Sony Xperia P review

The Sony Xperia P occupies the mid-range of Sony’s Xperia series, placed above the smaller-screened Sony Xperia U and below the highly-specified Sony Xperia S. Indeed, it lacks the 12-megapixel camera and 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and larger 4.3in screen of the Xperia S, but its 1GHz dual-core CPU, 8-megapixel camera and 4in screen still provide the Xperia P with a fantastic specification.

On top of that, the screen has a high resolution of 960×540 pixels, and Sony claims it has the brightest screen of all smartphones on the market. This is thanks to its WhiteMagic display, where an additional white subpixel has been added to the usual red, green and blue subpixels. This means it can generate a greater level of brightness than equivalent displays, which can be very handy for use on bright days.

The display looked great whether we were watching videos or browsing the internet, and the Xperia P is perfect if you primarily use it to watch media. The display’s high resolution also makes the Android 2.3.7 interface look fantastic, and the Sony Xperia P certainly feels high end.

This high-end feel is also a result of the smooth and responsive behaviour of the Xperia P. Swipe your finger slowly across the home screen and the Xperia P smoothly moves between screens; there’s none of the jerkiness you find on some cheaper phones.

You get the usual collection of navigation and media apps, but you also get MobiSystems’ OfficeSuite 5, which let us open and edit all our MS Word, Excel and Power Point documents with ease. OfficeSuite 5 has a great interface and is a worthwhile mobile app if you need to quickly view or edit a business document on the move.