Recently, Sony has become one of the leading manufacturers of waterproof smartphones. 2 years ago they looked like heavy bricks, but now the differences between them and ordinary models are not striking. Sony Xperia M2 Aqua, released in the fall of 2014, not only looks aesthetically pleasing, but also significantly reduces the price threshold for this type of smartphone. And what is inside of this model? What can attract the buyer Sony Xperia M2 Aqua? The review will talk about the characteristics, price, pros and cons of this model.
Appearance
Affordable price has not worsened the design of the smartphone. Sony Xperia M2 Aqua looks attractive and is in many ways similar to more expensive models. It is made in the characteristic symmetrical style of this manufacturer. Only a large silver power button in the middle of the right side stands out sharply.
The form of the Sony d2403 Xperia M2 Aqua black is almost identical to the Xperia Z2 and looks strict and solid in a laconic black color. The back panel is flat, made of a nice, slightly textured plastic, and the edges are rounded. Thanks to this, not only the model fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, but also reduces the risk of chips at the corners. Therefore, the smartphone Sony Xperia M2 Aqua d2403 for a long time will look like brand new.
The dimensions of the smartphone are pretty standard - 14 x 7.2 x 0.86 cm, weight 149 g.
Other colors for the case are classic white and original copper.
Display
One of the weaknesses of the model is its 4.8-inch screen. Its size is quite normal, but the resolution is quite low - 960 x 540, the pixel density per inch is 229, which significantly reduces the brightness and clarity of the image. The display does not have the best viewing angles, and it greatly glare, which will complicate its use on the street. Budget models Motorola Moto G and Asus Zenfone 5 easily surpass it, while they cost much less.
Of course, the screen is not a key distinguishing feature of the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua d2403, but still this is an important parameter for a smartphone. Obviously, its quality was sacrificed by the manufacturer in order to reduce the total cost of the model.
Moisture proof
And what about the main trump card Sony Xperia M2 Aqua? Specifications on paper promise a dust and moisture protection class of IP68 - the highest possible at the time of the release of the smartphone. Most competitors can still boast only IP67. What is the difference between these two degrees of protection? IP67 suggests that the smartphone can be immersed in water for a period of not more than 30 minutes, IP68 - for an unlimited time, but to a depth of not more than 1.5 m.
That is, theoretically, the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua is absolutely protected from dust and liquid. But, as always, this statement has important nuances.
The moisture resistance of the case is achieved due to the presence of plugs with rubber gaskets on all connectors of the smartphone. This somewhat worsens its appearance, and also causes inconvenience in everyday life. For example, every time you need to connect headphones, you have to open the jack for them.
In addition, if you tightly close at least 1 plug, the smartphone will be as vulnerable to moisture as any other.
It is also not worth hoping that it can be used under water - the capacitive touchscreen from the water becomes completely uncontrollable. Only the physical camera shutter button remains available.
But coral reefs cannot be photographed with this smartphone. It is designed for use only in fresh water, since saltwater accelerates the wear of rubber pads, which keep the inside of the apparatus dry.
What can the smartphone Sony Xperia M2 Aqua boast?
The characteristics of the model are quite average, given its cost. In general, this is a waterproof version of the Xperia M2, which is identical in all other aspects.
Her heart is a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, clocked at 1.2 GHz, "helps" him with 1 GB of RAM.
These are far from the best characteristics, but due to the low resolution of the screen, such capabilities are quite enough to perform most everyday operations quickly and without freezes.
The internal memory is standard 8 GB, of which about 5 GB are available to the user. So its expansion with a microSD card (up to 32 GB) is a necessity, not a whim.
The smartphone supports 4G, as well as other standard communication protocols - Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth latest version 4.0.
Interface and calls
Sony Xperia M2 Aqua d2403 uses the usual Android 4.4 operating system for many. For a more attractive look, minor changes have been made to it from the manufacturer. The interface is identical to that of the Xperia Z2 - concise and not overloaded. But due to the low resolution, the names of the applications and even the clock do not look so clear, because the pixels of which they consist are clearly visible.
The manufacturer preinstalls many applications, mainly focused on the brand’s digital media devices, music, films and social networks. Most of them are unlikely to be needed by the user, but deleting them will not always succeed. But you can always bring to the main screen only those applications that are really needed.
As for the main function of the smartphone - calls, it is also difficult to find flaws here. Speakers and a microphone provide the necessary volume and clarity, the connection does not break. True, the smartphone is not designed to play music. At medium and high volume, strong sound distortion is noticeable.
Photo and video
The smartphone has two cameras - the main one with an 8 megapixel matrix, and the front one - 0.3 megapixels, which, due to its modest capabilities, is useful only for video chats.
The application for working with photos is rich in various functions. Initially, it offers to shoot in auto mode, identical to what can be found on digital cameras, but with the ability to choose a focus point.
In the menu you can also find HDR, panorama, several filters, retouching portraits and even adding virtual 3D objects to the frame - from fish to elves.
A significant drawback is the speed of the camera. Despite the separate physical shutter button, focusing and processing the frame takes quite a while. So shooting fast-moving objects will be difficult.
The dynamic range (the number of details that can be seen in dark and bright areas of the picture with high contrast) is noticeably affected, and even shooting in HDR mode, which combines several exposure values in one frame, does not show the best result. In addition, it lasts even longer, so you have to be patient. Lilac digital noise is often noticeable at the edges of contrasting areas, objects also sometimes take on this hue instead of pure black or gray.
Excessive lighting or, on the contrary, its disadvantage are conditions that the M2 Aqua does poorly. The presence of a flash allows you to improve the situation when shooting close objects, but it distorts the color rendering, giving the frame an overly warm tone.
But in conditions of good natural light, without bright contrasts, the smartphone will please the owner with fairly clear and bright photos, the quality of which is much better than that of models with a 5MP camera.
Video can be shot in HD-quality 1920x1080 pixels, digital image stabilization is available during shooting, as well as HDR mode.
Battery
The battery is not designed to be removed by the user - one of the manufacturer's steps to minimize the number of slots in the case. The battery capacity is 2300 mA. Since the smartphone does not have the most powerful processor and modest screen resolution, they give a much lower load on the battery. Thanks to this, we can confidently say that the M2 Aqua can withstand a day of intensive work without recharging. With moderate use, even 35-40% of the charge will remain the next day.
Issue price
How much does the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua cost the buyer? It is predictable that the price of a smartphone varies slightly depending on the dollar, but overall remains quite stable - 14.5-15 thousand rubles. But since this is not the newest model, it is withdrawn from sale in many stores.
To summarize
If you need a solid waterproof smartphone at an affordable price, then the Sony Xperia M2 Aqua is perfect for you. Its characteristics are quite average, and the following points are attributed to the main disadvantages:
- a camera that works slowly and does poorly with non-standard shooting conditions;
- a screen that is worse than that of conventional competing models;
- moisture protection, which relies entirely on plugs, rather than internal port protection.
But there are indisputable advantages of M2 Aqua, which are noted by the owners of the phone:
- quite high performance;
- the camera can take pictures under water;
- good battery;
- attractive price;
- moisture protection is a useful feature that is useful not only for lovers to swim with equipment, because with it the smartphone is not afraid of rain, snow, or accidental fall into a puddle or bathroom.
So this purchase fully justifies its value and can offer a lot to its owner.