Sony Xperia E3 which was presented at IFA 2014 is now available for pre-order for 11,990 (Single SIM) and 12,990 (Dual SIM). This makes it a direct challenger to hyped big guns like Canvas Nitro and the new Moto G. Let’s take a look at the hardware of the new Xperia E3.
Camera and Internal Storage
The 5 MP AF rear shooter accredited by Sony can record 1080p full HD videos. The secondary camera is a modest VGA unit for those interested in selfies. The competition is offering more detailed 13 MP/ 8 MP camera’s in this price range. Although it’s hard to judge image quality by Megapixel count, we would have liked larger 8 MP sensor on board.
4 GB internal storage will be a limitation. With Android Kitkat some freedoms of SD card have been curbed and thus you will be better off with at least 8 GB on board Nand flash, which you can easily get in this price range. MicroSD support up to 32 GB and USB OTG support is also there, so you won’t have any trouble loading any amount of Media files.
Processor and Battery
The spotlight here is on Qualcomm budget star Snapdragon 400 quad core with cortex A7 cores clocked at 1.2 GHz and assisted by Adreno 305 GPU and 1 GB RAM. The chipset is a well tested one by now and you can expect energy efficient and lag free day to day usage even with Sony Custom UI layered on top of stock Android.
Battery capacity is another thing which has been paid due attention. The battery capacity is 2330 mAh which sounds decent enough considering the chipset, software and display. You will get better back up with one SIM plugged in.
Display and Other Features
The display is 4.5 inches in size with FWVGA resolution. The 218 ppi display isn’t much to brag about either in terms of size or sharpness at least on paper. With abundant HD displays even from global brands, the display doesn’t seem to be very appealing, but should be fairly usable.
Those looking for a smaller easily pocketable smartphone will perhaps appreciate the display size. Moto G and Zenfone 5 with 5 Inch HD display are other good options that you should consider. The phone runs on latest Android 4.4.4 Kitkat OS while other features include Bluetooth 4.0, shatter proof glass, WiFi, microUSB, USB OTG, MHL 3, 3G, Accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer and GPS.
Comparison
The Xperia E3 will compete against the likes of Asus Zenfone 5, Moto G, Xolo 8x- 1000 and Micromax Canvas Nitro in this price range.
Key Specs
| Model | Sony Xperia E3 |
| Display | 4.5 Inch , FWVGA |
| Processor | 1.2 GHz Quad Core |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| Internal Storage | 4 GB, Expandable |
| OS | Android 4.4.4 Kitkat |
| Camera | 5 MP/ VGA |
| Battery | 2330 mAh |
| Price | 11,990/ 12,990 INR (Single SIM/ Dual SIM) |
Conclusion and Price
Sony Xperia E3 combines a good battery, decent chipset and a pocket friendly display size. It lies in a price range where customers have been spoilt for choice with enticing hardware specs from Chinese as well as Global brands. The Xperia E3 will find a place for itself among Xperia series loyalists (and that’s a big number)looking for a decent smartphone experience and Xperia build at a reasonable price starting from 11,990
