Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 Review

Introduction

It was back in February 2008 that the XPERIA lineup was born and it took Sony Ericsson almost two years to bring about the XPERIA X1 successor. The long waiting is over now and the XPERIA X2 is keen to prove to us all it was worth it.

Both devices obviously have lots of features in common (it's the same amount of memory - both RAM and ROM, and the same CPU) but there are - possibly - enough improvements to make the XPERIA X2 a strong successor and a valuable upgrade. And by telling you that, we don't only mean the more recent version of WinMo. 6.5 was never officially compatible with the original.

Anyway, the upgraded imaging is the greatest asset of the XPERIA X2 hardware and we're about to see how much it works in its favor.

Before we kick off though, a bit of family tree stuff. The XPERIA X2 is only the second PocketPC in the series after the X1. The X10 runs Android and so does the rumored Robyn, while the Pureness isn't even a smartphone. The XPERIA lineup comes in different shapes and sizes but it all started with Windows Mobile. The X2 is perfectly aware of that and comes to offer some all-round PocketPC skills and the aggressive styling of its forerunner.

Key features:
Quad-band GSM support
Tri-band 3G with HSDPA 7.2Mbps and HSUPA 2Mbps
Four-row slide-and-tilt QWERTY keyboard
Landscape and portrait virtual QWERTY keyboards
Handwriting recognition
3.2" 65K-color TFT LCD resistive touchscreen (480 x 800 pixels)
Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional
XPERIA panels user interface
Accelerometer sensor
Qualcomm MSM 7200 528 MHz CPU, 256 MB of RAM memory
8.1 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash
WVGA video recording at 30fps
Support for DivX/XviD files out of the box
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, DLNA
Built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS support
Bluetooth and USB (standard microUSB connector) v2.0
3.5mm standard audio jack
Stereo speakers
Flash video support
TV out port, TV out cable supplied in the retail box
Main disadvantages:
Outdated hardware
Sluggish interface
Display still on the small side, inadequate touch sensitivity and sunlight legibility
Almost no screen auto-rotation throughout the UI
Disappointing video recording
Basic music player
No FM radio (should be enabled with upcoming firmware update)
No video calling (should be enabled with upcoming firmware update)

As we said in the preview a few months back, there aren't many groundbreaking features to see, but the XPERIA X2 is definitely worth a look to check what it can actually do.

Well, if you're looking for Snapdragon speed, you won't find it here. There's no capacitive touchscreen either. And the X2 also skips an FM radio and its camera has no Xenon flash. But you get all the business benefits you would expect in a phone in this class, with some nice media too.

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 packs the full range of connectivity options, hopefully a capable enough CPU, a comfy slide-and-tilt QWERTY keyboard, promising autofocus camera and, like its predecessor, it has a 3.5mm audio jack on board. The trackpad is also there (even if it's been redesigned).

While the XPERIA X1 came with a 3" display, the X2's screen measures 3.2 inches, but keeps the same 800 x 480 resolution. Among the most important novelties brought by the X2 is the latest firmware version: Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional. The revamped touch-optimized X-panels interface has been promoted to a full featured system for handling various animated and interactive homescreens.

Unlike the early version of the X2 which we had for a spin and a short preview, this one comes off the shelves so no excuses this time! After the jump a 360 degree spin awaits, along with our say on design and construction. But first things first - next up: unboxing.

Unboxing the XPERIA X2

The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 comes in a smallish box full of accessories. Along with the smartphone itself you get all the standard paperwork, a TV out cable and a universal USB charger.

The enclosed USB cable is used for both data connections and charging. In the retail box we also found a headset and a 4GB microSD card. The only thing that seems to be missing is a carrying case.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 360-degree spin

The XPERIA X2 measures 110 x 54 x 16 mm and weighs 155 g. The size and weight are almost the same as the original XPERIA, though the X2 is a tad wider due to its slightly larger 3.2" display.

Design and construction

Unlike the XPERIA X1 there's less metal on the new XPERIA X2 and for some of us that's actually a step back. The glossy black surface of the Elegant Black unit we based our preview on was a fingerprint nightmare. Having said that, fingerprints don't seem to be an issue for the Modern Silver X2 we're currently reviewing.

However, the plastic feels as cheap as before. We understand our feelings about design are pretty subjective so we'll put that down as one of our own personal prejudices against the device.

Most of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 front is taken up by the large 3.2" resistive touchscreen. Unlike the front plastic frame, the back of the X2 is made of stainless steel and is completely immune to fingerprints.

Above the screen there we find the earpiece, proximity and ambient light sensor and secondary videocall camera.

Beneath the screen, the navigation deck doesn't have the trademark X-pattern this time, opting instead for a simpler layout incorporating the available buttons in a regular grid. The redesigned, larger, optical trackpad is dead center and does well to make up for the X2's missing D-pad.

The next level of XPERIA's evolution has no dedicated X-panel shortcut, the bottom left key this time opens the Sony Ericsson Media center, which now has new items such as Call history, Messages, Calendar, and Panels setup.

The navigation deck is neat and simple - absolutely minimalist compared to the original XPERIA and its X-patterned controls. The new layout works fine, our only gripe the poor press feedback of the buttons around the trackpad.

The 4-row slide-and-tilt QWERTY keyboard of the X2 is quite distinct from the X1's in terms of shape and design, but the controls and key layout are almost the same. Though the shape of the keys is very comfortable and the arrow keys also add to the usability, the cheap-looking plastic material fails to impress.

On the right side of the XPERIA X2 we find the volume rocker at the top and the camera shutter key. The controls are quite comfortable and well integrated into the overall design. Though quite thin, the camera key is responsive enough with a distinct half press.

The X2 left side hosts the battery cover release knob. The standard microUSB port is located in the upper left corner of the phone and the uncovered slot will be easily visible while you're on the phone. We feel that spoils the looks a bit and we'd rather have a lid on top of it.

The microSD card slot is accessible from the left side of the X2 but only after you remove the battery cover - much like it is on the XPERIA X1 actually. The important thing though is you don't need to switch off the device. The XPERIA X2 worked trouble-free with our reasonably full 16GB microSD card in it.

The bottom of the XPERIA X2 is free of any controls, but we kinda dig the mesh-like pattern of the plastic surface here - kind of reminds us of an electric shaver, but in the good, gadgety sense.

The 3.5mm audio jack on the top of X2 also doubles as a TV-out port. Luckily, we found a TV out cable in the X2's retail box. The other thing on top is the power key - tiny as on the previous X1 - and the stylus compartment.

Both top and bottom there are some color LEDs hidden under the surface.

Turning the phone over reveals the sleek aluminum back with the 8.1 megapixel autofocus camera lens and LED flash. The lanyard eyelet, as well as the two stereo loudspeakers, are also placed here.

Removing the battery cover of the XPERIA X2 reveals the 1500mAh Li-Po battery, which is the same as the one found in the X1. The official stand-by and talk times are almost the same as the original X1 battery stats, and we can confirm 2 days of stand-by under moderate usage.

The ergonomics of the XPERIA X2 turned out pretty decent and typing on the QWERTY keyboard is a user-friendly experience as well. Generally, the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 feels nice to hold in hand. When it comes to the X2 build quality, we only hope that this time there won't be any stylus compartment issues (after all, SE dropped HTC as a manufacturer in order to leave this problem behind).