Sony Xperia E4g Smartphone Review
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 Holly, Motorola Moto E 2015, LG 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.
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.
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.
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.
Communication & GPS
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.
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.
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.
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.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 4.87 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
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 2015, LG'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.
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.
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 | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| 32 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| 3DMark | |
| 1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| 1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| 1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| 1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Physics (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| 1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Graphics (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| 1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| AnTuTu v5 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
| T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Microsoft Lumia 640 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Microsoft Lumia 640 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| GFXBench 3.0 | |
| 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| Smartbench 2012 - Productivity Index (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| BaseMark OS II - Overall (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Microsoft Lumia 640 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
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 | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Microsoft Lumia 640 | |
| Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Microsoft Lumia 640 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Microsoft Lumia 640 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia E4g | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Microsoft Lumia 640 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
* ... 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 | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| Random Read 4KB (sort by value) | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value) | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
| Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value) | |
| LG Leon LGH340N | |
| Honor Holly | |
| Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015 | |
| Acer Liquid Jade Z | |
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.
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.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35.5 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 32.3 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °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 32.8 °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.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.1 Watt |
| Idle |  2.2 / 2.6 / 2.8 Watt |
| Load |
3.4 / 4.8 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Voltcraft VC 870 | |
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.
| 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
Cons
Verdict
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
Price comparison
