Sony Xperia GX SO04D Complete Specs Pricing Pros & Cons

Overview of Sony Xperia GX SO-04D

The Sony Xperia GX SO-04D is a discontinued smartphone that first debuted in May 2012 and was officially released in August of the same year. Although it is no longer available on the market, it represented a notable entry into the mid-to-high range smartphone sector of its time, offering a range of specifications that were competitive during its release period.

Network and Connectivity

The Xperia GX SO-04D supported GSM, HSPA, and LTE technologies, catering to 2G, 3G, and 4G cellular networks through bands GSM 850, 900, 1800, and 1900, as well as HSDPA and band 1 for LTE. The device provided data speed options with HSPA offering 14.4/5.76 Mbps and LTE Cat2 at 50/25 Mbps, making it suitable for decently fast internet connectivity in its time. It also offered standard GPRS and EDGE support with up to 86 kbps and 237 kbps speeds, respectively.

Design and Build

The Sony Xperia GX SO-04D features a slim form factor with dimensions of 131 x 69 x 8.6 mm and a weight of just 127 grams, making it light and convenient to carry. It sported a classic black or white color finish, providing users with simple yet elegant color choices. It accommodated a Micro-SIM card, a common standard at the time of its release.

Display

The Xperia GX SO-04D is equipped with a 4.6-inch LED-backlit LCD screen, featuring a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio, translating to a pixel density of around 319 ppi. This display offered sharp images and vibrant colors with scratch-resistant glass protection to safeguard against minor abrasions.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the device was powered by the Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 Plus chipset, bolstered by a dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU and an Adreno 225 GPU. This combination provided a decent performance for multitasking and handling applications available on the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system at the time. While the hardware may not hold up against modern smartphones, it was adequate for average use patterns then.

Memory and Storage

The Xperia GX SO-04D came with 16GB of internal storage and 1GB of RAM, granting users space for storing apps, media, and other files. Additionally, it offered expandability via a microSDHC card slot, allowing users to increase their storage capacities as per their needs.

Camera Features

The device featured a 13 MP primary camera with autofocus and LED flash, providing high-quality photographs and 1080p video recording at 30fps. It also supported a panorama mode for capturing wider scenes. The front-facing camera, while modest at 1.3 MP, enabled 720p video recording, suitable for video calls and basic selfies.

Audio and Communication

Audio-wise, the Xperia GX SO-04D was equipped with a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, a standard feature during its release. For wireless communication, it included WLAN capabilities with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n support, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, and hotspot functionality. The Bluetooth 3.1 came with A2DP support for better audio streaming capabilities. GPS with A-GPS support was included, though there was no radio functionality.

Battery Life

The device was powered by a removable Li-Ion 1700 mAh battery, which was quite typical for smartphones of that era. It promised a stand-by time of up to 300 hours on 2G and up to 380 hours on 3G. Talk time was estimated at up to 6 hours and 40 minutes on both 2G and 3G networks, allowing for reasonable usage periods between charges.

Additional Features and Conclusion

The Xperia GX SO-04D included standard sensors such as an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and compass. Priced at approximately 290 EUR at release, it was aimed at consumers seeking a mid-range smartphone with reliable performance and essential features. While the Xperia GX SO-04D might not compete with today's smartphones, during its release, it offered a balanced mix of performance, design, and capability suitable for its time, showcasing Sony's continued innovation in the mobile market.