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AT&T Xperia Play 4G

Based on 71 reviews

Excellent:

9
Good:

30
Average:

17
Bad:

15

Pros

Excellent display, game controls work great, camera takes great stills and videos, 1st PlayStation certified mobile device.
Slideout gamepad, HSPA Connectivity.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G integrates phone and gaming features like no other handset before it. It offers all the essential smartphone features and call quality is respectable.
Excellent gamepad; Impressive sound quality; Rigid slider; Great battery performance.
Comes with six games; supports Flash games; gamepad works well; decent and loud speakers; runs Android 2.3.
Controller makes this phone feel like a dedicated gaming device, Nice camera, Great sound quality
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play comes with an unskinned variant of Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), and the strong hardware set of the camera can take a couple of blows from a frustrated gamer.
Feels solid for a sliding phone, Buttons afford much better control in certain types of games, Phone gives a new platform for old-school favorites like Crash Bandicoot, Analog pads are an innovative compromise
Slide-out game controller, Clean Android install, Vibrant 4.0-inch LCD, Attractive Sony styling, Acceptable 5.1-megapixel camera
Great gaming controller, sharp display, excellent speakers, atttractive and solid build.
Android 2.3 out of the gate, Fast in regular Android, Good UI tweaks like folders, PlayStationlike experience in the best cases, Solid gamepad controls, Reasonably good battery life.
Stock Android is very smooth, with few bugs, The gamepad is wellbuilt and works exactly like you would expect it to, Speakers are of above average quality, and that really adds to the gameplay experience, The
Stock version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread, fast processor, gamepad
Gamepad is a terrific way to play. Latest version of Android. Overall solid specs.
The gamepad works perfectly with most existing Android games, PS One classics emulate great, Fast and snappy interface, Great for emulation.
The dedicated slide-out gaming pad helps provide as close a gaming experience as the likes of a Sony PSP or Nintendo DS Lite that we’ve seen on a smartphone....
Dedicated game controller, Able to run numerous old emulator games with gamepad keymapping, Excellent stereo loudspeakers, Very good photo quality
Gamepad works well, Stereo speakers, Good graphics performance
This handheld video game console from Sony is also a cell phone.
Gameplay hits a whole new level for cell phones because of the integrated slideout controller.

Cons

No mini HDMI, SoC only singlecore, a bit bulky, poor frontfacing camera performance and weak amount of internal storage offered.
Subpar camera, Small internal memory.
Some of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G's gaming controls are unresponsive. It lacks an HDMI-out port, photo quality is poor, and data speeds are unimpressive.
Tacky looks; Unimpressive specs; Buggy software; Lacklustre display; No TV Out; Expensive.
Can't download PlayStation games; screen is difficult to view outdoors; default keyboard is a pain to use; no HD video recording; some games don't fully utilise the gamepad.
Volume button placement not optimal, Controller doesn't work with all games, Display could be brighter, Notification LED oddly placed
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play doesn’t have the 720p video recording ability, which now a days is standard in many of the smartphone releases. The wireless data here is not the latest faster 4G; it’s the conventional slower 3G.Random PostsTags:
L and R buttons are a little awkward, making games like Battle Bears cumbersome to play, None of the buttons are backlit, Screen is on the dim side
Bulky design, Controls work with limited game selection, Touch-based analog controls, No 4G, Smudgy screen
No dual core CPU and no 4G LTE.
Unexceptional gaming performance on a phone that needs it, Minuscule mixed PlayStation Suitenative game library right now, Subpar camera, especially knowing Sony Ericsson's other models, Underwhelming call quality.
Thick and clunky, cheap build quality, lack of gaming titles available
Doesn't integrate with the world of PlayStation. Not the latest graphics hardware. A bit thick and heavy.
Looks and feels bulky, Analog thumbsticks are touchsensitive only
Downloading and storing games can be a tad confusing due to the various platforms you can purchase them from.Look and Feel...
Not futureproof due to the singlecore chipset, Game catalog still in its nascence
Dim, woeful screen, Lack of compelling content, Poor video recording (no 720p)
The Sony Ericsson Xperia does not allow you to watch movies or television shows.
Lacking 4G LTE and a dualcore processor, this advanced device could become dated quickly.

By TechSpot on June 06, 2011

The Xperia PLAY is a solid Android smartphone that offers some unique gaming features, even if it doesn't execute fully on them. The basic version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread works well enough and is free of the cruft of manufacturer customizations...

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By TechSmart.co.za on September 26, 2011

The SE Xperia Play is a really capable smartphone and delivers an improved mobile gaming experience thanks to its dedicated controls. According to SE its Xperia Play is a phone first and portable gaming device second, but you’ll still be able to...

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By PCWorld on September 21, 2011

The Xperia Play hasn't changed much in the months since I last saw it. Other than a new coat of paint and 4G connectivity, most of the gripes I had with the original remain unaddressed. The small internal memory, the lack of dual-core, and the...

80
By cnet on September 20, 2011

AT&T's Sony Ericsson Xperia Play 4G is ideal for gamers, but we'd prefer to see more-accurate controls, a few more features, and a faster data...

73
By TechTree on August 19, 2011

The Xperia Play is the PSP phone we've been waiting for. Thanks to its brilliant gamepad, the product lives up to its name. Additionally, it doubles up as an excellent music player. However, it has many shortcomings, including lacklustre specs, a...

60
By APC Magazine on August 13, 2011

Angry Birds, shmangry birds; dedicated gamers are looking to do more on their smartphones than sling freaky-looking birds at smart-alec pigs â€“ or thatâ€™s what Sony Ericsson is banking on, anyway. The XPERIA Play is as...

80
By Pocketables on August 12, 2011

One of the questions I presented to you guys when I wrote the piece about playing games was if you should buy this phone, even if you aren't a gamer. The answer is yes. The Play is really a great Android device, no matter how you look at it. It runs...

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By Computeractive on August 08, 2011

A poor games console that clutters up what is an otherwise decent smartphone...

40
By AnandTech on August 08, 2011

The debate over the potential (or not, depending on your perspective) for cellular handsets to supplant dedicated portable gaming consoles was already at the 'dull roar' stage when Steve Jobs unveiled the first-generation iPhone in January 2007....

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By TechCentral on July 25, 2011

Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play isn't quite the ground breaking mobile gaming device that we hoped it would be although the slide-out controller is far better for playing games than a touchscreen. The audio from the speakers is also...

70