Sony launches new Xperia T2 Ultra and Xperia E1 – mid-rangers for emerging markets

xperia t2 ultra press

Sony announced today two new mid-range devices in the Xperia line, the Xperia T2 Ultra and the Xperia E1.

Xperia T2 Ultra

Sony Xperia T2 Ultra specifications

Display	6-inch TFT LCD, HD (1280 x 720), 245 ppi, Triluminos, X-Reality
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 MSM8928, quad-core Cortex A7 @ 1.4GHz, Adreno 305 GPU
RAM	1GB
Storage	8GB, expandable with up to 32GB
Battery	3000 mAh non-removable
Cameras	13 MP rear, autofocus, LED flash, 1.1 MP front
Networks	LTE (Bands 1, 3, 7, 17, 38, 39, 40, 41) TD-SCDMA (Bands 34, 39) WCDMA (Bands 1, 2, 5) GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
Connectivity	NFC, A-GPS, GLONASS, microUSB, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 LE
OS	Android 4.2. Timescape UI
Dimensions	165.2 x 83.8 x 7.65 mm, 172g
Colors	Black/White/Purple

The Xperia T2 Ultra is the sequel to the Xperia T, and as the name suggests, it’s a monster, at least when it comes to its size. You get a 6-inch TFT LCD display of HD (1280 x 720) resolution, translating into a middling 245ppi, a quad-core Snapdragon 400 MSM8928 clocked at 1.4GHz, and 1GB of RAM. These are pretty decent specs for a mid-range device, and it gets better – the camera features a 13MP Sony Exmor RS sensor and the excellent 3,000 mAh battery should take you through a day of usage without breaking a sweat, especially with Sony’s own Stamina mode on.

The T2 Ultra retains many of the design elements found on Sony’s premium Xperia devices, with a slate-like appearance, minimalistic lines, and that signature power button. The device is also very thin, a quality that we appreciate on such a large device. At 7.65 millimeters across, the device weighs 172 grams, which is around the same as the smaller Xperia Z1.

There are some compromises, as you’d expect from a device targeted at the middle segment of emerging markets. Chiefly, the storage is just 8GB, but you get a microSD slot for quick expansion with up 32GB.

On the software side, there’s Android 4.3 with Sony’s Timescape UI on top, a rather unobtrusive overlay that doesn’t stray far from its stock origins. Sony’s media apps, like Walkman and Album, are naturally front and center, and the same can be said about Sony’s camera features, such as Background Defocus, which was first introduced just last week on the Xperia Z1S.

Xperia E1

Sony Xperia E1 specifications

Display	4-inch TFT LCD, 800 x 480, 233 ppi,
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 MSM8210 , dual-core Cortex A7 @ 1.2GHz, Adreno 302 GPU
RAM	512MB
Storage	4GB, expandable with up to 32GB
Battery	1700 mAh non-removable
Cameras	3 MP rear
Networks	Dual SIM GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz UMTS HSPA+ 850 (Band V), 900 (Band VIII), 1900 (Band II), 2100 (Band I) MHz
Connectivity	A-GPS, GLONASS, microUSB, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 LE
OS	Android 4.3, Timescape UI
Dimensions	118 x 62.4 x 12 mm, 120g
Colors	Black/White/Purple

Moving on to the Xperia E1, this is a budget device targeted at young users with a taste for loud music. The device features a 4-inch 800 x 480 display, a dual-core Snapdragon 200 MSM8210 processor clocked at 1.2GHz, and just 512MB of RAM. The main camera is just 3MP, internal storage is 4GB (with microSD card slot), while the battery capacity is 1700 mAh.

What the Xperia E1 lacks in muscle, it makes up in loudness. The device can supposedly output music at up to 100dB, and thanks to Sony’s ClearAudio+ and xLoud technologies, the sound should remain distortion-free even when you’re pumping beats at high levels.

Both the Xperia T2 Ultra and the Xperia E1 will be available later this year in markets in China, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific rim, at an unspecified "mid-range price point". The devices will also come in dual-SIM variants and will be available in black, white, or purple.