Review Sony Xperia M5: Glass Smartphone with High-Resolution Cameras

Sony is not an adherent to the chipsets of one manufacturer and is constantly experimenting using both Qualcomm chips and MediaTek. On the basis of the brainchild of the second company in September 2015, Sony Xperia M5 was introduced. It is an average-price device built on MTK Helio X10. In 2015, thanks to the not very successful Snapdragon 810, this processor seemed a good solution almost flagship level, so it cost the smartphone almost as a flagship. In early 2017, you can buy Sony Xperia M5 much cheaper, for about $250.

The emphasis in the smartphone is made on photographic capabilities and a stylish case with water protection. As for the insides – in this respect even now the device looks like a typical representative of the middle price category. It is worth buying it after 1.5 years after the release – will help to find out our review.

Chipset Mediatek Helio X10 in 2015 belonged to the flagships, but never received very much popularity. Sony Xperia M5 is almost the best smartphone on this platform.

Sony Xperia M5: Design

Looking at the smartphone, there is no doubt that it’s Sonya, can not arise. The Japanese company has long been following a single concept in design, so all of its devices are like twin brothers. Traditional metal bezel, glossy panels – these words can be described almost any smartphone Sony, and the Xperia M5 is no exception. The device is assembled well, all the details are adjusted closely. The device weighs 143 grams, its dimensions are 145×72 mm, and the thickness is 7.6 mm.

The front panel lacks physical touch keys from the bottom. At the top are sensors, a microphone and a pronounced camera lens for Selfie.The glazed rear panel in the corner from above is the camera, and closer to the center is the flash. There are no other details (except for the manufacturer’s logo).

The right side of the smartphone contains a volume rocker, power / lock button and camera button. In this Sony are true to tradition, the presence of a button for shooting is clearly a plus.The left side contains a stub, under which are hidden SIM slots (simok in the two-part version) and flash drives.

From the bottom of the end, a microphone, a MicroUSB connector and a loudspeaker covered by a dense mesh are removedAt the top there is a jack for the headset and a second microphone.

Sony Xperia M5: CPU

Sony Xperia M5 based on MTK Helio X10 chipset. This is the flagship chip of 2015, equipped with eight cores Cortex A53 with a frequency of 2 GHz. For the processing of graphics in it meets the accelerator PowerVR G6200. There are no remarks to the kernels, they can cope with any task in 2017, a similar configuration is used in the more modern Snapdragon 625 chipset. But the graphics are not the strongest side of the chipset. It is a “half” of the graphics in the iPhone 6. So even in 2015 the flagship graphics could be considered only because the competing Snapdragon 810 was very much inclined to overheating and throttling.

In general, the performance is enough for the Internet and for games. However, you will not be able to enjoy high settings in demanding games. For example, in the WoT Blitz stable 40+ FPS are achievable at medium settings. In AnTuTu smartphone is gaining about 50 thousand points.

Sony Xperia M5: Memory

The capacity of RAM in the smartphone – the flagship at the time of release, 3 GB. Even now, such a volume is sufficient for any tasks, the performance limit is likely to be a chipset rather than a memory. Built-in memory on board 16 GB, it is easy to expand the microSD card, the slot for which is separate. But USB OTG donated in favor of water protection (and as soon as Samsung manages to combine these chips, if Sony engineers thought it impossible?).

Sony Xperia M5: Battery

The battery capacity of Sony Xperia M5 is 2600 mAh. It’s kind of good for a 5 inch device, but the autonomy is not impressive. In standby mode, the smartphone lives quite a lot, day 3 can hold out (thanks to the proprietary utility for energy saving Stamina). But the intensive load consumes the charge quickly, in the web surfing mode, you can count for hours at 7, while watching the video on the network – a little less. Charging to 2A replenishes the battery capacity to 100% in almost 2 hours.

Sony Xperia M5: Cameras

Sony likes to put more megapixels in their smartphones, the main camera in the Xperia M5 has a resolution of 21 MP, this matrix IMX230. It is equipped with a phase autofocus, optics with aperture f / 2.2 and can record video in 4K with 30 FPS. The quality of the photo during the day is good, but not perfect. There are noises even on daytime shots. Of course, Google Pixel or Galaxy S7 they are also present, but the hero of the review of “graphic garbage” is clearly more.

As someone remarked: “Sony cameras are the worst in Sony’s smartphones.” The truth is in this half-joke – half-truth is: Meizu Pro 6 with this matrix fotka better. From the flagship camera I want more than contemplate “soap” on the approximate frame.

But the photos of the near plan, made under normal illumination, are much better than landscapes. And the focus fires adequately, and the details transmitted, and blurs are smaller.

The front camera Sony Xperia M5 – on the whole 13 MP, this matrix IMX214, also with autofocus. Earlier this sensor was used as the main one in the flagships of Xiaomi Mi4, Nexus 6, Nubia Z7 and ZUK Z1. If the camera was basic – the quality of shooting could be put an average rating: noises and fuzziness present, photosensitivity is not the highest. However, as for front camera – pictures are very suitable.

If you focus on the near-term plan (that is, on yourself) – the camera transmits both the texture of the skin, and the hairs of the eyelashes, eyebrows, and the texture of the clothing fabric. But the background is blurry. If you try to remove the landscape camera camera (the question is: why?) – the quality of the frame is not very different from the picture on the main matrix. Video front camera records in FullHD, with 30 FPS.

Sony Xperia M5: Screen

Sony Xperia M5 is equipped with an IPS display with a diagonal of 5 inches. Its resolution is 1920×1080 pixels, the density of pixels is 440 PPI. The viewing angles of the matrix are good, the color rendition is normal and close to ideal. The brightness is good, up to 450 cd / m2. The sensor supports gloves and has an oleophobic coating. The disadvantage of the screen is that unlike the newer Sony, it has a noticeable frame on the sides.

Sony Xperia M5: Communications

The smartphone Sony Xperia M5 is available in versions with 1 and 2 SIM format Nano. Supports GSM, HSPA and LTE networks. The European 4G bands are active, there should not be problems with compatibility with operator networks. Wi-Fi supports 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, but 802.11ac does not work. Bluetooth – version 4.1, with A2DP, AptX and LE mode. The navigator works with GPS satellites and GLONASS, finds them quickly and keeps the signal properly. Also on board there is an NFC module.

Sony Xperia M5: Sound

Sony Xperia M5 is equipped with one speaker located at the bottom end. The volume is not very high due to protection from water, but the sound is clean. In the headphones, the device is capable of producing a high-quality sound with a uniform frequency range. Some users complain that the smartphone is not able to fully expose the headphones with high resistance, but the power of the sound output can be raised in the engineering menu MTK. There is also FM radio.

Sony Xperia M5: Operating system

The smartphone initially runs under Android 5.0 operating system, which minimal compared to pure build. An upgrade to Android 6 available, which is for the device based on the Helio X10 Plus. But before Android 7 owners of the smartphone will not be updated. The system works quickly, there were no obvious software defects in it.

Sony Xperia M5: Features

Smartphone Sony Xperia M5 has the body that meets the standards of water protection IP68. It must withstand the dive to a depth of 1.5 meters more than half an hour. To be safe, the smartphone did not begin to add USB OTG support (to avoid short-circuiting on the port in case of moisture) that minus.

Sony Xperia M5: Alternatives

In terms of design, the alternative to Sony Xperia M5 is not easy to pick up. There is Meizu U10, but it is comparable only to the level of appearance, but the water protection deprived, and the camera is more modest. Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) is similar in appearance, equipped with a good camera from the back, has a fingerprint scanner, but iron is more modest and afraid of water.

Model Galaxy A5 2017, the year of water is no longer afraid, and is a competitor for most parameters (iron, camera, screen), but it costs more. Also, Xiaomi Mi5, equipped with a flagship iron, comparable camera, is suitable for the role of an alternative, but it does not have protection from moisture, moreover it lacks a slot for a flash drive.

Advantages Sony Xperia M5:

• Quality screen;
• A good camera for selfie;
• Protection from water;
• A separate microSD slot;
• Availability of NFC.

Disadvantages Sony Xperia M5:

• The main cell may not meet expectations;
• No OTG;
• Not an outstanding autonomy.

Our review Sony Xperia M5

Sony Xperia M5 is not bad smartphone, with its advantages. It takes good pictures on both cameras (although from the main one wants a little more). It is protected from moisture penetration and equipped with a good screen. As the review has shown, it is quite fit for the role of a smartphone for selfi, especially given the current price. If you take the capabilities of the device as a whole – it is a typical representative of the middle class, without any distinctive properties, except for the resolution of cameras.

Source: sonymobile