A large Sony smartphone with a good front-facing camera - trying to determine the pros and cons. Looking ahead, we can say that the purchase is not bad for your money ...
A little about the phablet market
By the time the report from "Svyaznoy" about the phablet market came, I cite it in full, it will make it possible to better understand why Sony has updated its own line of large smartphones - by the update, I mean C5 Ultra.
“For the first 8 months in Russia, for the first time, more phablets ** were sold than tablet computers with a screen less than 8.9 inches. In total, according to the results of January-August, sales of phablets in Russia amounted to about 3.5 million devices worth almost 44 billion rubles. Sales of tablet phones in Russia grew by 128% in physical terms and by 140% in monetary terms. At the same time, since the beginning of the year 2015, about 3 million tablets with a display diagonal of less than 8.9 inches have been sold in Russia.
Thus, the volume of sales of tablets in Russia for the first time in history exceeded the number of sold compact tablet computers. Taking into account the dynamics of the tablet market, as well as the persistent interest in "big" smartphones, Svyaznoy analysts predict that by the end of the year more phablets will be sold in Russia than tablets as a whole.
Also, for the first time in the history of the portable electronics market, revenue from sales of phablets in Russia exceeded the same indicator in the category of tablet computers. According to Svyaznoy, in January-August 2015, tablets worth 31.6 billion rubles were sold in Russia.
The popularity of tablet phones, in addition to the form factor and functionality, is also due to their growing availability. Despite the fact that the average purchase of a smartphone in Russia for 8 months increased by 13%, the dynamics in the segment of phablets was not so high - in fact, the average cost of a “large” smartphone remained at the level of last year, amounting to 12,600 rubles. More modest dynamics of growth of the average bill for a tablet phone is due to the increase in the number of such devices in price segments less than 15 thousand rubles.
In 2015, competition in the segment of phablets increased markedly. A year ago, half of the tablets in Russia were sold by 3 companies: Samsung, SONY and Lenovo. They also received 60% of the revenue in this category of smartphones. With the entry to the market of budget phablets from Microsoft (Lumia 535, Lumia 640, Lumia 640XL), the brand's share in this category of smartphones increased from 2% to 11%, and sales of Microsoft tablets in Russia increased 13 times. Such rapid development allowed the company to enter the top three brands of the most popular smartphones... Lenovo sales have more than doubled in the phablet category. The company managed to maintain its market share indicator at the level of 14%.
The top three market leaders in terms of share in rubles have also undergone changes. Samsung has managed to maintain its leadership in the segment. SONY and Lenovo also occupy places in the top three, but Apple almost caught up with them - buyers took last year's novelties very positively, and the release of the iPhone 6s Plus model will allow the American brand to gain a foothold in the phablet category.
However, we note that despite the saturation of the tablet PC market, certain categories of these devices are in steady demand. We are talking, in particular, about tablets with powerful processor that are successfully used to work with special applications and for games ".
Let me remind you that the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium will be released at the end of the year. In theory, it can also be classified as a phablet. And I would also like to see a large variant of the Z5 in two versions, one and two SIM-cards.
Design
The device is available in three colors: black, white and mint.
The device turned out to be quite large, but you will probably immediately notice the almost complete absence of frames, although formally there are sides, they are very thin and protrude slightly above the display. When you put the device face down, the screen does not touch the surface. The areas above and below are visually common, one cannot say that they are larger than in other devices. In general, the device is firmly knocked down, the weight is felt, it is pleasant. In the pictures, the C5 Ultra looks bigger and worse; in real life, many people note that it fits well in the hand, looks and feels interesting due to the metal ends and the minimalistic design in general.
This model combines the ideas of two devices at once. This is the C series - and therefore the quality here front-camera for taking selfies - well, and it is also a logical continuation of the T2 Ultra. Not a flagship phablet, but not a toy either. There are no complaints about the assembly, under the cover there are slots for memory cards and a SIM card, there will be a version with two SIM cards. It is gratifying that Sony does not forget about support for memory cards, for users this is more important than a bunch of incomprehensible software or crazy functions and settings. Cards up to 128 GB are supported - this is really important. During shooting, you can choose where to save the photos, the same applies to the installation of applications. However, it is worth buying a normal card - normal in terms of the manufacturer and speed. So that there are no problems with running programs.
The microUSB connector at the bottom without protection and without plugs, this is a plus. Next to the front-facing camera, there is a place for a soft LED flash. The optics are wide-angle here, and the selfies are really good.
Interesting that rear part here they are made of plastic, but the ends are made of aluminum, with a protection system like the Z3. The corners are not part of the frame to avoid deformation. At the top there is a 3.5 mm jack. By the way, the case is very easily soiled, especially for the black device. We advise you to watch our video about the device.
I would also like to say the following. The famous Sharp smartphone, so beloved by Artem, has no frames at all, that is, they really do not. The Sony Xperia C5 has bumpers on the sides, and, in fact, there are minimal frames, the thickness is 0.8 mm.
About the shooting button. It has two positions: press to focus, press harder, and the picture is taken. On my sample, the button works well, and not soft, and not hard. When the device is locked, you can press the button, then the camera will start, you can take a picture. Another thing is that it starts not with the last settings (for example, 13 MP and the selected preset white balance), but with the default settings.
There is no water and shock protection, so you shouldn't drown the C5 Ultra.
Display
A lot has been written on the Internet that a smartphone can use a display of different companies with slightly different characteristics. There are two companies, Innolux LCM and Truly LCM, allegedly on the C5 Ultra in black and mint color there is a Truly LCM screen, and on the white one - Innolux LCM. Using the service menu (* # * # 7378423 # * # *) I tried to see what the screen is, but in the menu I cannot break through to this item, you press, but there is no reaction. If you also have C5 Ultra, post the results in the comments.
At first I read a lot of reviews about the fact that the display is faded, but in reality I would call the picture very, very calm - although to someone it will seem faded and no other. Again, I suggest looking at the screen before buying.
In fact, the diagonal of the IPS display is 6 inches, the resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels, the picture is not bad, but this is not Retina and not a screen, as on Samsung flagships, do not expect miracles. Sony abandoned the name "phablet", and in general, it seems as if it is not customary to call phablets now, but the C5 Ultra is exactly what a phablet is. Able to replace a small tablet and smartphone.
Let me remind you that the iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch display diagonal, a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, and Samsung Note 4 diagonal SuperAMOLED screen - 5.7 inches with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. And, of course, if a person is going to buy a phablet, he will consider all three devices - but here the C5 Ultra will have a very strong price advantage. When you hold the device in your hand, touching the edges of the display does not affect the behavior of the smartphone. For greater convenience, we have implemented a reduction in the size of the screen: swipe up from the bottom left edge, and the screen becomes smaller, just under the thumb. You can use all the functions of the device with one hand. The screen in this state can be moved up and down, slightly enlarged if necessary. The function is not bad, it is useful if one hand is busy.
Performance
The device comes with Android 5.0 and uses the Mediatek MT6752 chipset (Octa core 1.67 GHz). LTE is supported even for a device with two SIM cards, ARM Mali T760 graphics, Bluetooth 4.0, 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of data memory installed. Naturally, this is not enough, immediately get ready to buy a memory card. I have already said that you should not save on the card.
- ARM Cortex-A53 64-bit octa-core processor (1.7GHz)
- ARM Mali-T760 GPU
- MediaTek CorePilot ™ unlocking the full power of all eight cores
- Rel. 9, Cat. 4 LTE (FDD & TDD), DC-HSPA +, TD-SCDMA, EDGE
- 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
- H.265 Ultra HD codec support
The interface contains things familiar to Sony, these are redrawn icons, camera settings, their own applications - for example, antivirus and a program for detecting tracks.
The device cannot be called impetuous, in some applications brakes are noticeable, start-up is long, there is heating. But when using ordinary, basic programs, everything is more or less good.
Working with two SIM-cards
One tray is used for SIM cards, this is a convenient solution, it is easily pulled out, cards are also easy to put. In the menu, you can programmatically disable the use of a second SIM card, select a SIM card for data transfer, activate the "Always online" function, so calls will be forwarded to another SIM card if the second is unavailable. The device supports LTE (two SIM-cards), which is already becoming the norm for devices in the middle price segment. I did not notice any problems in the operation of two SIM cards, except that those who like to save contacts to a SIM card will not be able to choose the one they need - why do this now, I don’t know. There is a phone memory, backups. Unless you are constantly rearranging the SIM cards, then yes, such an option is needed.
Working hours
A 2930 mAh battery is used, the operating time is stated for 8 hours in video playback mode. There is Ultra STAMINA Mode, if less than twenty percent of the charge remains, you should turn it on.
It takes about four hours to charge when using the supplied power supply unit, which is a little depressing. I got used to putting my smartphone on charge in the evenings by connecting it to PS4. Do not forget that the set-top box easily copes with such a task, just one hundred percent overnight.
With normal use during the day, the battery does not discharge rapidly, the C Ultra easily survived until the evening, several times lasted until the morning. In general, as with most modern devices, expect to run on battery power throughout the day.
In this device, as in other Xperia, you can turn on the power saving mode, it can help you if the charge level is about twenty percent and you do not know when you will be near the outlet in the near future.
Camera
Two cameras, each 13 MP, front-facing with LED flash is focused on selfies, you can evaluate the quality with examples. The same effects are supported for both cameras, by the way, they can be additionally downloaded for Xperia cameras from the Google store. Supports HDR for both cameras, automatic scene recognition for mode selection. From the effects - there are traditional for Sony AR-effects, when mushrooms, gnomes, animals and so on are drawn on the picture. If on flagships this happens quickly or very quickly, then with C5 Ultra you have to wait, loading takes a couple of seconds, sometimes longer. There is a photo with sound, I did not understand this effect at all, nothing particularly attractive.
When Sony talked about the new line, they especially emphasized, they say, we will fight hard for the quality of the images. As far as I can tell, this struggle also touched the devices of the middle price segment, because the C5 Ultra takes pictures well, I suggest you evaluate the pictures yourself. My opinion is that the camera can and should be used. It does not start instantly, enrages a huge amount unnecessary settings instead of one setting - "Take a good shot". The wide-angle selfie camera allows you to capture even a large group of people in the frame. If you use a monopod, then a huge group will fit.
conclusions
The device turned out to be rather strange, as they say, a niche one. I suggest you take a look at the pros and cons of the device. Here are the advantages:
- Interesting design, aluminum frame (but only plastic is scratched, keep that in mind). As for metal, it is also interesting, people, when they first take the C5 Ultra in their hands, are surprised to see such material in a device of the middle price category. On the other hand, now is such a time - every manufacturer in an oversaturated market is trying to offer more for the same money.
- The diagonal of the display is a plus for some, a minus for some. Of course, I would like to see a screen of higher resolution with such a diagonal, but we are dealing with what we have. Note that I'm talking about the diagonal.
- Two SIM cards, LTE support - someone will say that there is no point in “dual”, but my friend uses the C5 as a working tool, it is convenient to watch mail on the big screen, in one device there is a working and personal SIM card.
- Support for memory cards is also a big plus.
- Loud speaker.
- Decent sound quality, aptX support.
- Good front-facing camera for selfies (plus for those who take selfies often).
- Leapfrog with displays. After all, people behave predictably, “on the Internet they write that the screens are DIFFERENT”, and problems of choice, discussion, speculation and so on immediately begin. To some extent, the C5 can achieve the desired result using the white balance in the settings, but I would advise you to just look at the screen before buying. it The best way understand whether to take or not to take.
- The performance is clearly different from the flagships, this is especially noticeable when the camera is working, there is no "instant". Naturally, if you also use games, you will notice heating and slowdowns even more.
- The earpiece speaker seemed quiet to me even at full volume.
- Heating is not a disadvantage, but one cannot but say about it.
The retail price is 25,000 rubles for the version with two SIM-cards, if you search, you can find cheaper. Considering the pros and cons, the price tag is justified. I would like to recommend Sony not to abandon this series, consumers slowly but surely understand the advantages of phablets, and such smartphones are needed. What would you like to see in the sequel to the C5 Ultra? I would like a screen with different characteristics, a more efficient processor, a matte plastic case (fewer prints and scratches), I personally really like the OnePlus One cases. Simple and tasteful. I would like support fast charging, a battery with a larger capacity. I suppose we can see a lot of the above in Sony's flagship phablets.
The Sony Xperia C5 Ultra can definitely be called one of the most iconic Sony smartphones in recent years, and not at all because of its outstanding capabilities for photographing yourself, but largely because of the fresh frameless design, which stands out strongly against the background of bored OmniBalance. Even the new Z5 series are not so futuristic in appearance and do not produce a comparable wow effect. We examined the company's flagship selfie from all sides and now we'll tell you everything.
Specifications Sony Xperia C5 Ultra:
- Network: GSM / GPRS / EDGE, UMTS / HSDPA, LTE
- Platform (at the time of announcement): Android 5.0 Lollipop
- Display: 6 ", 1920 x 1080 pixels
- Camera: 13 MP, autofocus, flash, Exmor RS, 25mm lens, 80 degree field of view
- Front camera: 13 MP, autofocus, flash
- Processor: 8 cores, 1.7 GHz, MediaTek MT6752
- GPU: Mali T760-MP2, 700 MHz
- RAM: 2 GB
- Internal memory: 16 GB
- Memory card: microSD (up to 128 GB)
- Bluetooth 4.1 + HS
- Wi-Fi (802.11a / b / g / n / ac)
- two SIM cards
- nanoSIM
- Accelerometer, proximity sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, barometer
- Battery: 2930mAh
- Dimensions: 164.2 x 79.6 x 8.2mm
- Weight: 187g
Unboxing and video review
Design and construction
When it seemed that the days of daring experiments for Sony had long passed and we were forever destined to contemplate different variations of the OmniBalance design, the Xperia C5 Ultra was born - a ray of light in a symmetrical glass kingdom. Big 6 " Full HD screen neatly integrated into the thinnest frame of the case, so that the C5 Ultra does not feel gigantic, it is quite comfortable to use with one hand. The top and bottom margins have also been reduced, and this is good for the device. The device is assembled as befits a representative of the upper price segment, although by today's standards and by positioning the C5 Ultra is a top mid-range. Once upon a time, 25,990 rubles were considered the initial step of the flagship level, but today this is a completely different story. Roughly speaking, the C5 Ultra is a fashion version of the Xperia C4 (review), and it might even be more reasonable to attribute it to the T series, but what's done is done, there are never too many selfie backgrounds. And the Ultra line is missing new representatives.
There are only a few complaints about the appearance. The back panel of glossy plastic looks nice in photos, but in real life this is the source persistent problems: dust, fingerprints, scratches. They will be least noticeable on the white color of the smartphone, a little stronger on the mint and very strongly on the black one. The bezel-less screen is gorgeous, with a good oleophobic layer and excellent viewing angles, pleasant colors, but with highlights along the bottom edges against a black background. Perhaps this is a feature of our test sample, but the moment is not very pleasant, although the black itself here is deep enough for an IPS screen.
The absence of removable parts and the minimum number of plugs (only one for a microSD memory card and one or two nanoSIM cards that work in LTE) have a positive effect on the perception of the device and its durability, nothing will fall apart and will not loosen over time. The location of the ports is traditional for Sony, everything is in convenient places, except, perhaps, the 3.5 mm port on the top. However, this is already a taste, for someone this option seems more convenient. Another unpleasant detail: despite the apparent presence of two stereo speakers on the front panel, there is no stereo here. There is just a separate earpiece speaker and a separate multimedia speaker. They do not shine with any special quality, the lower speaker generally wheezes at maximum volume, and it sounds somehow flat and weak for a device of this size.
The rest of the C5 Ultra is a very pleasant smartphone, fully justifying its price, at least in terms of looks and reliability. But what about the insides?
Software
At the time of writing Xperia overview The C5 Ultra is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop and firmware 29.0.B.1.55. The update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow for the smartphone has already been announced, but its approximate timeframe is still under a veil of secrecy. The main feature of the software is the one-handed control mode, in which the screen is reduced to the size of the Xperia Ray and thus allows you to launch almost all applications. It can be stretched to a larger size, but still comfortable for one hand. You can control both left and right hands by dragging the window across the screen. This mode is started with a slight swipe from the lower right edge of the display. In addition, the settings have one-handed modes for dialing a number and keyboard. To make it easier to access the notification curtain, you can double-tap on Home button however, unlike past implementations of this function, the status bar does not fall down - you still have to reach for the topmost knobs.
Otherwise, we have a typical Sony Xperia smartphone with a full set of proprietary utilities and an Xperia Home interface close to the bare Android. The only thing missing in the software is unlocking the screen by double tap, otherwise there is more than enough here, even working with gloves was not forgotten. The Ultra Stamina mode will allow the smartphone to work up to 25 days without recharging in the "Phone + Camera" mode, this is a very useful feature. It is unclear if the smartphone will receive a simpler shell in the future, announced as an upcoming update for the Xperia Z5 line, that would be very cool.
Camera
Not every day in a smartphone you can find two almost equivalent cameras at once - front and main. Both the one and the other here have a resolution of 13 megapixels and wide-angle optics, as well as a number of interchangeable modes of operation. Manual settings, scenarios and modes are partially available for the front camera, as well as various augmented reality applications and other funny mockery of people's faces - replacing faces, eyes, various effects of red lips and makeup (they all slow down and noticeably warm up the smartphone).
As for the quality of the photo, alas, there are not enough stars from the sky. Photos come out better than the Xperia C4, especially the front camera. The best shots are taken in daylight, the front flash helps out in poor conditions, but it is also blinding, despite its softness and focus on comfortable selfies shooting in the dark. In general, Sony traditionally needs to work on the shooting algorithms, I would very much like to see the software on Android base 6.0 some progress in this regard. The video is recorded in 1080p quality, there is an electronic stabilizer, HDR, but the picture is not amazing. Below are examples of photos in different modes from both cameras.
Benchmarks and performance
In terms of filling, the smartphone is similar to the Xperia C4: MediaTek MT6752 chipset (8 cores, 1.7 GHz), Mali T760-MP2 graphics, 2 GB of RAM. This set is enough for relatively fast and smooth operation in most simple use cases, but sometimes there are slowdowns, sometimes very significant. The fact is that this chipset would perform best in conjunction with an HD screen, which we wrote about in the C4 review. Right there, with Full HD, not everything is as good as it could be. This also applies to both tests and games.
The selfie flagship Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual has been equipped with an endless screen, a powerful front camera with flash and other "wow" options, given the growing enthusiasm of selfie users. Comparing the Sony Xperia C5 with the previous flagship, we notice that the developers have changed many important characteristics.
Packaging and equipment of the smartphone Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual
The new "giant phone" Sony Xperia C5 of the middle class, like the top models of the company, is packed in a discreet white box. On its back are briefly listed technical features the device and the color range of the cases.
The charger is not very powerful, but it can work from a 220V outlet. A stereo headset is the simplest one, which is understandable at this price range.
Specifications Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual
Let's consider in detail what characteristics are inherent in the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual smartphone:
- Model: E5533;
- OS: Android 5.0 (Lollipop) with proprietary shell Xperia;
- Processor: 64-bit MediaTek MT6752, ARMv8 architecture, 8 cores ARM Cortex-A53 1.7 GHz;
- Graphics subsystem: ARM Mali-T760 MP2 (700 MHz);
- RAM: 2 GB (LPDDR3, single channel, 800 MHz);
- Memory for data storage: 16 GB (11 GB available), slot for memory cards microSDXC (up to 200 GB);
- Screen: 6 inches, IPS, Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels), 367 ppi, Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, up to 10 simultaneous touches;
- Cameras: main - 13 MP Exmor RS, EGF 25 mm, viewing angle 80 degrees, autofocus, 4x zoom, flash; front - 13 MP Exmor RS, autofocus, EGF 22 mm, viewing angle 88 degrees, Selfie Flash; video stabilization SteadyShot, Full HD [email protected];
- Network: GSM / GPRS / EDGE, UMTS HSPA +, LTE Cat.4 (150 Mbps);
- Number of SIM cards: 2;
- SIM card type: nanoSIM (4FF);
- Interfaces: Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), NFC, Miracast, USB-OTG, DLNA;
- Navigation: GPS / GLONASS, A-GPS;
- Radio: FM tuner with RDS;
- Sensors: accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, compass (Hall sensor);
- Battery: non-removable, lithium-ion, 2,930 mAh;
- Dimensions: 164.2x79.6x8.2 mm;
- Weight: 187 grams.
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual design and ergonomics
The word "Ultra" in the name of the phone indicates the presence of a large screen. The first thing that will attract the eye of an interested buyer is not the usual, completely "non-top" filling, but the appearance and design of the smartpad. The impressive 6-inch screen, framed in a thin, almost invisible bezel, is a real eye-catcher. This display size is large even for a phablet, but thanks to the thin bezels, it looks sleek.
The developers of the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual smartphone have created an innovative fresh design - a frameless device that is a single solid screen. This ergonomics compares favorably with the slightly boring design concept of Sony - OmniBalance. Rimless phones are a novelty in Russia, so Sony is a pioneer in this area.
Another distinguishing feature of the Sony Xperia C5 is the materials used for the construction of the case. Screen covered protective glass, the sides (only 0.8 mm) are made of aluminum, the back panel is glossy plastic. Gloss is not very practical, it keeps traces of all touches on the surface, but Sony designers are guided in this by the preferences of the Asian market. Body color palette: black, white, light green (mint).
The corners of the border are made of plastic for shock absorption in the event of a fall. They are small, but will protect the screen from scratches on the surface when placed with the screen facing down. The case is non-separable, requiring delicate handling, there is no dust and moisture protection.
The most basic feature that makes the Sony Xperia C5 a “selfie smartphone” is the 13MP front camera with flash and wide angle shooting. Taking pictures of yourself with her loved one is a sheer pleasure. It is located above the screen. There is also a Sony logo, a charging / notification LED indicator, a set of sensors, an audio speaker grill.
The location of all buttons and connectors is the classic, common to all Sony models. Symmetrically to the "conversational" speaker, there is a slot for the multimedia speaker at the bottom under the display. Both speakers without any stereo effect are an unpleasant detail. Slightly higher are 3 on-screen control buttons: "Return", "Home", "Recent Applications".
There is a MicroUSB connector at the bottom end of the case, and a 3.5mm AUX-output for connecting a headset at the top.
On the right side there is a proprietary Sony chrome button in the form of a rivet for turning on / blocking and a rocker - a volume control. Below is a separate dual-range camera shutter button. It is located very conveniently for pressing with a finger, even with a glove.
On the left side of the smartphone there is a microSD slot covered with a flap and slots for installing two nanoSIM cards. The ability to install a pair of SIM cards in one tray for subscriber identification is supported in the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual E5533 model, as indicated by the word "Dual". Hidden under the cover is the "OFF" button for the forced shutdown of the device. The tray is very easy to remove - a slight push activates the spring ejection.
The main functional elements are concentrated on the back of the smartphone. Above is the main camera peephole, highlighted by a chrome ring, below it is a photo flash, another microphone for recording sounds and noise reduction, even below is an NFC antenna. The central part of the back surface is decorated with the Sony logo, at the very bottom it is marked - "Xperia".
The entire construction of the Sony Xperia C5 is monolithic, without backlashes and gaps, the battery is non-removable. Externally, the phone looks very elegant, except for fingerprints on the black gloss. Against a white and mint background, handprints are almost invisible, and the phone looks more tidy. The reduced width of the device encourages a comfortable palm grip. In the settings, you can change the size of the Desktop on the display screen.
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual smartphone display
The luxurious six-inch IPS display of the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual does not cause any complaints. Screen resolution - Full HD (1920 x 1080 pi), increasing its diagonal led to a decrease in pixel density. The brand of glass is not indicated by the manufacturer, but there is an oleophobic coating that can repel dirt, fingerprints, and protect the glass from scratches.
The image on the screen is bright, juicy, thanks to the Mobile Bravia Engine 2 technology, which gives an increase in contrast and gradation of shades of dark color. The luminous intensity of the display can be adjusted manually or using the "Adaptive control", which receives information from the light sensor. Maximum display illumination makes using the smartphone comfortable even on a sunny day.
The intelligent backlight function helps to reduce the drain on the battery. The screen starts to glow brighter when you take your smartphone in your hand. Controlling the time interval between transitions from operating mode to sleep mode, color rendering temperature - all these settings can be changed at the request of the owner.
The touch, capacitive screen is very responsive, recognizes up to 10 touches. With the activation of the "Glove mode" option, the smartphone is controlled with "dressed" hands, which is very important in winter.
When watching videos, high quality photos, the "X-Reality for mobile" function allows you to improve the picture quality. The luminous power of the screen is increased by switching to the maximum brightness mode. The color palette of the display is a bit cold, slightly fades into blue, but adjustments to the "White Balance" will change it for those who like warm colors.
Main and front camera Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual
The main feature of the "selfiephone" Sony Xperia C5 is the presence of 2 practically equivalent cameras. The front and main wide-angle cameras with a resolution of 13 MP have many customizable functions, autofocus and differ only in the viewing angle - 22 mm (88 degrees) and 25 mm (80 degrees), respectively. The angle of view of the front camera is larger than that of the main camera, allowing you to capture a group of people in one frame.
Selfie lovers and experimenters will find in the preinstalled software menu many scenarios and options for changing photos: replacing faces completely or in part, applying makeup, smoothing skin irregularities and much more. For example, "Portrait in style", "AR mask" with various comic effects. You can combine your own photo with the surrounding background when both cameras are shooting and the "Face in image" option is enabled. Standard software can be expanded by installing additional software.
Photo quality of the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual E5533 smartphone is standard. It is not worse than that of competitors of this class. The best image quality is achieved in bright daylight, the main camera quickly focuses. Shooting in low ambient light is difficult, but possible with some skill. The flash of the front camera "Selfie Flash" is a novelty of the developers, it helps out and will appeal to lovers of selfie shooting, but when photographing at night it can dazzle. Despite the soft, diffused beam of light, the LED is not weak here.
Both cameras can make videos in Full format HD. Video stabilizer "SteadyShot" and 4x zoom are provided. HDR mode for capturing photos and videos is available on both cameras. MP4 and 3GPP files are recorded and played.
Speaker sound Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual
Two speakers, placed symmetrically on the front panel of the smartpad, only give the impression of a stereo pair, in fact they work separately and do not create a stereo effect. Only one speaker is used to play multimedia content. Manufacturers declare its capacity to be about 95 decibels, but the user will not be able to verify this fact without special equipment.
The sound of the loudspeaker is of a rather average quality, but there are no complaints about the volume. The default is set auto mode adjusting the sound "ClearAudio +", there are also manual settings. If you want to get surround sound in headphones when playing music, then there is a corresponding option.
The built-in dynamic normalizer evens out different sound volume levels. Lossless music encoding (FLAC codec) provides lossless digital audio compression.
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual smartphone performance
The smartphone giant is powered by the MediaTek MT6752 chipset with an octa-core processor, its clock frequency- 1.7 GHz, video accelerator - Mali T760-MP2. RAM - 2GB, built-in memory - 16 GB, about 11 GB of it is available to the user. You can expand it with microSD up to 200 GB!
USB-OTG technology allows you to connect an ordinary USB flash drive to your phone. All this filling is enough for the device to perform everyday work quickly, smoothly, without freezing.
Slows down the device when launching resource-intensive games. This is clearly not a gaming monster, but the "horsepower" of the processor is enough to run bulky applications. The processor frequency does not sag from a heavy load, but the aluminum frame of the case heats up quite strongly, sometimes at an uncomfortable level, burning your hands. This is probably a firmware bug that will be eliminated over time.
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual Battery Specifications
If you are not a fan of round-the-clock surfing the Internet and watching a large number of films, then according to the assurances of the manufacturers, the battery with a capacity of 2930 mAh will be enough for 2 days.
With active use, the smartphone will be discharged in less than a day, depending on the load. Watching a movie reduces the battery level by 15% per hour, so you can play 3-4 movies continuously offline.
In the arsenal of the smartphone there is a proprietary energy saving technology - Ultra Stamina, it really works. In the "Phone + Camera" mode, the device is active for up to 25 days without recharging. There is no fast charging mode, so it's better to turn it on at night.
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual interface and software
The operating system of the smartphone is Android 5.0 Lollipop with firmware 29.0.B.1.55 and its own Xperia shell. What distinguishes Sony from its Chinese counterparts is its lack of desire to make significant adjustments to the interface and software of mobile devices. The changes in them are not radical, but rather cosmetic: a few useful little things for more comfortable work, additional applications.
On the desktop there are widgets, icons, and a button for accessing all applications that are familiar to the user of an Android smartphone. The location of the applications can be changed by sorting. The shutter is at the top of the display with the edit menu. Application manager with the ability to quickly find small applications in a separate window.
For comfortable one-handed operation, you can reduce the display window to the size of the Xperia Ray. In the section "One-handed actions" there is an option "Resize the screen", to enable it - just slide your finger from the lower right corner to the center. The window moves around the screen and can be operated with the right and left hand. This is very convenient with such an extensive "gigantophone" screen.
There are no global interface changes, there is a standard set of proprietary Android shell utilities with some nice additions. For example, changes in the work with some operations - speed dialing, screen unlocking, access to notifications, etc. For more information, see the Optimized Applications section.
The set of the wireless interface is usual: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.1, support for 4G, NFC, DLNA and Miracast. The built-in A-GPS technology and work with GPS and GLONASS satellites allow to determine the location.
Price and video review of the smartphone Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual E5533
In fact, this is a smartphone tablet, not a "top-end" quite affordable model. The price of the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual is about 22,000-25,000 rubles.
Watch the video Sony review Xperia C5 Ultra Dual:
The newly minted selfie-oriented smartphone Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual E5533 with a frameless screen has a very nice appearance. Its futuristic design will appeal to phablet lovers. In the middle-class niche, it stands out for its modern filling, a good display, two cameras with decent optics, a good time autonomous work.
- 28 41%
- 13 19%
- 12 18%
- 9 14%
- 7 11%
Bought 09/17/15. The first thing that surprised me was 2 weeks later - when watching a video, the phone hung up and no buttons responded, I had to press the reset button. 11/17/15 already handed over for repair under warranty - light on the screen - changed the display 11/24/15 took it. About the long charging in the service they said that they did not find any defects. 12/7/15 - took it to the service - the power button fell into the case. The service said that they found no defects, but the button was set to its normal position on 10.12.15 was ready. Apparently, when replacing the screen, they installed it incorrectly. At the same time, the metal frames of the body edging were scratched. I presented it to the service, wrote a complaint, said that the answer would be within 10 days and they would call me. 12/22/15 called himself and went to them. They wrote that it was so before delivery and the receiver overlooked. They did not give an answer to questions about how the examination was carried out, what methods and devices were used to determine the age of scratches; The attitude towards customers is just awful. Sony claims to be a leader, but with such an attitude towards clients, they will never achieve this. 12/25/15 handed over for repair AGAIN !!! This time, when you touch the screen in one area, the phone detects a touch in another. It is not always, but periodically. Often occurs when typing without lifting your finger from the screen, scrolling through the news and talking on the phone, I don't know why, the ear proximity sensor seems to work and the norms are tested, but every now and then the upper curtain goes down and all sorts of flashlights, Wi-Fi and the like are turned on. This is not my first Sony phone and my wife had a Z3 compact, a lot of friends who have Sonya phones, and all phones have a terrible build quality. There is a Sony TV and a camera and a tablet and everything works well without any complaints, but all Sony phones suffer from build quality! Now I dissuade my acquaintances from buying Sony phones, I bought a Chinese for my wife on NG as a gift, I won't buy a Sony phone for myself either. VERY DISAPPOINTED !!!
Disadvantages: All the pluses are nothing compared to the build quality so 1 point. Opening the camera for 10 seconds, no less! The back surface is very scratched - cheap plastic. The battery is weak, waking up in the morning at 7 o'clock the charge is 10-15% - I recharge it with 2 Amp charging up to about 34-45% while I am going to work, I come to work and put it on charge with my own charge, at 6 pm I charge 100% at 18:30 I go out From the job. So judge, while I’m going home listening to music, reading, watching videos, the road is 2 hours, I’m not so active at home, call, write ... Ie. in 13 hours 85-90% of the charge is consumed, the backlight is at a minimum, it costs 1 sim. Unrealistically long charging, more than 4 hours if you don't touch it !!! If used and charged, it will take 5-6 hours. It got to 8 (it was charging the whole working day) The support service said that according to the passport, the duration of charging for safe mode 4 hours 45 minutes !!!
Advantages: Camera, ergonomics, front camera, fits well in the hand, good camera.
A
Everything is clear with the screen, I hope. After a year and a half of use, the battery stupidly sits down in half a day, the flashing did not help, sometimes it just does not charge.
Disadvantages: The screen turned yellow around the edges after a year of use.
Battery.
Advantages: Performance, screen, camera.
Experience of use: more than a year
TO
Customer
I myself used Sony phones several years ago. Now Sony has moved far ahead in the skill of making a budget phone so that you regret your purchase. For a little over a year, one SIM card slot burned out, the camera no longer works. Permanent memory overflow, software glitches. As far as the phone is effective on the outside, it is so terrifying on the inside. The next phone will be of any company, but not Sony.
Disadvantages: Glitchy software, insanely lagging camera, unreliable hardware.
Advantages: Appearance, screen, separate SIM / card slots, picture quality.
Experience of use: less than a month
A
I am writing the most truthful review that YOU can find on the market! And so here, as you look at some bots and people who did not go beyond the communication salon with this phone) Let's start with the fact that the phone itself is large in size, thin, but very convenient and does not create discomfort. It flies into your pocket with a "hurray" so do not listen to whoever says that this nonsense does not fit anywhere!) I use it for half a year without a cover and so far there are no scratches, no scuffs, the quality of the materials is excellent. Before dormouse, I had an iPhone 5 and now I regret that I spent 2 years of use on it. The world is changing and the quality of Android phones has also changed, I no longer see the point of overpaying for a gnawed apple. How I bought it was android 5.1.1. everything worked perfectly did not hang did not bug, after a month it was updated to 6.0, it seemed like there was nowhere better, but after the update it was generally 10 out of 10!) doubts, but after buying and using it, I realized that all this negative is botovsky slag no more, well, or guys for 20 thousand. wanted to have space technologies with a battery for a week ... In short, the people of the phone cost their money, it doesn't stupid, it doesn't buggy, and all the declared functions work as expected!)
Disadvantages: 1) Charges for a long time on a native charge
Advantages: 1) Gorgeous screen
2) Good battery
3) good cameras
4) Performance
5) Sound quality (both headphones and speaker)
6) 2 sim + shlashka
Experience of use: several months
Customer
A little less than a year later, a jamb appeared when playing videos or games with dynamic scenes. It consists in the periodic appearance from the edge of the screen, in the area of electronic buttons, desync stripes in dynamic scenes. Sample video:
The defect is not eliminated when rolling back to the factory settings, updating the software. and so on. Crawls out when using any video player or game.
Handed over to an authorized service center Sony, the phone was accepted, after which it was returned along with an unresolved defect and an unsubscribe, they say, "the defect was not found or is within the permissible limits established by the manufacturer."
Example of ACS act
Disappointed in the product from Sony and the ASC service. If for Sonya jambs with a screen are "within acceptable limits" and everything is ok, I do not recommend anyone to buy Sony smartphones.
Disadvantages:- Low battery life;
- Shoals with a battery, after 20% it starts to discharge to zero in a matter of minutes;
- Long charging;
- Heating;
- Dissynchronization of one part of the screen with another (where the electronic buttons are located) when viewing an image;
- Sony service does not fulfill warranty obligations.
Advantages:- Big screen. Convenient to watch movies and use the Internet on the road;
- Decent cameras.
Experience of use: several months For a year of use, I could not get used to this phone.
At latest update up to 6.0, many contacts have multiplied many times. There is no way to remove clones by means of the phone book: neither through association, nor through "find similar". When you delete one clone of a contact, all the others are deleted.
Disadvantages: bluetooth, software, battery, heating pad
Advantages: camera, screen, heating pad
Experience of use: several months
Overall system performance in tests AnTuTu Benchmark turned out to be about the same as that of the aforementioned Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, but there we have six cores, here we have eight.
In general, the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra has enough performance for the smooth operation of the operating system (until the next Android updates at least), to run any applications, to watch videos in Full HD and even to play games. True, the backlog for the future of the MediaTek MT6752 platform in general and the Xperia C5 Ultra in particular is quite small.
Autonomous work
Sony's latest smartphones have had long battery life, especially in the Xperia Z3 line. But the C5 Ultra has a bigger screen, and the hardware base is different. Frankly, I was a little afraid that the autonomy would be worse, but this did not happen. In tests, the smartphone showed very decent results. In video playback mode, the smartphone lasted 6 hours 40 minutes, in reading mode - just over 10 hours, and under load (Epic Citadel with high quality graphics) - exactly 4 hours.
Recall that the battery life is tested with the power-saving mode disabled at a brightness of 200 cd / m2. In the case of the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra, this was about a third of the maximum value.
