Sony Xperia T2 Ultra

 

The Sony Xperia T2 Ultra is Sony's second attempt after Sony Xperia Z Ultra at wooing consumers who want an extra large size screen in their smartphones. But unlike the Z Ultra, T2 is not a flagship product. The goal is to sell a device that is value for money and not the one that is fastest, best looking and priciest.

After using the device for a couple of days, we think Sony largely succeeds.  The Xperia T2 Ultra is a good product. However, before we talk about the price and value of T2 Ultra, let's take a look at the device and its specifications.

Build and design

 Xperia T2 Ultra follows the same design that Sony uses in its high-end range of Z smartphones. It is a sleek, slim and good looking device. The difference between T2 Ultra and other high-end Sony smartphones is the build material that is, metal body and a glass back cover. T2 Ultra doesn't have water or dust resistant body.

T2 Ultra is just 7.7mm thick and weighs little over 170 grams. For a phablet, these figures are very impressive. The slim and sleek design makes using T2 Ultra easier even though it is has big screen.

Display

T2 Ultra has a 6-inch TFT screen. The resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels though around 80 pixels at the bottom of the screen are taken by virtual buttons - Home, Multitasking, Back.

The screen with its 720P resolution is not as sharp as 1080P screens that have become common on phones that cost around Rs 25,000. But it is something that you will rarely notice, but if you are reading an ebook or a PDF file you will see not-so-sharp text.

The touch response of the screen is fantastic.

The T2 Ultra screen displays rich and vibrant colours and has very good viewing angles. The brightness, however, is not adequate.

Software

T2 Ultra comes with Android 4.3. It uses Sony's custom user interface (UI). Multitasking, app launcher and installer, even options to customize home screen, are similar to how they are on the stock Android.

The device comes with a few third-party apps like McAfee Security and TrackID TV preloaded on it.

Camera

T2 Ultra has a 13MP primary camera. It is definitely not in the league of the cameras found on high-end Xperias or in phones like Galaxy S4, LG2 or even Gionee E7.

The front camera can shoot images in 1.1MP. It is good enough for video chats.

Performance

T2 Ultra is powered by Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor. The four cores of the processor use A7 ARM architecture, which is meant to be used in mainstream devices. The cores run at 1.4GHz. T2 Ultra has 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage and support for a up to 32GB microSD card.

GPS in the device works very well. The satellite lock is acquired quickly and is maintained well.

While making calls with T2 Ultra, we found the call quality to be good. The device has two sim slots.

Battery life is the highlight of T2 Ultra. After pairing the device with a 3G connection, we used it for nearly 20 hours before we had to recharge the phone. For a device with a big screen, this is fantastic battery life!

Verdict

With an MRP of Rs 25,990, we feel Xperia T2 Ultra is overpriced. If you are looking for a big-screen device, T2 Ultra is definitely the best one in its class. It is much better than HP Slate 6 Voice Tab, even though the HP device is cheaper by a couple of thousand rupees. But given the performance, hardware and experience it offers, T2 Ultra is not a value for money device.

T2 Ultra is a good phablet but it would have been easier for us to recommend if it was selling for around Rs 21,000 to Rs 22,000. But at a price of around Rs 25,000, we can recommend it to only those who must have a device with six-inch screen or users who need great battery life from their phablets.

Key Features

• Expandable Storage Capacity of 32 GB
• Android v4.3 (Jelly Bean) OS
• 6-inch TFT Capacitive Touchscreen
• 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8928 Quad Core Processor
• Full HD Recording
• Wi-Fi Enabled
• 1.1 MP Secondary Camera
• 13 MP Primary Camera