Sony has its hands full with the Z Ultra, Z, U, T, SP, S, L, J, E and now it has launched the Xperia M as well. Indeed, this is a long list of devices in the Xperia line up and you are bound to be confused which one to opt for, and more importantly, how does the Xperia M fare in the 
face of the ingrown competition.
Design/hardware/build/size
Of late, the Xperia devices launched by Sony feature the new and advanced design theme, Omni Balance. The Omni Balance theme transition evolves to some extent on the M as well. The aluminum power button on the Xperia M proudly occupies the right hand side apart from the camera shutter and the volume keys.
At the bottom end of the device, you can find the lanyard connector and also a micro USB connector which sits on the upper left hand corner of the device. The top of the device has a 3.5mm headphone jack, located centrally. The Xperia M sports a 4-inch touchscreen display. On the front, you can also find the illuminating area, microphone, proximity and light sensor as well as the front facing snapper.
At the rear end of the device, you can find the rear speaker, microphone, flash and the rear camera. The speakers are located at the bottom of the device. The back cover of the device is removable and it bears the Xperia as well as the Sony logo on it. The Sony logo is placed at the center while the Xperia logo is above the rear speaker.
Display
The Sony Xperia M is a perfect choice if using social networks, browsing the web, texting and making calls are your primary purposes of buying the phone. The Xperia M features 854 x 480 screen resolution and the 4-inch screen is ideal for everyday use.
It can get slightly tricky to hold the device outdoors at arm’s length. However, bring the device little closer and the visibility of the screen greatly improves. In bright sunshine, the display needs to be somewhat shielded to view the screen properly. This is one area where the more expensive devices easily trump over the Xperia M.
Your review of the phone’s screen will depend to a great extent on how you are using the phone. If you happen to be a picture or video buff, then the Xperia M’s display might disappoint you to some extent. However, considering the fact that the phone is priced below £200, the video and picture quality is rather impressive and users who are looking to buy a phone in this price segment would surely be impressed with the outcome. The Xperia M is quite pocket-friendly and does what it promises.
Software
The Sony Xperia M is powered by a dual-core, 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The Xperia M comes with 4 GB internal memory and 1 GB RAM cache. Also, it is equipped with GPS, Bluetooth and Wi Fi connectivity.
The Xperia M runs on 4.1 Android OS and it is faintly behind the newest software stakes. Though it is expected that Sony will launch the OS update, nothing can be said as to when the updates will be launched.
Owing to the 1 GB RAM cache, and the dual-core Snapdragon Qualcomm processor, using the Xperia M is but a breeze. Usage is quite slick and lag free. However, you may experience some lag when you are multi-tasking on the device.
All standard Google apps come pre-installed on the Xperia M apart from many value apps from Sony. Being an Android phone, the Xperia M has access to the Play Store by Google. Thus, users can easily customize and personalize the device with regard to the look as well as the available apps. Users can customize widgets, app tray, background and also the notification lights.
Camera
The Sony Xperia M is equipped with a rear facing as well a front facing camera. The front is a VGA snapper ideal for video calling and can also capture pictures. However, the video quality is not impressive. The rear one is a 5-megapixel snapper with LED flash and auto-focus and it can record video at 720p HD but lacks the capability of recording videos at 1080 full HD.
Overall, the image and video clarity is good and also scores well when clicked indoors, under artificial lights. However, the camera of the Xperia M struggles somewhat with color definition. Sometimes, the colors of the pictures look a lot saturated than they should ideally be. Both the rear as well as the front camera is equipped with 4x digital zoom and this feature can be used with the volume keys. The 4x digital zoom feature applies to pictures as well as videos. The Xperia M also has a dedicated camera button and makes it easy to hold the phone and click stable pictures.
Battery
The Xperia M packs in a 1750 mAh battery and this is certainly not the biggest of all batteries. However, the Xperia M is not a very big phone. The battery to screen capacity is quite good. With a full charge, you can use the Xperia M for the entire day. For light users, the battery may well last for a good two days without requiring to be charged.
The Xperia M’s battery also features a STAMINA mode. It was first seen on the Xperia Z and now the STAMINA mode makes its way to the M as well. Users also have an option to turn the STAMINA mode on or off and it tends to have a significant impact on the device’s battery life since it wisely manages the various background processes of the phone.
Conclusion
There are hardly any faults with the Xperia M to talk of. The M ticks all the required boxes and is a good performing device with a wide range of software and connectivity options. However, it fails to have a wow factor owing to standard features and usability. Overall, the Xperia M is worth a buy, priced below £200.