Sony Xperia C5

A few months after its predecessor, the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra makes its appearance. MeltyStyle has tested what should become the ultimate "selfie-phone" of Japanese.

At the beginning of summer, meltyStyle offered you the test of the Sony Xperia C4, the "selfie-phone" of the Japanese manufacturer. A few weeks later, a new version comes on the market. An "augmented" version, rather. Like the iPhone 6 Plus or the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge +, Sony offers us a device very close to its cousin, but in a clearly phablette format. Six inches, neither more nor less, compared to 5.5 inches for the C4. An XXL format, primarily intended for the big consumers of videos and video games. If it does not fit all the pockets, the Sony Xperia C5 has the assets to seduce some.

Design and handling:

Those who already had his predecessor in hand will not be disoriented. The finishes of the Sony Xperia C5 are rather qualitative, despite the use of plastic. Obviously, the device weighs its weight and its huge screen can make it difficult - if not impossible - to handle with one hand. Aesthetically, Sony remains in extreme sobriety with a uniform slab and very thin edges around the screen. A particularly appreciated detail not to have the feeling of loss of place. Without being flamboyant, the screen 1080p does the job well with a resolution of 367 pixels per inch. If the C5 is very imposing, no false step has been committed.

Camera:

It comes to the essentials, namely the camera. Or rather, cameras, because both the back camera and the front camera both have a definition of 13 megapixels. A great improvement against the 5 megapixels of the C4, which is felt in the facts. The selfies are particularly detailed and frankly successful. The colors are faithful, although the front camera is slightly less powerful than the backbone. Sony wanted to sell us a smartphone that excels in the art of self-portrait, we get what we pay for. Let's note in passing that Melty will benefit from these qualities during The Selfie Race, which will take place between October 16 and 18. The "main" camera is very satisfactory with performances that fit in with what is done among the competitors of the same range.

Under the hood:

To turn it all, the MediaTek MT6752 chip (which could be compared to a Snapdragon 615) is accompanied by 2 GB of RAM. Performance finally not so far from the Sony Xperia Z3 that meltyStyle had also taken charge. With a very redesigned interface of Android 5.0 Lollipop compared to the Google version, the menus take place with a beautiful fluidity. Without being in the performance of the market leaders, few video games will lose in quality with this smartphone. Reading the technical specifications of the device, however, it was noted the presence of a battery of 2930 mAh against 2600 mAh for the C4. A logical rise, due to the difference in screen size. Unfortunately, autonomy is not reinforced. While holding the stroke on a busy day, the device sometimes ends on the kneecaps.

Conclusion:

A few weeks after the release of the Sony Xperia C4, the C5 makes a whole new impression. By selling us a "selfie-phone", we have to admit that this time, Sony fully respects its promise. If the autonomy is in halftone, the device remains a sure value, if one is amateur of very (very) large formats. Currently it is sold 399 euros, against 349 euros for the Xperia C4. Unless the price of the latter falls shortly, the 50 euros difference will be a very good investment for fans of Snapchat and Instagram.