The Xperia M4 Aqua Dual is all plastic and glass, with a completely flat back and curved sides. The black version is especially striking because of how stealthy it looks. The sides are curved and have a non-slip matte finish, but the flat back doesn’t lend itself to a very comfortable grip. There’s a scratchy seam all the way around, where the edges curve inwards to meet the rear.
The snapdragon 615 SoC powering this phone is now common in phones that cost less than this one, but it isn’t by any means a slouch. The only issue I had was that the upper half of the rear of the phone became noticeably hot after just a few minutes of even ordinary use.
The camera turned out to be one of this phone’s strongest points. It handled complex exposures really well and the photos came out with a fair amount of detail intact. I was happy to see that compression and noise artefacts were well under control. Even in low light, the camera managed to reproduce better details than I usually see.
Finally, I had to test Sony’s claims about how waterproof the Xperia M4 Aqua is, and so I left it for 10 minutes in a shallow basin of tap water. Not only did it continue to run while submerged, but it showed no signs of trouble whatsoever after being patted dry with a towel. The touchscreen doesn’t work underwater but you can use the camera thanks to the physical button. Waterproofing is a fantastic feature at this price level, and you won’t have to worry about getting wet in the rain or about any accidental liquid damage.
While clearly not competing with the formidable Oneplus One and the like in terms of specs alone, Sony has packed enough features and usability into the Xperia M4 Aqua Dual to justify its price tag. Sure, you aren’t getting the fastest processor or the crispest screen, but there’s a world of difference in terms of polish. You also get a more-than-decent camera, excellent battery life and waterproofing without the inconvenience of flaps over every port.
Of course, it wouldn’t hurt this phone’s chances if it was priced a little lower. Already, it’s selling for slightly less than its launch price, so keep an eye out for deals. Sony has proven that it can put together a compelling package without jumping into the price war.