Sony XPERIA ACE SO-02L Review

The world has not seen such impudence for a long time. I have always said that you can expect a dirty trick from these people at any moment. And that's exactly what happened this time. Moreover, I note that there are several reasons for indignation at once.

There are many ways to refer to Sony. Everyone evaluates it from the standpoint of what role this brand played specifically in his case. For some, due to age, this label generally passed by, and in someone's life it left only positive or, conversely, negative emotions. It is worth recognizing that Sony has turned from the once largest technological giant into a brand that is only talked about, but no one is in a hurry to consider it as a serious competitor. Nevertheless, with my review today, I would like to try to bring you back to the idea that the Japanese are still able to surprise someone in this world. I hope I can make it. But don't expect me to flatter this company. I will expose the whole truth!

Positioning

Firstly, this year, the leadership of the mobile division of Sony, it seems, decided to return to the old practice of releasing models exclusively for its own market. And this is despite the steadily deteriorating situation around the company's telephone business. It would seem that at a time when all sane manufacturers, under the yoke of globalization and growing competition, by any means strive to get into as many markets as possible, the Japanese are digging in behind the lines, as if anticipating the onset of an hitherto unseen enemy. Yes, they have always been famous for the closeness of their market, severely restricting access to it from the outside. This taboo, by the way, extends not only to the IT sphere. It was this closeness from everyone and everything, along with an incorrectly oriented marketing policy and a pompous desire to be different, that played a cruel joke on the Japanese. In the last few years, the Japanese mobile phone market has gone like a skating rink, leveling several companies at once (NEC, Panasonic, Toshiba, Casio). And all this, of course, not without the help of a persistent Varangian in the person of Apple, aggressively capturing the Japanese market.

Secondly, even I, a person who has not been observing the decline (development) of the Japanese mobile industry for the past 20 years from the outside, never ceases to be surprised at the desperate attempts of local manufacturers to go against current trends, or rather, categorically ignore them. This time I'm not talking about trends, but about attempts to revive the long-rotten corpse of former standards. All these attempts resulted in a new compact Sony smartphone presented this spring with the loud name XPERIA Ace, which means "ace" in Lao. I do not know anything about the true reasons for the appearance of such a product in the age of big shovels, and even more so for a company like Sony. Perhaps the Japanese decided to test the market on the topic of user attitudes towards 5-inch compacts, not paying attention to the fact that some manufacturers have already rushed to proclaim compact smartphones with a diagonal of 5.8 inches. All of this would make some sense if it wasn't for a phone that will never officially be sold outside of Japan. And here you can already talk for a long time and aimlessly on a given topic.

On May 16, the Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo presented its summer collection of new products, among which was the XPERIA Ace, a compact smartphone with budgetary filling, which received the SO-02L operator index. Together with him, Sony presented the flagship XPERIA 1. From the global version, by the way, it differs in a smaller battery (3200 mAh), less user memory (64 GB) and a single slot for a SIM card. Here is such a mysterious Japanese dualism.

Sony XPERIA Ace SO-02L for NTT Docomo

Until recently, XPERIA Ace was officially sold only by NTT Docomo, but a little later, Sony decided to be generous and shared the smartphone with local virtual operators. The main difference between the operator's XPERIA Ace SO-02L and its MVNO versions is only that the first one is initially blocked for its own network, while "virtuals" are sold already SIM-free. In addition, the operator's corporate logo is applied on the back of the smartphone for NTT Docomo. Nevertheless, Docomo SO-02L can be unlocked quite officially, and it was he who fell into my hands today. The smartphone is presented in three colors: lilac, white and black.

Specifications

Sony marketers refer the new XPERIA Ace to the budget segment. And here it is important to understand that the Japanese have their own opinion on this matter. If everything is more or less clear with the definition of "budget characteristics", then with regard to the price one can strongly argue. As you know, Japan is not the cheapest country. It would be quite logical to assume that phones there are unusually expensive. The official price of XPERIA Ace is 48,600 yen, which is a little less than 30 thousand rubles. Do not forget that this is the cost of a blocked device. An additional 3,240 yen will be required to unlock (

2 thousand rubles). The total is about 31-32 thousand, which, according to many owners of modern smartphones, is a bit too much for a state employee. I am sure that everyone will find a lot of shortcomings in this phone, which, perhaps, will be quite justified. However, do not forget that you are dealing with a proudly upturned Sony. And this, for a moment, is one of the few companies that offer a real, and not far-fetched, compact device today.

By the way, Sony management estimated the cost of XPERIA Ace at exactly half of the price of XPERIA 1, intending thus to interest a more modest audience, unable to pull the flagship.

Samsung GALAXY S10e vs. Sony XPERIA Ace

With dimensions of 140x67x9.3 mm, the smartphone received a 5-inch display. The same Samsung GALAXY S10e, which many call compact, with dimensions of 142×69.9×7.9 mm, the display has a diagonal of 5.8 inches. You can argue about which diagonal feels more comfortable until you're blue in the face. It all depends on the personal preferences of each. Speaking for myself, it was Sony that seemed more convenient to me in terms of daily work. The height of the screen allows you to easily reach the top edge and even the opposite top corner with your fingers. Wandering around the screen is imperceptible to the nervous system. Using the GALAXY S10e, you already have to pay attention to this. However, the Korean, as for me, looks much more attractive. Again, the opinion is subjective.

Even though it's 2019, Sony has decided not to splurge on rich content for its compact. It seems that Japanese engineers have collected the belongings of two years ago and put them in a box a la "Sony style". The smartphone received a budget by today's standards 630th chipset from Qualcomm, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. The camera also does not meet modern requirements. The main optics is represented by a single 12 MP lens, the front camera is 8 MP. The branded 5" Triluminos display with a resolution of 2160x1080p is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Of the special stages, there is a fingerprint scanner combined with a power button on the right side. The case is traditionally protected from water and dust according to the IP8 standard. OS Android 9 Pie is preinstalled as an operating system. The 2700 mAh battery is enough for exactly one full day of work due to the presence of a modestly powerful processor and a small screen.

• Operating system: OS Android 9 Pie
• Standards support: GSM, 3G, LTE
• Processor: 2.2GHz/1.8GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
• RAM: 4 GB
• ROM: 64 GB
• Display: 5", FullHD+, 2160×1080 pix, TFT, Triluminos, 16 million colors, Gorilla Glass 5
• Main camera: 12 MP, CMOS, 4K video recording, autofocus, LED flash
• Front camera: 8 MP CMOS, 80° wide-angle lens, full HD video recording
• Memory card support: microSDXC up to 512 GB
• Fingerprint scanner
• NFC
• GPS/GLONASS
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth 5.0
• USB Type-C
• Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
• Water, moisture and dust resistant (IPX5, IPX8, IP6X)
• Battery: Li-Ion, 2700 mAh
• Dimensions: 140x67x9.3 mm
• Weight: 154 g

What is the beauty of all Sony smartphones, including those that were released for the Japanese market, the user can choose any interface language out of the box. Russian, of course, is also present. As in all phones of the Japanese operator trio, only one SIM-card slot is used here. This is the law.

Huawei P20 Pro, Sony XPERIA Ace, Fujitsu ARROWS Nx F-01K

Packages

Sony XPERIA Ace remains true to Japanese tradition. You can call it whatever you want – stinginess, greed or practicality. Rather it is a combination of all of the above. And yet he managed to break all the records. The future owner will be able to find only the phone itself and a couple of b/w manuals in the boiled white box. No TV adapter, no cables of any kind, no AC adapter. Fatality!

First impressions. Design

Every year, fewer and fewer manufacturers remember compact smartphones. Although I agree, the concept of "compact smartphone" can be perceived differently by everyone. The format quickly disappeared. First of all, of course, I mean phones that can compete with modern flagships in terms of filling and at the same time have small dimensions. In order not to talk about the difference in the perception of this format, let me take myself as an example, since I am going to cover this topic.

The first thing you notice after opening the box is the appearance of the phone, or rather, its once classic design. Sony still continues to play on the nostalgic feelings of the fans, in every possible way avoiding frameless forms and other "eyebrows". Local designers stubbornly bend their line, thereby demonstrating the persistent spirit of a real Japanese samurai. The example of modern Sony mobile devices clearly shows how the company persistently opposes everything new in terms of design. Several examples of Japanese companies that succumbed to fashion and began to carefully probe the frameless story come to mind at once. As an example, I will cite Fujitsu, which only this year introduced its debut frameless-eyebrow state employee ARROWS U.

Fujitsu ARROWS U

Now for the tactile sensations. And I'll start with the cons. The phone is incredibly slippery. It seems to be completely buried in the palm of your hand, but it is the round glossy sides that provoke it to take off. The problem will be exacerbated if you use it in cold weather, or even more so in the cold, when the grip between the palms and the surface of the case is minimal. I think the cover would have saved the situation in the event of a fatal accident. Unfortunately, for all the time of testing, I could not get rid of the thought of a possible fall that was haunting me. I had to think about it almost constantly. The 2.5D display glass also adds fuel to the fire.

The frame of the smartphone is made of aluminum and painted in the color of the case, the back wall is plastic. I will dwell on it in more detail a little later. The Ace display is protected by fifth-generation Gorilla Glass. As usual, the case is protected from moisture, water and dust according to the IP68 standard, but protection from landing on any floor is clearly not enough here. The branded TFT display produces quite a high-quality picture. In general, I rarely saw anyone making any claims to Sony screens. The XPERIA Ace is no exception. The image from the camera is not much different from what you see with your own eyes, and for me personally, this is one of the important indicators. In the sun, the contents of the desktop are read https://tonaton.com/c_wedding-wear without problems.

Even considering the small screen, programmers have added a Side Sense side menu. The chip is convenient, the main thing is not to forget about it at the right time. While playing with the phone, it never occurred to me to use this menu. By the way, I had a similar situation with all similar solutions on other phones. Either the standard features of the operating system are enough, or you really simply forget that there is an opportunity to simplify your life.

Above the display is a standard set: a hybrid speaker, front camera, proximity / lighting sensors and an LED indicator. By the way, in the XPERIA Ace, the engineers thought of adding a second speaker, organizing at least some kind of stereo effect for the future owner. The corresponding slot is visible at the bottom of the display between the glass and the frame.

When turned off, my instance's facade looks like a solid black fill. The northern and southern edges of the screen merge with almost a centimeter indentation of the ends on both sides. This is especially striking when the screen works on contrast. Still, most owners of modern smartphones have been perceiving their devices as frameless for years, or at least striving for them.

As I said, the interface is fully translated into the desired language. However, the set of pre-installed applications includes Japanese software, most often used in conjunction with operator services. Fortunately, it can not only be removed from sight, but completely removed. At the same time, the place will be freed. On the screen of the XPERIA Ace, as well as any other NTT Docomo smartphone, the signature ram-assistant slowly moves from corner to corner. It will be of little use to non-Japanese speakers, unless left as an electronic dummy.

As you know, Sony decided to stop using the 3.5 mm audio jack. However, this decision does not apply to the younger XPERIA Ace. The owner of this smartphone can safely continue to enjoy his "burdocks", especially considering that he now also has support for DSEE-HX digital sound enhancement technology. The sound in the headphones is really good, but the final impression depends on the "ears" themselves and the quality of the source file.

One of the microphones is visible next to the 3.5 mm jack

The slot for a SIM card and a memory card is hidden behind a waterproof plug on the left side

Second microphone and Type-C connector split the bottom end

A miniature power button is hidden in the center of the right sidewall in a small recess, which also works as a fingerprint scanner. Classic. A little higher is a pair of elegant teardrop-shaped volume buttons. All elements are painted in the body color.

I looked at the smartphone again, but from a different angle. I realized for myself that in black the device looks damn attractive even with its outdated design, and immediately the thought of a slippery and impractical glossy finish brings me back to reality.

The back wall, which I mentioned at the beginning of my story, is the second thing that caught my attention when I first took the phone out of the box. First, as is usually the case with black, this is the most easily soiled phone I have ever seen.

Already after I first took it in my hands, I realized that I had never paid attention to what materials its body was made of. But it would still be worth knowing in advance. In advertising and third-party photos, I did not see, and could not notice that, falling on the surface of the back wall, the light clearly highlights one of the aesthetic disadvantages of the smartphone.

In the photo below, you see a completely ordinary, cleanly wiped black phone.

But in this photo the real picture of what is happening is already clearly visible. As the saying goes, "trousers turn". The entire back wall is strewn with shagreen. The effect of an orange peel is striking from almost any angle, if at that moment there is, of course, light on the surface. In this place, I, in theory, should have an awkward feeling about the high Japanese quality. Was it the idea of ​​https://cars45.com.gh/Cx8Tv8V4Rt198S6lewa5vUEc designers, or such quality of painting was the result of someone's dishonest work apparently I'll never know.

Let's do it. I imagine that the shagreen was made on purpose in order to distinguish the Sony XPERIA Ace from the background of phones from other manufacturers not only in size and design, but also in such an "unusual" textured back wall. How do you like this idea? I understand, nonsense, but other options simply do not occur to me. At worst, it looks like a diversion.

Camera

Infrequently lately I have to test phones of this brand, but I remember that the picture and video quality of the old Sony models was at a fairly high level. However, now, when the level of the smartphone's camera is able to determine its future, "being on the level" is no longer enough. You are either the first, or you are mentioned only in the relevant benchmarks. Otherwise, you and your "cool" camera will only produce countless comments under the next review of the photo capabilities of the next flagship, thereby justifying your rash choice in every possible way.

Knowing that all the world leaders are now striving to raise the level not only by improving the software side, but also by increasing the number of modules, my expectations from XPERIA Ace were not the most rosy. As it turned out, with its single 12-megapixel "eye" the smartphone looks at the world with a slightly yellowish tint. At first glance, the Ace shoots quite well in out-of-the-box mode, especially in sunny weather. However, there is something to complain about here too. Dark places in the photo come out frankly black. It is noticeable how the optics do not have enough aperture. At the same time, the pictures themselves are clear. In the dark, sharpness is lost significantly, smearing sand along the way.

Камера оснащена гибридной стабилизацией.Optical works when shooting photos, electronic – when shooting video. For selfie lovers, the camera is ready to generate a short video, which will include the 4 best shots. The maximum video resolution is 4K. The maximum number of frames in this mode is 30. The video sequence is played without any jerks and with clear stabilization, so that the eyes will definitely not get tired. However, at the same time, autofocus reacts terribly to the subject entering the macro zone. Focusing simply refuses to work, and this is at a distance of about 20 cm. To be honest, this fact surprised me a lot. The video is recorded with stereo sound.

The 8-megapixel front camera has a working angle of 120 degrees. The width is sufficient for shooting the whole company. As usual, the effect of smoothing the skin is adjusted as desired or turned off altogether. Also, in real time, you can blur the background, add brightness or contrast, and even increase the size of the eyes. For the Japanese, this is a very topical issue. The main camera has an LED flash, the front camera has a bright white screen as a flash.

I will speak in a separate line about the programmatic blurring of the background. Sony, don't do this again!

As a conclusion

Many expected from Sony a classic compact with stuffing reminiscent of the XPERIA 1. What the Japanese offered for their own market, one might say, only slowed down the process of getting wet on their already tarnished reputation. Why they needed it is a secret with seven seals. Only due to the fact that officially XPERIA Ace does not plan to meddle outside of Japan, at least the whole world will not know about this shame. It's all here – outdated specifications, design, positioning, cost. After a few days spent with the phone, I personally had the impression that I had experience with anyone, but not with the product of a once great corporation.At least that's what I can say about Sony's mobile direction, for a moment, for the native market, which the Japanese have never given at the mercy of anyone. Yes, it was until recently. Now the situation has changed a lot, and with the naked eye you can already see a clear lag in technology and capabilities. For me personally, Sony was blown away a long time ago. The phones of this company have become faceless, although they have retained the traditional look, reminiscent of the Sony Style brand. But now, when the world is changing every minute, I would like to see a real breakthrough, especially since this company has all the opportunities for this.

Sony XPERIA ACE SO-02L Review

The world has not seen such impudence for a long time. I have always said that you can expect a dirty trick from these people at any moment. And that's exactly what happened this time. Moreover, I note that there are several reasons for indignation at once.

There are many ways to refer to Sony. Everyone evaluates it from the standpoint of what role this brand played specifically in his case. For some, due to age, this label generally passed by, and in someone's life it left only positive or, conversely, negative emotions. It is worth recognizing that Sony has turned from the once largest technological giant into a brand that is only talked about, but no one is in a hurry to consider it as a serious competitor. Nevertheless, with my review today, I would like to try to bring you back to the idea that the Japanese are still able to surprise someone in this world. I hope I can make it. But don't expect me to flatter this company. I will expose the whole truth!

Positioning

Firstly, this year, the leadership of the mobile division of Sony, it seems, decided to return to the old practice of releasing models exclusively for its own market. And this is despite the steadily deteriorating situation around the company's telephone business. It would seem that at a time when all sane manufacturers, under the yoke of globalization and growing competition, by any means strive to get into as many markets as possible, the Japanese are digging in behind the lines, as if anticipating the onset of an hitherto unseen enemy. Yes, they have always been famous for the closeness of their market, severely restricting access to it from the outside. This taboo, by the way, extends not only to the IT sphere. It was this closeness from everyone and everything, along with an incorrectly oriented marketing policy and a pompous desire to be different, that played a cruel joke on the Japanese. In the last few years, the Japanese mobile phone market has gone like a skating rink, leveling several companies at once (NEC, Panasonic, Toshiba, Casio). And all this, of course, not without the help of a persistent Varangian in the person of Apple, aggressively capturing the Japanese market.

Secondly, even I, a person who has not been observing the decline (development) of the Japanese mobile industry for the past 20 years from the outside, never ceases to be surprised at the desperate attempts of local manufacturers to go against current trends, or rather, categorically ignore them. This time I'm not talking about trends, but about attempts to revive the long-rotted corpse of former standards. All these attempts resulted in a new compact Sony smartphone presented this spring with the loud name XPERIA Ace, which means "ace" in Lao. I do not know anything about the true reasons for the appearance of such a product in the age of big shovels, and even more so for a company like Sony. Perhaps the Japanese decided to test the market on the topic of user attitudes towards 5-inch compacts, not paying attention to the fact that some manufacturers have already rushed to proclaim compact smartphones with a diagonal of 5.8 inches. All of this would make some sense if it wasn't for a phone that will never officially be sold outside of Japan. And here you can already talk for a long time and aimlessly on a given topic.

On May 16, the Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo presented its summer collection of new products, among which was the XPERIA Ace, a compact smartphone with budgetary filling, which received the SO-02L operator index. Together with him, Sony presented the flagship XPERIA 1. From the global version, by the way, it differs in a smaller battery (3200 mAh), less user memory (64 GB) and a single slot for a SIM card. Here is such a mysterious Japanese dualism.

Sony XPERIA Ace SO-02L for NTT Docomo

Until recently, XPERIA Ace was officially sold only by NTT Docomo, but a little later, Sony decided to be generous and shared the smartphone with local virtual operators. The main difference between the operator's XPERIA Ace SO-02L and its MVNO versions is only that the first one is initially blocked for its own network, while "virtuals" are sold already SIM-free. In addition, the operator's corporate logo is applied on the back of the smartphone for NTT Docomo. Nevertheless, Docomo SO-02L can be unlocked quite officially, and it was he who fell into my hands today. The smartphone is presented in three colors: lilac, white and black.

Specifications

Sony marketers refer the new XPERIA Ace to the budget segment. And here it is important to understand that the Japanese have their own opinion on this matter. If everything is more or less clear with the definition of "budget characteristics", then with regard to the price one can strongly argue. As you know, Japan is not the cheapest country. It would be quite logical to assume that phones there are unusually expensive. The official price of XPERIA Ace is 48,600 yen, which is a little less than 30 thousand rubles. Do not forget that this is the cost of a blocked device. An additional 3,240 yen will be required to unlock (

2 thousand rubles). The total is about 31-32 thousand, which, according to many owners of modern smartphones, is a bit too much for a state employee. I am sure that everyone will find a lot of shortcomings in this phone, which, perhaps, will be quite justified. However, do not forget that you are dealing with a proudly upturned Sony. And this, for a moment, is one of the few companies that offer a real, and not far-fetched, compact device today.

By the way, Sony management estimated the cost of XPERIA Ace at exactly half of the price of XPERIA 1, intending thus to interest a more modest audience, unable to pull the flagship.

Samsung GALAXY S10e vs. Sony XPERIA Ace

With dimensions of 140x67x9.3 mm, the smartphone received a 5-inch display. The same Samsung GALAXY S10e, which many call compact, with dimensions of 142×69.9×7.9 mm, the display has a diagonal of 5.8 inches. You can argue about which diagonal feels more comfortable until you're blue in the face. It all depends on the personal preferences of each. Speaking for myself, it was Sony that seemed more convenient to me in terms of daily work. The height of the screen allows you to easily reach the top edge and even the opposite top corner with your fingers. Wandering around the screen is imperceptible to the nervous system. Using the GALAXY S10e, you already have to pay attention to this. However, the Korean, as for me, looks much more attractive. Again, the opinion is subjective.

Even though it's 2019, Sony has decided not to splurge on rich content for its compact. It seems that Japanese engineers have collected the belongings of two years ago and put them in a box a la "Sony style". The smartphone received a budget by today's standards 630th chipset from Qualcomm, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. The camera also does not meet modern requirements. The main optics is represented by a single 12 MP lens, the front camera is 8 MP. The branded 5" Triluminos display with a resolution of 2160x1080p is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Of the special stages, there is a fingerprint scanner combined with a power button on the right side. The case is traditionally protected from water and dust according to the IP8 standard. OS Android 9 Pie is preinstalled as an operating system. The 2700 mAh battery lasts exactly one full day of work due to the presence of a modestly powerful processor and a small screen.

• Operating system: OS Android 9 Pie
• Standards support: GSM, 3G, LTE
• Processor: 2.2GHz/1.8GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
• RAM: 4 GB
• ROM: 64 GB
• Display: 5", FullHD+, 2160×1080 pix, TFT, Triluminos, 16 million colors, Gorilla Glass 5
• Main camera: 12 MP, CMOS, 4K video recording, autofocus, LED flash
• Front camera: 8 MP CMOS, 80° wide-angle lens, full HD video recording
• Memory card support: microSDXC up to 512 GB
• Fingerprint scanner
• NFC
• GPS/GLONASS
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth 5.0
• USB Type-C
• Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
• Water, moisture and dust resistant (IPX5, IPX8, IP6X)
• Battery: Li-Ion, 2700 mAh
• Dimensions: 140x67x9.3 mm
• Weight: 154 g

What is the beauty of all Sony smartphones, including those that were released for the Japanese market, the user can choose any interface language out of the box. Russian, of course, is also present. As in all phones of the Japanese operator trio, only one SIM-card slot is used here. This is the law.

Huawei P20 Pro, Sony XPERIA Ace, Fujitsu ARROWS Nx F-01K

Packages

Sony XPERIA Ace remains true to Japanese tradition. You can call it whatever you like – stinginess, greed or practicality. Rather it is a combination of all of the above. And yet he managed to break all the records. The future owner will be able to find only the phone itself and a couple of b/w manuals in the boiled-white box. No TV adapter, no cables of any kind, no AC adapter. Fatality!

First impressions. Design

Every year, fewer and fewer manufacturers remember compact smartphones. Although I agree, the concept of "compact smartphone" can be perceived differently by everyone. The format quickly disappeared. First of all, of course, I mean phones that can compete with modern flagships in terms of filling and at the same time have small dimensions. In order not to talk about the difference in the perception of this format, let me take myself as an example, since I am going to cover this topic.

The first thing you notice after opening the box is the appearance of the phone, or rather, its once classic design. Sony still continues to play on the nostalgic feelings of the fans, in every possible way avoiding frameless forms and other "eyebrows". Local designers stubbornly bend their line, thereby demonstrating the persistent spirit of a real Japanese samurai. The example of modern Sony mobile devices clearly shows how the company persistently opposes everything new in terms of design. Several examples of Japanese companies that succumbed to fashion and began to carefully probe the frameless story come to mind at once. As an example, I will cite Fujitsu, which only this year introduced its debut frameless-eyebrow state employee ARROWS U.

Fujitsu ARROWS U

Now for the tactile sensations. And I'll start with the cons. The phone is incredibly slippery. It seems to be completely buried in the palm of your hand, but it is the round glossy sides that provoke it to take off. The problem will be exacerbated if you use it in cold weather, or even more so in the cold, when the grip between the palms and the surface of the case is minimal. I think the cover would have saved the situation in the event of a fatal accident. Unfortunately, for all the time of testing, I could not get rid of the thought of a possible fall that was haunting me. I had to think about it almost constantly. The 2.5D display glass also adds fuel to the fire.

The frame of the smartphone is made of aluminum and painted in the color of the case, the back wall is plastic. I will dwell on it in more detail a little later. The Ace display is protected by fifth-generation Gorilla Glass. As usual, the case is protected from moisture, water and dust according to the IP68 standard, but protection from landing on any floor is clearly not enough here. The branded TFT display produces quite a high-quality picture. In general, I rarely saw anyone making any claims to Sony screens. The XPERIA Ace is no exception. The image from the camera is not much different from what you see with your own eyes, and for me personally, this is one of the important indicators. In the sun, the contents of the desktop are read without problems.

Even considering the small screen, programmers have added a Side Sense side menu. The chip is convenient, the main thing is not to forget about it at the right time. While playing with the phone, it never occurred to me to use this menu. By the way, I had a similar situation with all similar solutions on other phones. Either the standard features of the operating system are enough, or you really simply forget that there is an opportunity to simplify your life.

Above the display is a standard set: a hybrid speaker, front camera, proximity / lighting sensors and an LED indicator. By the way, in the XPERIA Ace, the engineers thought of adding a second speaker, organizing at least some kind of stereo effect for the future owner. The corresponding slot is visible at the bottom of the display between the glass and the frame.

When turned off, my instance's facade looks like a solid black fill. The northern and southern edges of the screen merge with almost a centimeter indentation of the ends on both sides. This is especially striking when the screen works on contrast. Still, most owners of modern smartphones have been perceiving their devices as frameless for years, or at least striving for them.

As I said, the interface is fully translated into the desired language. However, the set of pre-installed applications includes Japanese software, most often used in conjunction with operator services. Fortunately, it can not only be removed from sight, but completely removed. At the same time, the place will be freed. On the screen of the XPERIA Ace, as well as any other NTT Docomo smartphone, the signature ram-assistant slowly moves from corner to corner. It will be of little use to non-Japanese speakers, unless left as an electronic dummy.

As you know, Sony decided to stop using the 3.5 mm audio jack. However, this decision does not apply to the younger XPERIA Ace. The owner of this smartphone can safely continue to enjoy his "burdocks", especially considering that he now also has support for DSEE-HX digital sound enhancement technology. The sound in the headphones is really good, but the final impression depends on the "ears" themselves and the quality of the source file.

One of the microphones is visible next to the 3.5 mm jack

The slot for a SIM card and a memory card is hidden behind a waterproof plug on the left side

Second microphone and Type-C connector split the bottom end

A miniature power button is hidden in the center of the right sidewall in a small recess, which also works as a fingerprint scanner. Classic. A little higher is a pair of elegant teardrop-shaped volume buttons. All elements are painted in the body color.

I looked at the smartphone again, but from a different angle. I realized for myself that in black the device looks damn attractive even with its outdated design, and immediately the thought of a slippery and impractical glossy finish brings me back to reality.

The back wall, which I mentioned at the beginning of my story, is the second thing that caught my attention when I first took the phone out of the box. First, as is usually the case with black, this is the most easily soiled phone I have ever seen.

Already after I first took it in my hands, I realized that I had never paid attention to what materials its body was made of. But it would still be worth knowing in advance. In advertising and third-party photos, I did not see, and could not notice that, falling on the surface of the back wall, the light clearly highlights one of the aesthetic disadvantages of the smartphone.

In the photo below, you see a completely ordinary, cleanly wiped black phone.

But in this photo the real picture of what is happening is already clearly visible. As the saying goes, "trousers turn". The entire back wall is strewn with shagreen. The effect of an orange peel is striking from almost any angle, if at that moment there is, of course, light on the surface. In this place, I should, in theory, have an awkward feeling about the high Japanese quality. Was it the idea of ​​https://cars45.com.gh/Cx8Tv8V4Rt198S6lewa5vUEc designers, or such quality of painting was the result of someone's dishonest work , apparently, I will never know.

Let's do it. I imagine that the shagreen was made on purpose in order to distinguish the Sony XPERIA Ace from the background of phones from other manufacturers not only in size and design, but also in such an "unusual" textured back wall. How do you like this idea? I understand, nonsense, but other options simply do not occur to me. At worst, it looks like a diversion.

Camera

Infrequently lately I have to test phones of this brand, but I remember that the picture and video quality of the old Sony models was at a fairly high level. However, now, when the level of the smartphone's camera is able to determine its future, "being on the level" is no longer enough. You are either the first, or you are mentioned only in the relevant benchmarks. Otherwise, you and your "cool" camera will only produce countless comments under the next review of the photo capabilities of the next flagship, thereby justifying your rash choice in every possible way.

Knowing that all the world leaders are now striving to raise the level not only by improving the software side, but also by increasing the number of modules, my expectations from XPERIA Ace were not the most rosy. As it turned out, with its single 12-megapixel "eye" the smartphone looks at the world with a slightly yellowish tint. At first glance, the Ace shoots quite well in out-of-the-box mode, especially in sunny weather. However, there is something to complain about here too. Dark places in the photo come out frankly black. It is noticeable how the optics do not have enough aperture. At the same time, the pictures themselves are clear. In the dark, sharpness is lost significantly, smearing sand along the way.

Камера оснащена гибридной стабилизацией.Optical works when shooting photos, electronic – when shooting video. For selfie lovers, the camera is ready to generate a short video, which will include the 4 best shots. The maximum video resolution is 4K. The maximum number of frames in this mode is 30. The video sequence is played without any jerks and with clear stabilization, so that the eyes will definitely not get tired. However, at the same time, autofocus reacts terribly to the subject entering the macro zone. Focusing simply refuses to work, and this is at a distance of about 20 cm. To be honest, this fact surprised me a lot. The video is recorded with stereo sound.

The 8-megapixel front camera has a working angle of 120 degrees. The width is sufficient for shooting the whole company. As usual, the effect of smoothing the skin is adjusted as desired or turned off altogether. Also, in real time, you can blur the background, add brightness or contrast, and even increase the size of the eyes. For the Japanese, this is a very topical issue. The main camera has an LED flash, the front camera has a bright white screen as a flash.

I will speak in a separate line about the programmatic blurring of the background. Sony, don't do this again!

As a conclusion

Many expected from Sony a classic compact with stuffing reminiscent of the XPERIA 1. What the Japanese offered for their own market, one might say, only slowed down the process of getting wet on their already tarnished reputation. Why they needed it is a secret with seven seals. Only due to the fact that officially XPERIA Ace does not plan to meddle outside of Japan, at least the whole world will not know about this shame. It's all here – outdated specifications, design, positioning, cost. After a few days spent with the phone, I personally had the impression that I had experience with anyone, but not with the product of a once great corporation.At least that's what I can say about Sony's mobile direction, for a moment, for the native market, which the Japanese have never given at the mercy of anyone. Yes, it was until recently. Now the situation has changed a lot, and with the naked eye you can already see a clear lag in technology and capabilities. For me personally, Sony was blown away a long time ago. The phones of this company have become faceless, although they have retained the traditional look, reminiscent of the Sony Style brand. But now, when the world is changing every minute, I would like to see a real breakthrough, especially since this company has all the opportunities for this.

Sony XPERIA ACE SO-02L review

The world has not seen such impudence for a long time. I have always said that you can expect a dirty trick from these people at any moment. And that's exactly what happened this time. Moreover, I note that there are several reasons for indignation at once.

There are many ways to refer to Sony. Everyone evaluates it from the standpoint of what role this brand played specifically in his case. For some, due to age, this label generally passed by, and in someone's life it left only positive or, conversely, negative emotions. It is worth recognizing that Sony has turned from the once largest technological giant into a brand that is only talked about, but no one is in a hurry to consider it as a serious competitor. Nevertheless, with my review today, I would like to try to bring you back to the idea that the Japanese are still able to surprise someone in this world. I hope I can make it. But don't expect me to flatter this company. I will expose the whole truth!

Positioning

Firstly, this year, the leadership of the mobile division of Sony, it seems, decided to return to the old practice of releasing models exclusively for its own market. And this is despite the steadily deteriorating situation around the company's telephone business. It would seem that at a time when all sane manufacturers, under the yoke of globalization and growing competition, by any means strive to get into as many markets as possible, the Japanese are digging in behind the lines, as if anticipating the onset of an hitherto unseen enemy. Yes, they have always been famous for the closeness of their market, severely restricting access to it from the outside. This taboo, by the way, extends not only to the IT sphere. It was this closeness from everyone and everything, along with an incorrectly oriented marketing policy and a pompous desire to be different, that played a cruel joke on the Japanese. In the last few years, the Japanese mobile phone market has gone like a skating rink, leveling several companies at once (NEC, Panasonic, Toshiba, Casio). And all this, of course, not without the help of a persistent Varangian in the person of Apple, aggressively capturing the Japanese market.

Secondly, even I, a person who has not been observing the decline (development) of the Japanese mobile industry for the past 20 years from the outside, never ceases to be surprised at the desperate attempts of local manufacturers to go against current trends, or rather, categorically ignore them. This time I'm not talking about trends, but about attempts to revive the long-rotted corpse of former standards. All these attempts resulted in a new compact Sony smartphone presented this spring with the loud name XPERIA Ace, which means "ace" in Lao. I do not know anything about the true reasons for the appearance of such a product in the age of big shovels, and even more so for a company like Sony. Perhaps the Japanese decided to test the market on the topic of user attitudes towards 5-inch compacts, not paying attention to the fact that some manufacturers have already rushed to proclaim compact smartphones with a diagonal of 5.8 inches. All of this would make some sense if it wasn't for a phone that will never officially be sold outside of Japan. And here you can already talk for a long time and aimlessly on a given topic.

On May 16, the Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo presented its summer collection of new products, among which was the XPERIA Ace, a compact smartphone with budgetary filling, which received the SO-02L operator index. Together with him, Sony presented the flagship XPERIA 1. From the global version, by the way, it differs in a smaller battery (3200 mAh), less user memory (64 GB) and a single slot for a SIM card. Here is such a mysterious Japanese dualism.

Sony XPERIA Ace SO-02L for NTT Docomo

Until recently, XPERIA Ace was officially sold only by NTT Docomo, but a little later, Sony decided to be generous and shared the smartphone with local virtual operators. The main difference between the operator's XPERIA Ace SO-02L and its MVNO versions is only that the first one is initially blocked for its own network, while "virtuals" are sold already SIM-free. In addition, the operator's corporate logo is applied on the back of the smartphone for NTT Docomo. Nevertheless, Docomo SO-02L can be unlocked quite officially, and it was he who fell into my hands today. The smartphone is presented in three colors: lilac, white and black.

Specifications

Sony marketers refer the new XPERIA Ace to the budget segment. And here it is important to understand that the Japanese have their own opinion on this matter. If everything is more or less clear with the definition of "budget characteristics", then with regard to the price one can strongly argue. As you know, Japan is not the cheapest country. It would be quite logical to assume that phones there are unusually expensive. The official price of XPERIA Ace is 48,600 yen, which is a little less than 30 thousand rubles. Do not forget that this is the cost of a blocked device. An additional 3,240 yen will be required to unlock (

2 thousand rubles). The total is about 31-32 thousand, which, according to many owners of modern smartphones, is a bit too much for a state employee. I am sure that everyone will find a lot of shortcomings in this phone, which, perhaps, will be quite justified. However, do not forget that you are dealing with a proudly upturned Sony. And this, for a moment, is one of the few companies that offer a real, and not far-fetched, compact device today.

By the way, Sony management estimated the cost of XPERIA Ace at exactly half of the price of XPERIA 1, intending thus to interest a more modest audience, unable to pull the flagship.

Samsung GALAXY S10e vs. Sony XPERIA Ace

With dimensions of 140x67x9.3 mm, the smartphone received a 5-inch display. The same Samsung GALAXY S10e, which many call compact, with dimensions of 142×69.9×7.9 mm, the display has a diagonal of 5.8 inches. You can argue about which diagonal feels more comfortable until you're blue in the face. It all depends on the personal preferences of each. Speaking for myself, it was Sony that seemed more convenient to me in terms of daily work. The height of the screen allows you to easily reach the top edge and even the opposite top corner with your fingers. Wandering around the screen is imperceptible to the nervous system. Using the GALAXY S10e, you already have to pay attention to this. However, the Korean, as for me, looks much more attractive. Again, the opinion is subjective.

Even though it's 2019, Sony has decided not to splurge on rich content for its compact. It seems that Japanese engineers have collected the belongings of two years ago and put them in a box a la "Sony style". The smartphone received a budget by today's standards 630th chipset from Qualcomm, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. The camera also does not meet modern requirements. The main optics is represented by a single 12 MP lens, the front camera is 8 MP. The branded 5" Triluminos display with a resolution of 2160x1080p is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Of the special stages, there is a fingerprint scanner combined with a power button on the right side. The case is traditionally protected from water and dust according to the IP8 standard. OS Android 9 Pie is preinstalled as an operating system. The 2700 mAh battery lasts exactly one full day of work due to the presence of a modestly powerful processor and a small screen.

• Operating system: OS Android 9 Pie
• Standards support: GSM, 3G, LTE
• Processor: 2.2GHz/1.8GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
• RAM: 4 GB
• ROM: 64 GB
• Display: 5", FullHD+, 2160×1080 pix, TFT, Triluminos, 16 million colors, Gorilla Glass 5
• Main camera: 12 MP, CMOS, 4K video recording, autofocus, LED flash
• Front camera: 8 MP CMOS, 80° wide-angle lens, full HD video recording
• Memory card support: microSDXC up to 512 GB
• Fingerprint scanner
• NFC
• GPS/GLONASS
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth 5.0
• USB Type-C
• Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
• Water, moisture and dust resistant (IPX5, IPX8, IP6X)
• Battery: Li-Ion, 2700 mAh
• Dimensions: 140x67x9.3 mm
• Weight: 154 g

What is the beauty of all Sony smartphones, including those that were released for the Japanese market, the user can choose any interface language out of the box. Russian, of course, is also present. As in all phones of the Japanese operator trio, only one SIM-card slot is used here. This is the law.

Huawei P20 Pro, Sony XPERIA Ace, Fujitsu ARROWS Nx F-01K

Packages

Sony XPERIA Ace remains true to Japanese tradition. You can call it whatever you want – stinginess, greed or practicality. Rather it is a combination of all of the above. And yet he managed to break all the records. The future owner will be able to find only the phone itself and a couple of b/w manuals in the boiled white box. No TV adapter, no cables of any kind, no AC adapter. Fatality!

First impressions. Design

Every year, fewer and fewer manufacturers remember compact smartphones. Although I agree, the concept of "compact smartphone" can be perceived differently by everyone. The format quickly disappeared. First of all, of course, I mean phones that can compete with modern flagships in terms of filling and at the same time have small dimensions. In order not to talk about the difference in the perception of this format, let me take myself as an example, since I am going to cover this topic.

The first thing you notice after opening the box is the appearance of the phone, or rather, its once classic design. Sony still continues to play on the nostalgic feelings of the fans, in every possible way avoiding frameless forms and other "eyebrows". Local designers stubbornly bend their line, thereby demonstrating the persistent spirit of a real Japanese samurai. The example of modern Sony mobile devices clearly shows how the company persistently opposes everything new in terms of design. Several examples of Japanese companies that succumbed to fashion and began to carefully probe the frameless story come to mind at once. As an example, I will cite Fujitsu, which only this year introduced its debut frameless-eyebrow state employee ARROWS U.

Fujitsu ARROWS U

Now for the tactile sensations. And I'll start with the cons. The phone is incredibly slippery. It seems to be completely buried in the palm of your hand, but it is the round glossy sides that provoke it to take off. The problem will be exacerbated if you use it in cold weather, or even more so in the cold, when the grip between the palms and the surface of the case is minimal. I think the cover would have saved the situation in the event of a fatal accident. Unfortunately, for all the time of testing, I could not get rid of the thought of a possible fall that was haunting me. I had to think about it almost constantly. The 2.5D display glass also adds fuel to the fire.

The frame of the smartphone is made of aluminum and painted in the color of the case, the back wall is plastic. I will dwell on it in more detail a little later. The Ace display is protected by fifth-generation Gorilla Glass. As usual, the case is protected from moisture, water and dust according to the IP68 standard, but protection from landing on any floor is clearly not enough here. The branded TFT display produces quite a high-quality picture. In general, I have not seen anywhere that someone made any claims to Sony screens. The XPERIA Ace is no exception. The image from the camera is not much different from what you see with your own eyes, and for me personally, this is one of the important indicators. In the sun, the contents of the desktop are read without problems.

Even considering the small screen, the programmers have added a Side Sense side menu. The chip is convenient, the main thing is not to forget about it at the right time. While playing with the phone, it never occurred to me to use this menu. By the way, I had a similar situation with all similar solutions on other phones. Either the standard features of the operating system are enough, or you really simply forget that there is an opportunity to simplify your life.

Above the display is a standard set: a hybrid speaker, front camera, proximity / lighting sensors and an LED indicator. By the way, in the XPERIA Ace, the engineers thought of adding a second speaker, organizing at least some kind of stereo effect for the future owner. The corresponding slot is visible at the bottom of the display between the glass and the frame.

When turned off, my instance's facade looks like a solid black fill. The northern and southern edges of the screen merge with almost a centimeter indentation of the ends on both sides. This is especially striking when the screen works on contrast. Still, most owners of modern smartphones have been perceiving their devices as frameless for years, or at least striving for them.

As I said, the interface is fully translated into the desired language. However, the set of pre-installed applications includes Japanese software, most often used in conjunction with operator services. Fortunately, it can not only be removed from sight, but completely removed. At the same time, the place will be freed. On the screen of the XPERIA Ace, as well as any other NTT Docomo smartphone, the signature ram-assistant slowly moves from corner to corner. It will be of little use to non-Japanese speakers, unless left as an electronic dummy.

As you know, Sony decided to stop using the 3.5 mm audio jack. However, this decision does not apply to the younger XPERIA Ace. The owner of this smartphone can safely continue to enjoy his "burdocks", especially considering that he now also has support for DSEE-HX digital sound enhancement technology. The sound in the headphones is really good, but the final impression depends on the "ears" themselves and the quality of the source file.

One of the microphones is visible next to the 3.5 mm jack

The slot for a SIM card and a memory card is hidden behind a waterproof plug on the left side

Second microphone and Type-C connector split the bottom end

A miniature power button is hidden in the center of the right sidewall in a small recess, which also works as a fingerprint scanner. Classic. A little higher is a pair of elegant teardrop-shaped volume buttons. All elements are painted in the body color.

I looked at the smartphone again, but from a different angle. I realized for myself that in black the device looks damn attractive even with its outdated design, and immediately the thought of a slippery and impractical glossy finish brings me back to reality.

The back wall, which I mentioned at the beginning of my story, is the second thing that caught my attention when I first took the phone out of the box. First, as is usually the case with black, this is the most easily soiled phone I have ever seen.

Already after I first took it in my hands, I realized that I had never paid attention to what materials its body was made of. But it would still be worth knowing in advance. In advertising and third-party photos, I did not see, and could not notice that, falling on the surface of the back wall, the light clearly highlights one of the aesthetic disadvantages of the smartphone.

In the photo below, you see a completely ordinary, cleanly wiped black phone.

But in this photo the real picture of what is happening is already clearly visible. As the saying goes, "trousers turn". The entire back wall is strewn with shagreen. The effect of an orange peel is striking from almost any angle, if at that moment there is, of course, light on the surface. In this place, I should, in theory, have an awkward feeling about the high Japanese quality. Was it the idea of ​​https://cars45.com.gh/Cx8Tv8V4Rt198S6lewa5vUEc designers, or such quality of painting was the result of someone's dishonest work , apparently, I will never know.

Let's do it. I imagine that the shagreen was made on purpose in order to distinguish the Sony XPERIA Ace from the background of phones from other manufacturers not only in size and design, but also in such an "unusual" textured back wall. How do you like this idea? I understand, nonsense, but other options simply do not occur to me. At worst, it looks like a diversion.

Camera

Infrequently lately I have to test phones of this brand, but I remember that the picture and video quality of the old Sony models was at a fairly high level. However, now, when the level of the smartphone's camera is able to determine its future, "being on the level" is no longer enough. You are either the first, or you are mentioned only in the relevant benchmarks. Otherwise, you and your "cool" camera will only produce countless comments under the next review of the photo capabilities of the next flagship, thereby justifying your rash choice in every possible way.

Knowing that all the world leaders are now striving to raise the level not only by improving the software side, but also by increasing the number of modules, my expectations from XPERIA Ace were not the most rosy. As it turned out, with its single 12-megapixel "eye" the smartphone looks at the world with a slightly yellowish tint. At first glance, the Ace shoots quite well in out-of-the-box mode, especially in sunny weather. However, there is something to complain about here too. Dark places in the photo come out frankly black. It is noticeable how the optics do not have enough aperture. At the same time, the pictures themselves are clear. In the dark, sharpness is lost significantly, smearing sand along the way.

Камера оснащена гибридной стабилизацией.Optical works when shooting photos, electronic – when shooting video. For selfie lovers, the camera is ready to generate a short video, which will include the 4 best shots. The maximum video resolution is 4K. The maximum number of frames in this mode is 30. The video sequence is played without any jerks and with clear stabilization, so that the eyes will definitely not get tired. However, at the same time, autofocus reacts terribly to the subject entering the macro zone. Focusing simply refuses to work, and this is at a distance of about 20 cm. To be honest, this fact surprised me a lot. The video is recorded with stereo sound.

The 8-megapixel front camera has a working angle of 120 degrees. The width is sufficient for shooting the whole company. As usual, the effect of smoothing the skin is adjusted as desired or turned off altogether. Also, in real time, you can blur the background, add brightness or contrast, and even increase the size of the eyes. For the Japanese, this is a very topical issue. The main camera has an LED flash, the front camera has a bright white screen as a flash.

I will speak in a separate line about the programmatic blurring of the background. Sony, don't do this again!

As a conclusion

Many expected from Sony a classic compact with stuffing reminiscent of the XPERIA 1. What the Japanese offered for their own market, one might say, only slowed down the process of getting wet on their already tarnished reputation. Why they needed it is a secret with seven seals. Only due to the fact that officially XPERIA Ace does not plan to meddle outside of Japan, at least the whole world will not know about this shame. It's all here – outdated specifications, design, positioning, cost. After a few days spent with the phone, I personally had the impression that I had experience with anyone, but not with the product of a once great corporation.At least that's what I can say about Sony's mobile direction, for a moment, for the native market, which the Japanese have never given at the mercy of anyone. Yes, it was until recently. Now the situation has changed a lot, and with the naked eye you can already see a clear lag in technology and capabilities. For me personally, Sony was blown away a long time ago. The phones of this company have become faceless, although they have retained the traditional look, reminiscent of the Sony Style brand. But now, when the world is changing every minute, I would like to see a real breakthrough, especially since this company has all the opportunities for this.

Sony XPERIA ACE SO-02L Review

The world has not seen such impudence for a long time. I have always said that you can expect a dirty trick from these people at any moment. And that's exactly what happened this time. Moreover, I note that there are several reasons for indignation at once.

There are many ways to refer to Sony. Everyone evaluates it from the standpoint of what role this brand played specifically in his case. For some, due to age, this label generally passed by, and in someone's life it left only positive or, conversely, negative emotions. It is worth recognizing that Sony has turned from the once largest technological giant into a brand that is only talked about, but no one is in a hurry to consider it as a serious competitor. Nevertheless, with my review today, I would like to try to bring you back to the idea that the Japanese are still able to surprise someone in this world. I hope I can make it. But don't expect me to flatter this company. I will expose the whole truth!

Positioning

Firstly, this year, the leadership of the mobile division of Sony, it seems, decided to return to the old practice of releasing models exclusively for its own market. And this is despite the steadily deteriorating situation around the company's telephone business. It would seem that at a time when all sane manufacturers, under the yoke of globalization and growing competition, by any means strive to get into as many markets as possible, the Japanese are digging in behind the lines, as if anticipating the onset of an hitherto unseen enemy.Yes, they have always been famous for the closeness of their market, severely restricting access to it from the outside. This taboo, by the way, extends not only to the IT sphere. It was this closeness from everyone and everything, along with an incorrectly oriented marketing policy and a pompous desire to be different, that played a cruel joke on the Japanese. In the last few years, the Japanese mobile phone market has gone like a skating rink, leveling several companies at once (NEC, Panasonic, Toshiba, Casio). And all this, of course, not without the help of a persistent Varangian in the person of Apple, aggressively capturing the Japanese market.

Secondly, even I, a person who has not been observing the decline (development) of the Japanese mobile industry for the past 20 years from the outside, never ceases to be surprised at the desperate attempts of local manufacturers to go against current trends, or rather, categorically ignore them. This time I'm not talking about trends, but about attempts to revive the long-rotted corpse of former standards. All these attempts resulted in a new compact Sony smartphone presented this spring with the loud name XPERIA Ace, which means "ace" in Lao. I do not know anything about the true reasons for the appearance of such a product in the age of big shovels, and even more so for a company like Sony. Perhaps the Japanese decided to test the market on the topic of user attitudes towards 5-inch compacts, not paying attention to the fact that some manufacturers have already rushed to proclaim compact smartphones with a diagonal of 5.8 inches. All of this would make some sense if it wasn't for a phone that will never officially be sold outside of Japan. And here you can already talk for a long time and aimlessly on a given topic.

On May 16, the Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo presented its summer collection of new products, among which was the XPERIA Ace, a compact smartphone with budgetary filling, which received the SO-02L operator index. Together with him, Sony presented the flagship XPERIA 1. From the global version, by the way, it differs in a smaller battery (3200 mAh), less user memory (64 GB) and a single slot for a SIM card. Here is such a mysterious Japanese dualism.

Sony XPERIA Ace SO-02L for NTT Docomo

Until recently, XPERIA Ace was officially sold only by NTT Docomo, but a little later, Sony decided to be generous and shared the smartphone with local virtual operators. The main difference between the operator's XPERIA Ace SO-02L and its MVNO versions is only that the first one is initially blocked for its own network, while "virtuals" are sold already SIM-free. In addition, the operator's corporate logo is applied on the back of the smartphone for NTT Docomo. Nevertheless, Docomo SO-02L can be unlocked quite officially, and it was he who fell into my hands today. The smartphone is presented in three colors: lilac, white and black.

Specifications

Sony marketers refer the new XPERIA Ace to the budget segment. And here it is important to understand that the Japanese have their own opinion on this matter. If everything is more or less clear with the definition of "budget characteristics", then with regard to the price one can strongly argue. As you know, Japan is not the cheapest country. It would be quite logical to assume that phones there are unusually expensive. The official price of XPERIA Ace is 48,600 yen, which is a little less than 30 thousand rubles. Do not forget that this is the cost of a blocked device. An additional 3,240 yen will be required to unlock (

2 thousand rubles). The total is about 31-32 thousand, which, according to many owners of modern smartphones, is a bit too much for a state employee. I am sure that everyone will find a lot of shortcomings in this phone, which, perhaps, will be quite justified. However, do not forget that you are dealing with a proudly upturned Sony. And this, for a moment, is one of the few companies that offer a real, and not far-fetched, compact device today.

By the way, Sony management estimated the cost of XPERIA Ace at exactly half of the price of XPERIA 1, intending thus to interest a more modest audience, unable to pull the flagship.

Samsung GALAXY S10e vs. Sony XPERIA Ace

With dimensions of 140x67x9.3 mm, the smartphone received a 5-inch display. The same Samsung GALAXY S10e, which many call compact, with dimensions of 142×69.9×7.9 mm, the display has a diagonal of 5.8 inches. You can argue about which diagonal feels more comfortable until you're blue in the face. It all depends on the personal preferences of each. Speaking for myself, it was Sony that seemed more convenient to me in terms of daily work. The height of the screen allows you to easily reach the top edge and even the opposite top corner with your fingers. Wandering around the screen is imperceptible to the nervous system. Using the GALAXY S10e, you already have to pay attention to this. However, the Korean, as for me, looks much more attractive. Again, the opinion is subjective.

Even though it's 2019, Sony has decided not to splurge on rich content for its compact. It seems that Japanese engineers have collected the belongings of two years ago and put them in a box a la "Sony style". The smartphone received a budget by today's standards 630th chipset from Qualcomm, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. The camera also does not meet modern requirements. The main optics is represented by a single 12 MP lens, the front camera is 8 MP. The branded 5" Triluminos display with a resolution of 2160x1080p is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. Of the special stages, there is a fingerprint scanner combined with a power button on the right side. The case is traditionally protected from water and dust according to the IP8 standard. OS Android 9 Pie is preinstalled as an operating system. The 2700 mAh battery lasts exactly one full day of work due to the presence of a modestly powerful processor and a small screen.

• Operating system: OS Android 9 Pie
• Standards support: GSM, 3G, LTE
• Processor: 2.2GHz/1.8GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
• RAM: 4 GB
• ROM: 64 GB
• Display: 5", FullHD+, 2160×1080 pix, TFT, Triluminos, 16 million colors, Gorilla Glass 5
• Main camera: 12 MP, CMOS, 4K video recording, autofocus, LED flash
• Front camera: 8 MP CMOS, 80° wide-angle lens, full HD video recording
• Memory card support: microSDXC up to 512 GB
• Fingerprint scanner
• NFC
• GPS/GLONASS
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac
• Bluetooth 5.0
• USB Type-C
• Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
• Water, moisture and dust resistant (IPX5, IPX8, IP6X)
• Battery: Li-Ion, 2700 mAh
• Dimensions: 140x67x9.3 mm
• Weight: 154 g

What is the beauty of all Sony smartphones, including those that were released for the Japanese market, the user can choose any interface language out of the box. Russian, of course, is also present. As in all phones of the Japanese operator trio, only one SIM-card slot is used here. This is the law.

Huawei P20 Pro, Sony XPERIA Ace, Fujitsu ARROWS Nx F-01K

Packages

Sony XPERIA Ace remains true to Japanese tradition. You can call it whatever you want – stinginess, greed or practicality. Rather it is a combination of all of the above. And yet he managed to break all the records. The future owner will be able to find only the phone itself and a couple of b/w manuals in the boiled white box. No TV adapter, no cables of any kind, no AC adapter. Fatality!

First impressions. Design

Every year, fewer and fewer manufacturers remember compact smartphones. Although I agree, the concept of "compact smartphone" can be perceived differently by everyone. The format quickly disappeared. First of all, of course, I mean phones that can compete with modern flagships in terms of filling and at the same time have small dimensions. In order not to talk about the difference in the perception of this format, let me take myself as an example, since I am going to cover this topic.

The first thing you notice after opening the box is the appearance of the phone, or rather, its once classic design. Sony still continues to play on the nostalgic feelings of the fans, in every possible way avoiding frameless forms and other "eyebrows". Local designers stubbornly bend their line, thereby demonstrating the persistent spirit of a real Japanese samurai. The example of modern Sony mobile devices clearly shows how the company persistently opposes everything new in terms of design. Several examples of Japanese companies that succumbed to fashion and began to carefully probe the frameless story come to mind at once. As an example, I will cite Fujitsu, which only this year introduced its debut frameless-eyebrow state employee ARROWS U.

Fujitsu ARROWS U

Now for the tactile sensations. And I'll start with the cons. The phone is incredibly slippery. It seems to be completely buried in the palm of your hand, but it is the round glossy sides that provoke it to take off. The problem will be exacerbated if you use it in cold weather, or even more so in the cold, when the grip between the palms and the surface of the case is minimal. I think the cover would have saved the situation in the event of a fatal accident. Unfortunately, for all the time of testing, I could not get rid of the thought of a possible fall that was haunting me. I had to think about it almost constantly. The 2.5D display glass also adds fuel to the fire.

The frame of the smartphone is made of aluminum and painted in the color of the case, the back wall is plastic. I will dwell on it in more detail a little later. The Ace display is protected by fifth-generation Gorilla Glass. As usual, the case is protected from moisture, water and dust according to the IP68 standard, but protection from landing on any floor is clearly not enough here. The branded TFT display produces quite a high-quality picture. In general, I rarely saw anyone making any claims to Sony screens. The XPERIA Ace is no exception. The image from the camera is not much different from what you see with your own eyes, and for me personally, this is one of the important indicators. In the sun, the contents of the desktop are read without problems.

Even considering the small screen, programmers have added a Side Sense side menu. The chip is convenient, the main thing is not to forget about it at the right time. While playing with the phone, it never occurred to me to use this menu. By the way, I had a similar situation with all similar solutions on other phones. Either the standard features of the operating system are enough, or you really simply forget that there is an opportunity to simplify your life.

Above the display is a standard set: a hybrid speaker, front camera, proximity / lighting sensors and an LED indicator. By the way, in the XPERIA Ace, the engineers thought of adding a second speaker, organizing at least some kind of stereo effect for the future owner. The corresponding slot is visible at the bottom of the display between the glass and the frame.

When turned off, my instance's facade looks like a solid black fill. The northern and southern edges of the screen merge with almost a centimeter indentation of the ends on both sides. This is especially striking when the screen works on contrast. Still, most owners of modern smartphones have been perceiving their devices as frameless for years, or at least striving for them.

As I said, the interface is fully translated into the desired language. However, the set of pre-installed applications includes Japanese software, most often used in conjunction with operator services. Fortunately, it can not only be removed from sight, but completely removed. At the same time, the place will be freed. On the screen of the XPERIA Ace, as well as any other NTT Docomo smartphone, the signature ram-assistant slowly moves from corner to corner. It will be of little use to non-Japanese speakers, unless left as an electronic dummy.

As you know, Sony decided to stop using the 3.5 mm audio jack. However, this decision does not apply to the younger XPERIA Ace. The owner of this smartphone can safely continue to enjoy his "burdocks", especially considering that he now also has support for DSEE-HX digital sound enhancement technology. The sound in the headphones is really good, but the final impression depends on the "ears" themselves and the quality of the source file.

One of the microphones is visible next to the 3.5 mm jack

The slot for a SIM card and a memory card is hidden behind a waterproof plug on the left side

Second microphone and Type-C connector split the bottom end

A miniature power button is hidden in the center of the right sidewall in a small recess, which also works as a fingerprint scanner. Classic. A little higher is a pair of elegant teardrop-shaped volume buttons. All elements are painted in the body color.

I looked at the smartphone again, but from a different angle. I realized for myself that in black the device looks damn attractive even with its outdated design, and immediately the thought of a slippery and impractical glossy finish brings me back to reality.

The back wall, which I mentioned at the beginning of my story, is the second thing that caught my attention when I first took the phone out of the box. First, as is usually the case with black, this is the most easily soiled phone I have ever seen.

Already after I first took it in my hands, I realized that I had never paid attention to what materials its body was made of. But it would still be worth knowing in advance. In advertising and third-party photos, I did not see, and could not notice that, falling on the surface of the back wall, the light clearly highlights one of the aesthetic disadvantages of the smartphone.

In the photo below, you see a completely ordinary, cleanly wiped black phone.

But in this photo the real picture of what is happening is already clearly visible. As the saying goes, "trousers turn". The entire back wall is strewn with shagreen. The effect of an orange peel is striking from almost any angle, if at that moment there is, of course, light on the surface. In this place, I should, in theory, have an awkward feeling about the high Japanese quality. Whether this was the idea https://cars45.com.gh/Cx8Tv8V4Rt198S6lewa5vUEc of the designers, or such quality of painting was the result of someone's unscrupulous work, apparently, I will never know.

But in this photo the real picture of what is happening is already clearly visible. As the saying goes, "trousers turn". The entire back wall is strewn with shagreen. The effect of an orange peel is striking from almost any angle, if at that moment there is, of course, light on the surface. In this place, I should, in theory, have an awkward feeling about the high Japanese quality. Was it an idea https://cars45.com.gh/Cx8Tv8V4Rt198S6lewa5vUEc https://cars45.com.gh/Cx8Tv8V4Rt198S6lewa5vUEc designers, or such quality of painting was the result of someone's dishonest work, apparently, I will never know.

Let's do it. I imagine that the shagreen was made on purpose in order to distinguish the Sony XPERIA Ace from the background of phones from other manufacturers not only in size and design, but also in such an "unusual" textured back wall. How do you like this idea? I understand, nonsense, but other options simply do not occur to me. At worst, it looks like a diversion.

Camera

Infrequently lately I have to test phones of this brand, but I remember that the picture and video quality of the old Sony models was at a fairly high level. However, now, when the level of the smartphone's camera is able to determine its future, "being on the level" is no longer enough. You are either the first, or you are mentioned only in the relevant benchmarks. Otherwise, you and your "cool" camera will only produce countless comments under the next review of the photo capabilities of the next flagship, thereby justifying your rash choice in every possible way.

Knowing that all the world leaders are now striving to raise the level not only by improving the software side, but also by increasing the number of modules, my expectations from XPERIA Ace were not the most rosy. As it turned out, with its single 12-megapixel "eye" the smartphone looks at the world with a slightly yellowish tint. At first glance, the Ace shoots quite well in out-of-the-box mode, especially in sunny weather. However, there is something to complain about here too. Dark places in the photo come out frankly black. It is noticeable how the optics do not have enough aperture. At the same time, the pictures themselves are clear. In the dark, sharpness is lost significantly, smearing sand along the way.

The camera is equipped with hybrid stabilization. Optical works when shooting photos, electronic – when shooting video. For selfie lovers, the camera is ready to generate a short video, which will include the 4 best shots. The maximum video resolution is 4K. The maximum number of frames in this mode is 30. The video sequence is played without any jerks and with clear stabilization, so that the eyes will definitely not get tired. However, at the same time, autofocus reacts terribly to an object entering the macro zone. Focusing simply refuses to work, and this is at a distance of about 20 cm. To be honest, this fact surprised me a lot. The video is recorded with stereo sound.

The 8-megapixel front camera has a working angle of 120 degrees. The width is sufficient for shooting the whole company. As usual, the effect of smoothing the skin is adjusted as desired or turned off altogether. Also, in real time, you can blur the background, add brightness or contrast, and even increase the size of the eyes. For the Japanese, this is a very topical issue. The main camera has an LED flash, the front camera has a bright white screen as a flash.

I will speak in a separate line about the programmatic blurring of the background. Sony, don't do this again!

As a conclusion

Many expected from Sony a classic compact with stuffing reminiscent of the XPERIA 1. What the Japanese offered for their own market, one might say, only slowed down the process of getting wet on their already tarnished reputation. Why they needed it is a secret with seven seals. Only due to the fact that officially XPERIA Ace does not plan to meddle outside of Japan, at least the whole world will not know about this shame. It's all here – outdated specifications, design, positioning, cost. After a few days spent with the phone, I personally had the impression that I had experience with anyone, but not with the product of a once great corporation. At least that's what I can say about Sony's mobile direction, for a moment, for the native market, which the Japanese have never given at the mercy of anyone. Yes, it was until recently. Now the situation has changed a lot, and with the naked eye you can already see a clear lag in technology and capabilities. For me personally, Sony was blown away a long time ago. The phones of this company have become faceless, although they have retained the traditional look, reminiscent of the Sony Style brand. But now, when the world is changing every minute, I would like to see a real breakthrough, especially since this company has all the opportunities for this.