[Review] Sony Xperia T2 Ultra: LTE phablet on a budget

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra

Connectivity

If there’s one thing that Sony does well is building the accessories eco-system around its stable of devices and connectivity with other devices. The T2 Ultra includes all the bells and whistles – NFC, DLNA, USB connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0, W-Fi, 4G LTE.

Call and audio quality

Call quality is excellent with audio coming off clear and clean. Not much complaints here. The noise-cancelling mics do a good job in removing unwanted noise too.

In terms of audio reproduction for media, the built-in speakers do a more than decent job when playing music and video. Understandably it lacks bass being a smartphone and all, but sound is clear and decently loud.

Xperia STAMINA mode

Battery life

The single most impressive aspect about the T2 Ultra for me is its longevity. The 3,000mAh battery does a remarkable job keeping the phone up all day. And I do mean all day, and a bit. Thanks to the more frugal Snapdragon 400, and clever power management the T2 Ultra easily does 12-14 hours of active use. Double that in terms of standby time.

When you turn on STAMINA mode, battery life is extended even further, at least by another 40-50%. What STAMINA mode does is disabling Wi-Fi and mobile data, and deactivates most apps when the screen is off. You can tweak apps to be in the active standby list if needed. Brilliant.

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra

[box]More images of the Xperia T2 Ultra on Flickr.com[/box]

Pricing and availability

The Xperia T2 Ultra is priced at a recommended retail price of RM1,299, and is available in black, white and purple colour finishes.

Pros

  • Thin, light, well-built
  • Feels premium
  • Good camera
  • Excellent connectivity
  • Excellent battery life
  • Affordable, good value

Cons

  • Camera could be faster
  • Small built-in storage
  • Glossy finish is fingerprint magnet

Verdict

Sure, the competition is rife out there. The T2 Ultra has the Samsung GALAXY Mega 6.3, the Alcatel OneTouch Hero, Oppo Find 7a and Nokia Lumia 1320 to contend with. But taking everything into context, including its premium feel and build, excellent camera and battery life, I think it holds its own.

Looking for an affordable 6-inch phablet? The Xperia T2 Ultra has what it takes to please, and importantly, it’ll fit in your pocket nicely (in more ways than one).

[button link=”/2014/06/review-sony-xperia-t2-ultra-lte-phablet-on-a-budget/3/”]Previous[/button][button link=”/2014/06/review-sony-xperia-t2-ultra-lte-phablet-on-a-budget/”]First Page[/button]

Vernon
Vernon is the founder and chief editor of Vernonchan.com. A graphic designer by profession, he has a deep love for technology, cars, gadgets, food, and travel. He tweets too much and is also known as a caffeine bacterium ("life's too short for bad coffee"). Bleeds Blue (go Chelsea FC!) and considers BMW, Porsche, Alfa Romeo cars to have in the garage--hallmarks of a true petrolhead.