Sony Xperia C5 ultra REVIEW

Hello everybody!

Here I am, again. Finally, here's my review for the Sony Xperia C5 ultra smartphone.

To give you the back story... If you've read my previous blog, you'll know that this phone was the one I chose to replace Samsung J7 Ultra as my gift to my mom since the first  unit (the Samsung Galaxy J7) was defective. I added a little amount of money to upgrade my purchase and I've never had regrets about it!

She loved it!

In fact, I was so amazed by this phone that I kept on bragging about it to my boyfriend. To my surprise, he gifted me with the same unit during our anniversary. Hahaha! I guess, it's true when they say that "what you give is what you receive" :)

So, let's start! Here are the things that I love about this phone -

1. The size. It may feel big at first but when you use it, eventually, it doesn't matter anymore. In fact, I have learned to love the size of this phone because it gives me more screen space which is nice for watching movies, YouTube videos and simply browsing! I became used to it that I already find other phones too small for me. Size matters! Actual dimension - 164.2 x 79.6 x 8.2 mm (6.46 x 3.13 x 0.32 in)

2. Speakers. I like how Sony positioned the speakers in front of the phone (at the topmost and bottom part of the phone) because it gives me more access to the sound. The speakers are loud enough for movies, music and video games. You don't need an extra speaker to appreciate the audio coming out from this phone. But if you want more bass, then it's also good to use it with additonal speakers. 







3. FM Radio. Yes! This phone has a built in FM Radio. For several years, I've been longing to have this feature on my phone. My previous phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) has no FM Radio. That's why, I know now the value of this feature, and I love it!

4. It's lightweight. Despite the big screen size, the phone is actually lightweight. I have no complains  about its weight. Actual weight is 187 g (6.60 oz)

5. Battery. The battery is fine depending on the usage. If you have the mobile data always turned on, with normal browsing, the battery can last up to around 7 to 8 hours. With intense browsing, it may last up until 5-6 hours. As for me, I always bring my power bank just to make sure I always have power wherever and whenever I need one.

6. Ultra power saving mode. Related to power issues, another thing that I like about  this phone is the ultra power saving mode feature. I use this a lot especially when I don't need to browse the Internet that  often. It's very efficient in saving battery life. In my case, when I have this turned on in the morning, without mobile data, just plain phone features, my battery would still be at around 87% to 93% percent by the end of the day; still depending of course on the  number of calls that I have to take or make for the day.

7. It's thin. The phone is actually thin enough for me to be able to slip my phone easily to any small bag, wallet or pocket; without consuming too much space. Not bulky at all. 







8. Speed. It's actually an efficient phone. With a CPU that's Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53, It doesn't lag or freeze. It's fast enough to accommodate my daily usage. Opening several apps is not a problem. It doesn't slow down even when playing games. I also loved how Sony placed a special, very small button at the side of the phone which you can press with an earing just to refresh or hard reset your phone whenever the need to hard reset arise. 






9. Best front and back camera by far. For me, nothing beats this phone in taking quality pictures especially selfies! It has a built-in flash at the front and at the back; so your selfies are always crisp and are always best in quality! 13 MP Front and back camera, with LED flash both at the front and at the back! I cannot ask for anything more! Plus the, camera features, effects and snap-chat-like masks and filters.. Ugh, I'm still drooling over this phone's cam! The best! It takes perfect pictures even in low light! 

Here are some sample pictures -

     

Sample shot (front camera)




Sample shot (front camera)




Sample shot (low light, front camera with LED flash)




Sample shot (low light, back camera with LED flash)




10. Best price ever. Not too cheap, not too pricey. This phone is priced perfectly; definitely a bargain for its performance and quality. It's definitely a steal! Its price, range from 17,000 Php to 18,000 Php.

11. Great display. It has great resolution - 1080 x 1920 pixels (~367 ppi pixel density). Crisp enough to enjoy this phone. It's not too soaring to the eyes, not pixelated in any way. It's great for watching movies and gaming! Even the app icons look good. Having been an S5 user before, I'd say, compared to that, I have no complains regarding this phone's resolution at all. I think I even appreciate watching movies on this phone better than on S5 because the colors are a bit more natural as compared to S5's super vibrant display which sometimes hurt my eyes.

OK, so now that I have given you the good points, let's go to the deal breakers on this phone..

1. Size. Even though I have learned to love the screen size of this phone, some people may find it still very bulky. Because, really, it's a huge phone! I guess it depends on your personality. If you want a phone that's easy on the hands or if you have small hands, the size might be a deal breaker for you.

2. Screen brightness. I find it very hard to look at this phone in broad daylight. It's hard to use it outside especially when the sun is at its peak in the afternoon; when it's super bright outside, it's hard to look at the screen bacause it's not that bright enough to make the screen stand out when you are outdoors. I always had to cover the screen with my hand in order to see the photos I've taken. That's what I miss about my old phone, the S5.

3. Charging. This phone is not fast charging. I always have to wait 3 to 4 hours for this phone to fully charge. For some, this could be a deal breaker. This is also another thing which I miss about my previous phone, S5.

4. Battery. The battery is non-removable similar to iPhones. This may be a deal breaker to some, especially to those who prefer owning battery packs than power banks.

All in all, I love this phone and no matter what I have mentioned as deal breakers, I'd still prefer having this phone over other smartphones. The camera and performance simply compensates for it all. I'd say, over Samsung Galaxy S5, this one is still the best.  :)

For full phone specifications, visit http://m.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_c5_ultra-7463.php.