When it comes to phones, I tend to favor Samsung products because their high-quality screens have won me over. However with my love being so strong, I find I don't give myself the chance to try out products from other companies, usually because I am hesitant to spend money on something that might be decent.
Last month I was given the chance to use a Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G (fancy american marketing, really just HSPA+ speeds) - to which I joyously accepted. The folks at Sony's PR agency sent out the test device quickly, and a couple of days later I had the phone in my hands. Was it good enough to take me away from Samsung? Answers past the jump...
I'd place the Xperia Play into the higher end of mid-ranged Android devices, it isn't quite up to par with today's beastly offerings - but still packs quite a punch at great value ($49.99 in the USA on a new contract). The 1 Ghz processor is sufficient for daily tasks, with performance being similar to that of the Nexus S. Simply put, it is surprisingly snappy for a single core device.
Build quality is solid, this is a device you can rely on - but is lacking in the design department, offering a quirky and peculiar set of characteristics through it's use of materials, colors and heavy curves. After a couple of days with the device, I managed to get used to the feel in my hand.
The front of the device shows off a 4" display, nicely accentuated with FWVGA resolution (854 x 480) - which serves to provide a widescreen aspect ratio, perfect for gaming and watching video. Screen contrast is nothing to write home about, colors are vivid and juicy - but there are better displays out there. *cough* Samsung *cough*
The Xperia Play is the world's first PlayStation certified phone, which is fancy talk for integration with PlayStation games using the dedicated gaming pad. I was curious to see how mobile gaming could compare to console gaming on this kind of device. My expectations were low, but that quickly changed once I began trying out emulators on the device.
Wow - is all I can say. Fluid, easy to control and fun - the Xperia Play truly brought me back to my times as a younger kid, sitting home on a Saturday afternoon on my Super Nintendo - to a time where everything seemed more simple and life was more forgiving.
You can find my full review of the device below, which you'll see certainly has it's flaws, but in the end this is a formidable option for someone looking for a smartphone. Quick, cheap and easy to use.
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