Notebookcheck Logo

Sony Xperia E4g Smartphone Review

Black or White. Sony launches its new Xperia E4g in black or white on the market. The 4.7-inch smartphone features an IPS screen, LTE Cat.4, NFC, a Mediatek quad-core SoC and dual-band Wi-Fi. The smartphone is priced at approximately 130 Euros (~$144) and convinces with decent performance.

For the original German review, see here.

Sony expands its E series with a 5-inch model, Xperia E4 and a somewhat smaller, entry-level smartphone Xperia E4g. It is available in two versions in Germany. Our review sample starts at 129 Euros (~$142); a dual-SIM alternative is priced at 130 Euros (~$144).

The 4.7-inch model is available in black or white, and is powered by Mediatek's MT6732 quad-core SoC clocked at 1.5 GHZ and the integrate Mali-T760 MP2 graphics card. The 8 GB system storage can be expanded by up to 64 GB via a micro-SD card. 1 GB of working memory is also installed. The bright IPS screen has a resolution of 960x540 pixels. The non-removable battery has a capacity of 2300 mAh and, according to Sony, should last for up to 653 hours in standby. The other features sound very attractive, particularly for this price range: LTE, a 5 MP primary camera on the rear, and a selfie-friendly 2 MP front-facing camera, A-GPS and NFC, fast a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.1. The operating system is Android 4.4.4 KitKat.

We used the Honor HollyMotorola Moto E 2015LG Leon, and Microsoft Lumia 640 for comparison. In addition, we used Acer's Liquid Jade Z in the performance section as it is based on the same SoC.

Sony Xperia E4g (Xperia Series)
Processor
Mediatek MT6732 4 x 1.5 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
1024 MB 
Display
4.70 inch 16:9, 960 x 540 pixel, 234 ppi, capacitive, multitouch, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
8 GB eMMC Flash, 8 GB 
, 4.73 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm jack, Card Reader: microSD (max. 32 GB), Sensors: A-GPS, Glonass; accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, NFC, DLNA, Miracast
Networking
802.11a/b/g/n (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.1, GSM quad-band (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), UMTS quad-band (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE hepta-band (800/850/900/1800/1900/2100/2600 MHz); GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+; bandwidth (download/upload): 150Mbps/50Mbps (LTE Cat.4), 42Mbps/5.76Mbps (UMTS)
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 10.8 x 133 x 71 ( = 0.43 x 5.24 x 2.8 in)
Battery
Lithium-Polymer, 2300 mAh, non-removable, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 779 h, Talk time 2G (according to manufacturer): 10.2 h, Talk time 3G (according to manufacturer): 10.2 h, Standby 2G (according to manufacturer): 696 h, Standby 3G (according to manufacturer): 572 h
Operating System
Android 4.4 KitKat
Camera
Webcam: 2 MP, videos @720p; primary camera: 5 MP, AF, LED flash, videos @1080p/30fps
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual, Keyboard Light: yes, device, stereo headset, charger, quick start guide, Bookmarks, Google Chrome, Google Play, Google search, Google Voice Search, Google Maps for Mobile with Street view Web browser (WebKit) Media browser, PlayMemories, Radio (FM radio with RDS), SensMe slideshow, Sony Entertainment Network, YouTube, 24 Months Warranty, SAR rates: 0.438W/kg (head), 0.566W/kg (body); SIM form factor: micro-SIM; special features: FM radio
Weight
135 g ( = 4.76 oz / 0.3 pounds), Power Supply: 42 g ( = 1.48 oz / 0.09 pounds)
Price
129 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Thanks to the non-removable battery, the plastic casing of Sony's Xperia E4g is very stable. Only the rubber-coated back can be removed. The rubber-coating makes the device agreeably slip-proof and its many curves make it pleasant to hold. The design is appealing, but does not stand out from the crowd.

The relatively compact dimensions of 133 x 71 mm (~5.2 x 2.8 in) in conjunction with the low weight of 135 grams (~4.8 oz) also make the smartphone nice to hold and use with one hand. Although its thickness of 10.8 mm (~.043 in) gives it a somewhat bulky impression, only the Honor Holly and Microsoft Lumia 640 have a slightly slimmer build.

The slots for SIM and micro-SD cards are under the back cover that is pulled up to the display's edge in all directions. The exposed power button and volume rocker are easy to reach on the cover's right side. The former has a slightly spongy feel since it is not installed in the casing but is only connected to the back cover.

142.2 mm / 5.6 inch 72.3 mm / 2.85 inch 9.4 mm / 0.3701 inch 157 g0.3461 lbs141.3 mm / 5.56 inch 72.2 mm / 2.84 inch 8.8 mm / 0.3465 inch 145 g0.3197 lbs133 mm / 5.24 inch 71 mm / 2.8 inch 10.8 mm / 0.4252 inch 135 g0.2976 lbs129.9 mm / 5.11 inch 66.8 mm / 2.63 inch 12.3 mm / 0.4843 inch 145 g0.3197 lbs129.9 mm / 5.11 inch 64.9 mm / 2.56 inch 10.99 mm / 0.4327 inch 120 g0.2646 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

Sony's Xperia E4g is powered by a 64-bit-enabled, ARM Cortex A53-based MediaTek MT6732 quad-core SoC clocking at 1.5 GHz with an integrated ARM Mali-T760 MP2 GPU. The duo have 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of flash memory available. According to the manufacturer, it can be expanded by up to 32 GB. However, the Xperia E4g also accepted our 64 GB card in the test. This is all the more important since only 4.73 GB (net) of the 8 GB flash memory is left over. Thus, Sony's Xperia E4g has an edge on almost all its rivals; only Honor's Holly has significantly more storage (16 GB, net: 12.5 GB). App2SD functions, but not with all apps. Some applications, such as GFXBench or preloaded apps like Facebook, could not be moved to the SD. Music fans will be pleased about an integrated FM radio. Unfortunately, USB OTG is not supported.

The USB 2.0 port has been inconveniently placed on the smartphone's left. The 3.5 mm jack is situated on the upper edge. The slots for a micro-SD and SIM cards are also on the left under the removable cover.

Upper edge: 3.5 mm jack
Upper edge: 3.5 mm jack
Left: Micro-USB 2.0
Left: Micro-USB 2.0
Lower edge: Microphone
Lower edge: Microphone
Right: Power button, volume rocker
Right: Power button, volume rocker

Software

The operating system is Android 4.4.4 KitKat. The Japanese manufacturer has recently announced via Twitter that it is unlikely that there will be an update to the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop. Only the premium models of the Z series and some models from the C and T series will benefit from Android 5.0.

As usual, Sony utilizes the now somewhat outdated-looking Xperia UI with subtle modifications in the review sample. Moreover, as typical for Sony, a PlayStation integration with remote play is on-board.

In addition, the manufacturer has pre-installed some apps like "Walkman", "Album" or "Films", Facebook, Google Chrome and the Office Suite. None of the preloaded applications could be moved to the SD card, but they could at least be uninstalled.

Android 4.4.4 KitKat
Android 4.4.4 KitKat
Sony Xperia UI
Sony Xperia UI

Communication & GPS

GPS Test outdoors
GPS Test outdoors
Indoor tracking was not possible at first,...
Indoor tracking was not possible at first,...
...but at least a rough localization was established after two minutes.
...but at least a rough localization was established after two minutes.

The Wi-Fi a/b/g/n module in Sony's Xperia E4g smartphone supports both the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz frequency bands. The reception was always stable and displayed two thirds at a distance of approximately 10 meters (~33 ft) from the router and through several walls. Websites opened quite quickly. The close range standards NFC and Bluetooth 4.1 are also installed.

Sony's Xperia E4g downloads at a maximum of 42 Mbps via HSPA+ or LTE (max. 150 Mbps) on the go. The wireless standards are completely covered with GSM and UMTS quad-band, and LTE hepta-band. These ensure reception virtually anywhere in the world.

The smartphone is tracked via A-GPS and GLONASS. In our tests, it took a  few minutes to find satellites indoors, but in the outdoors,  localization was quite fast with an accuracy of up to 4 meters (~13 ft).

However, a more precise test using the outdoor navigation system GPSMAP 64s for comparison uncovered some flaws. The total deviation of 290 meters (~951 ft) was particularly due to the difficult routes, such as the bridge or in the woods. Overall, it was still a good enough localization.

Sony Xperia E4g
Sony Xperia E4g
Sony Xperia E4g
Sony Xperia E4g
Sony Xperia E4g
Sony Xperia E4g
GPSMAP 64s
GPSMAP 64s
GPSMAP 64s
GPSMAP 64s
GPSMAP 64s
GPSMAP 64s
Phone app
Phone app

Telephone & Voice Quality

The phone app is straightforward and contains the most important features like favorites, groups and call lists.

The review sample's voice quality is mixed. During the test, the contact complained about a tinny sound with some static noise. The caller, however, understood the contact quite well. The speaker sounds just as poor, and its maximum volume will be too low especially in loud surroundings. The included stereo headset is decent, although many third-party suppliers offer considerably better quality.

Cameras & Multimedia

The front-facing camera of Sony's Xperia E4g has a pleasantly high resolution of 2 megapixels, and only Honor's Holly can match this in the comparison. The lens is suitable for selfies or groufies, but it suffers under high image noise, pale colors, and low image sharpness particularly in poor light. It records videos in 720p.

The smartphone's rear-facing primary camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels, and can fall back on an auto focus and LED flash. Videos are recorded in 1080p at 30 fps. In addition, the camera features a four-times digital zoom that, however, virtually only delivers useless pixel sludge. Features like the integrated image stabilizer, automatic object detection or HDR (High Dynamic Range) for photos function better. Geotagging is also on-board. Overall, the images are decent, but colors are slightly pale and lack detail sharpness. The low-light performance can only be called abysmal; details literally drown in muddy image ranges.

Sony Xperia E4g front-facing camera
Sony Xperia E4g front-facing camera
Sony Xperia E4g primary camera
Sony Xperia E4g primary camera
Nikon D7100
Nikon D7100

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images

Accessories

Sony includes a USB charger, stereo headset and quick start guide for its Xperia E4g. The former still comes with an extremely short 10 cm (~4 in) USB cable.

Sony also offers various optional accessories, such as headsets and car gadgets. However, there are no product-specific accessories, such as a protective case.

Warranty

A 24-month warranty period is included.

Input Devices & Handling

The capacitive 4.7-inch touchscreen supports up to four fingers simultaneously, and detects handwriting. Its accuracy is good and reaches into the corners. The Android touch buttons are integrated in the screen, which reduce the available surface slightly. The physical keys are on the right. The volume rocker provides a decent pressure point. However, the Sony-typical exposed, round power button is slightly spongy because it is only attached to the removable back cover.

Sony's "Xperia Keyboard" app has the same shape and diversity of features as every smartphone from the company, and can be configured extensively: Looks, special keys, "Swype" feature, and vibration feedback intensity, there are numerous options. Although not much content is seen on the screen, the keyboard has enough room to type quickly after some practice in landscape mode. It is possible to type equally well and quickly in portrait mode on Sony's Xperia E4g.

Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard landscape mode
Keyboard landscape mode
Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard portrait mode

Display

The 4.7-inch IPS screen has a qHD resolution of 960x540 pixels. Both Honor's Holly and Microsoft's Lumia 640 offer an HD resolution here. The pixel density is 234 ppi. Nevertheless, subjectively the low resolution is just enough.  The screen is very bright with 434.1 cd/m², and only Honor's Holly is slightly brighter. The illumination of 88% is very homogeneous. Only Microsoft's Lumia 640 (95%) has more to offer here.

405
cd/m²
442
cd/m²
435
cd/m²
416
cd/m²
458
cd/m²
436
cd/m²
414
cd/m²
462
cd/m²
439
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 462 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 434.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 458 cd/m²
Contrast: 2181:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.95 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.87 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.38
Sony Xperia E4g
Mali-T760 MP2, MT6732, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Microsoft Lumia 640
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 8 GB eMMC Flash
LG Leon LGH340N
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Honor Holly
Mali-400 MP2, MT6582, 16 GB eMMC Flash
Screen
-17%
-23%
-15%
-62%
Brightness middle
458
433
-5%
326
-29%
217
-53%
472
3%
Brightness
434
429
-1%
323
-26%
204
-53%
455
5%
Brightness Distribution
88
95
8%
81
-8%
55
-37%
87
-1%
Black Level *
0.21
0.52
-148%
0.36
-71%
0.15
29%
0.77
-267%
Contrast
2181
833
-62%
906
-58%
1447
-34%
613
-72%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.95
3.42
51%
4.81
31%
4.12
41%
8.23
-18%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.87
3.03
38%
4.82
1%
4.87
-0%
8.84
-82%
Gamma
2.38 92%
2.16 102%
2.03 108%
2.38 92%
2.12 104%
CCT
6635 98%
7081 92%
7288 89%
6019 108%
6819 95%

* ... smaller is better

The black level of 0.21 cd/m² as well as the superb contrast of 2181:1 are good. Only Motorola's Moto E 2015 slightly outshines the former rate. None of the  rivals can compete with this. 

The software CalMAN in conjunction with a photospectrometer confirms the IPS screen's good color reproduction. The DeltaE rates of 6.95 in ColorChecker and 4.87 in Grayscale also confirm this. However, the ColorChecker rate in particular is undercut in rivals like Motorola's Moto E 2015LG's Leon and Microsoft's Lumia 640. Only Honor's Holly scores considerably worse here. The review sample's color temperature and gamma are, however, very close to the standard rates. Subjectively, the color reproduction is good, and only a minimal greenish-yellowish tint is visible in the grayscale levels.

CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN ColorChecker
CalMAN Colorspace
CalMAN Colorspace
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps

Thanks to the high maximum brightness of 462 cd/m², Sony's Xperia E4g is also suitable for use in the outdoors. Only the very glossy display can sometimes be restrictive.

Thanks to the underlying IPS technology, the review sample has very stable viewing angles. In practice, only in abnormal viewing angles, some minor  brightness loss and distorted colors can be seen.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

Sony promises the Xperia E4g to be a "quad-core smartphone with lightning-fast performance". A MediaTek MT6732 quad-core SoC clocking at 1.5 GHz as well as 1 GB of RAM and an integrated Mali-T760 MP2 graphics chip are responsible for this.

The superb results in our processor and system benchmarks underline this claim. Only Acer's Liquid Jade Z configured with an identical SoC competes on the same level. Sony's Xperia E4g clearly leaves its other rivals out in the cold, which is particularly impressive in this price range! A minor drawback: The 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited benchmark crashed repeatedly with an unknown error, even after several attempts.

Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
727 Points
Honor Holly
352 Points -52%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
481 Points -34%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
695 Points -4%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
2134 Points
Honor Holly
1174 Points -45%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
1464 Points -31%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
2022 Points -5%
3DMark
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
10472 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
8760 Points -16%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
8548 Points -18%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
10199 Points -3%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
4390 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
2206 Points -50%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
2091 Points -52%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
4310 Points -2%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
5041 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
2646 Points -48%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
2513 Points -50%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
4944 Points -2%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
10440 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
8436 Points -19%
Honor Holly
7766 Points -26%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
8718 Points -16%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
9135 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
4915 Points -46%
Honor Holly
2680 Points -71%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
4847 Points -47%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
9396 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
5417 Points -42%
Honor Holly
3136 Points -67%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
5378 Points -43%
AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
32844 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
22186 Points -32%
Honor Holly
18808 Points -43%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
22125 Points -33%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
31395 Points -4%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
25.7 fps
LG Leon LGH340N
15 fps -42%
Honor Holly
7 fps -73%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
12 fps -53%
Microsoft Lumia 640
7.4 fps -71%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
11 fps -57%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
0 fps
LG Leon LGH340N
5.3 fps
Honor Holly
4.2 fps
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
5.3 fps
Microsoft Lumia 640
4.1 fps
Acer Liquid Jade Z
19.2 fps
GFXBench 3.0
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
4.1 fps
LG Leon LGH340N
1.8 fps -56%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
1.8 fps -56%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
1 fps -76%
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
13.3 fps
LG Leon LGH340N
8.2 fps -38%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
6.4 fps -52%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
8.4 fps -37%
Linpack Android / IOS
Single Thread (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
122.2 MFLOPS
LG Leon LGH340N
0 MFLOPS -100%
Honor Holly
114.2 MFLOPS -7%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
105.6 MFLOPS -14%
Microsoft Lumia 640
54 MFLOPS -56%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
114 MFLOPS -7%
Multi Thread (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
315.3 MFLOPS
LG Leon LGH340N
0 MFLOPS -100%
Honor Holly
236.2 MFLOPS -25%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
231.7 MFLOPS -27%
Microsoft Lumia 640
218 MFLOPS -31%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
295 MFLOPS -6%
Smartbench 2012 - Productivity Index (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
5971 points
LG Leon LGH340N
4266 points -29%
Honor Holly
4435 points -26%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
4147 points -31%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
6690 points +12%
BaseMark OS II - Overall (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
682 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
457 Points -33%
Honor Holly
355 Points -48%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
515 Points -24%
Microsoft Lumia 640
0 Points -100%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
696 Points +2%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
2983 Points
Acer Liquid Jade Z
3268 Points +10%

Legend

 
Sony Xperia E4g Mediatek MT6732, ARM Mali-T760 MP2, 8 GB eMMC Flash
 
LG Leon LGH340N Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916, Qualcomm Adreno 306, 8 GB eMMC Flash
 
Honor Holly Mediatek MT6582, ARM Mali-400 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916, Qualcomm Adreno 306, 8 GB eMMC Flash
 
Microsoft Lumia 640 Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8226, Qualcomm Adreno 305, 8 GB eMMC Flash
 
Acer Liquid Jade Z Mediatek MT6732, ARM Mali-T760 MP2, 16 GB eMMC Flash

The review sample also performed well in the browser-based benchmarks. It was only in Mozilla Kraken 1.1 that it was clearly inferior to its rivals. Sony's Xperia E4g could not finish the SunSpider 1.0 benchmark successfully even after several attempts.

Google V8 Ver. 7 - Google V8 Ver. 7 Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
3024 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
2882 Points -5%
Honor Holly
1820 Points -40%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
2580 Points -15%
Microsoft Lumia 640
1136 Points -62%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
ms *
LG Leon LGH340N
1509 ms *
Honor Holly
1361 ms *
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
1305 ms *
Microsoft Lumia 640
1243 ms *
Acer Liquid Jade Z
979 ms *
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
3399 Points
LG Leon LGH340N
2901 Points -15%
Honor Holly
2020 Points -41%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
2804 Points -18%
Microsoft Lumia 640
1249 Points -63%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
3579 Points +5%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Sony Xperia E4g
11503 ms *
LG Leon LGH340N
13698 ms * -19%
Honor Holly
15355 ms * -33%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
14002 ms * -22%
Microsoft Lumia 640
26891 ms * -134%
Acer Liquid Jade Z
11448 ms * -0%

* ... smaller is better

The internal, 8 GB of storage is relatively small with actually only 4.73 GB available. However, it can be expanded by up to 64 GB via a micro-SD card. However, not all apps, such as the preloaded applications, can be moved to it. All other rivals have a clear lead on our review sample in a direct comparison, but the storage makes a fast enough subjective impression. Only when copying large amounts of files does Sony's Xperia E4g require a bit of patience.

AndroBench 3-5
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
LG Leon LGH340N
1.08 MB/s
Honor Holly
4.76 MB/s
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
1.67 MB/s
Acer Liquid Jade Z
6.7 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
LG Leon LGH340N
8.65 MB/s
Honor Holly
17.73 MB/s
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
12.08 MB/s
Acer Liquid Jade Z
31 MB/s
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
LG Leon LGH340N
7.04 MB/s
Honor Holly
48.29 MB/s
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
20.03 MB/s
Acer Liquid Jade Z
39 MB/s
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
LG Leon LGH340N
97.1 MB/s
Honor Holly
143.8 MB/s
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
100 MB/s
Acer Liquid Jade Z
269 MB/s

Games

The SoC-integrated ARM Mali-T760 MP2 graphics unit does a good job, and enables smooth performance in most current games. However, sometimes the level of detail needs to be adapted.

The PS4 remote play feature can be seen as a highlight in terms of gaming. It allows the user to stream specific games from the PS4 on the Xperia E4g via Wi-Fi, and play them using Sony's DualShock 4 Controller. Sony even has a matching holster for the smartphone in its accessories shop making it possible to put it "piggyback" on the Gamepad.

"Asphalt 8"
"Asphalt 8"
"Modern Combat 5"
"Modern Combat 5"

Emissions

Temperature

The measured surface temperatures on Sony's Xperia E4g of well below 30 °C (~86 °F) are all within an acceptable range. The smartphone's rear did not exceed 32.3 °C (~90 °F) even when CPU and GPU were under permanent full load. A maximum of 35.5 °C (~96 °F) was reached in certain spots on the upper side. The power supply never heated up excessively.

We checked for potential thermal throttling of processor and graphics card using the GFXBench battery test. It performed the GFXBench T-Rex test thirty times in succession and records the performance data. Our review sample passed this acid test even after a prolonged full load without any temperature-related restrictions.

GFXBench battery test
GFXBench battery test
Max. Load
 35.4 °C
96 F
35.3 °C
96 F
32.3 °C
90 F
 
 35.5 °C
96 F
35.4 °C
96 F
32.7 °C
91 F
 
 35 °C
95 F
34.7 °C
94 F
32.3 °C
90 F
 
Maximum: 35.5 °C = 96 F
Average: 34.3 °C = 94 F
32.1 °C
90 F
32.1 °C
90 F
30.7 °C
87 F
32.3 °C
90 F
32.3 °C
90 F
32.2 °C
90 F
31.8 °C
89 F
31.3 °C
88 F
31.4 °C
89 F
Maximum: 32.3 °C = 90 F
Average: 31.8 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  31.7 °C = 89 F | Room Temperature 23.6 °C = 74 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.3 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35.5 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 32.3 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.2 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speaker

A mono speaker has been installed on the rear, which limits the sound output when holding the smartphone or when placed on a table. Sony supports the speaker with 3D Surround Sound Technology (VPT), Clear Audio+ for sound optimization and xLoud software. The sound is sufficiently loud, but it disappoints with low bass, treble-heavy playback with restrained mids. However, it is still sufficient in view of the price range.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Power consumption leaves a mixed impression. In idle mode, Sony's Xperia E4g consumed 2.2 to 2.8 watts, which is obviously too high a rate. The rivals are more frugal especially in minimum consumption. The load consumption settled at 3.4 to 4.8 watts, which is on par with the other rivals. Considering the bright screen and the strong SoC, this is very good.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.2 / 2.6 / 2.8 Watt
Load midlight 3.4 / 4.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 870
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

The runtimes of Sony's Xperia E4g with its 2300 mAh battery are far ahead of some of the rivals. Sony states a runtime of two days when Stamina energy-saving mode is enabled. Our measurements are not quite as optimistic, but the maximum 15 hours and 12 minutes in Reader's test (idle) is not bad. Internet browsing depleted the battery after about 7:30 hours using a brightness of 150 cd/m² (25%). Although both Microsoft's Lumia 640 and Motorola's Moto E 2015 achieve 10 and 14 minutes more, they both have stronger batteries (2500 and 2390 mAh). The review sample shines with full 5:44 hours when CPU and GPU are under full load - considerably longer than the rivals. Neither Honor's Holly (2000 mAh) nor LG's Leon (1900 mAh) can compete in the battery tests. Sony's Xperia E4g has to be recharged after 8:48 hours in the Full HD video loop (25% brightness), and is only defeated by Microsoft's Lumia 64 by a hair's breadth.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
15h 12min
WiFi Websurfing (Android 4.4.4, Google Chrome 36.0.1985.135)
7h 32min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
8h 48min
Load (maximum brightness)
5h 44min
Sony Xperia E4g
Mali-T760 MP2, MT6732, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Microsoft Lumia 640
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8226, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Honor Holly
Mali-400 MP2, MT6582, 16 GB eMMC Flash
LG Leon LGH340N
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Battery Runtime
-13%
-39%
-27%
-15%
H.264
528
543
3%
360
-32%
WiFi v1.3
452
502
11%
381
-16%
506
12%
Load
344
166
-52%
211
-39%
215
-37%
260
-24%
WiFi
363
410

Pros

+ Stiff casing with good feel
+ Decent connectivity
+ Swift SoC
+ Bright IPS screen
+ Good color reproduction
+ Long battery life

Cons

- Non-removable battery
- Cameras' low-light performance
- Poor speaker
- Low screen resolution

Verdict

In review: Sony Xperia E4g. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.de
In review: Sony Xperia E4g. Test model courtesy of Notebooksbilliger.de

Buyers of the 4.7-inch Sony Xperia E4g will get a solid, reliable, and easy to use budget smartphone for approximately 130 Euros (~$144). A stable, non-slip case and a bright IPS screen with decent color reproduction are on the positive side. However, the latter's resolution could be slightly higher. The generous connectivity consisting of LTE, NFC and dual-band Wi-Fi is also good. Android 4.4.4 KitKat might not be the latest operating system, but it allows using the Xperia E4g smoothly. An update to Android 5.X Lollipop seems unlikely. The performance of the quad-core SoC and the integrated graphics solution is compelling, and they can cope with almost every current application. We were not as pleased about the camera modules and the poor-sounding speaker. The review sample can score with its long battery life, even if the non-removable battery limits flexible use to a certain degree. The internal storage of actual usable 4.73 GB is also slightly tight, especially since not all apps can be moved to a micro-SD card with a maximum of 64 GB.

Overall, Sony's Xperia E4g is an asset for the budget sector and a sensible expansion of Sony's entry-level portfolio.

However, there are also some interesting rivals, such as Motorola's Moto E 2015, that are worth a closer look for the asking price.

Sony Xperia E4g - 07/01/2015 v4(old)
Michael Moser

Chassis
77%
Keyboard
59%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
48%
Weight
94%
Battery
92 / 70 → 100%
Display
81%
Games Performance
54%
Application Performance
47 / 91 → 52%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
48%
Camera
45%
Average
71%
81%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
Michael Moser, 2015-07- 6 (Update: 2018-05-15)