleasantly pleased with small, but very useful improvements that were previously available only as separate applications. For example, your order of shortcuts in the application menu. A trifle, but allowing you to significantly save time when searching for the right applications.

The notification panel is left unchanged, i.e. using the standard panel for Android 5.0. In addition to viewing notifications, here you can set up a list of icons for quick access and switch to another user's profile.

And so far we have met this option only in smartphones from Sony. With its help, you can specify which system icons will be displayed on the notification panel on the right.

Other personalization options include choice of themes, with new themes available to download from the web, clock look and background images for the desktop and lock screen.

An interesting branded "chip": tracking short-term inclusions of the device to view the time. In this case, the phone will be limited to the minimum performance resources, which should also ensure that the battery is saved.

Sony pays considerable attention to a set of applications. First of all, we note several information programs: What`s New and Sociallife news aggregators, Xperia Care technical support, entertainment content in the Xperia Lounge.

TrackID is an analogue of the well-known Shazam music recognition application.

SmartConnect and PlayStation App - the first application is used to interact with various accessories, the second can be used to access the game profile and as an additional console control panel.

To store images, Sony offers to use the PlayMemories Online web storage. A couple of simple programs for image and video processing are also provided.

AVG antivirus with PRO functions is responsible for data security for a period of 180 days.

Finally, let's note Sony PC Companion - a rather convenient program that simplifies access to the contents of the phone: multimedia content, contacts, calendar. With its help, you can update the software of the phone.

Conclusion

According to its characteristics, the Sony Xperia M5 has gone far from the previous “emka” and is as close as possible to the flagship of 2014 - the Z3 model. What is especially pleasant, the cost of the device is noticeably lower than the flagship one, while in appearance they cannot be distinguished.

We find it difficult to say objectively whether the price / quality balance turned out to be successful, since some users may simply not pay attention to the shortcomings we have listed, while for others they will become critical.

One of our main concerns concerns the screen. Despite a good supply of brightness, it seems dull, and the colors are inexpressive. This is very clearly seen when compared with Samsung's Super AMOLED, which it already puts in inexpensive smartphones. There is no light sensor, so you will have to adjust the brightness yourself.

The second minus is the glass of the rear panel, slippery and easily soiled. Xperia M5, without false modesty, can consider itself a beautiful smartphone that stands out from most competitors with a recognizable appearance. But the glass stained with prints in the case of a black case will reduce all enthusiasm to zero. Would a customer want to hide a designer device in a plastic or leather hide?

On the other side of the scale is the performance of the flagship of 2014, with its results on a good example, you could see in the chapter on games. Despite the comment above, the screen pleases with a clear picture. And, of course, the smartphone is equipped with two excellent cameras.

Sony Xperia M5 price

At the time of the review, the Sony brand store offers to buy the Xperia M5 for 29 thousand rubles. A model with support for two SIM-cards costs a thousand rubles more. The price is not the lowest, so there are enough competitors.

It is impossible not to recall the recently reviewed Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016). At the moment, its cost is approximately 25-26 thousand rubles, while the characteristics are not much inferior to the rival from Sony. The South Korean device is equipped with an excellent 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution, an 8-core Exynos 7580 processor, 2 GB of RAM and 16 built-in memory, an LTE module, a more capacious battery, a good camera and, finally, a chic metal case.

The OnePlus X (E1003) Black model is in great demand. Its cost is even lower - from 22 to 24 thousand rubles. However, a considerable number of good reviews call for a closer look at the device. Compared to Sony, it loses only in the quality of pictures and videos, but otherwise it is not inferior, but in some ways it surpasses its competitor. For example, a matrix made using AMOLED technology. Its characteristics: 5-inch Full HD screen, fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 4-core processor, 3 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, 13 MP main camera, LTE, GPS / GLONASS / BeiDou navigation and Android 5.1 “stuffed” with improvements.

Pros:

• Sony corporate design;
• convenient placement of controls;
• separate camera control button;
• high screen resolution;
• excellent cameras;
• high performance;
• housing protection IP68.

Minuses:

• soiled and slippery rear window;
• dull, inexpressive screen colors (subjectively);
• noticeable thoughtfulness when launching applications;
• high price.

It lost the word Aqua in the title, but did not lose the main thing - protection against dust and moisture according to the IP68 standard. In addition to it, the model is interesting with aptX support, which makes it a tempting offer in its price category for those who love sound, but do not like wires. Also, Sony seems to be pinning their hopes on the Xperia M5 as a device for selfie fans, because the front camera is so healthy (and it has a whopping 13 megapixels!). If you put all these things together, you get such a good option for a smartphone with an eye on the youth-hipster audience: not cheap, not the most expensive and strong in what this class of users likes.

What is it?

The Xperia M5 occupies a difficult place in the manufacturer's lineup. On the one hand, the device costs much less than current flagships, on the other hand, it is inferior to them in terms of characteristics purely symbolically. This is a 5-inch Android smartphone in a waterproof case with a powerful Mediatek processor (and devices with it are not expensive) and two high-resolution cameras (21 and 13 megapixels for the main and front, respectively). In addition to cameras, the smartphone is interesting with aptX support (that is, it can transmit sound “over the air” without loss of quality) and a price of about 400 euros (11 thousand hryvnias or 29 thousand rubles). In fact, for this money it has everything for a practical, pretentious buyer: an expensive brand, and a sane price, and water protection, and speed sufficient for most, and long battery life, and the same cameras in a good and bad sense . There is also a very massive size of the body and exactly the same awkward angularity in life. To be honest, as I used the Sony Xperia M5, I kept less and less arguments in favor of the company's flagships for those who remain fans of the brand. But first things first.

What's with the hull?

He is angular. Sometimes colorful, sometimes black.

For video, there is a separate recording mode in 4K and Timeshift (this is with a high frame rate). But in the example below - the usual shooting in FullHD.

What are the alternatives?

For its price, the device competes with the 2016 Samsung Galaxy A7. In fact, the device is more interesting in everything (design, ergonomics, camera, the presence of a perfectly working fingerprint sensor), except for those things in which smartphones are equal (performance, autonomy) and except for moisture protection and aptX support. The device even earned an editorial award.

In general, the protection according to the IP68 standard, which the device flaunts, elevates it above all competitors in the eyes of users who are not indifferent to this parameter. But I, as a person who has never “drowned” my smartphone so far, is not ready to put it at the forefront. You may have your own priorities. And if moisture protection is not such (and the Sony brand, for example, too), then we also recommend that if you have 11-12 thousand hryvnias or 30 thousand rubles in your pocket, pay attention to the LG Nexus 5X (read its review at the same time). There is a chic camera and always fresh Android. There is also a fingerprint sensor. And aptX is available.

If you are chasing maximum performance for your money, then within the budget your choice is Meizu Pro 5. It is also rather weak with a camera, there is no moisture protection and it works half as much. But it is metal, it is more difficult to break it, it has a larger screen, a more powerful processor, more internal memory and there is a version with as much as 4 GB of RAM!

In the dry matter

The Sony Xperia M5 impressed me almost as well as its predecessor. The smartphone is comfortable to use, holds a charge for a long time and can transmit sound to Bluetooth headphones in excellent quality. But there is one caveat: in the same price category, he has at least three serious competitors, each of which I also really like. In order to choose the Sony Xperia M5 from this four, the potential owner of the device should be a connoisseur of the brand, moisture protection and Sony corporate design, and most importantly, understand that he pays for his favorite brand, too, because in general, for this money you can buy more sophisticated smartphone.

5 reasons to buy Sony Xperia M5:

• the housing is protected against dust and moisture according to the IP68 standard;
• there is aptX support;
• in the dual-sim model, the slot for the memory card is separate, for the SIM-separately;
• excellent autonomy;
• you love Sony but aren't sure you're ready to splurge on a top model.

2 reasons not to buy Sony Xperia M5:

• mediocre camera;
• high price: for such money you can buy a cooler smartphone.

Specifications Sony Xperia M5
Operating system	Android 5.0
SIM card	nanoSIM, two
Display	IPS, 5 inches, 1920x1080 pixels, 441 ppi, support for work with gloves
Frame	dimensions 145x72x8 mm, weight 143 g
CPU	Mediatek MT6795 Helio X10, octa-core Cortex-A53, 2GHz, PowerVR G6200 graphics
RAM	3 GB
Flash memory	16 GB, support for memory cards up to 200 GB
Camera	21 MP, f/2.2, phase detection autofocus, augmented reality function, 4K video recording, LED backlight; front camera 13 MP, f/2.0, video recording [email protected]
Wireless technologies	Wi-Fi a/b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.1 (A2DP, LE, aptX), NFC
Navigation	GPS, GLONASS
Radio	there is
Battery	2600 mAh

New generation Sony Xperia smartphones began to appear in Russian stores. True, the flagships Z5 and Z5 Compact are expected no earlier than the end of the month. In the meantime, the most interesting is the Xperia M5 - a mid-range smartphone with an eight-core MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 processor and a price of just under 30 thousand rubles. Recently, the model began to be sold in retail.

Over the past year, the technical capabilities of mid-range smartphones have grown significantly. In fact, they received the characteristics of the flagships of 2014. Of course, this also affected the price. And it affected with a minus sign. Now devices of an average price level cost an average of 25-30 thousand rubles (15-20 thousand rubles a year earlier).

At Sony, the Xperia M5 model became the representative of this class, which outwardly tried to make it as similar as possible to the Xperia Z3. In technical terms, the device was "packed" in full. There is a display with Full HD resolution, and an eight-core system-on-a-chip, and three gigabytes of “RAM”, and support for LTE, and two advanced cameras, and, of course, protection from dust and moisture.

Specifications of the smartphone Sony Xperia M5

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Operating System: Android 5.0 Lollipop

Display: 5 inches, IPS, resolution 1920x1080, 441 ppi, protective glass

Processor: MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 2.0GHz (8 cores, Cortex-A53), PowerVR G6200 graphics

RAM: 3 GB

Built-in flash memory: 16 GB (user available 10 GB), support for micro SDHC microSDHC (up to 128 GB)

Mobile communication: support for two nano SIM cards, GSM 900/1800, 3G 900/2100, LTE 800/900/1800/2600 MHz networks (LTE Cat.4)

Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11 (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1, NFC

Camera: 21.2 megapixels - main, with autofocus, video recording 1920x1080, front - 13 megapixels

Navigation: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Google maps preinstalled

Battery: 2600 mAh, Li-Ion

Dimensions: 145x72x7.6mm

Weight: 142.5g

Additional features: protection against dust and splash water according to protection class IP65/68

Dimensions. Contents of delivery

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The Xperia M5 comes in a standard hardboard box for all Sony models. The packaging is a transformer that hides, in addition to the device itself, an adapter for a charger from a contact network, a USB cable, instructions and a warranty card. There is no headset included. It will have to be purchased additionally.

Delivery set includes:

• Phone Sony Xperia M5 (E5633)
• USB charger adapter
• PC synchronization cable
• Instructions

First impressions of the Xperia M5 are positive. The device lies well in the hands. It can be put in the pocket of any clothing. The dimensions of the model are 145x72x7.6 mm, and the weight is 142.5 g.

The smartphone is convenient to use. The weight is evenly distributed throughout the body. The only thing is that in order to reach the corners of the screen, you need to use both hands.

Design, construction

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The Sony Xperia M5 looks great. From a distance, it generally resembles the Sony Xperia Z3 - the one made of metal and glass. True, it is worth picking up the device, as you notice that all its gloss and metal are not real. To reduce the cost of the device, plastic and shiny paint were used here. The exception is the steel corners on the sides (should reduce the level of damage when falling).

The front and back sides of the device are protected by tempered glass, resistant to scratches and other minor damage. Fingerprints remain on the glass, despite the oleophobic coating. However, having a special coating helps out. It can be seen that it works.

Along the perimeter of the front side there is a millimeter protrusion that protects the screen from friction when the device is placed face down.

In general, the smartphone makes a good impression, but there is no feeling that you have an expensive accessory in front of you. Build quality. Nothing creaks. There are no cracks or gaps.

The side frames around the display are quite wide - the screen occupies only two thirds of the front panel area (approximately 66.2%), which is frankly small. There is plenty of free space below and above the screen. At the bottom of the front panel, for example, there is nothing at all - the standard Android navigation keys ("Open applications", "Home" and "Back") are virtual, located on the display.

Above the screen is a 13 megapixel front camera lens. By its appearance alone, one can clearly determine that the “webcam” in a smartphone is not easy. On the left, there are spatial orientation sensors, etc.

In terms of ergonomics, the Xperia M5 is no different from other Sony smartphones. The power key is round, with a short and distinct stroke. It is located on the right side of the device. Nearby are the volume buttons and a hardware key to activate the camera. Shooting with the latter is much more convenient than using the virtual touch buttons in the viewfinder.

On the left side surface you can see slots for two Nano-SIMs and a microSD memory card. They are covered with a plastic cap. To ensure protection against dust and water, the plug must fit snugly against the housing. This is worth remembering.

On the top edge of the smartphone there is a hole for connecting a wired headset (3.5 mm jack). Below you can see the microUSB 2.0 output for connecting to a computer and charging. It is noteworthy that it is also protected from water ingress, although it does not have a plastic plug. Next to it is an external speaker slot. The volume is quite high here, although at the maximum the sound becomes slightly hoarse. In general, decent, but worse than on the standard in terms of sound -.

On the rear panel is the main lens, 21.2 megapixel camera and LED flash.

The devices are available in three colors: black, gold and white. I had the last option for testing. By the way, fingerprints and traces of use are the least visible on the white case. The gold and, especially, the black version lose.

The build quality of the Sony Xperia M5 is good. The smartphone is assembled at a factory in China.

Screen. Graphic features

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Sony Xperia M5 screen size is 5 inches, FullHD resolution (1920x1080 pix). Pixel density - 440.6 dpi.

Needless to say, the display is good. Pixel borders are not visible, no matter how you look. Fonts, even small ones, look very sharp - it is pleasant to read from the display of this smartphone, the eyes do not get tired. Movies and photos also look great. The picture is even and bright, the colors are vibrant and contrasting. Viewing angles are maximum. Of the minuses - there is no light sensor.

The device supports up to ten simultaneous touches, understands gestures without problems and responds to touches in loose gloves.

On the street, the display fades slightly, but the anti-glare coating helps to make information legible in any weather, except for the desperate sun.

Hardware platform: processor, memory, speed

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Sony Xperia M5 is equipped with a MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 chip with a 2.0 GHz processor (8 cores). The amount of RAM is 3 GB. The amount of built-in flash memory is 16 GB. The built-in memory can be expanded using microSD cards.

If we talk about the speed of work, then the gadget is fast enough. The interface works smoothly. Although it is clear that more expensive devices work faster. A couple of times during testing, when opening more than 10 applications, including a browser and a camera, the body of the Xperia M5 warmed up noticeably. When closing part of the programs, the temperature decreased. In parallel with this, the smartphone started to work a little slower, but there were no freezes.

Summing up the performance, I note that it is sufficient. On the Xperia M5, you can comfortably watch movies, use the browser and play games. However, "heavy" applications, especially if you open more than two of them, can slow down the performance.

Communication options

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The Sony Xperia M5 has two nano SIM card slots. However, there is only one radio module. For this reason, you cannot speak on two numbers at the same time. In the settings, you can choose one of two color schemes, alerts for each card.

The smartphone supports all modern communication networks: 2G/3G and 4G cat. 4 on Russian frequencies. Talking on the M5 is comfortable. The speaker has a good volume margin, and the interlocutors did not complain about poor hearing during testing.

The device can work with all modern wireless networks. Among them are dual-frequency Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n, Bluetooth version 4.1 and NFC. All modules work quickly and without failures.

Of the additional communication tools, it is worth noting GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou (standard Google Maps cartography is built into the smartphone). The navigation error radius during testing is about 3 meters, which is very small. The gadget perfectly copes with the role of a navigator.

The only thing the Xperia M5 lacks is an infrared port. As a result, the device cannot be used as a remote control.

Working time

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The smartphone has a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 2600 mAh. Under test conditions, with the number of calls 35-40 minutes a day, browsing the Internet for about 2 hours via 4G, listening to an mp3 player through a headset for about 2 hours a day, the device worked for 20 hours. When watching a video, the Xperia M5 worked for 5 hours, in navigator mode - just over 3 hours. As a result, the device had to be charged every day.

In terms of autonomy, the device is no different from the vast majority of other Android smartphones.

Traditionally, Sony provides a lot of advanced software energy-saving algorithms - STAMINA, Ultra STAMINA, data queuing and others. In STAMINA mode, you can limit background data transfer. The unloading of running applications from RAM after the screen is turned off is immediately configured. You can limit the frequency of the processor.

The battery is charged for about two hours.

User interface and operating system

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Sony Xperia M5 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system. The interface is different from stock Android, but these changes are minimal. Of the obvious differences, I can note the design of the Phone and Calendar applications. They are typical for Sony.

Even in the Xperia M5, the Sony branded keyboard is installed by default. In this case, it is possible to return to the standard Android keyboard. Audio and video applications are also the Japanese company's own development.

The standard set of applications is supplemented by a Facebook client, a TrackID music recognizer and a couple of news aggregators - both for those who like to follow show business and fashion, and for severe connoisseurs of political and technical news.

Music and multimedia features

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The Music app is a branded media player for Android with an original design from Sony that allows you to listen to music, download covers, edit tags.

The application has an intuitive user interface, playlist editor, search, folder selection, fast scrolling and many other features to make your work with audio files more enjoyable.

The program is capable of playing/displaying any data format that is directly supported by the mobile device itself (the device supports MP4, 3GP, AVI, MKV, WEBM, FLV, TS video formats). Able to adjust its interface according to the color of the cover of the song.

There is an FM radio, which has recently been found not in all Android devices. Watching the video is also a complete order.

Camera. Photo and video capabilities

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Sony did not stint on cameras. The Xperia M5 has two.

The main one received a 21-megapixel sensor and an f / 2.2 aperture lens. The gadget is equipped with a hybrid auto focus system. It combines contrast and phase methods of focusing. Theoretically, this should significantly speed up the process of aiming at the subject. Sony says that the gadget focuses in 0.25 seconds.

The maximum resolution of pictures of the main camera is 5312x3984 pixels (21 megapixels) with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and 5344x3008 pixels (16 megapixels) with a frame aspect ratio of 16:9.

The camera interface is standard for Sony smartphones - it is very easy to deal with it. The shell contains all the standard software options like "AR-effect", "multi-camera", "Portrait in style", Sound photo, Timeshift video and others. Also, the smartphone can record video in the newfangled 4K format.

The main camera shoots well. She is not afraid of bright light, carefully works out the details. The sharpness of the photos is decent across the entire field of the frame. The colors in the pictures are realistic, the automation copes well with the selection of parameters for shooting. In all the photographs presented, whether taken in bright natural light or artificial, there are no obvious artifacts.