Sony Xperia 5 II review - Technically impressive but for a niche market

Ah, Sony smartphones. The brand may not be as active as it used to be when it comes to phones, but it still produces some niche devices. Last year, the company launched a highly sophisticated Xperia 5 II, which got many Malaysian tech enthusiasts scratching their heads. For RM4099, it's one of the most difficult-to-recommend devices for most users.

Despite that, the Xperia 5 II is technically impressive. Full HD+ HDR OLED display? Checked. A camera module with DSLR-like functions that's actually good? Checked. Snapdragon 865 chipset? Also checked. Unfortunately, most people lost interest when it took 8 months to arrive here, after its launch in February 2020. But we decided to review it anyway, so read on to find out what we thought of this phone.

The first thing you'll notice about the Sony Xperia 5 II is its design, which hasn't strayed far from designs of other recent Xperia phones. It's still using a display with a 21:9 aspect ratio, with a screen size of 6.1-inches. Depending on how often you watch videos on your device, it certainly adds a cinematic experience. On top of that, the back surface is super smooth. Out of all the 2020 phones, the Xperia 5 II is arguably the slickest device of the year.

The front camera and the top Dolby Atmos speaker

The back is smoother than your pick up lines

The Xperia 5 II camera module uses a ZEISS optic lens

The SIM card slot doesn't require any pin to eject

(L-R) Shutter button, Google Assistant button, Power/Fingerprint button, and the volume rocker

However, that also means the device is quite slippery. One of our writers admitted that he dropped the phone several times (sorry, Sony Malaysia!) Fortunately, the Xperia 5 II uses Gorilla Glass 6, so there were no scratches. Still, we highly recommend using the protective casing just in case. Plus, it provides a better grip for the phone, especially when you are taking photos.

Here are the specifications of the Xperia 5 II:

As a flagship phone, it also comes with a few features. Most of them are not that different from the ones found on the Xperia 1 II. You can find the trademark physical shutter button on the phone, as well as a dedicated Google Assistant button. While the former remains a practical feature, the same can't be said for Google Assistant. Generally, most Malaysians avoid using voice assistants due to the AI's inability to understand our Malaysian slang or accent.

Moving on to features, a notable one would be the Creator Mode that provides BT.2020 image processing and 10-bit HDR colours. But from our point of view, it's not that different from the standard one. Since the display already has a 120Hz refresh rate, it's more pleasing to the eye than high resolution (but that's just our opinion). As for audio, the sound generated by the Dolby Atmos was excellent. Throughout our usage, we never switch off the Dynamic Bass. But while we think it sounds great, some users may find the vibration from the bass annoying.

If you want to edit your photos, you can check out the Photo Pro app. The software offers a DSLR-like interface and various manual photography controls such as shutter speed, ISO level, autofocus mode, light metering, white balance and more. Sony Alpha users should be familiar with most of these, but it may be too complicated for the average Joe...

The user interface of the Xperia 5 II is also intuitive and user-friendly because it is very close to the original Android 10 stock. As a result, there's barely any bloatware on this device, something many users certainly appreciate. You can also upgrade the OS to Android 11, which is already available.

With the Snapdragon 865 chipset onboard, this phone can play any mobile games with ease. While it's not on par with newer phones like the OnePlus 8 or Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, it's good enough to perform on various apps and more than enough for a casual user. In fact, you will be able to comfortably configure the graphics on COD Mobile, Genshin Impact, and PUGB Mobile to the highest settings.

On the topic of mobile games, there's an Enhancer software that offers special functions. With it, you can prioritise the phone's performance or battery life, turn off incoming notifications, and record your game sessions. It does not indicate the CPU temperature, but that's fine since it's not really a dedicated gaming phone after all.

(L-R) Geekbench, 3DMark, and AnTuTu scores

The 4000mAh battery on this phone isn't that large but should last for a full day. If that's not enough for you, you can use the trademark Stamina Mode to extend the battery life for up to around two days. On top of that, there's an 18W charging adapter in the box. However, it takes 1 hour and 50 minutes to fully charge the phone, which is slow by today's standards.

Another major highlight of this phone would be the cameras. Granted, the Xperia 5 II doesn't have a 108MP camera like other flagship phones nor a 3D Time of Flight depth sensor, but it doesn't need to. Remember - higher megapixels doesn't mean higher quality. See the sample photos for yourself below!

Example of an ultrawide photo, no distortion at the sides

Another main camera shot, colour contrast is alright

It's worth noticing that ultrawide photos don't degrade the colour contrast much

Selfie with portrait mode on, a bit too much light there

Here's one with much light source, but not that grainy which is most impressive

For videography, the Xperia 5 II can record 4K videos at 120FPS. All Cinema Pro apps offer a wide range of professional functions like colour profiles, focus modes, shutter speed, and ISO controls. For slow-motion, it can record in 120FPS, 60FPS, 30FPS or 25FPS. In addition to that, it has the SteadyShot mode to stabilise your videos. It works very well, even if you're walking and recording simultaneously.

As mentioned, the Xperia 5 II is technically impressive. Its OLED display and Dolby Dynamic Bass speakers make it an excellent multimedia device. If you like to binge-watch Netflix shows, this could be the phone for you. It also delivers high-quality photos and videos, thanks to its wide range of functions. Finally, it's no slouch when it comes to mobile games too. However, it's a rather pricey phone that few Malaysians are willing to spend on.

Having said that, the Xperia 5 II specialises in content creation, and there aren't many phones that offer similar functionalities. In other words, this phone is in a class of its own and targets a niche market - content creators who may want to try something new or looking for something compact on-the-go. Well, it is what it is.

What do you think of the Sony Xperia 5 II? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned for more tech gadget reviews like this only at TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia 5 II will be announced on 17 September with 120Hz refresh rate display!

We’ve reported an image leaked for the Sony Xperia 5 II that might be having the Zess coating yesterday. Today, AndroidHealines has confirmed that the Xperia 5 II will not be announced at IFA next week but it will be revealed on 17 September with most of the detail leaks on it.

According to the source, the Xperia 5II will be equipped with a 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate with a 240Hz touch response. Following the CinemaWide marketing strategy by Sony, the flagship will have a 21:9 aspect ratio display with the dimension of 158 x 68 x 8mm which 2mm thinner than its previous predecessor and also an additional 3.5mm audio jack.

As for the chipset, it will be running on the Snapdragon 865 5G chipset coupled with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage with an expandable micro SD card slot. In terms of cameras, this time it looks promising because it houses a triple camera setup with a 12MP main camera, 12MP 3x telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultrawide angle lens which will also be able to record up to 4k 120fps videos. Coming with the 4000 mAh battery, it supports USB-C PD for fast charging.Either way, there’s still no official confirmation on the tech specs and releasing dates so do take this with a pinch of salt. But will you be interested in having the Sony Xperia 5 II? Let us know at our Facebook page and stay tuned for more tech news updates on TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia 5 III Malaysia pre-order - SD888 chipset with a free pair of wireless earbuds, priced at RM4599

In early late August, Sony Malaysia released the pre-order of the Xperia 10 III and it certainly took them a while for the Xperia 5 III. Just over the weekend, the Xperia 5 III pre-order just got announced at the price of RM4599 and the period will last until 20 December 2021.

From the Facebook post, Malaysian Sony fans and customers who are interested in getting the Xperia 5 III will receive a complimentary WF-XB700 True Wireless Headphones with EXTRA BASS. This is a pretty standard pre-order package so if you're looking for a new pair of wireless earbuds, this might be the one for you.

Just to refresh your memory, the Xperia 5 III is a flagship tier device featuring a Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of UFS storage (expandable up to 1TB via microSDXC). Other than that, the rest of the specs are quite similar to the Xperia 10 III which includes a 6.1-inch OLED display in a 21:9 aspect ratio, a 12MP triple rear camera module, 4500mAh battery and Android 11 out of the box.

As mentioned during its debut, the Xperia 5 III is only available in green. To find out more, you may visit the official website right over here. Stay tuned fr more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia 5 IV release: 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED, SD 8 Gen 1 and 12MP triple-camera at ~RM4477

After being teased by Sony previously, the Japanese tech company has finally released the Sony Xperia 5 IV today. Similar in size to the Xperia 5 III, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 paired with 8GB of RAM under the hood.

Like other Sony Xperia smartphones, the main emphasis of the Xperia 5 IV is its cameras which offer pro features such as optical stabilisations, autofocus, Real-time Eye AF, Real-time tracking, HDR and distance analysis with AI on all lenses. As for the sensors themselves, Sony went quite conventional by equipping all three with 12MP sensors.

Specifically, the triple-camera setup at its rear features a 16mm 1/2.5-inch ultrawide, a 24mm 1/1.7-inch wide with 1.8um pixels and a 60mm 1/3.5-inch telephoto. As for the front-facing camera, Sony has equipped the Xperia 5 IV with a 12MP 1/2.9-inch sensor with a fixed-focus 24mm f2.0 lens.

Besides that, the device also sports a 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED panel with a resolution of 1080 x 2520 pixels. The battery is rated at 5000mAh with support for 30W fast charging and is the first in the series to feature wireless charging.

Other notable specs include 128GB storage, 3.5mm audio jack, IP68 water-resistant, Gorilla Glass Victus on both sides, microSD card slot and colour options of Green, Black, as well as Ecru White. The Xperia 5 IV is priced at USD999 or ~RM4477 in the United States where it will be shipped starting this October.

In Malaysia, Sony has announced that the Xperia 5 IV will only be available starting in Q4 of 2022. Moreover, only a Black colour option will be sold in our country, though an official local price has yet to be revealed.

So, what do you guys think of the Xperia 5 IV? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest tech releases and news such as this!


Sony Xperia 5 Plus could have five rear cameras, with one being a 64MP telephoto sensor

Mobile World Congress 2020 is less than a month away and it could be an important one for Sony this year. The company is set to reveal three new devices at the annual event in Barcelona, with one supposedly being the Xperia 5 Plus that may come with a 64MP camera sensor.

According to GSMArena, the Xperia 5 Plus may come with a total of five cameras at the back, with the 64MP sensor believed to be for telephoto. It's accompanied by a 12MP camera, a 2MP Time of Flight sensor, a periscope sensor with optical image stabiliser, and a 12MP ultrawide-angle sensor.

Previously, we also had news of a Sony Xperia device found on Geekbench. From the screenshots given, it was believed that the device in question is the Xperia 5 Plus, equipped with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 865 and 12GB of RAM. Aside from these details and the render above, we don't actually know much about the device yet. Of course, since nothing has been verified by Sony, the two leaks may not even be related.

On our part, we hope that Sony delivers a good product that's priced just right. This could be the year that Sony fits back some fans but for now, we'll have to wait and see. With that said, are you excited for the Xperia 5 Plus? Let us know on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more news.


Sony Xperia 8 Lite release: 21:9 screen with 12MP dual-camera system, priced at ~RM1,168

Unlike other smartphone brands, Sony has its own way when it comes to launching new smartphones. By not having any rumours or leaks, Sony has surprisingly dropped the Sony Xperia 8 Lite in Japan today. In fact, it is not considered a Sony smartphone with everything new. The Xperia 8 Lite is actually a rebranded Xperia 10 with different cameras. Now, let's look at what are the things that the Sony mid-range device offers!

The Sony Xperia 8 Lite features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Sadly, the device offers a rather small battery capacity at 2,870mAh. For the screen, it features a 6-inch LCD Triluminous Display with support for Full HD+ resolution and a tall aspect ratio of 21:9. To top it all off, it is also shielded by Gorilla Glass 6. The Sony Xperia 8 Lite measures 158 x 69 x 8.1mm and weighs 170 grams.

Coming to the new camera module, the dual-camera system brings a 12MP sensor with f/1.8 aperture and an 8MP sensor with f/2.4 aperture to replace the one with 13MP and 5MP on the Xperia 10. It is also worth mentioning that the cameras support AI scene detection and 2x optical zoom. On the front, Sony is doing it the old-school style by placing an 8MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture in a thick bezel.

Besides the main tech specs, the device will also have 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack, and a side-mounted fingerprint reader. There will also be a Side Sense bar that shows up on the screen to give quick access to apps and settings when users double tap on the right edge. However, we have no idea why a 2020 smartphone will still be running Android 9 Pie OS out of the box. This is a thing that we think Sony could do better. The device will be priced at 29,800 Yen (~RM1,168) in Japan with colour options including Black and White.

Let us know what you think about the Sony Xperia 8 Lite on our Facebook page. Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more latest smartphone launches.


Sony Xperia C3 available on U Mobile from RM366

U Mobile is currently offering Sony's Selfie smartphone, the Sony Xperia C3 from RM366. The Xperia C3 retails for RM999 and supports 4G LTE along with tech specs that include a 1.25GHz quad-core processor, 5.5-inch Triluminos display, 8MP rear camera and the most notable feature, a 5MP front camera with LED flash. You will have to sign up for a 24-month contract under either the U58 or U88 postpaid plans. There is also an added no upfront payment offer, but you have to pay for the phone using your credit card and auto debit the monthly fee to be eligible. For more details, check out the table below:

For more information regarding this deal check out the U Mobile site. Alternatively, do check out our other U Mobile Telco deals as well.


10000 units of Huawei Honor 3C available tomorrow for RM499 each

Huawei Malaysia recently revealed that 10000 units of their value-busting smartphone, the Huawei Honor 3C will be available at http://www.vmall.my from 11:58am on 8 July 2014. Unlike other third-party dealers and sellers of the Huawei Honor 3C, VMall.my is the official online store for the smartphone and as such, one of the few places in Malaysia to offer the smartphone at it's retail price of RM499. We've noted other sellers offering the smartphone for as high as RM799 and even then, there are still buyers for it. The Huawei Honor 3C brings many value-added tech specs to the market with 2GB of RAM, a quad-core processor, 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera. Do check out our full review of the Huawei Honor 3C smartphone for more details regarding this smartphone.[Source]


4100mAh ASUS ZenFone 4 Max phone is now RM699

In this short announcement, here's another New Year promotion by ASUS Malaysia and this time it's the ZenFone 4 Max (ZC520KL) model. Originally priced at RM799, it has been cut to RM699 and if you're looking for a good budget phone with awesome battery life, you should totally consider this phone because it carries 4100mAh that's enough to keep up with your active lifestyle. Besides that, it's also one of the most affordable phones that has a dual rear camera setup and it can even serve as a power bank with reverse-charging.

It's now available across Malaysia and to find out more about the phone, kindly check out either one of the links below. • ZenFone 4 Max official page• ZenFone 4 Max specifications


Apple MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and MacBook Pro released: Equipped with M1 chip and macOS Big Sur from the price of RM2999

Apple has recently announced the MacBook Air, MacBook Mini, as well as the MacBook Pro, starting from the price of RM4399, RM2999, and RM5599 respectively. While not much is known in regards to the Malaysia release date, we can expect Apple to release all the aforementioned devices somewhere within a month or two after the unveiling.

What sets these Macs apart from the rest is the fact that they’re all equipped with Apple’s very own M1 chip, which is basically an ARM-based processor that’s capable of delivering maximum performance while utilizing as little battery as possible. To go into more detail, Apple claims that the new M1 chip comes with up to 3.5 times faster CPU, 6 times faster GPU, up to 20 hours of battery life, supports macOS Big Sur, Wi-Fi 6, and more.

As for the products Apple unveiled, the new MacBook Air comes equipped with up to 16GB RAM, up to 2TB SSD, and it comes equipped with a 13.3-inch Retina Display for maximum clarity. Not only that, but it’s also light and it’s able to last up to 18 hours on a single charge, which is not too shabby when you take its thickness into consideration.

Not only that, but it also features a Silent design and Magic Keyboard to provide the best user experience possible. Next, there’s the Mac Mini which is a computer roughly the size and form factor of the Apple TV. Just like the MacBook Air, the Mac Mini comes equipped with the M1 chip, up to 16GB RAM, up to 2TB SSD, and it is able to support up to a 6K external display via the ports located at the rear.

Last but not least, there’s the MacBook Pro which comes equipped with largely the same specs as the products mentioned above, except for a larger 20-hour battery life, Touch Bar, as well as Studio-quality microphones.

With all that said, what are your thoughts on all the products Apple announced? Will Apple's own M1 chip be able to replace the usual Intel processors? Let us know on our Facebook page and for more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia C3 officially announced with front facing 5MP camera and LED flash and selfie features

Sony is joining the selfie bandwagon with the official announcement of the Sony Xperia C3 smartphone. While it has tech specs that slot it into the midrange market, the most notable features include a 5MP front camera complete with LED flash. Like some other selfie cameraphones, the Xperia C3 front camera is wide angle and features a Superior Auto mode for automatic enhancement, portrait retouch, Timeshift-burst and sweep panorama. Other selfie features include a double tap rear control which triggers the camera and a smile shutter feature which takes the shot when you smile. Other tech specs include the following:

Sony have upped the hype by calling the Xperia C3 the world's best selfie phone, but the features above really remind us of the OPPO N1 smartphone, which also had a rear touchscreen and a much larger 13MP rotateable camera with dual LED flash. The Xperia C3's midrange tech specs could mean that it will be priced much lower than the N1 which is a former flagship smartphone. If this becomes true, we're quite interested to see if it matches up to the similar 5MP front camera on the Huawei Honor 3C or the larger 8MP front camera on the Huawei Ascend P7. However, there are still no Malaysia release dates or pricing yet. For now, the Sony Xperia C3 is expected in China sometime in August 2014 so check out the video below:


Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual and M5 Dual coming to Malaysia on 25 August 2015

Sony Malaysia has already sent out the invites showing that the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual and Xperia M5 Dual are both coming to Malaysia on 25 August 2015. Announced previously, the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual is the larger 6-inch full HD display smartphone of the two that offers a slim and 8.2mm thin design with 13MP Exmor RS cameras for both the front and back. The Sony Xperia M5 on the other hand packs in a 20.5MP rear camera with Hybrid AF, up to ISO 3200 and video and image stabilization. The M5 will also feature an IP65 rated waterproof metal body, the latest 64-bit 2GHz Helio X10 MediaTek processor, 3GB RAM and a 5-inch FHD display. No details yet on pricing information but both are the dual-SIM variety and we'll be on hand to check them out next week, so stay tuned for that.


Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual and Xperia M5 Dual launched in Malaysia for RM1399 and RM1599

Sony Mobile recently launched their new Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual and Xperia M5 Dual for Malaysia. The Xperia C5 Ultra Dual features a large 6-inch FHD display with 13MP Exmor RS and LED flash front and back cameras for RM1399. Also for the midrange is the Xperia M5 Dual for RM1599 with a waterproof full metal body, Mediatek Helio X10 processor and 21.5MP Exmor RS with Hybrid AF rear camera and 13MP front camera for RM1599. LINE users can also enter a special contest on the Sony Mobile Malaysia LINE Official Account at "Sony Mobile MY" and answer the questions to win a brand new Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual and Sony Xperia M5 Dual. Both are available exclusively on 11street.my via pre-orders with benefits from 17 August 2015 to 31 August 2015 where the first 200 customers can receive complimentary gifts worth up to RM250. A contest to win a device and other gifts is also available on the 11street Facebook page.

Our hands-on with the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual reveals a slim and compact device with rounded corners despite the large 6-inch FHD display thanks to a nearly borderless design. The flash is also adjustable. Available in black, mint and white, the device admittedly feels like a larger phablet due to the 187g weight but it is fairly thin at 8.2mm. The Sony Xperia M5 Dual on the other hand feels very flagship like, with a premium full metal body available in black, white and gold. The highlight of the Xperia M5 Dual is obviously its 21.5MP rear camera as it comes with F2.2 Hybrid AF and up to ISO 3200. At 7.6mm and 142.5g the Xperia M5 Dual is lightweight and thin. Designed to be waterproof and dustproof, the IP68 certified Xperia M5 has a capless microUSB so you can get it wet without having to worry about sealing it properly.


Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual hands-on video

The Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual is one of the few smartphones in Malaysia to offer a 13MP front camera with front LED flash. Asides from that, it is also one of the slimmest and compact phablets with a 6-inch display while offering a nicely rounded full metal frame. We take a closer look at these features with our hands-on video below:


Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual review - A fun 6-inch selfie snapper

When it comes to the word Sony, I immediately think of its music and camera quality (anyone still remember the cyber shot feature?). It's been years since I touched a Sony product so I was really looking forward to what the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual can do, and so far I find it quite fun to play around with. Without further ado, I present you my C5 Ultra Dual review and hope you enjoy it!

Design wise, it looks beautiful. When you hold it in your hand it feels very premium and your social status just level up. The Dual-SIM and the microSD slot are on the left side while the power button, volume button and a physical camera shutter stays on the right side, both USB port and speaker are at the bottom. Ah, speaking of the physical camera shutter. I'm not sure if it's just me but I don't really find it responsive and I have to press it kinda hard to shoot after soft-pressing the focus. But on the bright side, it's much easier now to take selfies with it without having to tap on the screen which could mess up your angle. So that's a nice addition!

I should also mention that one of the main features of the C5 Ultra Dual is its 6-inch display, as you can see how Sony have cut down the bezels and rounded out the body to make it more compact. It's really nice to hold and the screen brings out the best of the pixel colours displayed, so it's quite relaxing watching YouTube after a long day with it especially in glorious HD mode.

The User Interface is fairly easy to understand if you explore around enough, it's super customizable for those who likes doing that especially the toggle menu above. Oh yes, the multitasking feature is customizable as well. You can change the four default apps appearing (Google, Calculator, Calendar and Screenshot) into other apps and they are addable. In other words, you can do anything to it literally.

The music section is great too, Sony have always give their music listeners a choice on the audio setting of their choice. I've tried a variety of songs from pop to rock, rap and acoustic and I must say the sound sounds good, but one thing that kinda bothered me was the ClearAudio+ option in it. What the ClearAudio+ does is optimizing the sound setting making it sound clearer, louder and cleaner at the same time. So what's so bad about that? Well, this bothers me because...since ClearAudio+ is clearly superior than your everyday MP3 quality (or other formats), why not just set the ClearAudio+ into a default setting? I also question myself if I am truly listening to the device's true sound quality since it doesn't come with Sony earphones, as there are a bunch of Sony headphones options at the bottom in the Audio settings menu as well.

On the other hand, Sony continues their tradition of giving you a bunch of camera options for your photo and videography pleasure. With the tech specs, you won't have much problem running these "funtastic" functions. What's more you can explore and add a lot of downloadable camera options from Google Play, and if you're the type of person that love these kind of things then you'll enjoy it a lot.

Style Portrait Red Lips Mode (top left), Face in Picture mode options (bottom left), AR Mask with LED Flash (second right) and AR Mask without LED (right)

Performance - Ultra Setting? No problem!

According to AnTuTu, the C5 Ultra Dual is placed at number 4 (see the white arrow) just behind Meizu MX4, Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and OnePlus One which is quite good for a mid-range smartphone. Both the Ice Storm from 3D Mark and Epic Citadel test have indicated the device can indeed run ultra high quality graphics with little trouble. However, should you push it too much after a few minutes. The C5 Ultra Dual gets kinda heaty real quick at the back, not to say that my hands melted but my fingers got uncomfortable (if holding it in a horizontal position).

Games like Minion Rush runs smooth like butter

The battery also last as long as two days on an average usage, I rarely need to charge on a regular basis as compared to my Apple iPhone 5. As you can see from the graph below, from 28 November until 29 November the battery for the Xperia C5 Ultra barely dropped (I did play some games and photos in between but only for awhile). The only time when the battery drops fairly fast is when you use it for an hour straight playing games or taking pictures.

Before I forget, there are times the device will hang for a few seconds. I believe that only happens if you have too many heavy apps open in the background and sometimes opening heavy apps takes a little longer to open. I have experienced it twice so far in a week so don't over do it too much.

And finally (aw yis), the best part of the smartphone. Both the main and front camera are 13MP and as expected it takes breathtaking shots (same goes to video recording). Here are some of the pictures I took below, no filter.

And this is me trying the front camera, can you see how ugly I am? The details are so precise

With enough lighting, the image won't as dark as what you see with your eyes

Shooting outdoors is a walk in a park for the C5 Ultra Dual, the colours are vivid when you're in the field and even the textures on the concrete buildings are noticeable. Now of course, the camera does have some drawbacks. Like playing app games, if you go around taking too many pictures with it...the back will also get hot. But that's alright, the great picture quality makes up for it a lot so I didn't really mind that much.

Overall, for a RM1399 device with good battery life (#deathstares at iPhone), fantastic picture quality, flexible customization and capable of running ultra setting; I say it's quite worth the price, especially for those who loves taking daily pictures (especially selfies) with the 13MP camera and the 6-inch screen display which is great for multimedia purposes on anywhere the users bring it. The only problem that I have with it is how hot it gets really quickly if you're doing too many things or playing an app game that demands a lot of power. As long as you don't push it too much then you shouldn't have much problem, or you could just get a casing to protect your precious fingers from being burn. Thumbs up here!

*TechNave.com would like to thank Sony Mobile Malaysia for providing us with the Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual smartphone for this review. It allowed us to do a more in-depth review and highlight more features.


Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual unboxing video

The Sony Xperia C5 Ultra Dual offers the really large phablet fans in Malaysia a chance at a 6-inch display smartphone with improved selfie capabilities. This is due to its 13MP front camera that comes complete with a front LED flash. Wondering what else you might be getting with the smartphone for RM1399? We do an unboxing video to find out:


Sony Xperia C5 Ultra officially announced with 13MP front camera + LED flash

People with large smartphones like to take selfies too, and that is where the recently announced Sony Xperia C5 Ultra comes in as the 6-inch FHD display phablet packs in a 13MP front camera with a front LED flash. Despite its large size, the Xperia C5 Ultra is surprisingly slim with very thin bezels and an 8.2mm thin body. Other tech specs include a 64-bit 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MTK6752 processor, 2GB RAM, 16 GB storage with up to 200GB microSD slot support and 13MP Exmor RS rear and front cameras both with LED flash. Some features missing for this cameraphone include optical image stabilization and water proofing but the 2930 mAh battery should still offer the signature 2-day battery life that most Sony smartphones offer. No Malaysia release dates or pricing details but it could arrive sometime in late August or afterwards.


Sony Xperia Compact design renders leaked

For most, bigger phones are better for viewing content. But some people appreciate being able to use their device with one hand. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone SE 2020 are examples that the demand is there. So it would be quite exciting if rumours of a new Sony Xperia Compact is true.

Thanks to OnLeaks (via Voice.com), we now have renders that show what the phone looks like. As you can see, the Xperia Compact comes with a dual-camera setup at the back and a front camera covered a notch. It also has the signature camera shutter button, as well as what seems to be a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that is integrated with the power button.

In terms of specs, the main camera is supposed to be a 13MP sensor, while the selfie camera is an 8MP sensor. A rumour back in November 2020 also claimed that the phone would be powered by a Snapdragon 775, which is a mid-range 5G chipset expected to launch in Q1 2021. Overall, it would seem that this could be a phone with lower mid-range specs.

Some may question whether there's any significant demand for small phones like these, especially after Apple decided to cut production volume for the iPhone 12 mini. In my opinion, there's a place for smaller phones, but what do you think? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates on the Xperia Compact.


Sony Xperia E Free with DiGi Postpaid Simple

If getting even an entry-level smartphone is difficult, then perhaps you'd be better off going for DiGi's Postpaid Simple plan which now offers the Sony Xperia E for free. The plan requires you to also select the Mobile Internet data plan of your choice as well but in the long run it should be worth it. You also have to sign up for a 24 month contract. The full details of the deal are listed in the table below:

As far as smartphones go, the Sony Xperia E should be a good beginning for those just starting out with smartphones while the DiGi Postpaid Simple does what it says by keeping things easy to understand. While it does say that the smartphone is free you will be required to pay RM360 which will be returned through RM15 rebates throughout the 24 month contract period. For more information regarding this DiGi Sony Xperia E deal check out here and the main site but if you're looking for other DiGi telco deals click here.


Sony Xperia E1 smartphone officially announced for the budget-minded music listener

It seems that it isn't just the phablet range that Sony is filling up but also the smartphone range as well as they recently announced the Sony Xperia E1. Featuring a powerful loudspeaker, the Xperia E1 looks to retain the same premium design as other Xperia smartphones while going for a price range from $174 (RM577) to $203 (RM666). Tech specs and features for the Sony Xperia E1 include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4-inch display with 480 x 800 pixel resolution, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage and dual-SIM support. The main feature of the Xperia E1 is the 100 dB loudspeaker fitted onto the backside of the smartphone along with Sony WALKMAN audio technology. Since it is designed for the budget conscious the Xperia E1 has a 3MP rear camera but still supports WiFi, aGPS and Bluetooth 4.0. No news on when it would be available in Malaysia but it should be soon. For now, check out the videos below:


Apple MacBook Pro 2022 won't come with ProMotion 120Hz, expected to launch in Nov 2022

Last month, there was a rumour claiming that Apple would launch new MacBook Pro models in 2H 2022. Also, the newer 14-inch MacBook Pro will allegedly be a replacement for the affordable 13-inch model launched in 2020. Now, sources have revealed some more details on this.

According to Mark Gurman (via Wccftech), the new MacBook Pro models should be available in November 2022. As previously rumoured, there will be a 14-inch and a 16-inch model with a new Apple M2 chip. Moreover, this chip is expected to perform better than the Apple M1 but is inferior to the M1 Pro and M1 Max.

More powerful than the M1, but less powerful compared to the M1 Pro and M1 Max

In addition, Gurman claimed that the two laptops won't support ProMotion technology (120Hz refresh rate), have less storage, and the Touch Bar would be gone but replaced with the new keyboard. Since the two models are intended to replace the 13-inch model from 2020, expect it to only have 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, a 720p FaceTime HD camera, and an 8-core CPU. For your reference, last year's models have at least twice the minimum RAM and storage.

Of course, this would mean that the prices would also be closer to the current 13-inch model, which retails for RM5599 in Malaysia. If you're hoping to get a MacBook Pro that delivers enough performance without breaking your bank account, you might want to save up for these two models.

What do you think about the new M2 MacBook Pro models? Are the specs good enough for you, and are the lower prices what you have been waiting for? Share your opinions in the comments, and stay tuned to TechNave for further updates.


Sony Xperia E4 Dual now available in Malaysia for RM459

Offering users another value smartphone for the entry-level market, Sony Malaysia have officially announced the local availability of the Sony Xperia E4 Dual smartphone. Featuring a large 5-inch display and dual-SIM support, the Xperia E Dual is being offered for a recommended retail price of RM459. Available in black and white the smartphone is designed to offer long-lasting 2-day battery life through a 2300 mAh battery and Sony's Ultra STAMINA Mode. Other notable tech specs include a 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage and microSD card support up to 32GB. The aforementioned 5-inch display is covered by scratch-resistant glass and offers a 960 x 540 pixel resolution. Coming with Android 4.4 KitKat, it also features a 5MP rear camera and 2MP front camera. Here's what Sony had to say about it:

“With Xperia E4 Dual, we wanted to offer people some of the premium Sony features they have come to expect - with unparalleled ease of use - at a highly-competitive price point. With a simple set-up, great screen and unrivalled 2 day battery life we’ve created an on-the-go entertainment device that will keep on going, wherever you are.” Andrew Cheong, Country Director (Malaysia)


Sony Xperia E4 and E4 Dual SIM officially announced

While they used to have a number of pretty good budget smartphones, Sony isn't such a big player in the budget smartphone segment now. This is probably why they've announced the Sony Xperia E4 and Xperia E4 dual sim smartphones quietly. The device looks like the slightly better version of the existing Xperia E3 budget device. The E4 features a Mediatek MT6582 quad-core processor clocked at 1.3GHz with 1GB of RAM onboard. There's 8GB internal storage which is further expandable via MicroSD card. The 5-inch display on the front features a modest quad HD resolution. The phone comes with a 5MP rear camera and 2MP front shooter. It supports basic features such as auto scene recognition, image enhancement features along with other camera functions. There is a 2300 mAh battery inside the device which the company claims can last up to 2 days on a single charge. Users can tweak between the battery stamina mode and the ultra-stamina mode for the best battery life. The Xperia E4 runs on the old Android 4.4 KitKat OS. But since the company advertised Android 5.0 for the device earlier, the device could be soon upgraded to Lollipop. The phone also features Sony's Xperia transfer application which easily transfers messages, contacts, bookmarks and other info from Android, iOS and BlackBerry devices. The E4 will be available in black and white colors. No exact Malaysia release dates or pricing details but it should be sold from mid-February.


Sony Xperia E4g announced with 4G LTE

Sony has officially announced the Sony Xperia E4g for the entry level market. While it is notable that the Xperia  E4g shrinks the display down to a 4.7-inch screen with 540 x 960 pixel resolution it also packs in 4G LTE connectivity and a 1.5GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6732 processor. Other tech specs and features remain the same except for the measurements which is 133 x 71 x 10.8mm compared to the thinner but bigger Sony Xperia E4. No exact Malaysia release dates or pricing details were available but it is expected to arrive in April 2015 at $145 (RM525).


Sony Xperia Ear Duo with Dual Listening technology coming to Malaysia on 4 June 2018 for RM1199

Today, Sony Mobile has announced its new reimagined Xperia Ear Duo and it will be coming out quite soon on 4 June 2018. Priced at RM1199, it will be available in Black and Gold styles in selected Sony outlets. Its companion application is also available to download at the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

In case if you've never heard of the Xperia Ear Duo, this earpiece is one of the first wireless headsets to deliver a dual listening experience, which means you can listen to both music and notifications at the same time whilst hearing environmental sound or conversation. How this was done is due to the Spatial Acoustic Conductor, developed by Sony’s in-house technology incubator Future Lab Program that allows the sound generated behind the ear by the unit´s driver to be transmitted directly into the ear. With this, the music from the device can blend in seamlessly with the environment sounds around you.

In addition, Sony’s Clear Phase audio technology can intelligently adjust and eliminate sound dispersion for crystal clear listening. It even response to head gestures, allowing you to answer or decline incoming calls by shaking or nodding your head, as well as skipping music by shaking your head left and right. Of course, there's voice control too and it can be used with Google Assistant or Siri.

The Xperia Ear Duo has an IPX2 splash proofing and can last up to four hours of listening on a single charge from a compact case that charges as well. You can read more about it here at their official website, stay tuned for more Sony news at TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia Ear - What can it do?

If you can recall back at MWC 2016 last February, Sony showcased their Sony Xperia Ear as part of the new Xperia accessory line up. What's special about the Xperia Ear is that it's wireless and a smart headset capable of recognising voice commands and head gestures. Sounds cool doesn't it? Well, you're in for a treat today because GSMArena.com got their hands on the device and showed us what's it like.

According to them, the Xperia Ear is lightweight and fits just right in the ear; it can go through at least two days without charging, and it can also detect automatically whether you have it in your ear or not. An app for the Xperia Ear is needed for the device to work, start-up messages can be configured from the app itself and you have the freedom to choose the notifications that you want to hear in hands-free mode.

In addition, the device has a single button for controlling answers, end, or rejecting calls. It has long-press functionality which can be customised in the app as well; a short press will make the Xperia Ear assistant to appear. You can do a bunch of commands like:

Lastly, navigation is available on the device too and can help the user to interact with a smartphone hands-free while driving. Really useful tool there, though they also said it's hard to press the button sometimes.

Will it be available in Malaysia? Time will tell, and we are sure that it's a useful device to have for busy people who are always on the move. If you want to see more picture samples, you may visit the source link below to check it out. Stay tuned for more news at Technave.com and TGIF!


Sony Xperia Honami to be confirmed before 30 September 2013

The Sony Xperia i1 Honami was recently spotted pictured side by side with the Sony Xperia Z. While the overall look and feel seems similar enough the Honami looks just a bit wider and longer than the Xperia Z. Tech specs for the Sony Xperia Honami include a 20MP camera and 5-inch Full HD 1080p display. Other images include the camera app, this time in English.

After making time for a photo session with the Sony Xperia Z, the Sony Xperia Honami was also recently spotted in a confidentiality request letter to the Federal Communications Commission of the US. According to the report, the Sony Xperia Honami has been confirmed but Sony has asked that the user manual, test setup photos, external photos and internal photos be kept confidential until 30 September 2013. This almost confirms previous rumours that the upcoming Sony cameraphone is going to be announced at the IFA 2013 on 4 September 2013.


Sony Xperia III leaked with the same block design and a periscope lens

Sony launched two flagship smartphones last year, the Xperia 1 II and also the Xperia 5 II which got overwhelming response from the market. Today, we got a leaked on the upcoming Xperia 1 III on its outlook and some of the features by Onleaks.

According to the reliable leakster Steve Hemmerstoffer, the overall size of the phone has gone smaller but remains the 6.5-inch 4K HDR OLED display with 21:9 aspect ratio. As for the refresh rates, we are expecting it either to remain the same with Motion Blur Reduction feature or upgrades to 120Hz. The bezels are quite slim with one selfie camera on top along with the stereo speakers.

As for the cameras, it has a quad camera setup similar to its predecessor but Sony replaced the telephoto camera with a periscope lens instead. With this move, we expect the Xperia 1 III to have a better optical zoom this time. The 3D iTOF sensor and ZEISS T* coating is still on it. We also noticed that it got an extra button just like the Xperia 5 II that may be dedicated as the Google Assistant button

Either way, there is no official confirmation on the tech specs and release dates yet, so do take this with a pinch of salt. We expect it to be launching as soon as next month like its predecessor last year. For more updates like this, stay tuned to TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia J1 Compact announced for Japan, SIM-free and water proof

Sony has officially announced the Sony Xperia J1 Compact for Japan. What makes it notable is that it is not locked to a SIM (not new in Malaysia we know, but most phones in Japan are SIM-locked to certain carriers). Tech specs and features are mostly high-end with an older 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB RAM, 4.3-inch display with 720p HD resolution, 20.7MP Exmor RS rear camera, 2300 mAh battery and IP68 water proof certification. No Malaysia release dates but it is set for Japan on 20 April 2015 with a pre-order price of 54800 JPY (RM1686).


Sony Xperia M4 Aqua released with IP68 and Snapdragon 615

The new Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is a metal body smartphone with glass back that can survive underwater. The phone is IP65/8 certified which means it can survive under 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes without any damage. The device is quite thin measuring 7.3mm and weighs just around 136 grams. As for tech specs, the new Xperia M4 Aqua features an octa-core 64-bit Snapdragon 615 processor under the hood along with 2GB RAM and 8GB of expandable storage. There will be a 5-inch display up front with 720p resolution. A 13MP camera will be located at the back and will feature the company's usual Superior Auto Mode. On the front, there will be a 5MP shooter. The 2400 mAh battery inside can provide up to 2 days of battery life on a single charge. The phone runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop version with Sony's UI on top. The Xperia M4 Aqua will be available for sale starting spring 2015 for a price tag of $335 (RM1215) in black, white, coral and silver colors.


Sony Xperia PRO-I Malaysia pre-order - available in 3 different bundles starting from RM7199

It took Sony Mobile a while to announce the price of the Xperia PRO-I. Previously announced as super focused camera-centric smartphone, the Malaysia branch has quietly announced the pre-order price starting from a staggering RM7199 for just the phone alone.

On its official webpage, there are three different pre-order packages for the Xperia PRO-I. First, there is the standalone phone that we just mentioned but if you want extra accessories, you can go for the Xperia PRO-I + XQZ-IV01 Vlog monitor bundle at RM7718 (RRP RM8239) or the complete Xperia PRO-I Complete Creator's Kit bundle at RM8028 (RRP RM8867). The bundles are on a 6-9% discount for a limited time.

Even without the bundle, the Xperia PRO-I comes with a free 256GB microSD card, casing and screen protector. To add to that, the Complete Creator's Kit bundle also has the same gifts but with an ECM-LV1 Stereo Lavalier Microphone, GP-VPT2BT Shooting Grip With Wireless Remote Commander and an XQZ-IV01 Vlog Monitor. The pre-order bundle begins today (15th) until the 15th of December 2021.

In terms of tech specs, here's a recap of them below:

Sony Malaysia has been releasing new Xperia phones that are catered to professional content creators lately. With this in mind, casual users can just stray away from this phone and focus on mainstream devices. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Apple MacBook Pro banned from flights by US Federal Aviation Administrator

Never thought we’d see the day but the Apple MacBook Pro have been banned on flights by the US Federal Aviation Administrator (FAA). The decision came after Apple recalled certain units of the laptop that came with batteries that posed a fire risk.

The MacBook model in particular is the MacBook Pro 15 inch laptop as the laptop’s batteries were prone to overheating. The FAA are aware that Apple had recalled the units and alerted airlines about it as well. The laptop is banned both from cabin and checked in luggage. In addition, the European Union has also restricted the laptop from being used on European flights.

Until things have been rectified, we may not be seeing any MacBooks on flights in the US anytime soon. If you have an affected MacBook Pro 15 inch, you may have the batteries replaced at no charge by visiting Apple’s recall page and entering the serial number. Do you have an affected MacBook Pro? Keep up with the latest tech news on TechNave.com!


Sony Xperia PRO-I announced as a heavy camera focused phone on photography & videography

Today, Sony just announced a new Xperia PRO-I smartphone. Like its recent smartphone releases, the Xperia PRO-I is specifically designed for content creators and professionals. Read on below to see what does this phone feature.

From the tech specs, it's very much equipped with high-end camera features and software. It's the world's first phone to feature a 1.0-type sensor with phase-detection AF as well as a 1.0-type Exmor RS sensor with a 2.4µm pixel pitch that's perfect for low light performance. You can also expect RAW 12-bit shooting and it also has a dual aperture (f/2.0 - f/4.0) to switch the depth of field easily.

Moreover, the Xperia PRO-I includes three ZEISS T anti-reflective coating lenses, a 3D iToF sensor and a newly developed 12MP 24mm lens that adopts ZEISS Tessar Optics. This allows the phone to take high-res images with less peripheral image distortion and more intense contrast and sharpness. The Xperia PRO-I's 24mm lens is complemented by two further lens options, 16mm and 50mm in 12MP.

Besides the heavy camera settings, here are the rest of the highlighted tech specs:

The new Xperia PRO-I will be available at selected retail shops and online stores in Malaysia from December 2021. The price will be announced at a later date too so stay tuned for more. To learn more, you can visit the official Xperia PRO-I webpage here.


Sony Xperia Pro-I II expected to feature two large 1-inch camera sensors

Smartphones with higher pixel count cameras aren't necessarily better at taking photos. But it will do so if it has a larger camera sensor. Manufacturers have been pushing for this in recent months, and we could see that again with the Sony Xperia Pro-I II.

According to sumahodigest, a schematic of the Xperia Pro-I II suggests that the phone will come with two 1-inch cameras at the back. It should also have the same 3D ToF depth sensor below the dual-camera setup. In comparison, the Xperia Pro-I only had one 1-inch camera. But it also had two other 12MP cameras with smaller sensors (1/2.9-inch and 1/2.55-inch).

No exact specifications were provided, but rumours suggest that the new model could use 2-layer transistor pixel sensors. This image sensor would deliver a wider dynamic range and reduce noise in photos, resulting in better image quality. The source included what seems to be fan renders of the device but couldn't confirm the authenticity of the images.

Currently, it's best to take the source's findings with a grain of salt. But assuming the details were accurate, do they make the Sony Xperia Pro-I II a worthy upgrade and would you buy one? Let us know in the comments on our Facebook page, and stay tuned to TechNave for more updates about this phone.


Sony Xperia Pro could finally be launching soon

We don't often hear about Xperia phones, but it doesn't look like Sony is about to give up on its smartphone business just yet. Some details of the Xperia 1 III and Xperia 10 III have been leaked, so we now those are coming. But we didn't expect to hear of news about the Xperia Pro.

In case you didn't know, the Xperia Pro was revealed along with the Xperia 1 II and Xperia 10 II last year. XperiaBlog claims that Sony could finally be ready to launch this device, as the firmware has been found on Sony's servers. Allegedly, the phone may only be available in the US, so we might never get to see it here in Malaysia.

Sony intends to market the Xperia Pro as a professional device for broadcasting and photography. It comes with mmWave 5G support and an HDMI input port, so you can use the phone's 4K OLED display as a monitor for a high-end Sony camera. Not only would users be able to do high-quality live broadcasts, but also quickly upload photos to social media.

The official site shows that phone would be "Available soon", but you can't find the product in the Sony Malaysia website. Having said that, would you be interested in buying the Xperia Pro? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to TechNave for further updates about it.


Sony Xperia Sirius D6503 screenshots confirm some features

The Sony Xperia Sirius D6503 is a still unannounced smartphone which could be coming soon. Some screenshots of the smartphone's user interface have recently been leaked, confirming a number of tech specs and features not least of which being the codename of Xperia Sirius for the D6503 model number. Other tech specs which were confirmed include a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 MSM-8974-AB processor and chipset, 5.2-inch display with 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution, Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB of RAM, a 20.7MP rear camera and 2.1MP front camera. The Xperia Sirius has a high chance of being the Sony Xperia Z2 with a reveal date expected at the MWC expo in February 2014. Stay tuned and we'll keep you updated.[Source]


Sony Xperia T2 Ultra and T2 Ultra dual officially announced, may be $545 (RM1788)

Filling out their phablet range, Sony has officially anounced the Sony Xperia T2 Ultra and Sony Xperia T2 Ultra Dual. Both have huge 6-inch Triluminous displays at 720 x 1280 pixel resolutions with the only major difference being that the T2 Ultra dual has dual-SIM support. Other tech specs and features for the two phablets include a 1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage + microSD, 13MP rear camera with Exmor RS sensor, 1.1MP front camera with Exmor R sensor, NFC + LTE and a non-removable 3000 mAh battery. The phablet retains the slim monolithic design as the Sony Xperia Z Ultra and looks quite good all in all. While it should eventually reach Malaysia there are still no specific Malaysia release dates. In terms of pricing, the device is said to be going for $545 (RM1788). While the processor isn't as top-notch as the other phablet device in the Sony Xperia range, the bigger screen and exceptional camera should make it a very tempting midrange device. For now, check out the video below:


Sony Xperia Tablet Z WiFi and LTE In Malaysia with chance to win Sony Smartwatch

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z is now currently available in Malaysia, not just in LTE but also for WiFi as well. As mentioned earlier the 16GB LTE version is priced at RM1999 while the 16GB WiFi version is priced at RM1499. Celcom is also offering the LTE version from RM1438. Looking to add a bit more incentive, Sony are also offering a free additional 1 year warranty worth RM150 along with the 16GB WiFi version. The 16GB LTE version gets a Free Powerbank worth RM329. New owners may also get a chance to win Sony's Smartwatch worth RM399 from 14 June 2013 to 2 July 2013. Check out the relevant information about this deal at the Sony Xperia Tablet Z site.


Sony Xperia X Review – a comfortable phone for everyone

Sony has been innovating in the market with their phones, bringing in new features that eventually are adopted by their competitors, such as IP 68 rating and a great camera sensor. Their smartphones can be a hit or miss to certain segments of the market, so is the Sony Xperia X a hit or a miss to Malaysia's masses?

The Sony Xperia X looks spiffy from the front...

The general appearance of a Sony smartphone has generally not changed between generations, even though tweaks and refinement are being made with every subsequent model. The Sony Xperia X follows the trend, as it shares a similar (but not the same) design idea as the first Sony Xperia Z released many moons ago. What makes this model different is that Sony has now opted to only cover the front-half of the camera with glass, as compared with the total glass coverage previously.

Held in the hands, the metal-back feels solid and robust, without any feeling of cuts being made in important corners whatsoever. There are drawbacks of having a full-metal back – scuffs and tiny scratches are easier to be picked up when compared to a glass back, but the glass is easier to shatter than say a metal body.

The buttons on the phone are good, but we do have to mention the extra clickiness of the power/fingerprint scanner button, as it has an audible click with every press. This may annoy some, or just be a minor thing for others. The presence of a dedicated shutter button is a traditional thing from Sony, and we are happy that they are still following the tradition.

Thankfully, Sony also followed their previous design ideas and don't feature a camera bump at the back – making this one of the flatter smartphones out there.

As a recap, the specs of the Sony Xperia X are listed below:

Here are the tech specs for the Sony Xperia X

As you can see, the specs of the phone are a mixed bag. It has a mid-high processor with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The last part can be supplemented by expandable memory through the MicroSD slot so users can have important content on the phone, and have the not so important stuff stashed away on an external storage solution.

The Sony launcher is actually kind of nice looking - quite stock.

Sony’s own take of Android really feels quite stock, to the point that most of the animation and notification windows of the phone will feel like it is straight from Google. There are a few hints here and there that this is not truly stock, but overall if you are looking for a simple yet effective interface – you can’t fault Sony.

While the combination of the SoC and RAM may seem not be adequate on paper, in real-life it is a good daily driver phone. The six-core processor can run just about any app you can think off without any problem, and the 3GB of RAM is adequate for most of a normal user’s needs. Of course, apps that requires a more intensive processing power and larger amount of RAM will run slower on the phone, but that is expected.

The 3DMark scores are not too bad for this phoneAlmost 60fps in Unreal!

Asphalt 8: Airborne looks great on this phone as well

The battery life on the Sony Xperia X is good, thanks to the lower tier processor. There is a silver lining there. A full day battery usage is in the books and if you need to have the battery topped up, there is a quick charging functionality. However, Sony did not bundle the Quick Charge 2.0 charger in the phone – it is available as an after-sale option from Sony centres.

The audio quality on the phone during calls are good, and audio playback through the front stereo speakers are good as well. You get two speakers that faces the user, and this gives the Xperia X a better music and video playback experience as the audio is not piped through a tinny speaker facing to the bottom of the phone.

Heat has been a bane of contention for many Xperia phones out there, and the Sony Xperia X thankfully managed to reign in this issue. It will get warm when you try to use it for long period of times, but it will not go to the point that it is burning your hand or otherwise, even when using the camera for long period of time.

Many smartphone owners out there can confirm the camera is an important feature to have. Sony has fitted the Xperia X with a 23-megapixel sensor, and we are happy to say we are satisfied with the performance.

Overall, the photos taken with the camera came out well, and the images are generally pleasing to the eye. The ability to pre-focus the shot with the dedicated shutter button is something that no other smartphone in the market can do (except other smartphones with dedicated shutter buttons), and this helps tremendously in composing your shots when you need it. The predictive Hybrid Autofocus also helps in getting in the shots that we want with this camera app.

Good green reproductionIt is fast enough to capture this plane landingGreat colours on the kolamBB8 looks so cute here!Not bad on the detail capture100% cropGood skin tone reproduction

Our biggest complaint is that the manual mode on the camera app seems…lacking. Many of its peers have more extensive manual modes, with finer grain control over settings such as exposure and ISO – the Xperia X owner has to live with only half the capability when compared to other models.

To many, a smartphone is their gateway to the world-wide web, and the Sony Xperia X is a good window to that world if a user invests in getting a unit for themselves. It has its ups and downs, but overall it is a good phone to recommend to anyone particularly if you're a fan of Sony Xperia phones and those with dedicated camera shutter buttons.

At RM1999, the Sony Xperia X faces rather stiff competition from similar priced phones on the market such as the Xiaomi Mi 5S Plus (which has 4GB RAM) and the ZTE Axon 7 (which has 4GB RAM and a 2K display) but you can see all the details with our comparison tool. We'd suggest getting it more for it's camera centric features and the fact that it is a cooler Xperia than previous Xperia cameraphone offerings.


Sony Xperia X, XA and XA Ultra coming to Malaysia for RM2499, RM1199 and RM1699

Andrew Cheong, Country Director (Malaysia), Sony Mobile Communications with models and the Sony Xperia X, XA and XA Ultra

Sony Mobile Communications (Sony Mobile) have just launched their Sony Xperia X, Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra smartphones for Malaysia for RM2499, RM1199 and RM1699 respectively. The Xperia X and XA will be available nationwide from 22 June 2016 and 27 June 2016 respectively but the Xperia X is already available on pre-order at the Sony site. The larger Xperia XA Ultra will be available from July 2016.

Models with the various Sony Xperia X models

Featuring a borderless design with a curved glass display, the Xperia X range is very compact despite the large displays. We're particularly interested in the Xperia XA and XA Ultra due to the design, as they both actually look more borderless and almost bezel-free than the Xperia X, but we're told this is because of the side fingerprint sensor on the Xperia X. According to Sony, the new X series feature an improved cooling system but we'll know more later.

While all three have curved displays, the Xperia X doesn't seem as borderless due to the side fingerprint sensor built into the power button

Here are the Sony Xperia X, Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra tech specs:

Lime gold is the new colour that the Sony Xperia X will offer

Want a curved display with your Sony Xperia XA?

The Sony Xperia XA Ultra is the only one in the trio to have image stabilization and LED flash on both front and back cameras


Sony Xperia X, Xperia XA, Xperia XA Ultra hands-on first impressions video

The Sony Xperia X, Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra smartphones were recently launched in Malaysia for RM2499, RM1199 and RM1699 respectively. While we did manage to do some hands-on with these devices during the launch we've since come out with a hands-on video of the smartphones. Check it out below or the Sony site for more information.


Sony Xperia XA Ultra announced with 6-inch FHD display + 16MP front camera with OIS and LED flash

Sony recently announced their Sony Xperia XA Ultra, apparently the successor to the Xperia C5 Ultra but with similar Xperia XA design. This includes a rounded metal frame and edge-to-edge display, but with a larger 6-inch screen with full HD 1080 x 1920 pixel resolution. Strangely enough, it packs in a 16MP front camera with LED flash and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) but does offer OIS for the 21.5MP rear camera. No Malaysia release dates yet but it should start deployment sometime in July.

Here are the Sony Xperia XA Ultra tech specs:


Apple MacBook Pro release: 14-inch / 16-inch, M2 Pro / M2 Max and 22 hour battery life from RM8799

Apple has officially announced the release of their Apple MacBook Pro laptops powered by their new M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. On top of the M2 powered 13-inch display version, Apple is now including M2 Pro and M2 Max powered 14-inch and 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display variants as well with pricing starting from RM8799.

As mentioned in our post about the M2 Pro and M2 Max, there are significant increases in both performance and energy efficiency and the MacBook Pro is no exception. This means that the laptop can now go up to 22 hours on a single charge but in addition it also supports WiFi 6E, macOS Ventura, a 1080p FaceTime HD Camera, 6-speaker sound and studio-quality mics.

Other connections include 3x Thunderbolt 3 ports, 1x SDXC card reader and MagSafe 3 charging. The M2 Pro and M2 Max equipped MacBook Pro laptops are expected to be available from 3 February 2023 but you can start ordering from 19 January 2023. Pricing for the MacBook Pro laptops are as follows but you can add on more memory or a different chip if you add on some more money:

You can check them out at the Apple Malaysia store site but they’re only available in space gray or silver. Which variant caught your eye? Let us know and stay tuned to TechNave.com


Sony Xperia XA Ultra now available in Malaysia for RM1699 with 16MP front camera

Sony Mobile Communications (Sony Mobile) today has announced the Xperia XA Ultra, which is the latest addition to the revamped Xperia X series will be available in Malaysia in all across Sony stores and authorized dealers. The retail price of the device is RM1699, below are the specifications:

With a measurement of 7.94mm body thin, this allows the user using One-handed Operation Mode comfortably with little trouble. A single charge can extend the battery life of average usage up to 2-days, and with Quick Charger, it provides 5.5 hours of battery life in just 10 minutes. In addition to that, the integrated Qnovo adaptive charging technology makes the battery's health more durable for a lifetime.

Of course, last but not least, the amazing 16MP front camera with OIS built-in will definitely make any selfie lover happy anywhere, even in low light settings with little trouble.

Available in Graphite Black, White or Lime Gold, a Style Cover Flip is also offered for an auto on/off for the screen when opening and closing the case in corresponding colours. Stay tuned for more news at Technave.com!


Sony Xperia XA and XA Ultra gets price cuts in Malaysia

The launch for the Sony Xperia XA and XA Ultra in Malaysia was less than half a year ago, and now the company has announced that they will be giving some price cuts on the two large phablets from the land of the rising sun. We have reviewed the Xperia XA before – check it out here.

As a recap, the Xperia XA features an Octa-core Mediatek Helio P10, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, 5-inch HD display, 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front selfie unit, and a 2300MaH battery to run everything. The XA Ultra meanwhile has the same processor, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 6-inch Full HD screen, a 21.5-megapixel rear camera and 16-megapixel selfie unit and a 2700MaH battery.

The Xperia XA will now be priced at RM 999 (instead of the launch RM 1199 price) and the XA Ultra now retails at RM 1499. Is this a good deal for you? Share your thoughts with us, and stay tuned to TechNave for more news on Sony Xperia products.


Sony Xperia XA review - Looks great but rather overpriced

Back in February when Sony shockingly announced the cancellation of their Xperia Z series, they decided to show us their new X series lineup - the Sony Xperia XA, Xperia X and Xperia XA Ultra (some other countries got the Xperia X Performance instead of XA Ultra). In our review here, we will be exploring the Xperia XA, which is the smallest and currently most affordable among the three brothers (recently launched in Malaysia about 2 days ago for RM1199). But is it worth it? Read below to find out!

Available in graphite black, white, lime gold and rose gold, the Xperia XA surprisingly stands out the most when compared with the Xperia X and XA Ultra in terms of design, as it's the world's first narrowest 5-inch smartphone with 2mm thin for the bezel for a nearly borderless experience and it makes one hand usage easy as pie. In short, the Xperia XA looks the more striking and beautiful compared to the metal bodies Xperia X (also partly because the side fingerprint sensor on the X makes it thicker).

Not only that, since the body is made out of plastic; the weight is only 137.4g so you can really imagine how lightweight it is, easily making it one of the most compact smartphones in the market now. I don't really mind the missing metallic body and lack of fingerprint sensor either, it doesn't need to jump on the bandwagon for having those.

The power button, volume rocker and the return of the physical shutter on the right side

microUSB 2.0 and speaker at the bottom, the 3.5mm headphone jack is at the top

Here are the Sony Xperia XA specifications:

Although the western media are dubbing this as a mid-range smartphone, it feels a lot like an "entry-level" with the tech-specs shown above. There's nothing much to be in awe of the specifications, but perhaps we can be glad that the dedicated camera shutter button is back, making photo-taking so much easier than having to tap on the screen all the time; pressing it before unlocking will bring you straight to the camera right away and has a 0.5s camera activation.

The camera doesn't have any OIS, but it does have a hybrid autofocus that allows the camera to track a moving object by predicting its movement so that the image won't have any blur shots. On the other hand, the video recording has a SteadyShot feature that minimizes the "shaky cam" effect, we will talk more about that later in the performance section.

And of course, it's not a Sony smartphone if it doesn't have the audio setting and the standard Sony camera features. It's exactly the same as the Sony C5 Ultra, check out our review here if you want to know more about those.

The manual mode is not what you think, just a word for these extra modes

Nice for a keyboard (Swiftkey) to actually remember my email

The PlayStation Store is surely convenient for hardcore PS gamers

What's New app by Sony for app recommendation

Xperia Lounge, this app is for announcing Sony news

Sketch app, pretty fun if you're skilled

TrackID works sort of like Shazam app, quite accurate but not for indie artists

Stamina Battery mode, we will get to that later

So far, the Xperia XA seems like a good phone to consider. But hold your horses, we just reached the performance section, and this is where the phone falls short. Badly, if I might add.

According to Sony, the Xperia X series has a Qnovo Adaptive Charging which maintains battery health while charging which sounds good. Also, it has a smart battery management that is known to be able to deliver up to two days battery life. Well, that is only half true; while it can indeed last two days, if it did, it'd only be barely alive.

I don't really know what's the problem, when I played Asphalt 8: Airborne for an hour it dropped 40% quickly. I was a bit taken aback at first, but I thought it should be logical since it's a high-end game after all. Then I started surfing Facebook and some YouTube, the same thing happened again. Goodness me, this phone's battery life is... disappointing. And it gets super hot after heavy usage, which forces you to get a cover to protect your fingers.

To add on to that, the volume speaker is underwhelming too. Even at maximum volume, it's really difficult to hear what the video content was saying from YouTube; ironically, it's a different story for the music player which does better.

This was only half day of surfing Facebook and YouTube

This was how hot it got after 3 rounds of racing

Occasionally, I also got this Youtube video error when I switch the resolution or landscape viewing (YouTube quality can only reach 720p at most due to the display resolution)

Asphalt 8 was fine, though. This is the highest setting

The only way to prolong the XA's usage is switching on the Stamina Mode, it's great for gaming after that, but it also restricts some data and that would make your internet browsing less fun. So...yeah.

Moving on, the camera quality is alright for a mid-range phone I guess. Colours captured in the camera are vivid enough especially indoors, as for outdoors it has a weird habit of looking greater under the sun than in the shade.

The video recording could only go at 1080p 30fps, but the video quality is pretty good enough; in addition the SteadyShot feature that minimizes the "shaky cam" effect has a subtle difference, as long as you have a mini tripod attached the video recording should be just fine.

Another close up shot, it's a book cover lol

Comparing the two leaves, I personally think the top one looks better than the bottom one thanks to the sunlight

This one didn't look good, it was shaded

Low light (top) and flash mode shot (bottom)

I really like how the XA looks and the compactness, as a mid-range phone it does everything else alright (camera quality, features and basic functions), but the battery life performance alone is enough to make it look bad because it drains too fast even just for internet browsing.

Furthermore, there are better options out there that have better pricing and performance. Take the Huawei P9 Lite for one, it only costs RM1099, and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 which has a much better performance than the XA with a price tag of RM849 only. Go figure.

I hope Sony can do something about the battery as it they are practically famous for their 2-day battery life devices, perhaps sometime in the future for their next Xperia X model. If they keep the almost bezel-less design and better battery + specifications performance then it'd be one great smartphone. But that's just my two cents.

Know anyone else using the new Xperia X models? Do they share the same opinions? Thanks for reading as always and stay tuned for more reviews in the future at Technave.com!


Sony Xperia XA1 Plus review - An affordable entertainment phablet

Sony Mobile has been doing pretty well this year, starting from the Xperia X, then the XZ, the improved XA1, and the fun super slow-mo flagship XZs. This time around, we have the Xperia XA1 Plus in our hands. Priced at RM1499, this phablet could potentially be one of the more value-added smartphones to get in the Malaysian market. Or is it? Let's find out below.

You know when you used to have that one friend whom you haven’t seen in a long time, maybe he or she was a tiny person and then suddenly after so many years, he or she has grown bigger than you? This is exactly the case of the Xperia XA1 Plus, as compared with the XA1, this phablet is really large, bulky, rectangular and just plain huge, so much so  that you can slap people’s face with it. The phablet design is not everyone’s cup of tea, some may like it or not, the spaces on the top and bottom are also quite wasted because there’s too much space. Clearly made for entertainment purposes, it’s actually nice to hold it when you’re watching videos or playing games, but it would have been better if the stereo speaker works on both sides instead of just the bottom (#youhadonejob).

The front display is using 5.5-inch Full HD display, but as usual the top and bottom use too much space

(L-R) Your typical shutter button, power button/fingerprint scanner and volume rockers

Dual nano SIM tray, you can also insert in a microSD card on the right side of it

USB Type-C and speaker grill, would be great if the stereo speakers are at both bottom and top

Let’s not forget that Sony Mobile is still keeping the same design as before, so there’s no wow factor going on there. I also miss the nearly bezel-less design from the XA1 but it’s mostly because of the fingerprint sensor on the side, so that’s why it’s fat now.

Here are the specifications for the Xperia XA1 Plus:

The screen panel sometimes can be too reflective

Although the XA1 Plus has grown big, there are minimal tech-specs changes. It still uses the same MediaTek Helio P20, 32GB of internal storage, 23MP main camera, 8MP for the front-facing camera, and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. Not for the battery, of course, which now stands at 3430 mAh and it can last quite long from my daily usage. The longest that I’ve used continuously was about two days, a rarity among smartphones.

Additionally, the 5X Clear Image Zoom returns but it is still the same function from the XA1. As the name suggests, it gives you the function to zoom in before taking a shot and that’s about it. Sony Mobile still hasn’t fixed the “smoothness” of executing the zoom in function yet, as it tends to be just as draggy as its predecessor.

Interestingly, the STAMINA mode, Qnovo Adaptive Charging, Xperia Lounge, Playstation App and NFC (online payment is available) are present except TrackID (like Shazam).

The camera user interface still remains the same

As mentioned earlier, the XA1 Plus is obviously built for entertainment purposes. So in terms of performance, this is where it passes with flying colours. The 5.5-inch Full HD display serve its purpose on the games and video playback, the battery can take it and its endurance is remarkable for two reasons - longevity and barely any heat issues. I’ve tried YouTubing and playing Asphalt 8: Airborne for the whole afternoon and it went on fine. So good job on that, Sony Mobile.

The result after an afternoon of video playback and gamingTakes really long to charge up, though. Like a full two hours, more or less

On the other hand, I can’t really say the same for the camera performance. Granted, the 23MP camera still does well in both daylight and night shots, same goes to the 5X Clear Image Zoom usefulness, but for some reason, it doesn’t feel as great as the XA1 which I enjoyed. I think the problem lies in the autofocus, as whenever I want to take a macro/close up shot, the speed after taking a photo seems noticeably slower. Anyway, check out the photo samples below.

Colours and contrast are displayed well here, but if you see the lady behind, it can't take motion movement that well

It looks a bit dark for my taste, but otherwise it's fine

Selfie is no problem, as long as you don't shake too much

Still, you can take some good shots if you know how

Another close-up shot, auto with bokeh effect

For the price of RM1499, I think as an entertainment phablet the XA1 Plus is worth a bargain because of its strong battery performance (that doesn’t heat up) and big 5.5-inch FHD display. I think if this is the type of device you’re looking for, you should totally go for it, provided you can tolerate the underwhelming camera performance, the same old design and nothing-new features.

I thought of comparing it with the Samsung Galaxy J7 Plus and Xiaomi Mi A1 , but those two smartphones are more focused on the camera aspect. So it seems like there’s no competition, right? Wrong, there’s still the ASUS ZenFone 4 Max Pro and Nokia 6 because they are packing big batteries inside, particularly the former with 5000mAh that can go for 5 days straight (read our review here), its cameras are better and it only costs RM979! The Nokia 6 has a 3000mAh battery which isn’t bad, but as for performance we can’t say much because we haven’t reviewed it yet.

So what do you think? Anything else we missed out in this review? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more reviews at TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia XA1 Plus unboxing and hands-on video

A few months ago, we reviewed the Sony Xperia XA1 and thought it made a good come back for the mid-range lineup. But if the device is too small for your taste, Sony Mobile has answered your prayers and made a bigger version called the Xperia XA1 Plus. It has the same MediaTek Helio P20 processor, but everything else is just bigger like the 5.5-inch display, 3430mAh battery and a 4GB + 32GB memory capacity. Check out our video below how the RM1499 device looks like.


Sony Xperia XA1 and Xperia XZs super slow-mo hands-on video

As mentioned at our previous coverage news, the Sony Xperia XZs and Xperia XA1 have arrived in Malaysia and they are already on pre-order at 11street.my for RM2899 and RM1199 respectively. Not only did we get to have some hands-on on the devices, but we got to test out the much-talked super slow-mo feature that can record in 960 frames per second! Check out the video below, and for the full tech-specs list, kindly visit our coverage news link above.


Sony Xperia XA1 review - Surprisingly improved camera-centric smartphone for the masses

Back when the Sony Xperia XA got released in Malaysia last year, it got smacked down as an overpriced mid-range phone because of its poor battery life and other reasons. Whatever the problem was, Sony has brought back a newer model called the Xperia XA1. But is the new device's performance as sub-par as before and is it worth RM1199? Let’s find out.

The XA1 design is more or less the same as the XA, but it now comes with sharp edges on the four corners. It may look fat but it’s a very compact device and personally I feel comfortable holding it without having to worry of it slipping off my hand. My favourite design aspect from the XA is still there as well, which is the 2mm thin bezel on both sides making it look good, but I still think the bottom space is a waste of space, though.

It also uses a USB Type-C now, and the SIM tray slot has slightly changed too but still can fit in 2 nano SIMs and a microSD card. Check out the rest of the phone below:

(R-L) The trademark shutter button, power button and volume rocker

Speaker grill and USB Type-C, the headphone jack is at the top

The SIM tray design has changed, but it still can fit in two nano SIMs and a microSD card

Despite the display still using the same 5-inch HD in 720p, the XA1 tech-specs have improved dramatically, jumping from MediaTek Helio P10 to P20, same goes to the memory from 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM to 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM. However, the biggest improvement is the main camera sporting a huge 23MP with Exmor RS, Hybrid Autofocus, and a new 5x Clear Image Zoom function.

And…that’s about it. The 5x Clear Image Zoom is the only thing that’s new from the phone. Basically, it allows you to zoom in 5x more and still have a solid image after that. In fact, the image in the cover head picture above is on 5x Clear Image Zoom mode, and that's just a sneak peak (more samples later below). However, zooming into 5x is a bit tedious because it's not a smooth process when you want it. As in, you need to maneveur your two fingers a lot.

The camera user interface layout, the low light function there will change automatically according to what kind of shot you plan to shoot, from Landscape to Macro, etc.

The other camera options, also the manual mode is less impressive (no shutter speed)

Starting up your Xperia phone, useful for owners who are from other devices

Users can use the XA1 for electronic billing via NFC

This one is a new one, where it allows you to communicate with other PS gamers online

Xperia Lounge, where you get rewards and treats from Sony Malaysia

TrackID also came back, allowing you to track songs

In the performance section, it’s good that Sony Mobile has learned their lesson fixing the horrid battery performance from last year. No longer will users have to face the drained battery issue anymore for both gaming and daily social app usage, same goes to the overheating problem which is almost non-existent now. Sound quality still has some inconsistency, though. For some reason it’s not reaching to the fullest when playing Asphalt 8: Airborne even when volume is maxed (including game setting), but it sounds great for music and YouTube video playback.

Battery life is not bad, it can go for one and a half days of normal usage

With 23MP camera on board, image quality has gotten better too, even for night shots. The 5x Clear Image Zoom is particularly useful, but it’s hard to get good macro shots with it if you have shaky hands. Otherwise, you would get good shots from it most of the time.

In addition, the camera also features Steady Shot which provides image stabilization on picture or video taking. Speaking of video recording, there's nothing out of the ordinary. So like most smartphones, a mini tripod or a stabilizer gimbal would be most useful. Anyway, below are some image samples I took (all are auto):

This shot is particularly strange because the area isn't really dark

Another medium shots of these colourful Easter baskets

As usual, artifical lighting in malls are always like this

Selfie, I took this while walking thanks to Steady Shot

Colour contrast looks good on this 23MP camera

5x Clear Image Zoom sample no.1, it was hard taking this shot

Nice shades of shadow even at this lighting environment

The Xperia XA1 is honestly great for outdoors like this

Just a close up, not 5x Clear Image Zoom haha

Low light environment is not a problem for this phone

I swear this picture is suppose to be a lot more darker than it looks

From what the Xperia XA1 offers, this phone is pretty good for users who are on a tight budget and love taking photos. This is because the camera has been greatly improved from its predecessor, while the 5x Clear Image Zoom is also a useful feature to have, not to mention the compact build hides fairly good battery life. Moreover, the PlayStation apps that are pre-installed inside are nice to have too especially if you're a PS gamer. It takes a bit of time to charge up though (two and a half hours, more or less).

However, there is plenty of competition going around. For one, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 takes pretty good pictures too and has amazing battery life for RM799 only (see our review here). There's also the Huawei P10 Lite which has slightly better tech-specs on paper for RM1299, but we have yet to review that so we can't say much. Or on the other hand, if you prefer having selfies then then vivo v5 (RM1299 RM1199) or the OPPO F1s (RM1198) should do for you as well.

Still, I personally enjoyed using this phone. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more reviews at TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia XA1 to arrive UK in April, with Xperia XZ Premium on pre-order

It seems, UK retailer, Clove, had just announced that pre-orders for Sony’s range of Xperia devices, the XA1, XA1 Ultra as well as the XZ Premium, are now open on their website.

It seems that they will all come with varying expected arrival dates, with the XA1, XA1 Ultra and XZ Premium expected to arrive on 10th April, end of May, and first week of June respectively. The pre-order is already on-going, with the XA1 costing £229 (about RM1245), the XA1 Ultra costing £329 (about RM1788) and the XZ Premium costing a whopping £649 (about RM3528)!

Well, it seems that you’ve got to be anxious enough to pay that amount of money for the XZ Premium while waiting for it to arrive about 3 months later. Would the rest of the flagship devices attract your attention? Phones like the Huawei P10 or P10 Plus, the LG G6, or even, the yet-to-announced Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus pair seems to be good interim devices while waiting for the Sony XZ Premium to arrive, if you’ve got the cash to splurge.


Sony Xperia XA1 unboxing and first impression hands-on video

The Sony Xperia XA1 doesn't come with the super slow-mo feature like its elder brother, the Xperia XZs, but it's certainly a more affordable smartphone (RM1199 officially) and its 23MP camera at the back isn't that bad as well. Check out our video below to see what we think along with the special 5x Clear Image Zoom camera feature too!


Sony Xperia XA2 Plus silently revealed with 6-inch display, 3580mAh battery and more

Wait, didn't Sony Mobile release the Xperia XA2 Plus already? Actually, no. That was a different name and you were probably thinking of the Xperia XA2 or XA2 Ultra that were released in Malaysia way back in January this year (I know, the names are so confusing). Anyway, the Xperia XA2 Plus is the latest family addition so below are the tech-specs and features.

As the name suggests, this is the plus-sized variant of the Xperia XA2 and comes with a 6-inch display in an 18:9 aspect ratio. While it may have gotten bigger, it's not the same rectangular brick phone you remember because they have also reduced the space on the top and bottom too. On the back, there's a single 23MP camera and a fingerprint scanner below it, while the front is using a single 8MP selfie snapper with a super wide-angle lens up to 120-degrees.

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset, Sony Mobile has made two variants based on memory and you can get either a 4GB + 32GB or 6GB + 64GB model. No worries about the lack of memory if that seems small for you, it also has an expandable memory via a microSD slot at the side. The battery pack is pretty good standing at 3580mAh with Quick Charge 3.0 technology, also running on Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. Apparently, it's also capable of recording a 4K video footage too.

At this moment, we are not sure if Sony Mobile will import this into Malaysia, I guess we will just have to wait and see. Until then, stay tuned for more Sony news at TechNave.com


Apple MacBook Pro release: New M1 Pro & M1 Max chipsets, starting price from RM8799

Today, the main highlight of the Apple Event was none other than the new revamped MacBook Pro as expected. Not only did it get a slightly new design but it also has two brand new chipsets that may be too overpowered. Read on below to read about the new tech specs and features.

Available in both 14-inches and 16-inches, the MacBook Pro features a new M1 Pro and M1 Max chipset in a 5nm process. Both of these chipsets are the successors of the already powerful M1 chipset, offering even more powerful performance with up to 32GB and 64GB unified memory respectively. While both chipsets have a 10-core CPU, it's the GPU that went nuts with a 16-core and 32-core respectively to cope with intense graphics video work remotely.

With the new chipsets in hand, you could say the new MacBook Pro was designed to tackle ProRes video editing from the latest iPhone 13 series in both encoding and decoding. The 16-core Neural Engine is still present which is able to process 11 trillion operations per second. Apple said the M1 Max chipset has 57 billion transistors and its memory bandwidth reaches up to 400GB/s.

Besides the new chipsets, the MacBook Pro now has a new notch as previously reported from the leaks earlier today. Despite the notch, it made the thinnest bezels to date with just 3.5mm. The notch also now features a 1080p FaceTime HD camera and the Liquid Retina XDR display also supports ProMotion technology (refresh rate not specified).

A number of I/O ports are added too which includes a new MagSafe connector, HDMI, Thunderbolt 4 and even an SDXC card reader. There is a total of six speakers with Spatial Audio and its memory goes up to 64GB of RAM and 8TB of internal storage. Advanced thermal technology is pre-installed to handle heat dissipation and finally, the battery life is said to last up to 21 hours via video playback.

For the local price tags, the Malaysian market will be getting these five variants:

The delivery is not available yet so we will have to wait longer for the official launch. Until then, stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra hands-on video

One of the latest selfie smartphones to join the race is none other than the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra, as a midrange tier device featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 4GB of RAM, 64GB internal storage, 3580mAh battery, a dual front 16MP + 8MP camera and more, this big boy even has a super slow-mo video recording feature that can go up to 120fps. Without further ado, check out our hands-on video below and stay tuned for a future review at TechNave.com!


Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra is now RM1799 in Sony Mobile's CNY promo sale

Here's another Chinese New Year promotion announcement, Sony Mobile has announced that starting today until 18 February, Sony fans and consumers can bring home some freebies upon purchasing some selected Sony smartphones. The freebies are varied for selected devices and include cash rebates up to RM300, a RM100 Touch'n Go special Sony edition card rebate, a 1+1 Year Warranty Extension, a transparent case and screen protector. Check out the table below for the full list.

By the way, the Xperia XA2 Ultra is one of Sony Mobile's latest devices to enter the Malaysia market. As its first dual front camera smartphone with 16MP (OIS) + 8MP (wide-angle) sensors, you can get this for just RM1799 with the RM200 rebate promotion and a total two-year warranty bonus.

That's all from Sony Mobile, happy shopping and stay tuned for more Sony news at TechNave.com.