Due for release next month Recombu was lucky enough to get some hands-on time with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray.
The smaller brother to the stunning Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc (check out our comparison pictures underneath), the Ray is a gorgeous handset and very reminiscent of Sony’s A Series Walkman.
Notably smaller than the Arc, the Ray slightly chunkier although still a svelte 9.4mm deep, the aluminium frame ensures it feels solid and well built to hold.
The most striking thing about the handset is the Reality Display screen, which at 3.3-inches isn’t a class leading size like the aforementioned Arc or Samsung Galaxy S2, but is scratch resistant. The resolution of 854×480 is high too and the test clips we saw were incredibly sharp and detailed. It also included Sony Ericsson’s Mobile Bravia Engine, which you can turn on to enhance highlight and shadow effects in videos.
Running Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread it includes many of the features we’ve seen on the Arc, including Sony Ericsson’s Facebook integration.
There’s a rear 8-megapixel camera that captures 720p HD videos and – unlike the Arc – the phone has a front camera for VGA movies. It shares Sony Ericsson’s Exmor R CMOS sensor with a wide aperture of f/2.4 which should help it capture clear, noise free pictures in low light.
First impressions of the Ray are pleasing, it looks like a serious contender for anyone who can’t afford the Arc or who is looking for a compact, but well-featured Android phone. We’ll bring you a full review as soon as possible.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray main menu
Sony Ericsson Ray main menu
Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray movie
The high resolution means video clips look sharp even though the screen is smaller than rivals
Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray and Xperia Arc
Next to the Arc, the Ray is tiny, but it offers many of the same features for less money
Depth comparison
Three slim phones: the Ray, Arc and Samsung Galaxy SII
Back comparison
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray and Xperia Arc back views
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