We thought that Samsung and LG are the premier Android phones around, but Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play gave us the benefit of the doubt. It all started when the PlayStation Phone (its other name) was launched in Philippine market recently. And we think that this is quite a blessing for all those gamer-geeks because Xperia Play promises a true handheld gaming experience from their phones; well you can use the touchscreen once in a while.
The Software
Cellular-wise, the phone is built in a way to compete with other Android phone makes. It is powered with 1GHz processor and a 4-inch display. We might say that it’s not that dedicated to “gaming” theme due to the fact that it doesn’t have the PlayStation screen trademark, the Mobile Bravia Display. However, it’s 480x854 resolution won’t let your gaming experience in a blur. The Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread) OS is also a plus factor.
The Hardware
PlayStation phone is much of a bulk compared to other competitors in its price range like the LG Optimus Black, Samsung Galaxy S and HTC Desire S; the reason of which is the grip when you are playing. Furthermore, back panel of the phone tends to harvest fingerprints due to its curved-glossy finish.
The Gaming Mode
When you are in the game set-up, the slide-down game pad has its lock to avoid retraction of the pad while playing. Likewise, the standard PSP buttons are quite short in depth, but you’ll get use to it in no time. Battery life seems to be a problem if you’re continuously playing in the slider mode. Each model is preloaded with games such as Bruce Lee, Crash Bandicoot, FIFA 2010, Madden NFL 11, Star Batallion and The Sims 3. You can have some quality stuff over the Android Market, Gameloft, EA and Sony and Square Enix.
The Verdict
Suggested retail price for Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is PHP 19, 990, but some other retail outlets have it for only PHP 17,990. Each box has a free 8GB microSD, stereo portable handsfree, screen shield, car charger and leather pouch. The Play Station Phone is a great unit for quality gaming experience using your phone. If you’re planning to have a Play Station Vita and an Android phone this in your wishlist this Christmas, might as well replace those two with Xperia Play instead.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Specs:
1GHz Scorpion processor, Adreno 205 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon
Android OS, v2.3.4 (Gingerbread)
175 g
4-inch screen (480 x 854 pixels), 16 M colors
PlayStation certified game controller
5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
720p Full HD video recording
VGA front camera
400 MB internal storage, 512 MB RAM, 8GB microSD included
HSDPA, HSUPA
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth 2.1
Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery
Php19,990
