Sony has always been known for being a game-changer in the tech industry. This year, they released the Sony Xperia 10 II which, at a glance, seems to be promising for a mid-range phone. As the successor of the Xperia 10, this phone has much to live up to. But apart from its noteworthy camera performance, what exactly does the Sony Xperia 10 II have to offer?
In this article, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the Sony Xperia 10 II and know what niceties it brings to users who intend on buying the phone.
Sony Xperia 10 II at a Glance
Before getting to the nitty-gritty of the Sony Xperia 10 II, here are some of the basics that you should know about the phone at a glance.
| Pricing | $350 to $399, depending on the merchant |
| Launch Date | May 5, 2020 |
| Processor/s | Qualcomm Snapdragon® 665 Mobile Platform |
| Display | 6.0″ 21:9 Wide display; FHD+ OLED (2520×1080) |
| Battery | 3600mAh |
| Camera/s | (1) Rear Camera: 12MP, 1/2.8″ Exmor R™ for mobile sensor, F2.0 Aperture, 26mm Focal Length, 77° Field of View |
| (2) Rear Camera: 8MP, 1/4″, F2.4 Aperture, 52mm Focal Length, 45° Field of View | |
| (3) Rear Camera: 8MP, 1/4″, F2.2 Aperture, 16mm Focal Length, 120° Field of View | |
| Front Camera: 8MP, 1/4″, F2.0 Aperture, 84° Field of View |
As a part of the Sony Xperia series, there is much to expect from the phone. At a glance, the Sony Xperia 10 II looks to be a phone that’s widely focused on its camera. However, there’s still much to discover about the phone.
Sony Xperia 10 II: Reviews
Without further ado, here’s an in-depth look at the Sony Xperia 10 II. From its pricing down to the connections, we’ll be fleshing out what you need to know about this mid-ranger.
Price
The Sony Xperia 10 II was originally priced at $399 at its release. However, you can find merchants selling the phone at a lower price of $359. Of course, the price may vary depending on where you will get your phone.
Xperia 10 II might seem a little more expensive than the previous Sony releases. But with a bit of difference in pricing, Sony packs a lot more features in this device. So to cut the chase, Xperia 10 II offers fair pricing which you won’t regret spending.
Availability
Amazon might just be your best bet at being able to purchase the Sony Xperia 10 II. Unfortunately, the phone has not been officially released in Sony USA which means that you might not find it on the Sony website or any of Sony’s physical outlets.
The Sony Xperia 10 II retails on Amazon for $359.99. While Amazon is one of Sony’s official retailers, you might want to stay on the safe side and purchase a phone from the available units on Sony’s official site. Not only will you be able to check where you can buy Sony products but you can also check which phones have been released in the United States.
Camera
It’s quite clear that the highlight of this phone, apart from its widescreen, is its camera performance. The phone features a triple camera system and a front camera that doesn’t fall short on performance. With this, you’ll be able to produce clear and crisp photos with decent image quality. It should deliver bright and color accurate photos that won’t disappoint users.
However, you might want to take note that its HDR feature isn’t as good as it looks. It tends to overexpose images and it might not work well if you’re planning to take photos of the sky as the phone might not be able to cope with it. Similarly, the phone’s Night Mode isn’t as great as well. Unfortunately, the Night Mode creates grainy and noisy shots that aren’t as pleasing to the eye.
The front camera, on the other hand, delivers great photos with sharp details. It’s not the best front camera out there but you can shoot decent photos without having any trouble.
In all, when it comes to its camera performance, the Sony Xperia 10 II does give a bang for its buck but falls short if you’re trying to take more creative shots.
Software and Processor
As far as processors go, the phone is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon® 665 Mobile Platform. This allows users to do more without worrying about the phone slowing down. The processor enables users to browse, play games, and even multitask without the risk of overloading the phone with too many actions at a time.
Contrary to other phones in the same line such as the Xperia 10 and Xperia 10 Plus that is equipped with Sailfish OS, the Xperia 10 II is equipped with Android 10 which means that you’ll be able to download all the latest apps directly from the Play Store.
Battery Life and Charging
The Sony Xperia 10 II has a pretty decent battery life. It sports a good 3600mAh unit that will allow you to use your device for about 12 hours on continuous use. You’ll be able to enjoy streaming your favorite shows for an entire day before you have to recharge your phone.
On normal use, the battery usually lasts two days. You can also opt to use its “Battery Care Mode” or Battery Saver mode to keep your battery in check if you are intent on prolonging its battery life. Alternatively, you can also opt to use the phone’s “Adaptive Charging Mode” which allows the battery to adapt to your usage to prolong the battery life.
Do take note that recharging with the phone is quite slow. Sony only gives you a 7.5W charger but you can use an 18W fast charger with the phone as well. It can take up to a few hours for you to be able to fully charge your phone. The Sony Xperia 10 II also doesn’t have the facilities for wireless charging which is a major downgrade if you compare the phone to other recent models.
Display and Resolution
The Sony Xperia 10 II features a 6-inch FHD+ OLED display which is decent but it’s small compared to today’s standards. However, its FHD+ resolution allows the phone to project bright and sharp pictures. It might not be as high quality as other Sony models but it’s a great phone for those who are heavy on media usage.
The phone does have multiple modes of brightness that you can choose from, ranging from the Original Mode with warmer colors to a much brighter setting that helps if you’re in daylight. However, don’t expect the phone to get too bright as there is a limit to how bright it can go. It’s not bad per se but compared to other phones, it’s a useful feature that’s lacking.
The Xperia 10 II features a 21:9 aspect ratio which makes it great for streaming your favorite shows and movies. However, it might not work with all streaming services as other services still support the standard 16:9 ratio which won’t look too great on the phone. You’ll also surely benefit from the phone’s widescreen if you’re fond of mobile games.
Ultimately, the Sony Xperia 10 II is a great phone for streaming media. Just make sure that your streaming service supports the extra-wide screen that the phone has to be able to use it properly.
Body, Weight, and Dimensions
The Xperia 10 II is a great balance between glass and plastic. The phone combines sleek glass surfaces and a plastic frame to make for a stealthy look that has great appeal no matter what color you get. Further, its dimensions of 157 x 69 x 8.2mm provide users with a comfortable grip without having to worry about dropping the phone. The phone is also relatively light at 151g. With this phone, you won’t have to worry about carrying it in your hand for too long as it’s quite light and doesn’t provide any discomfort at all.
Additionally, the phone has a side-mounted fingerprint processor that’s quicker and more reliable than the more popular in-display sensors. This shows that the phone is still able to have both a beautiful form and great function without having to sacrifice one for the other.
Apart from that, the phone also sports a 3.5mm headphone jack which is convenient to have despite most users moving on to wireless options. The provision allows users to still be able to use their mobiles without having to worry about running low on wireless earphone batteries.
Lastly, the Xperia 10 II is equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass 6 which promises great durability and extra protection. It also comes with an IP65/68 rating which means that the phone is also water-resistant and dustproof. It’s great if you’re looking for a phone that you can take outdoors without worrying about it being too fragile.
Network Type, Connections, and Communications
The Sony Xperia 10 II runs on the following network types:
| 2G | GSM GPRS/EDGE (Bands 850, 900, 1800, 1900) |
| 3G | UMTS HSPA+ (Bands 1,4,5,8) |
| 4G | Cat11, Cat5 (Bands 1,3,4,5,7,8,12,20,28,38,39,40,41M) |
Unfortunately, you might not be able to use the phone properly in the United States. The Sony Xperia 10 cannot access VoLTE in the United States which is essential so you can connect or make calls through an LTE/4G mobile network.
There are only a handful of Sony phones such as the Xperia 1, Xperia 10, and the Xperia 5 that are all VoLTE-ready. Should you want to know more about Sony’s VoLTE and the applicable devices, you can head to Sony USA’s official website to know more.
Otherwise, the Sony Xperia 10 II can connect over Wi-Fi and runs on Bluetooth 5.0 technology. The phone also utilizes USB Type-C with a USB Version of 2.0. You can also enjoy Smart Connectivity, Google Cast, and NFC with the phone.
Is Sony Xperia 10 II Worth Buying?
Yes and no. While the Sony Xperia 10 II has its own charm to it and has features that are at par with other mid-range phones, you might want to opt for a different phone instead. As mentioned, the Xperia 10 II has not been officially released in the United States which means that if you’re from that region, you won’t be able to properly use the phone.
Since the Sony Xperia 10 II lacks the necessary firmware to be able to properly work in the United States, you might want to opt for an alternative device. The phone is a great choice for those who are into heavy media usage such as streaming, taking photos, and watching their favorite shows but there are other phones just like it that will be able to deliver fairly the same performance.
If you’re from a different region such as Europe or Asia, you might be able to purchase the phone as long as it is available in the market. It’s a competitive phone that is on par with other well-known brands in Europe and the Asia-Pacific which might be great if you’re looking to broaden your market knowledge or try out different products.
In all, it can be a hit or miss when purchasing this phone especially if you’re from the United States. It’s best to do your research first regarding the phone and its competitors before purchasing the phone.
Sony Xperia 10 II Competitors
If you’re planning to get the Sony Xperia 10 II, you might want to consider checking out its competitors first before you decide to check out.
Sony Xperia 10
Contrary to the Xperia 10 II, its predecessor, the Sony Xperia 10 has been officially released in the United States and can be purchased through Sony’s official store and other merchants. The best alternative to the Sony Xperia 10 II is its predecessor. While they have similar display features, the only difference between the two phones is that the Xperia 10 II has better camera performance, a larger battery, and an advanced processor.
Otherwise, both phones are quite the same. If you don’t mind working with a phone that has slightly lower specs but one with a similar performance to the Sony Xperia 10 II, you might want to get the Sony Xperia 10 instead.
Samsung Galaxy A71
The Samsung Galaxy A71 is a mid-range phone that has almost the same specs as the Xperia 10 II. With this Samsung phone, you’ll have a screen that’s brighter, colorful, and bigger at 6.7-inches. The phone’s camera performance also beats that of the Xperia 10 II by a long shot as it has a 32MP front camera, and four rear cameras with a 64MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, and two 5MP for Live Focus and Macro.
By a long shot, the Samsung Galaxy A71 is a better phone than the Xperia 10 II with greater performance, a more powerful battery, and better specs.
Google Pixel 4a
The Google Pixel 4a is another phone that you can get as an alternative to the Xperia 10 II. It might not have the same powerful battery life but the Pixel 4a’s overall performance is at par with Xperia 10 II. Additionally, the phone takes great photos without exerting too much effort. It might lack the technology to deliver crisp and detailed shots as the Xperia 10 II and the Samsung Galaxy A71 but it takes quality photos without too much fuss. That said, the only downside that you’ll have with the phone is its mediocre battery life.
If you’re after functionality without having to fuss about it, then Google Pixel 4a is your best bet at an alternative to the Xperia 10 II.
Verdict
In all, the Sony Xperia 10 II is a great mid-range phone that promises great features without having to burn a hole through your wallet. However, do take note that the phone is not available for all regions, and might have problems if you try to use it in a region that it’s not made for. In that case, you might want to consider looking for an alternative to the phone itself to prevent an undesired user experience, as well as give value to your money.
