Sony Xperia L Philippines Price, Specs, Review, Unboxing, Antutu Benchmark Score, Sample Camera Shots, Verdict

Sony Xperia handsets have come to be known for being a stellar combination of beauty and power. We love that! But the thing is, most of them are also very expensive.

The moderately affordable Sony Xperia L presents a wonderful opportunity for fans of the beloved Japanese brand to experience the many wonders of Xperia without having to break the bank.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Currently selling for just Php 9,400 at Kimstore - my trusted online store, Sony Xperia L is a gorgeously crafted Android handset that's easy on the pocket both because of its size and its low price tag.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Last week, my friend Kim Lato of Kimstore graciously sent me a retail package of the device -- and I thought I'd share with you what's inside.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

First, we have the documentation: Startup guide, Xperia Care warranty card, SAR Information, required SIM Card info sheet, and the safety information.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

My package comes with this three-prong charger so I'd obviously need an adapter to use it in the Philippines.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

To connect the phone to a computer or to charge it, we'll need this microUSB to USB connector cable.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Sony Xperia L is powered by a removable 1,700 mAh Li-Ion battery pack, which I think is just right for a phone of its size. With mixed usage, the handset gives me around 8 to 9 hours of uptime.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Here's what the phone looks like when we remove the plastic back case.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Apart from the unit itself, my favorite accessory included in the box would have to be these set of Sony Earphones, which is good on its own but works even better when paired with the audio software enhancements - like Clear Phase (for sound quality) and xLoud (for loudness) - that the legendary multimedia company added on the phone. As for these headphones' sound quality, I'd say it's comparable to that of Apple's Earpods -- crisp and clear but not really all that amplified.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines, Sony Earphones

TP Friends, check out Sony Xperia L. I have mine in white. Nice, eh?

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Notice the thin metallic band that runs down the sides of the device. I think it's a subtle yet effective design accent that gives the phone an air of luxury and elegance. Oh, and nothing on the left side but the microUSB port.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Also nothing at the rear except for the pinhole for the mouthpiece.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

The right side is more interesting. Here, we have the volume rocker, power button, and camera button - in that order. As some of you know, the camera button may be a rarity in Android smartphones by other brands but it is becoming a staple in Xperia Android handsets -- and it's one of the things, really, that remind us that Sony is serious about giving users great camera experience on mobile devices.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Notice the bowed or concave shape of the back case. I'm not sure if you'd agree with me - just from looking at these photos - but I think Sony Xperia L looks like the love child of Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc; It has the face (sans the clickable, physical buttons below the display) and build of X10 and back design identity of the Arc. Maybe, with this device, Sony's trying to give a shout-out or tribute to those best-selling previous flagship releases.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

The 8 MegaPixel camera with Exmor R sensor (Sony's BSI sensor technology) and LED flash, and the loud speaker are located at the back. (There's another 0.3 MP cam - with no Exmor R sensor - in front, above the 4.3 inch 480 x 854 pixels resolution TFT display.) Finally, on top, we'll find the 3.5 mm audio jack.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines
The main camera at the back delivers decent shots but the one in front is - in all honesty - bad as it delivers washed out, dim, and blurry images even in well-lit conditions. Anyway, since the phone has a camera button, you can easily use the 8 MegaPixel cam with LED flash to take selfies. Here are some sample shots taken using the main cam:




Right out of the box, Sony Xperia L runs Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean operating system skinned by the Japanese company's sleek Xperia user interface. Note, however, that right after you set-up your phone, you will immediately receive a notification (15.3.A.0.26 on my phone) from Sony to upgrade to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (along with a new home screen, default camera enhancements, and a fresh set of Sony Media apps) using your computer.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Users also get a number of cool applications from Sony including Walkman music player, Sony Smart Connect that lets you quickly pair the phone with other devices via NFC, and Xperia Link allowing users to connect to the internet from your tablet or computer using mobile data on the phone.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

So do I like the Xperia interface? Well, the skin is very beautiful and elegant but I really think that Sony should improve the experience by adding more compelling features like applications for quick note-taking, a voice-powered virtual assistant, and touchscreen gesture support for locking and unlocking the phone, among other things. I'm sure Sony is already working on it, though.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

Sony Xperia L runs on its Dual Core 1 GHz Krait CPU and Adreno 305 GPU based Qualcomm MSM8230 Snapdragon SoC, and handles multitasking with 1 GB of RAM. Users get around 5.8 GB of internal storage that they can easily expand via the handset's microSD card slot.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

These innards combine to deliver a decent gaming and overall touch experience that's well-reflected in Sony Xperia L's 12,570 Antutu Benchmark Score and 4,350 on Quadrant Standard. The Adreno 305 GPU really helped beef up these scores and I think it's also the reason why the device is capable of smoothly running popular non-specs-intensive games including Temple Run 2, Raging Thunder 2, Subway Surfers, Sonic Dash, and Jetpack Joyride.

Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia L Philippines

What's the TP Verdict? Overall, I think Sony Xperia L is a great smartphone that delivers far more value than what you pay for it. It's far from perfect - it has a lackluster front cam and the interface could be better. However, it is good enough for it to be considered an ideal handset for budget conscious consumers who've long been wanting to experience what the legendary Japanese electronics company has to offer in this category. All things considered, I give it 9 out of 10 TP Stars.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name Sony Xperia L
Type Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category Midrange
Dimensions128.7 x 65 x 9.7 mm
Weight 137 grams
Available Colors White, Red, Black
Operating System Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with Xperia UI, upgradeable to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Display 4.3 inches (~228 ppi pixel density), 480 x 854 pixels, TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Processor Dual Core 1 GHz Krait CPU, Adreno 305 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8230 Snapdragon chipset
RAM 1 GB RAM
Internal Storage 8 GB (5.8 GB available to the user), expandable via microSD card slot
Camera 8 MegaPixels, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, VGA front camera
Video Capture 720p 30 frames per second for main camera VGA for front camera
Audio and Video Playback MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV, eAAC+, WMA, WAV player
Ports microUSB v2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, HSPA+, NFC
GPS Yes, with A-GPS
Sensors Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity
Network 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
SIM Card Type Regular SIM (Mini)
Battery Removable Li-Ion 1,750 mAh battery
Uptime 498 Hours of Standby, 9 Hours of Talk Time, 43 Hours and 12 Minutes of Music Playback
Value-Added Features Xperia UI, NFC, Exmor RS, Audio Enhancements
Announcement Worldwide: March 2013
Availability Q3 2013
Price Kimstore: Php 9,400