Smartphones that have fallen into water or become clogged with dust and small debris have become a major source of inspiration for electronics manufacturers between 2013 and 2014. It was during this period that there was a boom in devices that meet IP 65/68 standards, protecting phones from water and dust. Each flagship could boast a new standard of protection. In this review, we’ll talk about one of the devices that has the function of protecting against water ingress and is at the same time in the middle price category. We are talking about the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua. W3bsit3-dns.com and other “near-gadget” resources have already made their verdicts, calling the smartphone a typical average smartphone with functions atypical for an average person. Let's take a closer look at it.

Positioning

For a long time, Sony remained the main manufacturer of waterproof smartphones. Just 10 years ago, rugged phones were bulky and ugly handsets that hardly resembled stylish consumer gadgets. Nowadays, secure smartphones cannot be distinguished from the consumer solutions we are all familiar with. The Sony D2403 Xperia M2 Aqua phone is a clear confirmation of this. The price threshold for such devices has also decreased. Previously, dust and water protection standards were the province of only expensive, premium gadgets. Sony corrected the situation by releasing the most affordable device with the same protective properties as its older brothers.

In fact, the new model is made on the basis of the already existing Sony Xperia M2 with the only difference being that it has become less premium, style and more functionality. Despite its position in the budget segment, the device has a number of features that are atypical for its price. This concerns not only moisture protection, but also support for fourth generation networks (LTE), which is very important, especially today, as well as the emergence of a full-fledged NFC module. Unfortunately, due to the introduction of the LTE module and the IP68 protection standard, the manufacturer apparently had to sacrifice the technical equipment of the device. As a result, Sony has come up with a good entry-level model that will suit all those who are looking at the products of the Japanese company and want to test the crowning features of Xperia phones without much expense.

Equipment

This time, Sony's delivery package is the most spartan - in the classic packaging we were able to find only the essentials:

• The smartphone itself.
• Micro-USB cable (for charging and synchronizing data with a computer).
• USB power adapter (220 volts).

Specifications

Display: 4.8 inches, 960 x 540, IPS.

Processor: Snapdragon 400, 4 cores, 1200 MHz.

Graphics: Adreno 305.

Memory: 1 GB RAM, 8 GB permanent memory.

Cameras: 8 megapixels main, 0.3 megapixels front.

Battery: 2330 mAh.

Case design and materials

Dimensions: 140 x 72 x 8.6 mm.

Weight: 149 grams.

Sony is one of the few Android smartphone manufacturers that adhere to strict unification of the external design of their gadgets. The signature Omni Balance design, which originated with the Xperia brand, migrates from device to device, regardless of its price category. On the one hand, such attention to detail and strict adherence to style is pleasing, because even owners of budget phones get a beautiful device, on the other hand, they are no longer so easy to distinguish from each other. Omni Balance is the same beautiful rectangles with smoothed edges and a minimum amount of gaps. The model under review uses inexpensive plastic instead of the usual glass. The material used is more practical, reliable, but at the same time it is very easily soiled and also collects small scratches, although they are less noticeable here than on glass. By the way, scratches are much more noticeable on the black version than on the white version (the one like the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua D2403 White), user reviews confirm this. When pressure is applied to the case, a crunching sound is heard, the lid flexes strongly, the display “floats” (smears appear), but all these effects are noticeable only with a fairly strong physical impact. It’s unlikely that in real-life use anyone will mock the phone like that, but the aftertaste remains. In general, the case is stronger than the M2 model, meaning resistance to drops and shocks.

As for ergonomics, everything is in order, as always, the beveled corners do not rest on the palm and do not cut it, and the matte plastic ensures a firm fit of the smartphone in the hand. There are plugs throughout the case - they protect the smartphone from water. The solution is quite ambiguous; today many manufacturers put plugs inside, but at the time of the release of the M2 Aqua, Sony did not offer anything else, so you will have to tinker with the moisture protection manually.

Controls, ports

The entire front panel is occupied by the display. Above it you can see the company logo, a camera and a hidden speaker. Despite the presence of a massive frame at the bottom of the case, there are no physical control keys on the phone, only on-screen buttons: “Back”, “Home”, and a menu with running programs. On the top edge there is a standard headphone jack (3.5 mm port, also known as mini-jack), on the bottom end there is a speaker - both under a plug. A USB 2.0 port is hidden on the left. All other elements are concentrated on the right: a SIM card slot, a memory card slot, a power key and a phone lock, and a camera shutter (triggered only when pressed twice). At the back you can see the camera, flash and microphone.

Communications

Equipped with a standard set of communication tools, both wired and wireless:

• There is support for Wi-Fi operating at 802.11 b/n/g frequencies.
• Bluetooth 4.0.
• USB 2.0.
• NFC module for making contactless payments and interacting with other NFC modules (for example, for transferring files from phone to phone).
• Miracast technology for broadcasting images from a smartphone to a TV that supports Smart-TV.
• Built-in FM module (you can listen to the radio without connecting to the network).

Display

The smartphone has a fairly compact display by today's standards, its diagonal is only 4.8 inches. There is an anti-reflective coating, but it is not of very high quality, and there is almost no benefit from it. There is an air gap between the glass and the display itself, due to which the screen becomes unreadable in direct sunlight, and this is the biggest problem with the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua D2403. I was pleased with the touchscreen, it understands touches the first time and supports so-called multi-finger gestures. Oleophobic coating is also available, its quality leaves much to be desired, it is not easy to clean, but the finger glides confidently. The screen is built on an IPS matrix, its resolution is 960 x 540 pixels (PPI value - 230), aspect ratio - 16:10, which is ideal for watching movies and videos on YouTube. Overall the picture is not bad, the pixelation is noticeable, but not too annoying. Color rendition is not ideal, but most users will not notice any inaccuracies, except for excessively cool tones at reduced brightness, and even those are leveled out if it is increased. Viewing angles are not maximum and, in general, far from such, despite the use of IPS technology, colors are inverted even with minimal tilt.

Processor and graphics

The heart of the gadget is a processor from Qualcomm, Snapdragon 400. This chip has 4 cores, the frequency of each of which reaches 1200 MHz. When creating the chip, a 28-nanometer technical process was used, which has a positive effect on the power consumption of the processor, and therefore on the operating time of the phone on a single charge. Performance on par with competitors. As for the smoothness of working with the system (interface, scrolling lists), everything is at a very decent level, the system works smoothly, without microlags, at least under light load. In terms of performance, this chip is not so good; it cannot handle heavy programs and tasks like video conversion, and it’s probably not worth doing this on a smartphone. In synthetic tests, the device showed the following results:

• Geekbench - 1121 points.
• Antutu - 19053 points.

Adreno 305 is responsible for graphics performance. You should not expect impressive results from this graphics subsystem. You can play on your smartphone, but preferably something simple. New products and games with complex 3D graphics run only on low graphics settings and with an unstable frame rate (often sags in detailed scenes).

Memory

The processor and graphics are complemented by 1 GB of LPDDR3 RAM. In general, the problem with all famous manufacturers is that they even skimp on things like RAM, thereby significantly reducing the performance and capabilities of their devices. The Chinese offer gadgets with 2 GB of RAM for the same money, which has a positive effect on system speed and multitasking capabilities. The main memory in the device is also small, only 8 GB, of which 3 GB are occupied by the operating system and firmware. You can correct the situation by installing a memory card; the phone supports cards up to 32 GB.

Autonomy

The battery has a capacity of 2330 mAh. Quite a significant volume for such a compact device. As a result of independent testing, the smartphone showed the following battery life results:

• The hero of the review lived in talk mode for 11 hours.
• In video playback mode - 8 hours.
• In game mode - 2 hours 30 minutes.

The manufacturer also promises 600 hours of standby time and 37 hours of audio playback (with the screen locked, of course). With all this, charging the device takes almost 3 hours. Unfortunately, fast charging technology has not been introduced, which means you will have to charge your phone before going to bed.

Cameras

In the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua, the camera is clearly not its strong point. It can be seen that, as in the case of the display, the manufacturer made a compromise and decided to save money. The smartphone is equipped with two cameras: the main one with a resolution of 8 megapixels and the front one with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels (VGA). The front photo module does not deserve attention at all. What can I say about him? VGA is VGA. The picture is terrible even in good lighting conditions. It’s a shame to use such a camera on Skype, not to mention taking selfies on Instagram. The main module is better, but again inferior to competitors. The detail of the images is poor; only the software algorithm saves you from unnecessary noise (it really does a good job). In poor visibility conditions there are almost no artifacts, but the brightness is not impressive either. The flash does not help in this case, but it allows the smartphone to work as a flashlight. White balance is on par with competitors. You can achieve more or less good pictures by shooting in manual mode, and only if you have the appropriate skills.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	72 mm (millimeters) 7.2 cm (centimeters) 0.24 ft (feet) 2.83 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	140 mm (millimeters) 14 cm (centimeters) 0.46 ft (feet) 5.51 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	8.6 mm (millimeters) 0.86 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.34 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	149 g (grams) 0.33 lbs 5.26 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	86.69 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.26 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Black White
Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified.	IP65 IP68

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies.	GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz
UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology.	UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz UMTS 900 MHz (D2403) UMTS 1700/2100 MHz (D2406) UMTS 1900 MHz (D2406)
LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced.	LTE 2600 MHz LTE 700 MHz (D2406) LTE 1700/2100 MHz (D2406) LTE 800 MHz (D2403) LTE 850 MHz (D2403) LTE 900 MHz (D2403 LTE 1800 MHz (D2403) LTE 2100 MHz (D2403)

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8926-2
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A7
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory.	1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	4
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1200 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc.	Qualcomm Adreno 305
Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications.	1
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	1 GB (gigabytes)

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	TFT
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	4.8 in (inches) 121.92 mm (millimeters) 12.19 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.35 in (inches) 59.77 mm (millimeters) 5.98 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.18 in (inches) 106.26 mm (millimeters) 10.63 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.	540 x 960 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on screen with clearer detail.	229 ppi (pixels per inch) 90 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	63.22% (percentage)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera.	Sony Exmor RS
Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device.	CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor)
Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image.	3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Digital image stabilization Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition Setting White Balance ISO Setting Self-timer

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser.

HTML HTML5 CSS 3

Audio file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.

Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours.	2300 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Lithium-ion)
2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network.	11 hours 14 minutes 11.2 h (hours) 673.8 min (minutes) 0.5 days
2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	595 h (hours) 35700 min (minutes) 24.8 days
3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.	12 hours 7 minutes 12.1 h (hours) 726.6 min (minutes) 0.5 days
3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	641 h (hours) 38460 min (minutes) 26.7 days
4G latency 4G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 4G network.	543 h (hours) 32580 min (minutes) 22.6 days
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.	Fixed

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device close to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the ICNIRP guidelines of 1998.	0.656 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards.	0.862 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Head SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are regulated by the CTIA, and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values.	0.69 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)
Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard.	1.25 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)

Somehow the Japanese decided to please their fans by releasing a middle-class smartphone model that would have a water-protected body, like the expensive models in the line - and that’s how the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua turned out. Despite all the similarities with the Xperia M2 model, on the basis of which the new phone was built, so to speak, it should be considered a completely new model, and not an upgrade or improvement. The smartphone became the first device on the mass market to receive IP65/68 certification, and even at a minimum, because of this, users may show interest in it. Well, now Sony Xperia M2 Aqua review in order.

Case dimensions, design and materials

Externally, the Xperia M2 Aqua and Xperia M2 are like twin brothers, and you can’t argue with that. The physical dimensions of the waterproof phone are 140 x 72 x 8.6 mm, which is a fraction of a millimeter larger than that of the “brotherly” model, and the weight is 149 grams, which is only 1 gram more. Such small changes are the result of the IP65/68 certification of the case, and now you can safely buy a smartphone, just don’t forget about the tightly closed plugs.

Visually, and tactilely in this regard, it is difficult to tell the difference. It is visible only thanks to individual elements of the case - the 3.5 mm headphone jack is covered with a protective plug to prevent water from getting into it. As we remember, older models have a special open connector, and in this case the Japanese took a similar path as in the Xperia Z, probably in order to keep the price of the smartphone down.

The second difference is the back cover - in the Xperia M2 it was made of glossy plastic, in the Xperia M2 Aqua the cover became matte, making the smartphone more pleasant to the touch, better held in the hand and collecting fewer fingerprints.

The color scheme of the case has also changed slightly - instead of the purple version, the phone in copper color went on sale.

Display

The Xperia M2 Aqua received a display similar in size and resolution to its predecessor - a 4.8-inch screen with a resolution of 960 by 540 pixels, only now it is an IPS matrix with good viewing angles, better color rendition and contrast, and the brightness is very good . Despite the presence of Gorilla Glass 3, it collects prints well - the video oliophobic coating is not the best; in direct sunlight there may be some reflective effect from it.

Hardware and performance

In technical terms, the smartphone is no different from its predecessor - a 4-core Snapdragon 400 chipset with a frequency of 1.2 GHz, an Adreno 305 video accelerator and 1 GB of RAM. This is a very energy-intensive hardware that has proven itself both in terms of performance and in terms of charge consumption with proper software optimization, which the Xperia M2 Aqua has no problems with - everything is at a high level. The smartphone copes well with all tasks, including 3D games and applications. Synthetic test results:

In the battery test, the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua also shows good results - its 2300 mAh battery is enough to provide a couple of days of smartphone operation on a single charge under above-average loads.

User interface and software

The speed of the interface is pleasantly surprising - everything is smooth and without brakes, which once again confirms the good optimization of the software. The smartphone comes pre-installed with a number of proprietary applications and utilities; the memory is not too cluttered with unnecessary software junk.

Camera

You can take pictures underwater with your smartphone thanks to the presence of a mechanical shutter button. The main camera is an 8 Megapixel ExmorRS matrix with autofocus and LED flash. The camera interface is classic like the other models in the line: there are all the necessary modes, options and applications for the camera. It is worth noting that the “Super Auto Mode” is launched from the button.

HDR pictures:

Example of video recorded on a FullHD 1080p30fps camera:

Emphasizing all of the above, I would like to note that the release of an inexpensive water-resistant smartphone is a good step towards consumers. The Sony Xperia M2 Aqua turned out to be a worthy average with an improvement in some parameters of its predecessor, which is a definite plus. A technically balanced model that is not afraid of water - what could be better in this price range?

Sony Xperia M2 Aqua - Review of one of the few waterproof smartphones

08.02.2015

Brief, formal...

Lyrical introduction

Have you ever had to navigate a walking route through an unfamiliar city in the pouring rain? I had this happen once last year. It's a funny feeling. I myself am wearing a raincoat, so my body is more or less dry (with the exception of wet limbs). And I got the phone number in full.

I'm lucky. On that trip, among other smartphones, I took with me a waterproof Sony Xperia Z3.

But that case is, of course, exotic. But answering a call in the rain is an ordinary thing. Dropping your phone in water is even more so. I dropped it three times. It's been a long time, really. Twice into the lake and once into a bowl of soapy water.

So for me personally, water protection is far from meaningless.

	Chipset	Pi	Brake Birds	Big Page2	Heavy Book2
Sony Xperia M2 Aqua	Qualcomm Snapdragon 400	14.24	8.31	8.03	6.01
Sony Xperia Z3	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801	6.39	6.52	5.75	3.70
Meizu MX4	MediaTek MT6595	6.72	7.13	4.25	3.78
Fly IQ4516 Tornado Slim	MediaTek MT6592M	14.63	7.70	6.92	4.72
Haier W970	MediaTek MT6582	14.47	8.22	7.34	5.88

Some synthetic tests:

Built-in flash memory is 8 GB, of which about five are initially available. There is support for memory cards. But, unfortunately, normal installation of programs on a memory card is impossible. There are five free gigabytes - so make do with them.

In general, Android devices with flash memory are not easy. Let there be a large, large program (a toy, for example) that takes up, say, one gigabyte. Of this gigabyte, the program itself always takes up no more than a few tens of megabytes. Everything else is some data. So here it is. In the case of M2 Aqua, it is possible to transfer the “body” of the program to a memory card. The data always remains in the internal memory.

The set of sensors is quite ordinary. Compass, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor. There is no gyroscope, nor is there a thermometer with a barometer.

Communication with the outside world

LTE is available and works without problems. Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 are supported. That is, it seems that there should be no problems in our country.

Wi-Fi dual-band, a/b/g/n, 2 + 5 GHz. Everything is OK as well.

Connecting to a computer via USB is only in MTP mode.

It is possible to connect external USB devices (USB-OTG).

There is NFC, there is Bluetooth version 4.0.

MHL/HDMI no.

Screen

IPS screen with a diagonal of 4.8" and a resolution of 540x960 pixels.

Well, this is already enough to understand - they were greedy with the screen, but saved on the screen. The resolution, by today's standards, is very modest. And yes, perhaps you can even feel it. Fonts, especially small ones, do not look elegant in some places.

Alas, with a coating - not very good either. And not very much. There is no smell of oleophobicity, the screen is constantly covered in greasy fingerprints, which, moreover, are difficult to wipe off. And only with a specially trained cloth. A handkerchief (clean) or even a T-shirt cannot combat the oiliness of the screen.

In the sun, again, the screen performs mediocre. He also doesn't look black enough. Now, if you put several smartphones side by side in a switched off state and look at them at an angle, it is the Aqua screen that will look the least black. It’s funny to say that the screen of the budget Megafon Login+ is even blacker.

The brightness is quite decent, 370 cd/m2 with a contrast ratio of 720:1 (which is also good). The minimum brightness for a white picture is too high, more than 20 cd/m2. This smartphone is not very comfortable in the dark.

Color temperature - 8600K.

The sensor is fine. Sensitivity is good, 10 simultaneous touches, etc.

Operating system and other software

Operating system Android 4.4.4 KitKat, proprietary shell from Sony, sets of applications from Google and Sony.

Battery

Despite the not very impressive battery capacity (2330 mAh), the battery test results are quite solid - on average 134% of the standard. The small screen resolution has an effect. And in general, they there at Sony are famous masters in battery art.

The included charger provides an extremely low output current (850 mA, 5V). As a result, the smartphone charges quite slowly with its help - more than four hours.

The camera shoots video in FullHD resolution, 28 frames per second. The quality is also, to put it mildly, so-so. Especially if there is not too much light.

The front camera couldn't be more modest, only 0.3 MP. The quality is appropriate. In short, it’s better to forget about its existence altogether.

Sony Xperia M2 Aqua as a GPS navigator

Characteristics:

• Class: smartphone
• Form factor: monoblock
• Housing materials: plastic, IP65/68
• Operating system: Google Android 4.4
• Network: one SIM card, GSM/HSPA/LTE
• Processor: 4 cores, Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8926
• RAM: 1 GB
• Data storage memory: 8 GB
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset
• Screen: capacitive, IPS 4.8"" with a resolution of 540x960 pixels
• Camera: 8 MP with autofocus + 1.1 MP, flash
• Navigation: GPS
• Additionally: proximity and lighting sensors, FM radio, NFC, Miracast
• Battery: non-removable, lithium-ion (Li-Ion) capacity 2330 mAh
• Dimensions: 140 x 72 x 8.6 mm
• Weight: 149 g
• Price: from 12,500 rubles

Contents of delivery:

• Smartphone
• Micro-USB cable
• USB adapter for 220V network

Introduction

The device was presented at the end of August last year, and sales began even later. Yes, the device is not new on the Russian market, but there are several reasons to write a detailed review. The first reason is the simplest: we did not have a first look at this model, much less a complete review. Second: strangely enough, many resources ignored M2 Aqua. I don’t know what influenced this, either a little interest in the gadget, or the IFA exhibition, where the Sony Xperia Z3 and Z3 compact were shown. Third: the new M4 Aqua is not yet available for testing; you cannot even pre-order on the official website. And the price, most likely, will not be very humane for some time due to the dollar exchange rate.

There are reviews of the M2 Aqua online, but there are very few of them. However, the model itself is quite interesting: it is protected according to IP65/68 standards, that is, dust- and waterproof, can work with fourth-generation 4G communications, has an NFC chip, and, of course, Sony-style design with a proprietary metal button on the side .

The Sony Xperia M2 Aqua device is still actively sold today, and its price starts from 12,500 rubles.

Design, dimensions, control elements

The appearance of the gadget is quite familiar from the company’s previous smartphones of 2014: rectangular body shape, slightly smoothed corners, not very sloping ends, straight shape of the back surface, proprietary Omni Balance design concept (“makes this smartphone stunningly beautiful, no matter which side you look at it from”) didn't even look"). The exceptions are the Z3 and Z3 compact, announced later. The body and edges have become more rounded.

If in the original version of the M2 the back side was made of glass, then in the M2 Aqua it is made of matte porous plastic. How cute it is is up to you to decide, but I still prefer glass. Although from a practicality point of view, the M2 Aqua material is much more durable.

The device is available in three colors: black, white and brown. If you ask me which one to choose, I will definitely say that not black, since fingerprints remain on the surface, and in general the gadget looks extremely simple.

Thanks to the porous plastic, rough to the touch, non-sloping edges and relatively sharp corners, the M2 Aqua fits perfectly in the hand and does not slip out. In this regard, the device is really more interesting than the M2 and Z3 Compact. I have had experience using the Z3, and I can confirm that the body is very slippery and the device often tries to slip out of my hands. In addition, it is not always convenient to lift it from a flat horizontal surface due to its too smooth edges.

The M2 Aqua has the usual dimensions – 140 x 72 x 8.6 mm, and weighs 149 grams. For a plastic gadget, the weight is quite large, at least you can feel it in your hand.

The front side is protected by glass. There is no exact information about the material. During the two-week testing period, no scratches or chips appeared. The back cover also remained undamaged.

As a feature - translucent plastic ends on the right and left. They look beautiful and at least slightly distinguish the M2 Aqua from other similar devices.

The gadget is well assembled: it does not creak, does not crunch when squeezed tightly in the hand, the back part does not bend towards the battery.

One of the main features of this model is protection against dust and moisture according to the IP65/68 standard. It has full contact protection against dust, in addition, M2 Aqua can work underwater at a depth of more than one meter. If the Z3 device does not have plugs, then the M2 Aqua is equipped with them. It’s not very convenient, but the cost of the device is almost three times lower.

I won’t go into detail about IP65/68, I’ll just note that everything is fine: water doesn’t get inside the case, and dust isn’t that bad for modern gadgets.

Considering the protection, you shouldn’t pay attention to the thick frames (6 mm on the right and left): they are indecently wide, but this is a certain price to pay for the device’s performance in any weather, at sea, or even if you drop it in the mud.

On the front panel at the top: voice speaker, camera, sensors, indicator of missed events. The speaker has a volume slightly above average, the quality is good. Since protection from water and dust is provided here, the design does not allow producing a clear, ringing sound.

There is a microphone under the screen. They can hear you, in general, quite well, but a little muffled. The speakerphone is on the bottom end under the metal mesh.

The 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones is on the top. It is hidden under a plastic plug, in fact, like all other elements.

On the left is micro-USB. Any cables are suitable, even with a short plug.

On the right are slots for a memory card and for installing a microSIM standard SIM card (here they have not yet been distorted using nanoSIM, as in the Z3). Nearby there is a metal round power button (very tight, minimal travel, firm press), a thin volume rocker key and a camera activation button (double press).

On the back of the device there is a camera recessed into the body, a flash and a microphone.

Display

This device uses a screen with a diagonal of 4.8 inches. Physical size – 60x107 mm, frame on top – 18 mm, bottom – 15 mm, on the right and left – approximately 6 mm. There is an anti-reflective coating, but it is not very effective. The oleophobic coating is perhaps not the best, but the main thing is that fingerprints are easily erased and the finger glides smoothly.

The display resolution of the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua is qHD, that is, 540x960 pixels, aspect ratio is 16:10, density is 230 pixels per inch. IPS matrix with air gap.

The maximum brightness of white color is 452 cd/m2, the maximum brightness of black color is 0.52 cd/m2. Contrast – 868:1.

The white line is the goal we are trying to achieve. The yellow line is the actual data of the device. You can see that we are directly above the target curve, meaning that for every value between 0 and 100 the image is too bright.

The gamma is quite clumsy. From 20% to 40% it decreases sharply, and from 80% it begins to increase. This gives us a less bright picture with too much brightness in dark scenes, causing the view to become flat/blurry.

Judging by the levels graph, there is a clear excess of blue, especially at low brightness.

Temperature is a different story: at minimum brightness the picture takes on very cold shades (almost 10,000k), at maximum it more or less levels out to the optimal value.

Judging by the diagram, the data obtained roughly corresponds to the sRGB triangle.

If we abstract from the data obtained, then I can say that the matrix is ​​very simple: at certain angles it turns violet or yellow. It behaves poorly in the sun: when the screen is slightly tilted, the picture becomes almost indistinguishable.

Viewing Angles

Checking the Light

Display in light and sun

Battery

This model uses a non-removable lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery with a capacity of 2400 mAh. The manufacturer provides the following data:

• Talk time: 11 hours 23 minutes
• Standby time: up to 641 hours
• Music playback time: up to 37 hours 31 minutes
• Operating time in video playback mode: up to 8 hours 4 minutes.

In general, I agree with these indicators.

The operating time of the gadget is exactly the same as that of any other Android smartphone in this class, i.e. “lives” for about 10 hours in a relatively active mode with a 4G connection: 20-30 minutes of talking, about an hour of using the camera, the same amount of video watching, 3-4 hours on Twitter and mail. If you want to play, expect about 2.5 hours at full brightness and full sound volume when output to the speaker.

Sony saved a little on the AC adapter (or maybe it just decided to worry about battery life), so you can charge the battery in almost 3 hours.

Communication capabilities

The device operates not only in 2G/3G networks (GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA 850/900/2100 MHz), but also 4G CAT 4 (FDD-LTE 2100/1800/850/2600/900/800 MHz ).

There is Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot), Bluetooth v4.0 (A2DP, apt-X, LE), NFC chip and antenna, USB 2.0 (OTG verified). Available GPS, GLONASS and even Beidou (very high sensitivity!)

Memory and memory card

Inside the device there is only 1 GB of LPDDR3 RAM. Today, this amount of RAM is the minimum in budget devices. However, the Sony M2 Aqua is by no means a cheap device, so I would still like 2 GB. On average, about half of the “gig” is free.

Built-in memory 8 GB Flash, 5 GB available. You can expand it by installing a microSD memory card (is it worth checking the memory type now if you still don’t have another?) The maximum volume is 32 GB.

Camera

As always, there are two modules: the main one is 8 MP with autofocus (aperture F2.4), and the front one is only 0.3 MP (F3).

The main camera module is quite weak, but the team that develops the software for the camera tried to get the most out of the Sony Exmor RS. The detailing, of course, is not so great, however, noise reduction works perfectly: even at night the pictures turn out to be quite bright and without artifacts. White balance also works well. That is, the camera turned out to be suitable for all occasions, but you should not expect anything more.

There is no point in talking about the front camera. You yourself understand what 0.3 MP is, and even F3. The device was clearly not “tailored” for “selfies”.

The device records video in FullHD resolution at 30 fps during the day and 24 fps at night. The quality is ordinary, that is, in principle, normal. The focus is automatic, there is a SteadyShot stabilization function. Works great without cropping the image. Of course, not optical stabilization, but not bad either.

Settings:

Examples of photos taken with the main camera:

Example photo on the front camera:

Examples of videos day and night:

Performance

This model runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8926 chipset. The 400 line of “sheaves” is not new (the chip was introduced at the end of 2013); this modification contains a 3G and LTE modem.

The processor has 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores, the maximum frequency of each is 1.2 GHz, the technological process is 28 nm. The graphics are handled by Adreno 305 with support for OpenGL ES 3.0.

If we talk about the speed of animation and visual work in general, then there are no problems: the gadget is fast, not slow, no microlags were found.

And when it comes to performance, you won't see mind-blowing results here. For example, Dead Trigger 2 can only be played at medium settings; Ral Racing 3 runs well, but there are no additional effects.

In general, you can play, but not with the most demanding toys.

Brief information:

Multimedia

The volume of the polyphonic speaker is average, the sound is not very clear, there is no overload - it does not wheeze.

The sound in the headphones is very loud, I liked the quality. We should also say thank you to Sony for the equalizer and many other sound settings. There is a radio.

As for the video player, below are the results of the Antutu Video test.

Conclusion

Overall, the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua turned out to be a fairly successful smartphone. Yes, it may lack performance, but it has protection from water and dust, LTE and a nice Sony-style design. The only thing that makes me sad is the price. At the moment, the device can be found from 12,500 rubles. However, in large chain stores the cost is 17,000 rubles. And, as you understand, for this money it’s easier to look for something similar among B-brands with better parameters. But this is purely my personal opinion.

The main positive aspects of the device:

• IP65/68
• Ergonomic design
• Good music player
• Excellent build and materials

Flaws:

• Weak processor
• Not very high quality main camera
• Extremely weak front camera

If you need a smartphone with protection from dust and moisture, then the choice is not so large, and if you are looking at a device under 17,000 rubles, then it is easy to find a more interesting replacement.

The M4 Aqua is coming soon, but you'll also be pleased with its price. I think that you should count on 20,000 - 23,000 rubles. So, the M2 Aqua will remain for some time as an expensive replacement.