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Sony Xperia L review

7.8/10 AVG.
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Sony Xperia L
Sony Xperia L
Sony Xperia L
Sony Xperia L
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7.8/10
Informr score
The Sony Xperia L currently has an Informr score of 7.8 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 8 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Sturdy case design
  • Support for microSD cards
  • Affordable pricing
  • Snappy performance for mid-range price

What's bad

  • Dull display
  • Aging hardware
  • Limited on-device storage space due to pre-installed applications

Much of the new Xperia line has received rave reviews. This phone is no exception. As Sony’s attempt to enter the budget mid-range market, it features slightly less power than the rest of the series, but a lower price tag as well. George Iosifidus of Digital Life Plus says, “it did really well and impressed me during the days I had it in my hands. If you're looking for a device in this price range then Sony's Xperia L is a keeper.”

The phone features a 4.3-inch TFT display at a resolution of 480-by-854 pixels. Reviews from Digital Life Plus and T3 note great viewing angles and easy viewing in direct sunlight. While the pixel density is not up to par with next generation devices, T3 notes that “clarity levels are still impressive enough though when compared to similar Android offerings like the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini even if it lacks the vibrancy of its bigger more expensive Xperia compatriot.”

Although mostly plastic, reviews of the case design are similarly positive for a mid-range product. Charge Me UK says “with its sleek black and silver design, the Sony Xperia L is actually most of the better looking budget bunch.” Though do not expect the styling of the Xperia Z. Both Digital Life Plus and T3 mention that the device resembles the previous Xperia series than the latest designs.

The Xperia L is powered by a dual-core 1-GHz processor, a dedicated graphics processing unit and 1GB of RAM. T3 notes that “In general use, applications can often take a little longer to launch both native and ones downloaded from Google Play, but operate smoothly once you are putting them to use.”

A removable back cover gives access to the battery and a microSD slot. Unfortunately, the 1700-mAh battery might have problems keeping up. With light-to-moderate usage, both Digital Life Plus and T3 report that the device barely made it through the day on a single charge. Heavy video streaming or gaming will likely leave you looking for a charger.

The camera on the phone is powered by the same Exmor RS chip as the Xperia Z, but at just 8-megapixels. Reviews on the camera are largely neutral with T3 stating “the results do not compete with the top-end handsets, but the L does deliver sharp, detailed stills with small traces of noise that mean you can definitely ditch the compact for basic snaps.”

T3’s summarizes the device well when they said “the Sony Xperia L is no Xperia Z, but then it was never meant to be. What it tries to do is take as many of the great qualities from the flagship Sony phone and blend them into a cheaper, more affordable body and it does a generally decent job of it.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1 GHz
Processor
Processor
1 GHz
4.3"
Screen Size
Screen Size
4.3"
8+ MP
Camera
Camera
8+ MP
1750 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


PC Pro
PC Pro

We rather like the Xperia L. It's a solid performer, the price is reasonable, and it doesn't have any major weaknesses. If you value camera quality and memory expansion over display quality, performance and build, you'll find much to like. The Sony's biggest problem, however, is that the Motorola Mo...

- Jonathan Bray, PC Pro
Expert Reviews
Expert Reviews

We were impressed with the Xperia L. It has a good screen and a fast operating system, as well as excellent low-light photo (if not video) performance. It's not especially cheap on contract, but provided you're willing to pay for the phone up-front, there's nothing that can touch it for less than &p...

- Chris Finnamore, Expert Reviews
TechRadar
TechRadar

We're going to give Sony its due here, it really does seem to know what it is doing when it comes to making a decent camera.

- Thomas Thorn, TechRadar
TelecomTiger
TelecomTiger

The Sony Xperia L is a good phone in this price range and offers good exciting features. The 4.3 inch screen display is great, the battery life is good and the features embedded are better and abundant. But there are few options that this phone is missing such as: full HD video resolution and Quad c...

- TT Gadget Editor, TelecomTiger
TrustedReviews
TrustedReviews

Should I buy the Sony Xperia L? No. The Xperia L has a decent screen and performance is adequate, but the camera’s excruciating two-second shutter delay is a major black mark against it, as is the so-so build quality. There are better phones available for the same price. The Sony Xperia...

- Luke Johnson, TrustedReviews


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Sony Xperia L user manual here.


Sony backs up the Xperia L with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Xperia L has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Sony support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Sony's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
4.3"

The Sony Xperia L's screen size is 4.3 inches with 480 x 854 pixels resolution.

Processor
1 GHz

There is a Qualcomm MSM8230 Dual core 1 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system (OS).

Camera
8+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 8+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with VGA (640 x 480) resolution.

Storage
8 GB

Internal memory is 8 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
1750mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 1750 mAh battery. Sony's performance ratings are 546 minutes, 400 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Xperia L Specs

Overview
Release Date April 30, 2013
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm MSM8230 Dual core 1 GHz
Internal Storage 8 GB
RAM 1 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.79 W/kg
Body: 1.38 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Standard Battery
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+ 21.1
Mobile / Cellular Data
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Yes
variations
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, DUN, OPP/FTP, HID, HFP, HSP, PAN
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Zoom
4x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, Image stabilization, ISO, Panorama, HDR, Exposure value, Metering
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
VGA (640 x 480)+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (TFT)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 480 x 854 pixels
Pixel Density 228 pixels
Size 4.3 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 1750 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 450 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 400 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 546 minutes
Standby Time Up to 20.8 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors White, Black, Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 12.9 x 6.5 x 1 cm (5.1 x 2.6 x 0.4 in)
Weight 137 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, MMS, Google Talk
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Yes
Themes: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Voice Commands: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
DLNA Support: Yes
ECML / Digital Wallet: Yes
Audio Formats: AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, eAAC+, MIDI, MP3, OGG, WAV
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: Yes
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Haptic Feedback: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Mobile Hotspot: Yes
Radio: Yes (FM/RDS)
Wi-fi Encryption: WEP/WPA/WPA2
Viewable document types: XLS, PPT, PPTX, DOC, DOCX
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
To-Do / Task List, Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Stop Watch, Timer, Calculator, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA): Sony C2105
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Sony Xperia L Reviews
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