The midrange will not again spend millions on a “smartphone”

In November last year, Google presented through Motorola Moto G, a mobile that aroused enthusiasm among those looking for a smartphone budget that will not disappoint them a few days out of the box. The findings pointed in the same direction: finally a terminal of less than 200 euros had enough power to not use Android proves a frustrating experience. A few months ago Nokia had also managed that economic Lumia 520, which is still on sale for about 100 euros, was one of the first phones capable of running smoothly with an operating system for the last generation. In this case, Windows Phone 8.

But if something startles large firms sector are Chinese mobile phone, not only because Cheap. Brands like Xiaomi, Huawei, TCL and Lenovo are bringing a breath of creativity sector, while putting legs are so far above what we understood it was a high-end mobile. A concept that in recent years have been commissioned to sell the Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S. Looks like it’s only a matter of time before Chinese manufacturers have achieved the capacity to produce and sell their phones worldwide. How then do these companies react?

Examples of cheap phones that do not seem

Seven months after the launch of Moto G, some phone manufacturers seem to have taken note of the cracking of Google. In stores now on sale there some similar models in performance and price for Motorola Mobile. Among the last to appear is the Sony Xperia M2. Meanwhile, Nokia has launched the Lumia 520’s successor: the Lumia 630.

Both Sony and Nokia carry in their guts one of the keys to success of Moto G: Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor with a speed of 1.2 GHz After trying both phones for several days, the feelings that we have been transmitted are very good. It is true that neither have a camera outside series, a very refined design and requirements specific to high-end models range functions. Those looking for things like water resistance, high-definition screens and an aluminum body will have to look at other products.

The attractiveness of these phones is the price: the Lumia Xperia M2 149 and 289 euros, although there are many shops that sell the latter for just over 200 euros. Moreover, to convince you we recommend the Lumia to wait until it is released in summer the Lumia 635, a terminal identical to 630 but with 4G connection and an official price of 180 euros.

The Xperia M2 has some features that until recently could only see on high-end phones. There are also a detail on the Lumia 630 is ahead of Xperia M2. The main thing is that it comes equipped with the latest version of Windows Phone, while Sony sells the M2 with the penultimate version of Android. Moreover, the two phones have 8 GB of internal memory. While the Lumia can expand its storage capacity to 128 GB using microSD cards, the Xperia can only be expanded up to 32 GB. Lumia’s battery also can be removed, allowing us to use a spare if necessary.

DESIGN AND DISPLAY ‘HARDWARE’

In terms of design and dimensions, the Lumia 630 has a 4.5-inch screen and the Sony Xperia M2 another 4.8 inches. It does not seem a big difference, but when the truth the latter seems much higher. Both allow you to remove and put the SIM and SD cards without having to open them. When we do this operation, we must draw on its battery 630, which causes you have to manually enter the date and time. Moreover, the plastic it is made of the Lumia conveys a sense of greater fragility than the Xperia, although the former has the advantage that we can change their shells. In fact, it comes with two series.

The screen resolution 4.5-inch Lumia 630 is 854×480 pixels, which is equivalent to a density of 218 pixels per inch. The 4.8-inch Xperia M2 is 960×540 with a density of 229 pixels. In practice large differences between the two are not appreciated and both are well enough not to disappoint most people. Except those who are accustomed to using high-resolution displays that will miss one of higher quality.

Meanwhile, the quad-core Snapdragon processor is responsible for both mobile work fluently in all applications, especially something that has surprised us in the Lumia 630, as it has only 512 MB of RAM (half the Xperia). Therefore we conclude that Windows Phone makes more efficient use of memory Android. To put them in trouble in the Lumia we have loaded the game Asphalt 8 and Photoshop Touch on the Xperia, two applications that require some power and that both have worked perfectly.

CAMERA, BATTERY AND ‘SOFTWARE’

The camera sensor Xperia M2 is eight megapixels but Sony does not indicate the size (bad sign), and can record full HD video. The Lumia has a fairly small image sensor, ¼ inch, 5 megapixel camera that records video with a standard HD resolution. Both phones equipped with a bright lens with an aperture of identical aperture: f/2.4.

But leaving aside the theory, in practice Xperia camera has convinced us. Especially since, despite strong processing applied to the images, even in broad daylight get better pictures than the Lumia as the images of the latter have little detail. In addition, its colors are somewhat unrealistic and too dull. Moreover, in the photographic section the Xperia M2 has three elements that the Lumia 630 lacks: flash, shutter button and front camera, though this is only meant for video because its resolution is not even a megapixel. Therefore, it is not recommended to use selfies.

What I have found it great on both phones is the software image that Nokia and Sony have joined. It is almost identical to equip other higher end models. The Lumia strikes, for example, that with such a modest camera has access to all manual shooting controls. The Xperia M2 also features unique photography applications Sony, the same they use their more advanced phones: the Xperia Z1 and Z2. Furthermore, the two phones with normal use typical day offer of autonomy. Although there are differences in the capacity of the battery from both: the Nokia 1,830 mAh and 2300 mAh Sony. Although as we say the Lumia lets replace and carry a spare if necessary.

In any case, both the Lumia as the Xperia feature saving features energy efficient enough to extend a few hours autonomy. As software concerns, Nokia and Microsoft have been commissioned to provide the Lumia of a number of high quality applications and free. These include the maps and the Office package. The Sony also comes well nourished application, but several are trial versions. The main difference between the two in this section is that the Lumia will uninstall almost all the features that come standard, which is not possible in the case of the Xperia.

In conclusion, these two phones will convince those who want to spend little money on a phone without end forgotten in a drawer in a few months, although the limited memory of the Lumia 630 perhaps is a liability in the face to be updated to future versions of Windows Phone. The quality of its camera also disappoints those who use it often, especially when taking pictures in low light.