Sony Xperia L1

Sony Xperia L1 price, Specifications & features

Sony Mobile (earlier known as Sony Ericsson Mobile) is a subsidiary of the electronics giant Sony Corporation. The company's Xperia range which initially started with Windows OS has now moved to latest Android software. It markets its premium range devices as waterproof and dustproof. Few weeks after the launch of high-end Sony Xperia XZ Premium, the company has launched its recent entry-level budget smartphone, Sony Xperia L1. This phone is the latest addition to its Xperia 'L' series of smartphones, making it the most affordable of all models. This device is for the selected markets including Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia, North America and Latin America. Sony Xperia price will be quite competitive around 9,999 INR and will feature a large 5.5-inch HD IPS touchscreen display, 1.45GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737T processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB onboard storage which can be expanded upto 256GB via a microSD card, Android Nougat software, 13MP rear camera, 5MP selfie snapper and 2620mAh non-removable battery.

Introduction and Design :

Like all other previous Sony Xperia handsets, this dual SIM (Nano SIM + Nano SIM) device also comes with a flat design with round frame and narrow bezels. It is slim having 8.7mm thickness and dimensions of 151mm x 74 mm x 8.7mm. In terms of weight, it is quite bulky and heavy weighing 180 gms. It is available in multiple colour options like pink, white and black.

Display and Configuration :

This device feature a 5.5-inch (13.97 cm) IPS LCD HD capacitive touchscreen display offering HD resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels along with a decent pixel density of 267 ppi. The device is powered with a 64-bit quad-core MediaTek MT6737 processor (having four Cortex A-53 cores) which is clocked at 1.45 GHz. This robust configuration is paired with an ample 2GB RAM, Mali-T720 MP2 graphics to provide great multitasking without any lags and hiccups while watching videos and playing games. It comes with decent 16GB internal storage to store media and apps. If this not sufficient, then you can also expand the storage upto 256GB via a microSD card. This dual Sim device runs on most recent and upgraded Android v7.0 (Nougat) operating system.

Camera Performance :

In terms of camera department, the handset sports an autofocus 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.2 aperture, LED flash ensuring high resolution images of 4128 x 3096 Pixels and 1080p videos recording @ 30 frame per second. It is also equipped with inbuilt features like panorama, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR), Continuous Shooting mode, Digital Zoom, Exposure compensation, touch focus, face detection, geo-tagging, Self Timer, Scene Mode and White balance presets to capture bright and crisp images in all types of light conditions. It does not have OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) feature. The front facing camera is 5-megapixel with same aperture, wide-angle support for excellent selfie experience, video recording at 30 frames per second and video calling. The selfie camera does not have flash hence the quality of the images will be affected in less light.

Battery and Connectivity :

The device is punched with a non-removable 2620 mAH Li-ion battery which lasts for couple of hours or may a day on medium usage without any failure. It comes with quick Qnovo Adaptive charging support which recharges the device to full capacity in less than two hours. In terms of connectivity, it offers various options like dual-SIM functionality, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.0, GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS/ BDS, FM radio, 3G, 2G, 4G (does not support Indian bands), Mobile Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, USB Type-C port (Doesn't support micro-USB) and 3.5mm headphone jack. The variety of sensors supported includes Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Proximity sensor and Light sensor. It lacks fingerprint scanner and NFC feature.

Key Features of Sony Xperia L1 at a glance :

1. This dual SIM device runs on much advanced and latest Android v7.0 Nougat operating system.
2. It comes with a 5.5 inch HD IPS touchscreen display with 720p resolution and 267ppi pixel density.
3. It is powered by a 1.45 GHz quad-core 64-bit MediaTek MT6737T processor along with Mali T720 GPU paired with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage memory out of which 9GB is available to the user for data storage. It is quite less and can be expanded upto 256GB via a microSD card.
4. It sports a 13MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash and f/2.2 aperture. 5MP selfie camera has same aperture but does not have flash.
5. It is powered by a non-removable Li-ion 2620mAH battery providing talk-time of around 18-20 hours. It offers various connectivity options like 4G LTE, Wi-fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS + GLONASS, NFC and USB Type-C port.

Why should you buy Xperia L1 ?

• USB Type C port :The only good point in this device is the presence of USB Type-C port on the back panel of the handset. The USB port ensures reversible USB, quick charging and speedy data transfer to the phone.
• Android Noughat OS:This latest Android OS provides great user interface by offering lot of improvements over its previous versions like enhanced battery life, revamped notifications, split screen feature (which helps you to use more than one app in a single screen), inbuilt toggle widgets (also referred to as quick menu settings) and file based encryption for more security and protection. Apart from above two points, the handset has nothing different to offer in a budget segment phone.

Reasons not to buy Xperia L1 ?

• Lack of fingerprint scanner :At a Sony Xperia L1 price range around 10K, it is difficult to believe that this handset does not have a fingerprint sensor. This will definitely prevent lot of potential buyers from buying this handset.
• No flash in front camera :The front facing camera does not have a flash hence the selfie quality is highly affected in low light.

How is Sony Xperia L1 different from its predecessor Xperia L?

In terms of size and dimensions, Xperia L1 is heavy and bulky at 180gms. Features-wise, the upcoming mobile Xperia L1 will score far better than Xperia L. It sports bigger 5.5-inch screen with HD resolution and higher pixel density. The camera performance is also much better with 13MP rear camera with LED flash and f/2.2 aperture and 5MP front camera with a wide-angle support. It delivers fast and smooth performance and great multitasking with 1.45GHz quad-core chipset coupled with 2GB RAM and technically advanced Android v7.0 operating system. On the other hand, Sony Xperia L features smaller 4.3-inch screen with 480p resolution. The camera is average with 8MP primary camera and very weak 0.3MP secondary camera for video calling and clicking selfies. In terms of hardware specs, it comes with outdated Android v4.0 software and 1GHz dual-core processor with 1GB RAM which is quite a less offering as compared to Sony Xperia L1 price.

Our viewpoint on Sony Xperia L1 :

Xperia L1 is a mid-range phone by Sony. It has very advanced software with some really exciting features like split-screen, revamped notifications, download more google instant apps, higher battery life etc. For the brand lovers, it is great choice but the buyer may find better options in the similar price range with higher specifications. However, it might face tough competition from Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 which has much better specifications such as powerful battery, metallic build, fingerprint scanner and robust configuration.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Ans : Yes, the device supports dual sim functionality but it can also be used as a single SIM handset.

Ans : No, it does not have fingerprint reader.

Ans : This handset comes with 16 GB of inbuilt storage, of which the user can use around 9 GB of space for storing data, music, videos, pictures and apps. The supported apps can be easily moved to the SD card in case you have more data storage requirement.

Ans : No, the phone comes with single LED flash. The front camera does not have flash in it.

Ans : Yes, Xperia L1 is equipped with USB OTG feature. Does it support USB OTG?

Ans : Yes, both SIM card slots in L1 support 4G LTE (does not support Indian bands).

Ans : No, the battery of this handset is non-replaceable.

Ans : No, this Sony budget phone cannot record slow motion videos though it can record videos in the highest resolution of 1080p.

Ans : It comes with upgraded Android v7.0 Nougat operating system, which provides good user experience. The stock OS has been wrapped with Sony's own custom skin, with improved visuals and features.

Ans : No, the smartphone does not support VoLTE feature hence will not be able to support Jio SIM.

Ans : Besides the handset, the box also contains other items like USB cable, phone charger, Earphone and manual guide.