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Sony Xperia L4 smartphone Review - 2020 smartphone with 2018 android

Outside hui, inside old. If you don't want an 0815 cell phone design, Sony has always been a good choice. With its angular appearance, even a cheap smartphone like the Xperia L4 is pleasantly different from its competitors. If only the software was not...
ARM Android Smartphone
Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4 (Xperia Series)
Processor
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762 8 x 2 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
PowerVR GE8320
Memory
3 GB 
Display
6.20 inch 21:9, 1680 x 720 pixel 295 PPI, kapazitiver Touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB 
, 64 GB eMMC, 51 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3,5mm-Audioport, Card Reader: microSD up to 512GB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Acceleration sensor, Proximity sensor, Compass
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 5.0, 2G (850/​900/​1800/​1900), 3G (B1/​B2/​B5/​B8), 4G (B1/​B2/​B3/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B20/​B40) , Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.7 x 159 x 71 ( = 0.34 x 6.26 x 2.8 in)
Battery
3580 mAh Lithium-Polymer
Charging
fast charging / Quickcharge
Operating System
Android 9.0 Pie
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix f/​2.0, Phasenvergleich-AF, LED-Blitz, Videos @1080p/​30fps (Kamera 1); 5.0MP, f/​2.2, Weitwinkelobjektiv (Kamera 2); 2.0MP, f/​2.4, Tiefenschärfe (Kamera 3)
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix f/​2.0, Videos @1080p/​30fps
Additional features
Speakers: Mono loudspeaker at the lower edge, Keyboard: Virtual, Charger, USB cable, headset, 24 Months Warranty, SAR value: 0.68W/kg (head), 1.33W/kg (body); LTE Cat 6 (300Mbps/50Mbps); notification LED (front), fanless
Weight
178 g ( = 6.28 oz / 0.39 pounds), Power Supply: 62 g ( = 2.19 oz / 0.14 pounds)
Price
199 Euro
Links
Sony homepage
Sony notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Vergleichsgeräte

Bewertung
Rating Version
Datum
Modell
Gewicht
Laufwerk
Groesse
Aufloesung
Preis ab
75.1 %7
10/2020
Sony Xperia L4
Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320		178 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.20"1680x720
78.2 %7
06/2020
realme 6i
Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2		199 g128 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
80.7 %7
05/2020
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
SD 720G, Adreno 618		209 g128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash6.67"2400x1080
76.6 %7
05/2020
Motorola Moto G8
SD 665, Adreno 610		188 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.40"1560x720

Case, equipment and operation - Chic and valuable

Sony can design, the Japanese have already proven this with dozens of Xperia phones. The Xperia L4 also feels valuable despite its plastic back and fits well in the hand thanks to its slim silhouette. The smartphone is somewhat sensitive to pressure, but otherwise makes a stable impression and is quite light at 178 grams.

Let's look at the inner values, we first trimmed: Android 9 on a device that will be released in 2020? Yes, Sony is taking this unusual step and at the time of testing there was no Andoid 10 update in sight. This means that the popular Dark Mode is missing, there is an option in the display settings for a dark design, but this only affects the App Drawer background. Also the security patches from May 2020 are already out of date at the time of testing.

The memory equipment includes the most necessary, but other manufacturers already offer 128 GB mass storage in this price range. For this purpose, there is NFC, which enables contactless payment with a cell phone.

The WLAN only comes with the rather slow WiFi 4 standard, but at least it achieves decent transfer rates in our test with the Netgear Nighthawk AX12.

Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4
Sony Xperia L4

Size comparison

❌
165.8 mm / 6.53 inch 76.7 mm / 3.02 inch 8.8 mm / 0.3465 inch 209 g0.4608 lbs164.4 mm / 6.47 inch 75.4 mm / 2.97 inch 9 mm / 0.3543 inch 199 g0.4387 lbs161.3 mm / 6.35 inch 75.8 mm / 2.98 inch 9 mm / 0.3543 inch 188 g0.4145 lbs159 mm / 6.26 inch 71 mm / 2.8 inch 8.7 mm / 0.3425 inch 178 g0.3924 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
256 (247min - 263max) MBit/s ∼100% +135%
Sony Xperia L4
802.11 b/g/n
109 (103min - 114max) MBit/s ∼43%
realme 6i
802.11 b/g/n
66.5 (34min - 69max) MBit/s ∼26% -39%
Motorola Moto G8
802.11 b/g/n
55.8 (40min - 67max) MBit/s ∼22% -49%
iperf3 receive AX12
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
286 (225min - 321max) MBit/s ∼100% +138%
Sony Xperia L4
802.11 b/g/n
120 (106min - 124max) MBit/s ∼42%
Motorola Moto G8
802.11 b/g/n
54.4 (38min - 57max) MBit/s ∼19% -55%
realme 6i
802.11 b/g/n
36.1 (9min - 57max) MBit/s ∼13% -70%
0102030405060708090100110120Tooltip
Sony Xperia L4; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø120 (106-124)
Sony Xperia L4; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø108.7 (103-114)

Cameras - With wide angle camera, without macro

Recording front camera
Recording front camera

The Sony Xperia L4 comes with a 13-megapixel camera on the back, plus a wide-angle lens. However, a macro lens like on the comparable devices is missing. The camera takes surprisingly sharp pictures under normal lighting conditions, the colors are not very strong, but they look more realistic. In low light, the Xperia L4 only produces quite blurred photos that contain only a few details

The wide-angle lens is sufficient for snapshots, but the dynamics here are not very high, so bright and dark areas quickly lose their definition. Zooming between the two lenses is not possible in several steps, you can only switch directly.

Videos can be recorded in 1080p and 30 fps. The transition at different exposure situations is clearly visible here in quite coarse steps. The autofocus reacts fast on average, but pumps quite strongly before it finds the right setting.

On the front side there is an 8 megapixel camera, which is ok for selfies and also takes comparatively bright pictures.

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.

Hauptobjektiv BlumeHauptobjektiv UmgebungHauptobjektiv Low LightUltraweitwinkel
click to load images
ColorChecker
11.6 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
12.2 ∆E
12.8 ∆E
11.7 ∆E
6.5 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
12.3 ∆E
9.5 ∆E
9.1 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
9.1 ∆E
10.2 ∆E
10.1 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
10.2 ∆E
10.5 ∆E
4.1 ∆E
4.7 ∆E
8.2 ∆E
9.7 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
5.9 ∆E
ColorChecker Sony Xperia L4: 8.61 ∆E min: 3.08 - max: 12.81 ∆E
ColorChecker
29.4 ∆E
53.5 ∆E
39.8 ∆E
33.8 ∆E
45.6 ∆E
61.1 ∆E
52.4 ∆E
36.9 ∆E
42.2 ∆E
29.7 ∆E
63.2 ∆E
62.4 ∆E
32.7 ∆E
47.1 ∆E
36.7 ∆E
74.3 ∆E
43.9 ∆E
41.9 ∆E
85.6 ∆E
69.9 ∆E
51.6 ∆E
36.4 ∆E
23.9 ∆E
13.4 ∆E
ColorChecker Sony Xperia L4: 46.14 ∆E min: 13.38 - max: 85.56 ∆E

Display - No high brightness on the Xperia L4

Sub-pixel Array
Sub-pixel Array

The screen resolves with an extended 720p resolution, which is standard in this price class, but Xiaomi also shows that there is more to it than that with the Redmi Note 9S. The screen of the Xperia L4 is not very bright, even with the brightness sensor activated and fully exposed.

In our tests with the CalMAN software and the spectrophotometer, the Xperia L4 shows visible color deviations from the ideal value, even a blue cast is acceptable. PWM could be a problem for sensitive users at low brightness levels, so they should test the screen before buying.

394
cd/m²		398
cd/m²		393
cd/m²
399
cd/m²		429
cd/m²		404
cd/m²
394
cd/m²		401
cd/m²		420
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 429 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 403.6 cd/m² Minimum: 7.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 429 cd/m²
Contrast: 1650:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.14 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 6.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
93% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.23
Sony Xperia L4
IPS, 1680x720, 6.20		realme 6i
IPS, 1600x720, 6.50		Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
IPS, 2400x1080, 6.67		Motorola Moto G8
IPS, 1560x720, 6.40
Response Times
25%
27%
188%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
58 ?(33, 25)
50.4 ?(25.2, 25.2)
13%
44 ?(21, 23)
24%
46 ?(23, 23)
21%
Response Time Black / White *
34 ?(19, 15)
21.6 ?(7.6, 14)
36%
24 ?(9, 15)
29%
28 ?(11, 17)
18%
PWM Frequency
100 ?(15)
625
525%
Screen
6%
6%
20%
Brightness middle
429
518
21%
622
45%
504
17%
Brightness
404
484
20%
612
51%
452
12%
Brightness Distribution
92
89
-3%
94
2%
83
-10%
Black Level *
0.26
0.26
-0%
0.56
-115%
0.28
-8%
Contrast
1650
1992
21%
1111
-33%
1800
9%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.14
5.8
6%
3.98
35%
3.84
37%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.51
11
-5%
7.33
30%
6.1
42%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.6
7.3
-11%
4.5
32%
2.7
59%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.23 99%
2.206 100%
2.235 98%
CCT
8346 78%
8037 81%
7361 88%
7125 91%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
114.9
Total Average (Program / Settings)
16% / 10%
17% / 10%
104% / 66%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19 ms rise
↘ 15 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 89 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
58 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 33 ms rise
↘ 25 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 100 Hz ≤ 15 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 100 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 15 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 100 Hz is very low, so the flickering may cause eyestrain and headaches after extended use.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19046 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.


CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN color space sRGB
CalMAN color space sRGB

Performance, emissions and battery life - Low power

The Sony Xperia L4 is equipped with a MediaTek Helio P22, which makes it difficult for the smartphone to compete with other devices in its price range in terms of performance. With performance-intensive apps, volume control is only possible with a delay, but in everyday life you usually move through the system quite smoothly.

The memory is also significantly slower than on comparable devices. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S, for example, already offers UFS 2.1 memory for a similar price, leaving the Sony smartphone far behind.

The warming stays very within limits and is only slightly noticeable even under longer loads.

The mono loudspeaker on the lower edge is relatively quiet and doesn't sound very voluminous due to strongly sloping low mids. It gets better if you use external headphones or speakers, these can be connected via Bluetooth or 3.5mm audio port without any problems.

The battery life of the cheap Sony smartphone is OK with 13:03 hours, but the realme 6i offers almost 70% more runtime, but is also much heavier. For two days it should be enough with average everyday use. If the smartphone needs to be charged, the charger in the package does it with a maximum of 7.5 watts. If you want to use the quick-charging capability with a maximum of 18 watts, you have to purchase a quick-charger separately.

Geekbench 5.4 | PCMark for Android | 3DMark | GFXBench
Geekbench 5.4
Single-Core (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
150 Points ∼18%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
387 Points ∼47% +158%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
559 Points ∼68% +273%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
309 Points ∼38% +106%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (134 - 155, n=9)
142.1 Points ∼17% -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 1885, n=241, last 2 years)
823 Points ∼100% +449%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
883 Points ∼33%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1348 Points ∼51% +53%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
1690 Points ∼64% +91%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
1280 Points ∼48% +45%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (475 - 883, n=9)
761 Points ∼29% -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 5538, n=241, last 2 years)
2641 Points ∼100% +199%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
6909 Points ∼55%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
12043 Points ∼95% +74%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
9027 Points ∼71% +31%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
9051 Points ∼71% +31%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (4404 - 7465, n=18)
5847 Points ∼46% -15%
Average of class Smartphone
  (9875 - 19297, n=4, last 2 years)
12669 Points ∼100% +83%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
5251 Points ∼55%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
8733 Points ∼92% +66%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
7673 Points ∼81% +46%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
6969 Points ∼73% +33%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (3805 - 5380, n=21)
4696 Points ∼49% -11%
Average of class Smartphone
  (5279 - 13282, n=28, last 2 years)
9508 Points ∼100% +81%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
12161 Points ∼18%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
22888 Points ∼34% +88%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
38671 Points ∼58% +218%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
24745 Points ∼37% +103%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (9835 - 13960, n=20)
11460 Points ∼17% -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (32630 - 113147, n=4, last 2 years)
67072 Points ∼100% +452%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
11549 Points ∼11%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
25518 Points ∼24% +121%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
52700 Points ∼49% +356%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
24828 Points ∼23% +115%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (9536 - 13491, n=20)
11373 Points ∼11% -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (48592 - 200519, n=4, last 2 years)
106932 Points ∼100% +826%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
14930 Points ∼49%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
16820 Points ∼56% +13%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
20019 Points ∼66% +34%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
24457 Points ∼81% +64%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (9080 - 15891, n=20)
12110 Points ∼40% -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (15179 - 44810, n=4, last 2 years)
30190 Points ∼100% +102%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
741 Points ∼21%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1774 Points ∼51% +139%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
3501 Points ∼100% +372%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
1758 Points ∼50% +137%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (428 - 830, n=23)
633 Points ∼18% -15%
Average of class Smartphone
  (574 - 9221, n=100, last 2 years)
3368 Points ∼96% +355%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
680 Points ∼19%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1625 Points ∼44% +139%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
3647 Points ∼100% +436%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
1632 Points ∼45% +140%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (370 - 750, n=23)
572 Points ∼16% -16%
Average of class Smartphone
  (517 - 13263, n=100, last 2 years)
3660 Points ∼100% +438%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1084 Points ∼35%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2610 Points ∼85% +141%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
3070 Points ∼100% +183%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
2405 Points ∼78% +122%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (854 - 1185, n=23)
1026 Points ∼33% -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (937 - 4609, n=100, last 2 years)
2985 Points ∼97% +175%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
836 Points ∼12%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1772 Points ∼26% +112%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
3669 Points ∼54% +339%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
1783 Points ∼26% +113%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (513 - 873, n=23)
770 Points ∼11% -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (599 - 18846, n=166, last 2 years)
6791 Points ∼100% +712%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
782 Points ∼7%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1630 Points ∼15% +108%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
3803 Points ∼35% +386%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
1669 Points ∼15% +113%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (452 - 823, n=23)
719 Points ∼7% -8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (541 - 36477, n=165, last 2 years)
10853 Points ∼100% +1288%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1106 Points ∼29%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2552 Points ∼67% +131%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
3267 Points ∼86% +195%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
2347 Points ∼62% +112%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (900 - 1195, n=23)
1032 Points ∼27% -7%
Average of class Smartphone
  (954 - 7019, n=165, last 2 years)
3785 Points ∼100% +242%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
470 Points ∼19%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1342 Points ∼53% +186%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
2507 Points ∼100% +433%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
1093 Points ∼43% +133%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (269 - 470, n=22)
383 Points ∼15% -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=130, last 2 years)
2515 Points ∼100% +435%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
405 Points ∼16%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1179 Points ∼47% +191%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
2369 Points ∼94% +485%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
945 Points ∼38% +133%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (222 - 405, n=22)
326 Points ∼13% -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=130, last 2 years)
2517 Points ∼100% +521%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1078 Points ∼34%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2607 Points ∼83% +142%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
3152 Points ∼100% +192%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
2409 Points ∼76% +123%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (860 - 1175, n=22)
1022 Points ∼32% -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=130, last 2 years)
3006 Points ∼95% +179%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
536 Points ∼10%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1347 Points ∼25% +151%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
2680 Points ∼50% +400%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
1138 Points ∼21% +112%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (426 - 536, n=22)
482 Points ∼9% -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 16100, n=204, last 2 years)
5307 Points ∼100% +890%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
467 Points ∼6%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1179 Points ∼14% +152%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
2551 Points ∼31% +446%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
990 Points ∼12% +112%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (368 - 467, n=22)
418 Points ∼5% -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 192870, n=203, last 2 years)
8211 Points ∼100% +1658%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1102 Points ∼30%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2689 Points ∼73% +144%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
3256 Points ∼89% +195%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
2379 Points ∼65% +116%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (912 - 1188, n=22)
1036 Points ∼28% -6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (839 - 7042, n=203, last 2 years)
3672 Points ∼100% +233%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
6.4 fps ∼17%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
18 fps ∼48% +181%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
17 fps ∼45% +166%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
15 fps ∼40% +134%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (6.4 - 7.6, n=21)
6.9 fps ∼18% +8%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=240, last 2 years)
37.5 fps ∼100% +486%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
3.8 fps ∼8%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
9.2 fps ∼19% +142%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
8.2 fps ∼17% +116%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (3.5 - 4.7, n=21)
3.81 fps ∼8% 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1.9 - 175, n=241, last 2 years)
48.8 fps ∼100% +1184%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
4.1 fps ∼15%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
11 fps ∼41% +168%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
11 fps ∼41% +168%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
9.1 fps ∼34% +122%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (4.1 - 4.8, n=21)
4.35 fps ∼16% +6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 100, n=241, last 2 years)
26.8 fps ∼100% +554%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Sony Xperia L4
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1.4 fps ∼7%
realme 6i
Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
3.3 fps ∼17% +136%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, Adreno 618, 6144
7 fps ∼37% +400%
Motorola Moto G8
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, Adreno 610, 4096
2.8 fps ∼15% +100%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (1.3 - 1.6, n=21)
1.39 fps ∼7% -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 68, n=241, last 2 years)
18.9 fps ∼100% +1250%
Sony Xperia L4realme 6iXiaomi Redmi Note 9SMotorola Moto G8Average 64 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
109%
108%
79%
4%
439%
Sequential Read 256KB
293.4
309.5
5%
496.6
69%
301
3%
273 ?(95.6 - 704, n=196)
-7%
1183 ?(215 - 4512, n=234, last 2 years)
303%
Sequential Write 256KB
165
256.4
55%
214.8
30%
239
45%
177.2 ?(40 - 274, n=196)
7%
743 ?(13.6 - 3062, n=234, last 2 years)
350%
Random Read 4KB
61.2
73.5
20%
137
124%
57.3
-6%
59.4 ?(9.58 - 148.5, n=196)
-3%
208 ?(22.2 - 543, n=234, last 2 years)
240%
Random Write 4KB
22.5
150.9
571%
123.6
449%
128.1
469%
31.9 ?(2.34 - 146.9, n=196)
42%
217 ?(13 - 572, n=235, last 2 years)
864%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
83.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
84.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
1%
74.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-11%
68.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-18%
77.4 ?(21.1 - 107.6, n=144)
-7%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
62.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
64.5 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
3%
54.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-12%
48.7 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-22%
58.3 ?(11.2 - 83.3, n=144)
-7%

Temperature

Max. Load
 41.1 °C
106 F		36.8 °C
98 F		35.9 °C
97 F		 
 41 °C
106 F		36.7 °C
98 F		35.9 °C
97 F		 
 39.7 °C
103 F		36.9 °C
98 F		36.7 °C
98 F		 
Maximum: 41.1 °C = 106 F
Average: 37.9 °C = 100 F
32.9 °C
91 F		34.9 °C
95 F		39.3 °C
103 F
34.6 °C
94 F		35.9 °C
97 F		40 °C
104 F
35 °C
95 F		36.4 °C
98 F		39.5 °C
103 F
Maximum: 40 °C = 104 F
Average: 36.5 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  37.6 °C = 100 F | Room Temperature 21.8 °C = 71 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.9 °C / 100 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 41.1 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 34.9 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 52.9 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31 °C / 88 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.


Heatmap Front
Heatmap Front
Heatmap back side
Heatmap back side

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2039.742.72537.3403129.229.54032.432.2503233.66323.623.48021.719.610021.920.112522.525.216018.525.320014.828.325012.335.331512.542.440011.941.350013.153.263014.557.880018.759.4100019.366.2125018.268.6160016.465.1200014.366.1250014.963.3315014.662.4400015.462.6500016.159.1630016.761.9800017.761.41000018.659.51250019.451.61600020.340.5SPL28.775.6N133.4median 16.4median 59.1Delta2.311.432.430.53531.927.126.4262730.431.225.228.822.722.525.522.120.124.719.235.417.839.417.845.916.149.916.655.715.962.514.365.514.770.414.873.614.37114.165.116.369.114.472.313.868.713.970.414.264.414.559.114.666.41568.115.359.115.751.660.964.571.226.98113.817.725.60.948.4median 15median 64.41.610.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseSony Xperia L4Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Sony Xperia L4 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 29.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.9% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (28.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 82% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 12% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 88% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 8% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 47% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 68% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Battery life

Sony Xperia L4
3580 mAh		realme 6i
5000 mAh		Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S
5020 mAh		Motorola Moto G8
4000 mAh		Average of class Smartphone
 
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
783
1318
68%
1187
52%
988
26%
887 ?(424 - 1252, n=241, last 2 years)
13%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
13h 03min

Pros

+ chic, slim design
+ low warming
+ decent image quality of the main camera
+ quite fast WLAN

Cons

- little power
- outdated software
- comparatively short terms
- display with blue cast

Verdict - Good looks alone are not enough

In the review: Sony Xperia L4. Test devices provided by Sony Mobile Germany and
In the review: Sony Xperia L4. Test devices provided by Sony Mobile Germany and
cyberport.com

The Xperia L4 is understated, but very chicly designed and looks more expensive than it is. Unfortunately this doesn't help much if the inner values leave a lot to be desired: The software is outdated, as are the security patches. The screen is not bright enough and has a strong blue cast.

On the credit side, there are the neat sounding loudspeakers, the somewhat faster WLAN than with some comparable devices and the possibility to recharge the cell phone quickly if you buy an appropriate charger. The camera also takes decent pictures and is quite flexible with its many lenses.

However, the competition is strong in this environment and the Sony Xperia L4 is definitely not the price-performance winner in this class.

The Sony Xperia L4 convinces with its looks, but leaves some feathers in its cap due to outdated software.

If you have fallen in love with the appearance of the smartphone and are wondering if you can get a solid phone for your money, let me tell you: If the price drops, you can definitely take a look at the smartphone. However, up-to-date software and long battery life should then not play too big a role.

Sony Xperia L4 - 08/13/2020 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
81%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
93%
Connectivity
39 / 70 → 56%
Weight
90%
Battery
90%
Display
83%
Games Performance
7 / 64 → 11%
Application Performance
55 / 86 → 64%
Temperature
88%
Noise
100%
Audio
46 / 90 → 51%
Camera
53%
Average
68%
75%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Reviews > Sony Xperia L4 smartphone Review - 2020 smartphone with 2018 android
Florian Schmitt, 2020-10-16 (Update: 2020-10-16)