Sony Xperia T review

Considering it’s the phone 007 will be using in Skyfall later this year, it should come as no surprise that the Xperia T is a high-end smartphone that’s packed with features. It’s a formidable high-end device on paper, with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 4.6in HD display and 13-megapixel camera, but specifications alone won’t be enough to give Sony the all-conquering handset it has been seeking since buying out Ericsson earlier in the year.

Rejecting the angular lines seen in the Sony Xperia S, the Xperia T instead opts for a more textured rear and curved edges. These help it sit comfortably in your hand, despite the phone’s size and weight – at 139g it’s heavier than Apple, HTC and Samsung’s flagship phones and at 9.4mm it’s thicker too. Sat side by side, the Xperia certainly sticks out, but it’s hardly an ugly duckling. Our review unit came in two-tone sliver and black, though we much prefer the all-black version of the handset.

The machined metal power, volume and camera buttons are a nice touch, although their positioning feels too low down the right side of the device – you have to stretch your thumb awkwardly or hold the phone at an angle to reach them if you’re right handed, although it’s less of a problem for lefties.

The entire unit is sealed, so there’s no way to remove the battery, but there is at least a MicroSD card slot next to the MicroSIM card slot for future expansion if you use up the 16GB of internal storage. Unfortunately it’s covered by a rather flimsy plastic flap that might get damaged if caught when pulling the phone out of a pocket or bag. The headphone jack on the top and microUSB port on the left side are both uncovered – the latter also doubles as an HDMI output using an MHL adaptor. Wireless connectivity includes 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, DLNA support, Wi-Fi Direct and NFC.

Depending how you hold your phone these buttons are either perfectly placed or awkward to use

Sony has used on-screen buttons rather than physical ones, meaning the 4.6in LCD display takes up the entire front face of the phone. It’s a beauty, thanks to the 1,280×720 resolution and Sony’s own Bravia mobile engine display tweaks which improve image and video playback by sharpening pictures, increasing contrast and removing digital noise. It works brilliantly, rendering text sharply, giving icons a crisp appearance and really showing off your photos. It can be a little tricky to see in bright sunlight, and the screen itself is a magnet for dust and fingerprints, but these aren’t major issues.