Without a doubt, the Sony Xperia L is one of the best-looking mid-range smartphones in the market today. It packs reasonable specs and features ideal for those who want a smooth and hassle-free mobile experience.

Design and Display

This Smartphone flaunts a nice looking design akin to its old school Xperia siblings. It is also relatively svelte at only 9.7 mm thick and lightweight at 137 grams. One of the distinct features of the Xperia L is its arched back, which gives you a much easier grip, though it looks like a little flimsy because of the plastic construction.

Physical buttons are found on the right hand side, the volume control rocker being on top, camera shutter at the bottom, and the power button in between the two keys. Up top lies the 3.5 mm headphone jack and on the left most part is the micro USB port.

The Sony Xperia L boasts a large, 4.3-inch display with a fairly average resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. However, you’ll be pleasantly surprised as it still delivers excellent clarity, sharpness, and vibrancy despite of its mediocre resolution. Viewing angles are also impressive, and it is also quite responsive, so scrolling, pinching, or tapping is totally glitch-free.

Reading suggestion: Sony Xperia TL Review

Camera

The 8 megapixel rear camera is without a doubt one of the highlights of the Xperia L. It features the Exmor RS sensor, which provides sufficient brightness when taking photos or videos in a low-light environment. Other useful features include the auto focus function, LED light, 4x digital zoom, and a front facing camera for video chats. The camera itself is advanced enough for a mid-range Smartphone. The only downside is that it is a little sluggish, which isn’t ideal for those who are used to fire off continuous shots.

On the lighter note, it also has an HDR feature, which works for both still shots and video footages. Video quality is also good but not as great as compared with the full HD video camera of high end smartphones. It is can only record 720p HD videos at 30 frames per second, so you wouldn’t expect promising results.

Performance

The 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual core processor and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system make everything run smooth and fast. So whether you’re into streaming video content, playing HD games, or downloading the hottest apps from Google Play Store, you’ll get to enjoy all of these in a much accelerated performance.

Call quality is also good. So, RingCentral subscribers or other third party users will have no problem staying connected with their clients or colleagues, anytime, anywhere. The 1,700 mAh removable battery on the other hand can reach up to 8 hours of talk time, and can last the whole day when used in normal conditions. As mentioned, the battery is removable so for those who have heavy power demands, you can always bring a spare for a much longer life.

Pros:

• Slim and lightweight design
• Huge and responsive screen
• Fast and fluid performance
• Advanced digital camera
• Good battery performance

Cons:

• Plastic back construction
• Can’t record in full HD
• Takes a while to take photos

All in all, the Sony Xperia L is a decent mid-range Android phone packed with advanced, user-friendly features at a budget-friendly price. It’s speedy performance is also a big plus for those who are into multi tasking but not quite remarkable as compared to the flagship phone. The display is bright and responsive, the camera is pretty slick, and battery life is reasonable. However, as a smart buyer, you may also want to take into consideration its downsides, which include the shutter lag issues, as well as its so-so design. Therefore, it is still best to think twice before you rush and get this unit.