Sony Xperia M4 Aqua Review

The Xperia M4 Aqua is the company’s mid-range smartphone that was announced in March and launched in the Philippines in July. It is betting on its 5-inch HD display, Snapdragon 615 octa-core CPU, LTE connectivity, and a IP65/68-certified body. Priced at under Php15K, find out if the M4 Aqua is a keeper by reading our review below.

Design and Construction

Like what was mentioned in our first impressions, the M4 Aqua sports a look that is inspired by the Xperia Z3. It features a plastic frame with metallic finish and glass front and back.

Dominating the front of the device is the 5-inch display with HD resolution. Found above it are the Sony branding, receiver, light sensor, 5 megapixel front camera, and notifications light. Down below is the mouthpiece.

Found on the left side are the microUSB port which doesn’t need a protective covering, and the microSD card slot which comes with a plastic flap.

On the right side are the nano-SIM slot (also covered), power/lock, volume, and dedicated camera button.

Looking at the top most part, here you’ll see a pinhole for the microphone and the headset jack.

Down at the bottom are the loudspeaker and another pinhole for the mic.

Flip it on its back and you will see the 13 megapixel camera and LED flash, NFC logo, and the Sony and Xperia branding.

On hand, we noticed that the glass at the back is not flushed compared to the glass on the front. This leaves an edgy and awkward feeling on the palms and fingers. The buttons, although with a metallic finish, feels soft and not as clicky compared to high-end Xperias.

On the bright side, the M4 Aqua feels premium like its more expensive siblings thanks to the metallic frame and glass front and back. It’s also slim and light at 7.3mm thickness and 140g weight which makes it easy to hold and pocket.

Next Page: Display and Multimedia, Camera, OS, UI, and Apps 12