Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V Review

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is not an upgrade of the original Neo handset rather it is a downgrade with the only difference being camera sensor - downgraded from 8 mega pixels to 5 mega pixels along with the more recent Android version. It is one of the first handsets from the manufacturer that is shipped with Android 2.3.4 out of the box.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is a mid-range handset that would be an ideal choice for anyone who is looking for a little bit of everything with loads of Sony style. Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V features a 3.7-inch display, 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, and 5MP camera. Along with this it also features custom Sony Ericsson User Interface (UI), a group of tools for social, productivity, and media consumption.

Furthermore, its Bravia display produces a particularly attractive window for viewing video content. On the whole, Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is the same phone with a different camera and the lower price. By now, it should be clear that the 'V' in Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is the Roman numeral for Five and not a letter.

The retail package of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is exemplary for the price range. Below are the accessories that you will get with the handset:

• One Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V Handset
• A USB charger
• A MicroUSB-to-USB Cable that can be used for both charging as well as data connections
• A Headset
• A Couple of User Guides
• A 2GB MicroSD Card

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V has an elegant and curvy design that is greatly suggestive of the Sony Ericsson Vivaz. You simply can't refuse that the design of the Xperia Neo V is quite attractive although we thought it would look much better in the lighter colors. Anyways, putting the attractiveness of the design on the side, the shiny bits on the phone makes it look a bit cheap and plasticy.

Advantages

• The shape and weight of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V are on target and the phone is well design.
• The Xperia neo V possesses a 3.7-inch, 854 x 480 resolution display. The extra 54 rows of pixels makes the aspect ratio a perfect 16:9, which means the majority of your videos as well as widescreen images will essentially cover up the complete display plus not leave any black bars on the top as well as on the bottom.
• The quality of the display is reasonably excellent. The colors are neutral, the color temperature appears normal, the contract as well as black levels are fine and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V also functional under bright light.
• The microSD card slot of the handset is under the battery cover, although not under the battery itself and is consequently hot-swappable. The Neo supports 32GB cards and goes together with a complimentary 2GB card.
• The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is rather realistically sized and no hassle to carry around and even to put into pockets. The Xperia Neo V is well-built moreover there is nothing to regret other than the fingerprint issues. The handset feels solid and is rather comfy to hold and operate.

Disadvantages

• The major downside is its plastic body that makes it look cheap and plasticy. Furthermore, you can see fingerprints everywhere making you persistently want to clean the phone.
• The shiny plastic body also does not take well to wear and tear.
• In addition to this, the battery cover starts picking up scratches as soon as the phone is kept on a surface. On the other hand, if you keep the handset on its face, the keys on the front will lose their shine - an ultimate downside.
• The power button on the side was a tad too hard to press effortlessly, the volume buttons were somewhat awkwardly located and your forefinger constantly finds the camera lens on the back to stay upon which entails the camera lens will more often than not be covered in fingerprints and smudges.
• The viewing angles, on the other hand, are relatively meager.
• Another annoying problem with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is its automatic brightness control system that cannot be disabled. This means that the handset keeps changing the minimum brightness value. However, you can only adjust the maximum brightness level from the settings.
• The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V employs a Gorilla Glass although it is excessively reflective on this phone more or less like a mirror. This intends you are constantly seeing what is behind you as much as you see what's on the screen.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V runs the latest Gingerbread version 2.3.4 of Android. With a 1GHz Scorpion processor, Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V functions quite well.

Handling is super smooth and even a small number of somewhat heavy games work without any problems. Software-wise the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V holds a clear-cut advantage over its rivals, along with a custom skin that owns all the other custom skins out there in aesthetics, usability or features. Furthermore, there are also some nice features in there and the handset comes with all the standard Google apps.

Advantages

• The Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V runs the most recent Gingerbread version 2.3.4 of Android.
• The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V comes with some really cool features that include USB on-the-go functionality that requires Sony Ericsson LiveDock, improved Facebook integration, Swipe text input, improved screen capture that lets you grab a screenshot anywhere on your Xperia with standard Sony 3D sweep panos i.e. panorama shots can be rendered on compatible 3D TVs.
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V has a five pane home screen with four docked shortcuts that are user configurable.
• Widgets are not jam-packed in small indecipherable screen rather all the widgets are shuffled on a single screen in order that they can better utilize the space and stay as big as possible.
• Creating folders is simple, using the iOS logic (and visual layout). You drag one icon over another and a pop-up prompts you to select an icon and a name for the folder you're about to set up.
• Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V comes with a 512MB of RAM, which is sufficient for moderate multi-tasking.
• All the standard Google apps such as Mail, Maps, YouTube and Android Market are well incorporated in the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V.
• The browser performance is acceptable but it is never perfectly smooth unless you are browsing a site that mostly has text, such as the Reddit comments section.
• It's also Wi-Fi equipped and allows you to turn your handset into a Hot Spot for your wireless connection.
• The Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V has a good deal of connectivity options. The basics are covered by quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and tri-band HSPA with download rates of up to 7.2 Mbps and upload at 5.76 Mbps.

Disadvantages

• One of the downfalls of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is that its competition has dual-core CPUs, 1080p video.
• The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V does not support smart dialing, though you can use voice dialing.
• The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V loudspeaker has a below average performance and it is not the loudest ringer around, so you might occasionally miss a call.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V comes with only a 5 mega pixel sensor, although keeps the auto-focus and LED flash a 720p video recording. The Xperia Neo V has got a dedicated two-step shutter button on the side which is quite a rare sight on phones in recent times. On the other hand, the music player of the Xperia neo V is relatively good. You find equalizer presets and a pleasant, large view of the album art. The handset also comes with a built-in FM radio that works fine and the interface is very simple and easy to use but the video player on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is not very impressive.

Advantages

• The camera can record video in 720p HD.
• The camera has got plenty of features such as Face and Smile detection, Geo-tagging and Sony's Sweep 3D panorama feature that takes a bit of getting used to.
• Picture quality is pretty good with just a little bit of 'dull' on the color front however focus and clarity is comparatively steady and quite sharp.
• The Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V captures 720p video at 30 fps. The quality of the recorded video is good and the amount of captured detail is average although, the colors and contrast are good.
• The image quality is good, but it could have been better. The colors and the contrast are good too, while the amount of captured detail is just average.
• Audio quality of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V is nicely loud and pretty clear.
• The music player of the Xperia neo V is relatively good and you will find equalizer presets and a pleasant, large view of the album art.
• The Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V is also provided with a built-in FM radio, which has a truly neat and easy interface. It repeatedly scans the area for the available stations and puts "notches" on the frequency dial meant for easier scrolling to the next station. Or you can mark some of them as favorite.

Disadvantages

• The camera of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V loses the ExmorR sensor, and offers 5 mega pixel snapper and a single-LED flash.
• Indoor shots with the flash could have been a little better, though.
• Another disappointment is that the Xperia Neo V comes with a poor video codec support. There is no dedicated video player app and the video player supports only 3GP and MP4 videos.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia beam is extremely close price-wise in addition to this it is an enticing deal not only on account of the better camera but also for the reason that it has got a slimmer profile as well as legitimately more character. On the other hand, a bigger screen is unquestionably an asset. The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo V with a low tag is relatively a value for money handset regardless of its few limitations - in particular for the reason that there are not too many in this price group that can compete. For that price it categorically makes for a good deal.

Generally speaking, the handset works sufficiently well in order to be enjoyed and utilized completely, if you carry a portable charger with you all the time. Additionally, it is the Sony Ericsson only that will certainly be getting Ice Cream Sandwich update. On the whole, be its hardware or software, the handset outdoes its current competition and makes for a fine purchase if you are strapped for cash.